As the clock ticks, the urgency to act accelerates. Joined by government agencies, UN entities, civil society organizations, youth-focused groups, and parliamentarians, the UN Associations of Uganda and Finland participated in the 2024 Annual National SDGs Multi-Stakeholder Conference, hosted by the SDGs Kenya Forum in Mombasa, Kenya. For three days, 9th to 11th December 2024, the conference provided a platform to share success stories of SDG implementation across Kenyan counties while acknowledging persistent challenges. Together, participants brainstormed actionable solutions to adapt and integrate into their respective communities. These discussions reflected on diverse stakeholder experiences and efforts to champion the Global Agenda.
Panel discussions took center stage, tackling issues like inequality in Kenya, food insecurity, youth challenges, climate change, and opportunities for advancing SDG implementation. Delegates from Finland and Uganda shared insights on their SDG activities, processes, and lessons learned. A key takeaway emphasized the need for grassroots engagement, encouraging communities to own and actively participate in SDG implementation.
The conference also celebrated SDG champions who have made significant strides in raising awareness and ensuring local implementation of the Global Agenda. Among the honorees were two African UN Youth Representatives from Kenya, whose efforts to extend SDG awareness to young people marked a major milestone in youth engagement.
In a separate meeting, participants from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Finland reflected on the year’s advocacy efforts. These included SDGs-focused media initiatives, “Leave No One Behind” dialogues, Model United Nations events, media talk shows, online campaigns, youth consultations for the Voluntary National Review, and hackathons. The discussions fostered knowledge exchange and reinforced collective action to amplify the SDGs across the East African region.
However, with only five years remaining to meet the 2030 Agenda, critical challenges persist: education gaps for young people, limited opportunities in rural areas, gender-based violence, female genital mutilation (FGM), child labor, human trafficking, and neglect of persons with disabilities. Addressing these pressing issues demands intentional and realistic efforts, devoid of blame-shifting. Stakeholders must unite and focus on actionable strategies to tackle these barriers.
We need all hands on deck.!! Twende Kazi Na SDGs!!!
By Kalema Andrew Arnold
