“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”— Charles Dickens (A Tale of Two Cities)
This quote from Charles Dickens's novel A Tale of Two Cities highlights the duality of today’s world, where challenges and suffering coexist with growth and advancement. The novel is a great example of communal work reminding us that change is only possible when individuals unite for a common cause.
Similarly, in 2015, highlighting the importance and urgency of addressing global challenges to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all, the United Nations established the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
A total of 17 goals were established and of these 17 goals, SDG 17 stands out as a critical enabler of success for the entire agenda.
SDG 17 emphasizes partnerships and collaborations with various governments, for-profits, not-for-profits, and other stakeholders to make a sustainable future a reality for all.
However, it’s not all roses. There are some critical challenges that hinder the 17 UN SDGs. Hence, in this blog, we will explore:
Now without further ado, let's begin our exploration!
Sustainable Development Goal 17 (SDG 17), titled “Partnerships for the Goals,” notices the importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships as the beacon of hope for a world where inequality and poverty won’t exist. It aims to achieve its agenda by 2030.
SDG 17 serves as a medium for mobilization, knowledge sharing, technological advancement, and financial resources for all countries, especially developing countries, landlocked developing countries, and small island developing states, knowing that no single entity — whether a government, company, or non-profit can alone tackle the world’s biggest challenges.
Such as, according to a report on 17 UN SDGs by the United Nations,
“The cumulative impact of multiple environmental crises is threatening the foundations of planetary ecosystems. In 2023, the world experienced the warmest year on record. For the first time, global temperatures were dangerously close to the 1.5°C lower limit of the Paris Agreement.”
The rising social, environmental, and economic inequalities are a matter of great concern. In such a case, The UN SDG partnerships will contribute to environmental protection and sustainable development by promoting and inventing environment-friendly technology and building capacity.
Not only this, the exceeding wars and invasions strengthened the gap between peace and equality leaving 120 million people forcibly displaced. This situation can not improve immediately and alone. This requires a steady, slow, and collaborative effort which can be fulfilled by the 2030 agenda of SDG 17.
Therefore, to holistically address and cover the overall interlinked issues, SDG 17 outlines five key areas for collaboration:
Bringing resources together to support long-term development.
Increasing access to technology and knowledge.
Strengthening the abilities of governments and organisations.
Making global trading systems more fair and equitable.
Promoting multi-stakeholder collaboration to implement the SDGs.
The essentiality of SDG 17 comes from its ability to facilitate collaborative actions, ensuring that the other 16 goals are fundamentally achieved through the cohesive efforts of partnership. Without strong SDG 17 partnerships, these goals can be delayed or even fail.
To achieve a sustainable tomorrow, we need bold actions today, and it’s possible through meaningful and long-term partnerships.
First, peace is essential as it maintains the overall growth of society. Hence, solving conflicts through dialogue and upholding the UN’s values becomes crucial, eventually building trust and communication on all levels. Such as Governments, private companies, NGOs, and local communities. These networks foster an environment conducive to collaboration.
Second, solidarity among the multi-stakeholders should be the priority. Developing countries need more financial assistance, technology, and human expertise, and for that, the global financial system must invest in the SDGs. Other than this, both private and public sectors should work together to mobilise funds.
Third, capacity building through training and education to acquire knowledge and skills for development initiatives is also very important.
Fourth, cross-sector partnerships ensure that multi-stakeholder partnerships involving actors from different sectors such as public, private, and civil society are extremely influential in knowledge-sharing and resource pooling.
Fifth, facilitating fair global trade cooperation can boost economic growth and development, especially for developing counties.
By integrating these approaches, organizations and governments can align their efforts to support sustainable outcomes. But ultimately, achieving SDG 17—and all the SDGs—will take ongoing effort, strong partnerships, and a shared commitment to ending poverty, protecting the planet, and leaving no one behind.
While SDG 17 is an optimistic agenda, only 17% of the SDG targets are on track. There are many challenges in SDG 17’s way that hinder its growth and fulfillment.
According to The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024, the SDG 17 progress has been halted and even regressed on multiple fronts. This all could be due to COVID-19’s post-effects, international conflicts, climate shocks, and economic turmoil leading to increasing inequalities.
Not only this but challenges such as:
Lack of trust among multi-stakeholders is also a major issue. Many stakeholders, especially in developing countries, may not fully trust multinational corporations, governments, or international organizations.
Resource imbalance among partners can lead to power imbalances in decision-making processes. Developing countries with fewer resources are often left out of participation as wealthier countries and organisations may dominate discussions and decisions.
Fragmentation of resources among initiatives leads to imbalanced actions with potentially reduced or uneven impact. Without proper coordination and collaboration partnerships can not reach their full potential.
Political instability and bureaucratic barriers, such as conflicts, economic challenges, and lengthy processes, frequently prevent countries from fully participating in or benefiting from global partnerships.
Addressing these challenges is crucial for SDG 17 partnerships to flourish and drive real progress.
The partnership for goals SDG 17 allows for a pool of resources, expertise, and technologies for all, eventually reducing duplication of efforts and saving resources.
Furthermore, effective multi-stakeholder partnerships enhance accountability and transparency and foster innovation by bringing together diverse ideas for solving complex challenges.
Not only this but multi-stakeholder partnerships for SDG 17 promote inclusivity by providing opportunities for participation to the marginalised representatives. This ensures that development strategies are holistic and address their needs ensuring that no one is left behind in the pursuit of SDGs.
The Indian School of Development Management (ISDM) plays a pivotal role in advancing SDG 17 through its partnerships with Social Purpose Organisations (SPOs), NGOs, and other stakeholders in the development sector.
ISDM’s aim is to help strengthen the capabilities of these organisations, so that they can manage and scale their initiatives.
By collaborating with NGOs, ISDM indirectly contributes to the realisation of SDG 17 fostering partnerships aims to fulfil sustainable development.
ISDM provides leadership development, training, and capacity-building progragrams, facilitating social organisations with the tools they require to operate more effectively and make a greater impact. Moreover, ISDM actively promotes knowledge sharing among SPOs and other stakeholders.
It provides a forum for exchanging ideas, experiences, and best practices, facilitating the type of collaborative learning required to achieve SDG 17 goals.
Achieving SDG 17 is tough but not impossible. It is vital for realisation of all the SDGs. Strong partnerships, with trust, inclusivity, and collaboration, are the mechanics driving the SDG 17. By overcoming the challenges that hinder multi-stakeholder cooperation and fostering meaningful collaborations,governments, businesses, and civil society can unlock the synergies needed to address the world’s most pressing challenges.
Institutions like ISDM are the best examples of partnerships in action.By supporting capacity-building efforts and enabling knowledge exchange, they are helping to lay the foundation for the successful achievement of SDG 17 and, by extension, the entire global development agenda.
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