The one with people from regions of Pakistan owning the SDGs and pushing their politicians to act
Pakistanis taking ownership of the SDGs and pushing their politicians to act
Localizing the implementation of the SDGs should involve –without a doubt– local people to provide their views and have the opportunity to express priorities and solutions with their perspective. That is always a challenge, but it can be even more when we talk about a region in Pakistan.
This initiative has invited mostly women, young people, peasants and laborers from the Sindh province to go through a training on SDGs in order to better understand them and then be able to express priority to possible solutions with their knowledge and engagement. These groups were involved in planning, discussion and learning processes regarding the SDGs commitment and implementation.
The intervention took place in 10 local districts that had their own advocacy groups. In Sukkur district, youth negotiated with district administration for allocating budget for youth development and women councilors negotiated in district budget sessions for providing women toilets in busy shopping areas of city and safe drinking water. In the district of Hyderabad, participants have formed alliance to talk with district administration for safe and resilient city planning.
Participant’s push to solve development issues relevant to all SDGs has actually put pressure on the government’s side in order to take serious planning and resource allocations at local level. This project has the will to keep on strengthening and expanding more alliances in other provinces of Pakistan as well as building capacities of NGOs to pursue SDG implementation. Furthermore, the initiative will provide social accountability tools for youth, women and peasants and laborers to negotiate with their elected representatives and district level resource providers.
Who is behind this?
Sindh Community Foundation
The Road to Rights is a unique platform where ideas get pumped up from youth. As a youth-led organization, the team works for educating and empowering young people through human rights education and 2030 agenda. The organization is established in 18 different countries where it uses sport, art, ICTs, tourism and other tools to engage people to educate themselves on their rights, responsibilities and goals
The Road to Rights is a unique platform where ideas get pumped up from youth. As a youth-led organization, the team works for educating and empowering young people through human rights education and 2030 agenda. The organization is established in 18 different countries where it uses sport, art, ICTs, tourism and other tools to engage people to educate themselves on their rights, responsibilities and goals
Mr. Chaminda is a postman that got inspired by the SDG action in his community and realized he wanted to contribute in some way. That is when he decided that while he was distributing letters door-to-door, he would also advocate and mobilize people in order to gather support for bringing education to 60 children in a rural village in Piliyandala in Sri Lanka. The Tourism program of University of Colombo decided to include SDGs into their tourism curriculum.
That way, students would learn and gain capacity to act on SDGs productively in their respective field. These are just two examples of the impact the initiative “The road to rights” is having in the communities. This project is a unique platform where ideas get pumped up from youth. As a youth-led organization, the team works for educating and empowering young people through human rights education and 2030 agenda. Understanding the basic values would lead to a society where people respect and love each other, specially respect everyone’s independence. If the SDGs are achieved, all human rights will also be protected. With that objective, these changemakers are strongly working on incorporating SDGs into different type of institutions, as they believe institutionalizing the SDGs would bring strong impact.
The project also works on building the capacity of young people from different parts of the country, so that they will be able to take their own actions to mobilize their own resources. All team members educate, inspire, and empower people while addressing problems based on gender, peace, and environment. They are also strongly working on using tools to promote SDGs such as sport, arts and ICT, that includes a project named “Purposeful Play” that is a platform to promote SDGs through sports in a unique manner.
“The road to rights” is established in 18 different countries and one of the main steps that this initiative is planning to take is influencing policy and decision makers with the results of grassroots activities.
Who is behind this?
Ashan Perera
Cooking sustainable development from the kitchen and beyond
Cooking sustainable development from the kitchen and beyond
Chefs influence what we grow, what we put on our plates and how we think and talk about food. The changemakers behind this project felt chefs could be powerful advocates for a better food future – motivating people to make changes in their kitchens and communities and empowering them to call on governments and companies to also play their part. Disruptive new voices like chefs could help translate SDGs into a language that resonates with the public and inspires them to take the action that will contribute to delivery of the goals.
Tackling food system challenges – such as undernutrition, food waste and soil degradation – is hugely complex. Success relies on everyone getting involved. By creating an online community and a Chefs’ Manifesto with simple, practical guidance on engaging in the SDGs, this initiative saw an opportunity to amplify existing activity, promote innovation and solutions and empower chefs all over the world to help deliver a more sustainable food system.
