The SDGs: Landmark achievment, or a step backward?

Photo by: UN

…The objectives of Beijing were consistent with a recognition of the deeply structural nature of the inequalities experienced by women. By openly challenging austerity programmes and the impact of macroeconomic policies on women, the platform acknowledged that the neoliberal, “trade not aid” model of development was – and is – failing the majority of the world’s women. Despite the intervening impact of two global financial crises, rocketing wealth inequality, growing fundamentalisms, and a steadily worsening climate crisis, the SDGs fail even to match the Beijing agreement’s level of ambition, let alone build on it to meet our current challenges.”

The Guardian takes a look at how the Sustainable Development Goals–to be adopted this weekend in New York–measure up to previous global attempts to address a myriad of issues such as gender equality.  Read more here.