DISCUSSIONS AND FINDINGS

1. Sustainable Development goal:

a. Agenda 1- TO PROVIDE QUALITY EDUCATION:
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning
opportunities.

Quality Education is such an important goal, and I believe the media and world often
forget it. Education is the foundation of societies, and without educating our citizens,
we cannot make progress or change - here are some reasons why I think this.

– Quality Education is the foundation to improving lives and development towards

equality.
– Currently, 103 million youth worldwide lack basic literacy skills, and more than 60 per
cent of them are women – education is critical in preventing unintended adolescent
pregnancies.
– However, just being able to go to school is not enough – primary and secondary school
aged children are still leaving school without basic maths and reading skills.
– There is a clear separation and divide between countries, and between rural and urban
areas.
– One of the causes is a lack of trained teachers and poor conditions of schools e.g.
lacking access to electricity or water.
– Despite progress being made towards the Millennium Development Goal of achieving
universal primary education, as of 2013, there are still 59 million primary-school age
children out of school.
– It is estimated that global poverty could drop by 12 % if all children in low-income
countries could read.
The United Nations goals: By 2030
– That all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary
schooling by 2030.
– Ensure access to affordable and quality further education, and substantially increase
number of youths and adults with relevant skills for employment and entrepreneurship.
– Eliminate gender disparities and provide safe, nonviolent, inclusive and effective
learning environments for all.
– This is because education is one of the most powerful proven methods for achieving
sustainable development.
What progress has been made so far?
– The worldwide number of children out of education has halved, however progress has
been limited by poverty, conflict and emergencies.
– UN meeting in June 2017 – discussing ways to advance action on education,
increasing the understanding that education as the skills and knowledge of their own
futures and shaping a more prosperous and sustainable society.
How can we make a difference towards this goal?
– One key way is to educate yourself and others! Be a part of making yourself aware of
what is going on in the world and current news – from a variety of sources and
worldwide.
– If you are going through education yourself, appreciate and make use of it, raise
awareness so that others can have the same opportunities as you
– Focus not just on standardised tests and grades (which I know can be hard), but value
education and learning just for the sake of knowledge, and continue learning throughout
your life.
– Support organisations such as UNICEF, which help to provide education after
emergencies https://www.unicef.org/education/bege_70640.html

b. Agenda 2-DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH:

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive
employment and decent work for all.
The Challenge

Globally, annual GDP growth declined from 4.4% in 2000 to 3.2% in 2017. One in
ten people in the world lived on less than USD 1.90 in 2015, and in too many
places, having a job does not guarantee the ability to escape from poverty. This
slow and uneven progress requires us to rethink and retool our economic and
social policies aimed at eradicating poverty. According to the ILO estimates, the
global unemployment rate is expected to be 5.5% in 2018, marking a turnaround
after three years of rising unemployment rates. However, with a growing number
of people entering the labour market to seek employment, the total number of
unemployed is expected to remain stable in 2018, at above 192 million. In 2017,
around 42 per cent of workers (or 1.4 billion) worldwide are estimated to be in
vulnerable forms of employment, while this share is expected to remain
particularly high in developing and emerging countries, at above 76% and 46%,
respectively.In 2017, extreme working poverty remained widespread, with more
than 300 million workers in emerging and developing countries having a per
capita household income or consumption of less than US$1.90 (PPP) per day. A
continued lack of decent work opportunities, insufficient investments and under-
consumption has led to an erosion of the basic social contract underlying
democratic societies: that all must share in progress. The creation of quality jobs
will remain a major challenge for almost all economies. However, inclusive
growth must also be cognisant of the needs of the most vulnerable – children,
youth, and women.

Why is this important?

While developing countries have grown at a rate faster than developed regions,
sustained economic growth everywhere will be critical to fulfilling our international
developmental targets over the next 15 years. Economic growth – making our
world more prosperous – is inextricably(impossible to solve) linked to all our other
priorities. Stronger economies will afford us more opportunities to build a more
resilient and sustainable world. In addition, economic growth must be inclusive:
growth that does not improve the wellbeing of all sections of society, especially
the most vulnerable, is unequal and unfair.

How can we address this?

‘No one left behind’ is at the core of the sustainable development agenda for
2030 and if economic growth is to build a fairer world, it must be inclusive. This is
the idea behind Goal 8, which aims to sustain an economic growth rate of 7% for
the least developed countries by 2030, and achieve full and productive
employment for all men and women everywhere in the next 15 years. In 2015,
nearly 736 million people live below the USD 1.90 poverty line and that poverty
eradication is only possible through stable and well-paid jobs.

