‘The 17 Sustainable Development Goals set out a road map to end hunger, protect the planet, achieve gender equality, improve health and more. It is estimated that the cost to achieve quality universal primary and early secondary education for all would barely exceed 3 per cent of global annual military spending, while eliminating extreme poverty and hunger would amount to only about 13 per cent of annual military spending. Reinvesting 5 per cent of global military spending would also exceed the initial annual costs of adapting to climate change in developing countries. So little could do so much.’
We welcome the 62nd Session on the Commission on Social Development’s focus on social justice as a critical principle for development and social policies to achieve the overarching goal of poverty eradication and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
In our Written Statement, submitted together with The Grail and VIVAT International, we highlighted that poverty is a gendered issue with the most affected being women and girls. We also stated that the principles of Catholic Social Thought that is founded on an unwavering belief in the inherent dignity of the human person and the corresponding rights that enable all people to reach their full potential are the same principles that are enshrined in the Declaration of Human Rights.
The experiences of the people and communities that our networks shared with us and the programs offered that contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 2030) were included in our statement. We stressed the importance of quality education, health and capacity building in lifting women, girls and their communities from extreme poverty and vulnerability.
In most countries, a large proportion of their government spending goes to national defence, law enforcement and policing. Despite the research showing that in countries where quality education, universal health care and other social protections are provided to everyone, there are less people experiencing poverty and the whole community benefits, with less social issues and conflict.
We called on Member States, governments, and global leaders to commit to:
- Substantial financial investment to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, redirecting resources from military investment to economic and social development measures.
- Ensure that any economic development does not come at the expense of our earth.
- Implement the national constitutional and legislative laws that provide equal access to quality and affordable education, affordable healthcare, social protection and living wages for everyone without discrimination.
- Establish and invest in a fully financed universal social protection system for delivering on the promise of the SDGs. We call on Member States to come to a consensus on a Global Fund for Social Protection. Social protection systems are recognized by the United Nations as a key enabler of the SDGs.
- Include people with lived experience and directly affected in the design, implementation, and assessment of social policies. It is critical that women and girls are given the opportunity for meaningful participation in all these processes.
- Reform existing global financial structures to address global economic inequities.
You could read our full Written Statement here.
You can read our Oral Statement here.
We also signed the following Written Statements:
Justice Coalition of Religious (JCoR)
