Together for the 2030 Agenda: Partnering for Women, Children and Adolescents, to Thrive and Transform the World
Co-organized by Every Woman Every Child, the Global Partnership for Education, Sanitation and Water for All, the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement, and Zero Hunger Challenge, the event featured high-level speakers such as President Michelle Bachelet, of Chile, Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, State Counsellor and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Myanmar, and Dr. David Nabarro, the UN Secretary-General Special Adviser on 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Climate Change.
To achieve the sustainable development goals, it is imperative that we work in partnership and across sectors to ensure woman, children and adolescents everywhere access adequate, diverse and nutritious food, quality health care, education, sanitation and clean water – which will help them survive, grow strong, get an education, become resilient and thrive. In turn, so will their communities and countries, breaking poverty cycles and contributing to a more inclusive, sustainable, healthier and more prosperous future for all. The message was loud and clear in the voice of Sira, a ten-year old girl from a video animation launched at the event.
The event reflected the leadership of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who addressed the audience in a video message and highlighted the hard work and commitment to bringing together an array of different actors to unite around some of the most intractable challenges that people face in their daily lives. “From the time he assumed office, the Secretary-General recognized that partnership brings results and he focused on the power of partnering as a specific element of the United Nations’ work,” said Dr. David Nabarro, Special Adviser Special Advisor on 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and Climate Change.
The partnerships that co-organized the event understand the importance of working with a variety of stakeholders to achieve lasting impact in their fields. However, the 2030 Agenda commits us to breaking down the walls between sectors, as David Nabarro reminded attendees.
“In SDG 17, the member states explicitly emphasized the role of partnerships; putting them at the heart of the 2030 Agenda. Partnerships that engage citizens and all stakeholders will build movements for change; making possible the transformations envisioned in the 2030 Agenda. To ensure that we leave no-one behind, partnerships must be driven by local stakeholders. This will enable us to address unique, country-specific sustainable development and humanitarian challenges,” added Dr. Nabarro.
In his keynote address, Dr. Nabarro emphasized that to support countries in this work, we need to concretely engage with civil society, academia, private sector, faith-based organizations, the creative community and the youth: “I am grateful to Every Woman Every Child, the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement, the Zero Hunger Challenge, the Global Partnership for Education, and Sanitation and Water For All for bringing us all here today. They are examples of how partnerships build movements to catalyze transformation. They are innovative in the ways in which they work with multiple stakeholders, people and communities to deliver on their commitments.”
“These initiatives are encouraging multi-sectoral actions that are transforming health, nutrition, food security, sanitation and education of individuals, societies and nations, and are coming together today to look at how to deliver better for people, especially women, children and adolescents. Our job is not done until ALL women, children and adolescents can not only survive, but have access to the best health and infrastructure, have access to affordable and nutritious foods, are nurtured and educated, so they can thrive to realise their full potential. This can only be achieved through the coming together of transversal partnerships that deliver results in innovative ways, and ensure that no one is left behind.”
Other panelists at the event included:
Ms. Vivian Onano (Kenya) , Partnerships Manager SEED Project, WaterAid America Youth Ambassador & Women Deliver Young Leader.
H.E. Ms. Michelle Bachelet Jeria, President of the Republic of Chile
H.E Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, State Counsellor and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar
Mr. Tony Lake, Executive Director, Unicef
Mr. Danny Sriskandarajah, Secretary General and CEO of CIVICUS
The Hon. Mr Kevin Rudd, Chair, Sanitation and Water for All
Ms. Alice Albright, CEO, Global Partnership for Education
Mr. Saber Chowdhury, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Ms. Monica Musonda , CEO, Java Foods
Dr. Tim Evans, Senior Director of Health, Nutrition and Population at the World Bank Group
To close the event, young leaders from various organizations, including White Ribbon Alliance, Save the Children, Women Deliver and PMNCH, offered their interpretation of the principles of partnership contained in the Partnership Playbook launched at the event. The young leaders were: Mr. Elman Nsinda, Ms. Anoyara Khatun, Mr. Yosef Ahmed Terku, Mr. Patrick Mwesigye, Ms. Gogontlejang Phaladi, Ms. Tikhala Itaye, Mr. Fsahat UI Hassan, Ms. Salam Abukhadrah, Ms. Hiba Nabulsi and Ms. Jasmine George.
Principles of Partnership
We are country led:
- Our partnerships are driven by committed countries and their national priorities. We commit to ensuring that countries are at the centre of all efforts to ensure sustainability.
We are rights based:
- Our partnerships will act in accordance with a commitment to uphold the equity, equality and rights of all women, men and children, (building upon the firm foundation of United Nations purposes and principles, as set out in the Charter, and the rights based instruments that guide our partnerships)—ensuring that no-one is left behind.
We are inclusive:
- Our partnerships are open to a broad range of stakeholders, including government, civil society, private sector, academia, donors, United Nations agencies—who demonstrate their commitment to our goals and principles. A multi-stakeholder approach is critical for delivering on the promise of the 2030 Agenda.
We are transparent about our intentions and impact:
- Our partnerships commit to establishing rigorous evaluations of the impacts of collective action and the contributions of our individual partners.
We will be predictable and mutually accountable:
- Our partnerships will work towards shared outcomes and uphold and strengthen accountability of our partners’ commitments and actions.
We will be evidence-based:
- We will pursue and support evidence-based priorities that will achieve the greatest sustainable impact for the resources available.
We will communicate conscientiously:
- Across our partners’ countries, sectors and stakeholders we will strive to learn and adapt our ways of working, through the sharing of lessons on what works and what does not—informing progress toward achieving all SDGs.
We will act with integrity and in an ethical manner:
- Our partners will manage personal and institutional conflicts of interest with integrity, be consistent with national laws and national development strategies and plans, and align with the priorities of countries with whom we are working.
We are mutually respectful:
- Our partnerships will collaborate in a way that builds trust and respects the contributions and perspectives of other stakeholders.
We will do no harm:
- We will encourage actions that contribute to improving the well-being of all people, with careful consideration about negative consequences to people and planet, and clear mitigation strategies.