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Measuring The Salvation Army's contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals in Europe

12 October 2017
by Mike STANNETT

Sustainable Development Goals in the EU

Reflections by Major Mike Stannett, Officer for EU Affairs

The Salvation Army contributes towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as demonstrated by The International Social Justice Commission in an excellent report outlining and measuring the programmes and actions that make up that contribution. Necessarily this focuses primarily on our work in the developing world, but with little mention of Europe. However Europe also has areas in need of sustainable development. Listed below are the SDG’s to which The Salvation Army contributes as stated in the ISJC report. Also below is the list SDG’s to which The Army in Europe could conceivably interpret as contributing.

UN Sustainable Development Goals – The Salvation Army has measured contributions to 8 out of 21 in the ISJC publication “Building a Just World”

  • Download publication HERE
  1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger - food, water, shelter, training, income generation, adult literacy, fair trade
  2. Universal Primary Education - schools, kindergartens, advocacy
  3. Promote Gender Equality and empower women – Anti-human trafficking programmes. Shelter and services for women , adult literacy and education, advocacy
  4. Reduce child mortality - maternal ; child health care clinics, Health workers, immunisation, Residential facilities for children
  5. Improve Maternal Health - Hospitals, Clinics,
  6. Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria, other diseases - TB and Leprosy Prog. And other diseases incl. alcohol and drug abuse
  7. Environmental Sustainability - sanitation progs. , clean air/ solar energy projects, Water programmes, reforestation prog. Recycling programmes
  8. Global partnerships for Development - Coordination and support from IHQ , Partners in Mission, Trade

In Europe The Salvation Army can consider contributing to up to 12 out of 17 SDGs, by interpreting much of what we are already doing. Below are some basic suggestions of what we are doing that could be interpreted as contributing to them.

  1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere - social progs, advocacy
  2. End hunger; achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture - soup runs , feeding programmes, food banks
  3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages - medical services, first aid , education
  4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning for all. Adult literacy, IT training/ Access, after school clubs, job training.
  5. Achieve Gender equality and empower women and girls - AHT, advocacy, role of women in TSA, Home league, mums and children’s homes, safe houses,
  6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation - day centre facilities for Roma
  7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
  8. Promote sustainable , inclusive economic growth, full and protective employment and decent work for all - employment training , recycling business
  9. -
  10. Reduce inequality within and among countries -advocacy for the under privileged, Roma programmes, social inclusion progs. ENSS
  11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable ,- adoption of Roma communities,
  12. Ensure sustainable, consumption and production patterns, Recycling textiles etc.
  13. Take urgent action to combat climate change
  14. -
  15. -
  16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective , accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels - social justice advocacy, social programmes , partnerships with municipal , State and civic orgs.
  17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the Global Partnership for sustainable dev. - support of IHQ, partnerships with other civic orgs. National and international

The above are only suggestions and there may be better examples to be found. Then what would be necessary would be to devise how these contributions should be measured for their impact.

 

Tags: Europe
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