The 17th goal of the Sustainable Development Goals is centered on “establishing partnerships to achieve the goals”. This goal includes all the previous 16 Sustainable Development Goals, which cannot be achieved without cooperation between all countries. The existence of a global partnership is a way to promote and achieve sustainable development to build peaceful and just societies to live in.

To achieve this goal, the United Nations has presented the objectives of the 17th Sustainable Development Goal. In this light, we recognize the role of the High Commissioner in achieving Sustainable Development Goals. In addition to the fact of achieving these goals.

Objectives of the 17th Sustainable Development Goal

The 17th Sustainable Development Goal aims to achieve several goals and objectives. These purposes are as follows:

• The full implementation by developed countries of their commitments in the field of official development assistance. This includes the commitment of many of those countries to reach the target of allocating 0.7% of their gross national income to official development assistance. In addition, between 0.15 and 0.20% of gross national income is designated for development assistance to the least developed countries.
• Mobilizing additional financial resources from multiple sources for developing countries.
• Assist developing countries in achieving long-term debt sustainability by coordinating policies aimed to strengthen financing, debt relief, and restructuring. It is also carried out by addressing the issue of the external debt of heavily-indebted poor countries to get them out of the critical indebtedness situation.
• Adopting and implementing investment promotion systems for the least developed countries.
• Strengthening regional and international North-South and South-South cooperation. In addition to trilateral cooperation regarding science, technology, innovation, and access to them.
• Promoting the development, transfer, popularization, and dissemination of environmentally safe technologies to developing countries on favorable terms. Including concessional and preferential terms, as agreed.
• Full activation of the technology Bank and the mechanism for capacity-building in the fields of Science, Technology, and innovation for the benefit of the least developed countries.
• Promoting a global, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory, and equitable multilateral trading system within the framework of the World Trade Organization.
• Significantly increasing the exports of developing countries. In particular, to double the share of the least developed countries in world exports
• Achieving timely implementation of duty-free and quota-free market access for the products of all Least Developed Countries. This is done in line with WTO decisions.
• Strengthening macroeconomic stability at the global level. This is achieved through means including policy coordination and harmonization.
• Promoting policy coherence for Sustainable Development.
• Respect each country’s political and leadership space to develop and implement policies for poverty eradication and sustainable development. [1]

The work of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the field of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has made a significant contribution to the process of preparing the 2030 Agenda and defining the Sustainable Development Goals. UNHCR seeks to ensure that the strategies and policies adopted to implement the 2030 Agenda remain rooted in human rights and include all without exception.

In the process of its mission, it cooperates with states and other elements of the UN development system. It also cooperates with National Human Rights Institutions, civil society, and other stakeholders in the following key areas:

• Intergovernmental engagement.
• Global politics.
• Implementation at the national level.
• Data and indicators.
• Accountability.
• Financing for development. [2]

Facts About the Reality of Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable Development Goals can only be achieved with a strong commitment to partnership and cooperation at the international level. Official development assistance from developed countries increased by 66 percent between 2000 and 2014. The total Official Development Assistance amounted to 147.2 billion US dollars in 2017. In 2016, 6 countries achieved the international target of keeping development assistance above or at 0.7% of gross national income.

But humanitarian crises caused by conflicts or natural disasters still require more resources and financial aid. Many countries also need Official Development Assistance (ODA) to encourage growth and trade. The United Nations conference on trade and Development UNCTAD says that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals will require an annual investment of 5 to 7 trillion US dollars. [1]

The Relationship of the 17th Goal with the Other Sustainable Development Goals

Wise governance must be based on the solid foundations of achieving gender equality (mentioned in goal 5) and reducing inequality (goal 10). In addition to the commitment to create just and peaceful societies (goal 16), establish global partnerships, and strengthen international cooperation (goal 17). Thus, the use of new digital technologies is considered one of the main tools for promoting wise governance.

For example, each member of the community will be provided with a unique electronic identity, taking into account personal privacy. This will enable governments to provide their main services in the digital space. Thus, access to services for all is ensured, and transparency and inclusive participation are achieved. [3]

In conclusion, we can say that the 17th goal of the Sustainable Development Goals is the only one that achieves these goals. Naming goals without global cooperation to achieve them is just a daydream. The achievement of these goals and their dissemination among states and individuals is a lofty task. At the USW initiative, we collaborate to spread these goals and encourage their achievement, even if only in small steps. We hope to achieve a peaceful, just, and safe society for all individuals.

♀️ Uplifting Syrian Women Initiative aims at sustainable peace building in Syria through targeting women and providing them with free online courses, workshops, discussion sessions and trainings, with a view to achieving the goals of Gender Equality, Quality Education and Decent Work and Economic Growth, which all fall into the interest of society as a whole and serve the purpose of rebuilding it.

Also read:

• Sustainable Development Goal 9.
• Sustainable Development Goal 10.

• Sustainable Development Goal 11.

References: 

[1] UNDP

[2] OHCHR

[3] DPR