The SDG2 Advocacy Hub was uniquely placed to lead the initiative as it could draw on the expertise of Hub members – from NGOs to business and culinary organizations – to create a new movement for food. Over the last six months, the SDG2 Advocacy Hub has established a community of 130+ chefs from 38 countries who worked together to create a Chefs’ Manifesto. This is a document written by chefs, for chefs, synthesizing the SDGs into 8 thematic areas that chefs are most interested in tackling. The Manifesto is underpinned by an Action Plan which provides practical activities across each thematic area that chefs can take to contribute to the SDGs and inspire others to act. The Hub is also collating content and case studies of best practice across the chef network – from innovative ways of tackling food waste in kitchens to examples of chef-led social action in communities.
Notably, the initiative has helped give voice to chefs from all over the world and helped champion their vital role in engaging people in SDG 2 action. For instance, a group of chefs from India, UK, Venezuela and Cameroon presented the Manifesto at the Global Nutrition Summit in Milan in November 2017- providing an opportunity for the individual chefs to both profile their own work but also the power of collective action. The initiative will aim to change lives by equipping chefs all over the world with a simple set of actions to contribute to the SDGs and a ‘one-stop shop’ where they can access and share information that will help them drive change through their kitchens and in their communities.
The project´s aim is to continue to grow the chef network and engagement from all over the world – ensuring that the community is as inclusive and representative of the diverse role of chefs as possible. The Action Plan will be turned into a practical toolkit (translated into French, Spanish and English, in the first instance) which will serve as clear guidance for chefs as how they can – through areas such as purchasing power, kitchen practices and consumer education – contribute to the SDGs.
Who is behind this?
SDG2 Advocacy Hub
“Let´s be together, let´s be inclusive, let´s be united and leave no one behind / Hold hands in hands and move forward / Leave no one behind, say this together”. This is how the song of this campaign begins!
Advocacy in Pakistan sets the beat and everyone should be dancing
“Let´s be together, let´s be inclusive, let´s be united and leave no one behind / Hold hands in hands and move forward / Leave no one behind, say this together”.
This is how the song of the “Leave no one behind” campaign begins. Its original language is in Urdu, the official language of Pakistan and it was broadcasted through radio and social media across the country. Policies- to-action forums were also organized across the country, as a campaign during the last 500 days of the Millenium Development Goals (MDG) and to help kick off the post-2015 consultations with different stakeholders including governments, academia, companies, media, students and the most marginalized and socially excluded groups like religious and sexual minorities. Almost all of them were unaware of the MDGs and wanted to be part of such transformative agenda.
Based upon the “Leave no one behind” campaign and findings of the consultations, the team developed a documentary and a song in Urdu to popularize the MDG/SDGs agenda to the masses. AwazCDS/PDA is now the only leading platform in the country that has mobilized the people from all walks of life for better understanding and implementing the SDGs through better governance and greater accountability. This initiative has also sensitized the parliamentarians in Pakistan who have been engaged in SDG taskforces at national and provincial levels to oversee the implementation of the goals.
The national government has institutionalized the creation of SDG Units at planning and development levels in order to introduce the 2030 Agenda in annual and multiyear developmental and financial plans. AwazCDS/Pakistan Development Alliance is now in the process of carrying out a mapping / gap analysis of the CSOs/ private sector engagement in the implementation of SDGs by the national and provincial governments. The mapping will help the team develop a robust advocacy plan for pushing both governments and private sector/ CSOs to join hands together for achieving the commitments made under the 2030 agenda.
Moreover, the project has also conducted a national survey in Pakistan to prioritize the SDGs and interestingly Goal 16 was recommended as the top priority of various stakeholders and governments too. The campaign has also pushed the national Government to join the Voluntary National Review (VNR) process and there is a commitment from the Pakistani leaders to conduct a VNR in 2019.
Who is behind this?
