According to data from the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific region is not making progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
In 2015, global leaders agreed upon the 17 Goals which aim to eliminate extreme poverty and hunger, guarantee access to clean water and sanitation, and deliver quality education for all by the year 2030.
The 2024 Report on Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), released by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), emphasized ongoing difficulties related to poverty and inequality, where factors such as gender and location have significant impact.
In the foreword of the report, Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary of ESCAP, emphasized the crucial importance of our steadfast dedication, as the region continues to see uneven and insufficient progress towards the SDGs.
“Although more work is needed in all areas, detailed data highlights the importance of addressing inequalities that disproportionately affect marginalized communities, such as women, girls, rural populations, and the urban poor. These groups are still facing barriers to education and job opportunities,” she stated.
The yearly SDG Progress Report offers insight into the advancement of global goals in the Asia-Pacific area, serving as a basis for ESCAP and its partners to guide their actions and policy decisions.
Country divide
The advancement of developing countries, landlocked developing countries, and small island developing states over a period of time.
The report showed concerns for Asian and Pacific nations facing unique challenges, such as being categorized as Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), or small island developing States (SIDS).
The SIDS were in dire need of assistance due to their distinct vulnerabilities, such as being geographically isolated, lacking resources, and facing the effects of climate change.
The report states that the COVID-19 outbreak has significantly hindered the progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in various nations. The report reveals that their overall achievement has only reached 5.9% since 2015.
The least developed countries (LDCs) and landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) showed slight improvement compared to the islands, with only 11.5% and 13% progress, respectively. However, they still fall far below the necessary level to achieve the Goals by 2030.
Gender divide
The report also emphasized the various societal obstacles experienced by males and females, particularly in regards to traditional gender roles.
The main obstacles faced by women are related to education and employment. They have lower rates of enrollment and struggle to meet literacy goals. Young women also face challenges in entering the job market, resulting in higher rates of youth unemployment.
Men’s were more associated with health and personal safety, including new HIV infections, mortality rates attributed to diseases, suicide rates, alcohol consumption, road traffic deaths, mortality attributed to poisoning, prevalence of tobacco use.
Urban-rural divide
According to the report, individuals residing in rural regions experienced significant challenges, including restricted availability of essential clean water and sanitation amenities.
Moreover, the lack of adequate clean cooking fuels in these regions led to severe respiratory illnesses, particularly among females who spent extended periods of time in the kitchen.
Overall, cities showed more favorable circumstances, but surprisingly, the most disadvantaged boys and girls within these areas encountered major obstacles when trying to finish upper secondary education.
Asia-Pacific is home to several of the countries worst affected by climate change impact. Pictured here, the 2022 floods in Pakistan.
The importance of taking action to address climate change is urgent.
According to the report, of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, Goal 13 focusing on climate action is the most pressing, as none of its targets are on track for progress and some are even regressing.
The importance of incorporating climate action into domestic policies, enhancing resilience, and building adaptive capabilities to manage climate-related catastrophes was emphasized.
The report also recommended a substantial increase in funding for sustainable infrastructure and renewable energy sources.
Source: news.un.org