India
India can forge its own growth path, which can rely on both manufacturing and
services as a growth escalator and employment generator. The challenge will be
to create well-paying and productive jobs in non-farm sectors that can absorb
more unskilled workers, including women and those in rural areas. As of today,
labour-intensive manufacturing has not driven productivity growth and job
creation. The sectors that have made productivity gains have been skill-intensive.
Almost half the labour force in India still works in the agricultural sector. With low
productivity, it is difficult to promote gainful employment in agriculture. Enhancing
agricultural productivity through public investment and new technologies should
be a priority focus area. Moreover, upgrading to high-value commodities,
reforming agricultural marketing policies and market interventions, and
strengthening linkages to agri-businesses are critical areas ripe for government
intervention. Increasing the labour force participation of women is a powerful tool
not only to empower women, but also to steer economic growth itself. As reported
by the McKinsey Global Institute (2015), if India increases its female labour force
participation rate by 10 percentage points by 2025, its GDP could rise by as
much as 16 percent as compared to the business-as-usual scenario. India’s
desired transition to a green economy will have a significant impact on job skill
requirements within sectors, occupational profiles and business operations.
Labour market and skill policies can play an important role in maximizing the
benefits of economic greening for workers. Furthermore, The circular economy is
gaining increasing attention as a strategy for long-term prosperity and
sustainability. India is engineering workforce, its rapidly developing engineering
services, R&D expertise and its geo-position in South Asia, position it as a
potential global hub for both frugal manufacturing and services. Additionally, the
fourth industrial revolution is both an opportunity and a challenge for India.

The government’s National Skill Development Mission, Deendayal

Upadhyaya Antodaya Yojana, Atal Innovation Mission, as well as the National
Service Scheme and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee Scheme are some flagship programmes aimed at bringing decent
work to all.
  Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana - DAY is a Government of India scheme for the
helping the poor by providing skill training. It replaces Aajeevika. The Government of
India has provisioned ₹500 crore (US$70 million) for the scheme. The objective of the
scheme is to train 0.5 million people in urban areas per annum from 2016. In rural
areas, the objective is to train 1 million people by 2017. Further, in urban areas,
services like SHG promotion, training centres, vendors markets, and permanent
shelters for homeless. The aim of the scheme is skill development of both rural and
urban India as per requisite international standards.

 Atal Innovation Mission - Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) including Self-

Employment and Talent Utilization (SETU) is Government of India’s endeavour to
promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. Its objective is to serve as a
platform for promotion of world-class Innovation Hubs, Grand Challenges, Start-up
businesses and other self-employment activities, particularly in technology driven
areas.
The Atal Innovation Mission shall have two core functions:
Entrepreneurship promotion through Self-Employment and Talent Utilization,
wherein innovators would be supported and mentored to become successful
entrepreneurs.
Innovation promotion: to provide a platform where innovative ideas are
generated.

 Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme -

MGNREGA is the largest social security scheme in the world — guaranteeing 100
days of unskilled manual work to all rural households in India. Last year, about 235
crore person-days of work were generated under the scheme. The MGNREG Act
actually gives rural households the right to work — making it obligatory for the State
to give them work on demand. Household could actually sue them for not doing so —
at least on paper. The work is usually on projects to build durable assets like roads,
canals, ponds and wells. In reality, there are quite a lot of rules on how the money
may be spent. The Act stipulates a minimum wage-material ratio of 60:40. The
average wage per day per person in 2016-17 was ₹161.

Targets
 Sustain per capita economic growth in accordance with national circumstances and, in
particular, at least 7% gross domestic product growth per annum in the least developed
countries.
 Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological
upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-
intensive sectors.
 Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job
creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization
and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to
financial services.
 Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and
production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental
degradation, in accordance with the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable
consumption and production, with developed countries taking the lead.
 By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and
men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of
equal value.
 By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or
training.
 Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery
and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of
child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child
labour in all its forms.
 Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers,
including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious
employment.
 By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs
and promotes local culture and products.
 Strengthen the capacity of domestic financial institutions to encourage and expand
access to banking, insurance and financial services for all.
 Increase aid for trade support for developing countries, in particular least developed
countries, including through the Enhanced Integrated Framework for Trade-Related Technical
Assistance to Least Developed Countries.
 By 2020, develop and operationalise a global strategy for youth employment and
implement the Global Jobs Pact of the International Labour Organization.

2. Millennium Development Goal:

 To eradicate poverty and hunger:

Pioneering efforts have led to profound achievements including:

 A considerable reduction in extreme poverty over the last 25 years. In 1990, nearly
50 percent of the population in developing nations lived on less than $1.25 a day. As
of 2015, that proportion has dropped to 14 percent.
  The number of people living in extreme poverty worldwide has reduced by more than
50 percent. In 1990, 1.9 billion people were said to be living in extreme poverty,
compared to 836 million in 2015. Most progress was seen in the new millennium.
 The number of living on more than $4 a day – those in the working middle class –
has nearly tripled between 1991 and 2015. In 1991, this group made only 18 percent
of the population, and rose to 50 percent in 2015.
 The proportion of undernourished people in the developing world has dropped by
almost 50 percent since 1990; from 23.3 percent in 1990 – ’92 to 12.9 percent in
2014 – ’16.

