Sustainable development objectives of the United Nations
At this time, at the start of 2016, the SEDELAN is pleased to wish you a nice and happy new year.
For many of you 2015 was a difficult year. I am thinking of the millions of migrants, the victims of attacks … but also of the widow here in Koudougou, tempted to abandon her three children with her diseased husband’s family, because she has no food for them. Or of the young girl who came to sell vegetables to me during school hours. She was beaten on her first day of school and left the same day … ten years ago. Everything is connected!
But it was also in 2015, on December 12, that 195 nations came together at Le Bourget for the 21st Conference of the Parties and adopted a universal and legally binding agreement on the climate. A historic event.
And it was also in 2015 that the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Program 2030 was adopted by political leaders from the whole world. Here is a picture of the 17 Sustainable Development Objectives (SDO).
The program enters into force now, on January 1st 2016;.
This is why I am keen to refer to it in my wishes for the New Year. Like the COP21 agreement in Paris, it is primarily addressed to the signatory states. But these two agreements/programs are also directed to us. Looking back it seems to me that we never stopped working in that same sense since we launched our program “ Together, let us do away with ignorance and famine” in 1987.
When we decided to name our project in this way, starting with the word “ Together”, we had in mind local solidarity (in the family, in the community and in a group of some thirty villages). But our strength and our means were multiplied by ten when two international solidarity NGOs joined us (from the Netherlands and the United States).
During the African cotton crisis 2001 – 2002 we saw the value and efficiency of networking. Therefore we wish to favour the development of international solidarity. Everything is connected. We are able to put you in touch with one or the other association or organisation working on one or more of the SDOs, in accordance with your own activities.
At present we are much concerned about the problem of girls expelled from school, because they are orphans and unable to pay school fees. The amounts due are often higher than the monthly income of the extended family. We will discuss this further later on.
I am asking one of these unfortunate girls to convey to you my best wishes for the New year.
Koudougou, January 1st 2016
Maurice Oudet
Director and Editor, SEDELAN www.abcburkina.net
Member of « Koudougou la Belle » www.koudougou-la-belle.org