AwazCDS / Pakistan Development Alliance
We all need love in (climate) action, even if it is through virtual reality
We all need love in (climate) action, even if it is through virtual reality
The Fijian value of vei lomani (“love in action”) is at the heart of this initiative that seeks to raise awareness of the impacts of climate change through immersive virtual reality storytelling. The project, which also uses a host of online and offline content, transports viewers to rural Fiji to meet Catalina, Asmita, Rai and Rupeni; to experience the impact that climate change is already having on Fiji and the wider Pacific, and to understand that while Pacific Islanders have done nothing to cause climate change, they are standing tall and adjusting to its impacts with strength, resilience and a deep sense of community.
This film was produced with the aim of bringing the climate change experience of Fiji – one of the world’s most climate vulnerable countries – to the city of Bonn in Germany, where COP23 brought together representatives from all around the globe in November 2017. More than 3500 delegates at COP23 experienced the film in headset format across three spaces, including global climate change influencers Michael Bloomberg and President of COP, Fijian Prime Minster, Frank Bainimarama. The film has now been watched online by more than 600,000 viewers since November.
This project was truly a collaborative project between a team of storytellers from across the Pacific, together with the Fijian Government, the World Bank and COP23 Secretariat. And the spirit of Fijians and “vei lomani” was at the heart of all aspects of the work: from filming in the hills and coastlines of rural Fiji, to pre- and post-production in Suva, Sydney and Washington. The team involved all deeply believe that in today’s world, we all need more vei lomani: it can not only underpin the world’s approach to climate change – making choices to help one another (whether now or for generations to come) – but also how we can all live a more fulfilling, happier life. The project is a vehicle for sharing this uniquely Fijian value with the world.
Looking ahead, the project will be exhibited at a number of museums and events throughout Asia-Pacific in the coming months, including a comprehensive tour across its ‘home’ in Fiji.
Who is behind this?
LEAD PRODUCER – Tom Perry, The World Bank
ASSISTANT PRODUCER – Kara Mouyis, The World Bank
DIRECTOR, EDITOR – Tash Tan, S1T2
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY – Joshua Flavell
STORYTELLING LEAD, PHOTOGRAPHER, 1ST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR – Alana Holmberg
SOUND, CAMERA & POST-PRODUCTION TECHNICIAN -Tunpitcha Ladapornvitaya, S1T2
CULTURAL ADVISORS – Ken Cokanasiga & George Nacewa
FIELD PRODUCER – Eka Yabaki
WRITER – Arieta Tora Rika, Talanoa
BRANDING & DESIGN – Heidi Romano & Lainee Fagafa
This initiative gave tools to five daughters of garment workers aged between 7 and 15 to explain their daily lives in a short-film documentary. Over 4 days in March 2017 they compiled enough material to raise awareness on crucial issues like the supply chain transparency and the need for empowerment of women and girls.
This initiative gave tools to five daughters of garment workers aged between 7 and 15 to explain their daily lives in a short-film documentary. Over 4 days in March 2017 they compiled enough material to raise awareness on crucial issues like the supply chain transparency and the need for empowerment of women and girls.
Remember the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Dhaka? When this tragedy occurred, many media published stories condemning the subhuman conditions of the garment workers, until then overlooked. Now it’s been almost 5 years and we see that little has been done in spite of all the rhetoric by businesses and governments. The stories told by journalists have not had the expected impact BUT… what is the result when the power of storytelling is in the hands of the people in the field?
Having the girls as the directors and protagonists of the film allows viewers to understand the challenges in their lives. It shows how the seemingly harmless appearance of 5 girls can be transformed into an advocacy weapon, as the documentary is being screened in many cities around the globe.
Today, there are people that know the story of Hafiza, whose mother works in a garment factory but fell ill. This unfortunate situation has left all care responsibilities for the family to the young girl, who also takes care of her younger brother. They can’t watch TV at home as her mother suffers from a hearing problem caused by noise pollution in the factory. Through this video journalism project, not only she is able to gain confidence to speak publicly for the first time during the documentary screening in Dhaka, but she has also been able to develop a close friendship with other girls in the programme, and to acquire digital and filmmaking skills which can help her in her future career. Unfortunately, Bangladesh is only one of the many countries impacted by unfair garment production so this project could be replicated in other countries such as India, Indonesia and Cambodia to scale up its impact.
Who is behind this?
Bonnie Chiu