This Millennium Development Goal has three targets:

1. To halve the proportion of people whose daily income is less than $1.25
2. To achieve full and productive employment, as well as decent work for all, including
young people and women
3. To halve the proportion of individuals suffering from hunger in the period between
1990 and 2015.

A closer look at the achievements of Millennium

Development Goal targets-
 Target #1: Extreme poverty reduction-

 The poverty rate in the developing world has plummeted from 47 percent to
14 percent in the period between 1990 and 2015 – a 70 percent drop!
 The MDG target of reducing by half extreme global poverty was achieved by
2010 – 5 years before the 2015 deadline. Recent estimates show that the
number of people surviving on less than $1.25 a day worldwide reduced from
36 percent to 15 percent between 1990 and 2011. As of 2015, the proportion
has dropped further to 12 percent.

Source: un.org

 By 2011, all developing regions, with the exception of sub-Saharan Africa,

had achieved the target of halving the number of people living in extreme
poverty. The most populous countries in the world – China and India – played
a major role in the worldwide reduction of poverty. The remarkable progress
in China led to reduction in extreme poverty in Eastern Asia from 61 percent
to 4 percent between 1990 and 2015. Southern Asia’s progress has also
been impressive, with a decline from 52 to 17 percent within the same time
period, but with accelerated reduction since 2008.

 In contrast, the rate of poverty in sub-Saharan Africa did not change between
1990 and 2002. The rate of poverty decline has accelerated since, though
more than 40 percent of sub-Saharan population continues to live extreme
poverty in 2015. Worse still, extreme poverty in Western Asia was expected
to increase between 2011 and 2015.
 Target #2: Achieving full and productive employment-

There has been mixed changes with regard to these changes as follows:

 The global economy is in a new era characterised by slower growth,

greater inequalities, and turbulence, plus employment opportunities
are not growing as fast as the increasing labour force. The
employment-to-population ratio in the word, or the number of working-
age people in employment, has dropped from 62 percent to 60
percent between 1991 and 2015, with a considerable downturn during
the 2008/09 global crisis. In fact, the International Labour Organisation
claims that there are more than 204 million unemployed people in 205,
which is 34 million before the start of the 2008 economic crisis and 53
million more than in 1991.

 Employment opportunities have diminished in both developed and

developing regions. The employment-to-population ratio in developed
nations has fallen by 1 percent, while that in developing regions has
reduced by 1 percent, with the largest declines in Eastern and
Southern Asia. The employment situation in sub-Saharan Africa has
improved slightly, though the livelihoods of residents have not
improved much due to high under-employment and informal
employments, combined with low labour productivity.

 Youth, especially young women are still disproportionately affected by

unemployment and few employment opportunities. Only 4 in 10 youth
(men and women aged 15-24) are employed in 2015 compared to 5 in
10 in 1991, indicating a 10 percent drop in employment. While this is
partly due to staying longer in school, 74 million youth are looking for
jobs in 2015 globally – three times higher than the adult number.

 The number of employees living in extreme poverty has reduced

significantly over the past 25 years, despite the global financial crisis.
In 1991, nearly 50 percent of workers in developing nations survived
on a household income of less than $1.25 per person per day. In
2015, the rate has dropped to 11 percent, which translated to a two-
thirds decline in the number of extremely poor workers, from 900
million to 300 million between 1991 and 2015.

 The number of people living on more than $4 a day (working middle

class) has nearly tripled between 1991 and 2015, making up almost
50 percent of the workforce in developing countries – up from 18
percent in 1991.

 Target #3: Halve the proportion of people suffering from hunger-

Current estimates suggest that nearly 780 million people living in the developing
regions are undernourished, which means that one in nine people do not have
enough to eat. However, this translated to a 50 percent drop in the proportion of
undernourished people in developing countries – from 23.3 to 12.9 percent between
1990-92 and 2014-16.

Final note

Progress in hunger reduction has been significant despite the challenging global
environment over the last decade. Major challenges have included rising
unemployment, higher food and energy prices, volatile commodity prices, economic
recessions, frequent extreme weather events and natural disasters, and political
instability and civil strife. These obstacles have slowed down progress in reducing
extreme poverty and hunger in some of the most vulnerable nations of the world.

Even though the MDG targets have been met, it will be extremely difficult to
eliminate the remaining extreme poverty and hunger.