Let's Talk about SDGs!
This summer I'm taking part in a workshop meant to teach and spread awareness among international students in Korea about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which the United Nations put together in 2015. These goals refer to world issues various countries have agreed to address, such as poverty and global hunger. My groupmate, Nisha Bhardwaj, introduced the goals in her Instagram post, while Bu Chan Go explained in his Facebook post how working to achieve one goal helps to achieve others. (For example, achieving the goal "Clean Water and Sanitation" (Goal 6) influences the goal "Good Health and Wellbeing" (Goal 3).)
Below, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals:
Both Nisha and Bu Chan used examples from their home countries to describe how these goals were being realized, with a focus on immigration and refugee policy. However, mobilizing the resources necessary to achieve these collective targets by 2030, the desired completion date, may prove difficult. In the Addis Ababa Outcome Document, the members of the UN committed to provide 0.7% of each country's Gross National Index (GNI) to Official Development Assistance (ODA), which makes up a significant portion of the funds necessary to reach the SDGs. However, in 2017 ODA only reached 0.31% of global GNI, well below the desired 0.7%. In reality, inability to meet and achieve the SDGs by 2030 should not come from financial insufficiency. The funds necessary to commit 0.7% GNI to ODA as well as reach other financial objectives toward the SDGs exists, but those funds fail to find proper investment and often do not go to the groups that need them most. To effectively organize global savings toward the SDGs will require businesses, governments, individuals, philanthropists, and non-government organizations to collaborate. However, such collaboration requires trust and agreement on the correct way to utilize funds.
Circumstances within nations, organizations, and between individuals can change the direction funds and energy toward achieving them go. For example, UNHCR (the United Nations Refugee Agency) reported the highest amount of displaced persons to date in 2017, yet in the same year the US reduced the amount of refugees accepted into the country from 110,000 refugees per year to 50,000, then reduced the amount further to 30,000 in 2019, citing security concerns among other reasons. (source.) However, the SDGs recognize migrants, including refugees, as a rich source of development within both migrants' homes countries and the countries in which they settle. While the United States continues a lower refugee acceptance rate, organizations, businesses, and individuals should instead focus resources on improving the lives of refugees already settled. This includes an increased focus on English language acquisition, improving understanding in how to obtain local resources, and promoting social inclusion.
Kirksville
An important way to unearth refugee potential and promoting inclusion comes through their increased knowledge of the English language. In 2018, 43% of all refugees resettled in the United States came from the French-speaking Democratic Republic of the Congo, a country currently experiencing high rates of violence and political instability (source). Many Congolese refugees settle in Kirksville, MO, a small town in the center of the United States that offers little opportunity for its non-English-speaking immigrant population. Though some refugees come to the town highly educated, the language barrier and lack of US certification bars refugees from employment outside Kirksville's local factories. For example, Bobette Nzuzi says she was a doctor in the Congo but had to take a job in a Kirksville factory before she eventually received a position as a translator (source). Without an understanding of English or proper certification, US businesses and communities lose out on the knowledge and skills refugees can offer. To address these issues various volunteer organizations in Kirksville like the Public Library, schools and community colleges, and even individuals offer classes in English as a Second Language (ESL) (source). However, as of 2017 there was only one ESL teacher for the whole district (source). Though the community as a whole has worked to improve English understanding and social inclusion greater resources are necessary to quickly and more effectively utilize refugee's various skills. Businesses as well as the government would do well to provide greater training and career opportunities to realize refugee potential, yielding both monetary and social benefits.
This summer I'm taking part in a workshop meant to teach and spread awareness among international students in Korea about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which the United Nations put together in 2015. These goals refer to world issues various countries have agreed to address, such as poverty and global hunger. My groupmate, Nisha Bhardwaj, introduced the goals in her Instagram post, while Bu Chan Go explained in his Facebook post how working to achieve one goal helps to achieve others. (For example, achieving the goal "Clean Water and Sanitation" (Goal 6) influences the goal "Good Health and Wellbeing" (Goal 3).)
Below, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals:
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| Photo found on wordpress.com |
Both Nisha and Bu Chan used examples from their home countries to describe how these goals were being realized, with a focus on immigration and refugee policy. However, mobilizing the resources necessary to achieve these collective targets by 2030, the desired completion date, may prove difficult. In the Addis Ababa Outcome Document, the members of the UN committed to provide 0.7% of each country's Gross National Index (GNI) to Official Development Assistance (ODA), which makes up a significant portion of the funds necessary to reach the SDGs. However, in 2017 ODA only reached 0.31% of global GNI, well below the desired 0.7%. In reality, inability to meet and achieve the SDGs by 2030 should not come from financial insufficiency. The funds necessary to commit 0.7% GNI to ODA as well as reach other financial objectives toward the SDGs exists, but those funds fail to find proper investment and often do not go to the groups that need them most. To effectively organize global savings toward the SDGs will require businesses, governments, individuals, philanthropists, and non-government organizations to collaborate. However, such collaboration requires trust and agreement on the correct way to utilize funds.
Circumstances within nations, organizations, and between individuals can change the direction funds and energy toward achieving them go. For example, UNHCR (the United Nations Refugee Agency) reported the highest amount of displaced persons to date in 2017, yet in the same year the US reduced the amount of refugees accepted into the country from 110,000 refugees per year to 50,000, then reduced the amount further to 30,000 in 2019, citing security concerns among other reasons. (source.) However, the SDGs recognize migrants, including refugees, as a rich source of development within both migrants' homes countries and the countries in which they settle. While the United States continues a lower refugee acceptance rate, organizations, businesses, and individuals should instead focus resources on improving the lives of refugees already settled. This includes an increased focus on English language acquisition, improving understanding in how to obtain local resources, and promoting social inclusion.
Kirksville
An important way to unearth refugee potential and promoting inclusion comes through their increased knowledge of the English language. In 2018, 43% of all refugees resettled in the United States came from the French-speaking Democratic Republic of the Congo, a country currently experiencing high rates of violence and political instability (source). Many Congolese refugees settle in Kirksville, MO, a small town in the center of the United States that offers little opportunity for its non-English-speaking immigrant population. Though some refugees come to the town highly educated, the language barrier and lack of US certification bars refugees from employment outside Kirksville's local factories. For example, Bobette Nzuzi says she was a doctor in the Congo but had to take a job in a Kirksville factory before she eventually received a position as a translator (source). Without an understanding of English or proper certification, US businesses and communities lose out on the knowledge and skills refugees can offer. To address these issues various volunteer organizations in Kirksville like the Public Library, schools and community colleges, and even individuals offer classes in English as a Second Language (ESL) (source). However, as of 2017 there was only one ESL teacher for the whole district (source). Though the community as a whole has worked to improve English understanding and social inclusion greater resources are necessary to quickly and more effectively utilize refugee's various skills. Businesses as well as the government would do well to provide greater training and career opportunities to realize refugee potential, yielding both monetary and social benefits.
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| The interpreters Bobette Nzuzi (left) and Lisette Chibanvunya (right) in Kirksville, MO. (Photo taken by Sebastian Martinez Valdivia of Side Effects Public Media, found on WFYI.org) |
CIFAL Jeju
CIFAL Jeju, who created this workshop, hopes their partnerships and programs will raise public awareness and discussion around the SDGs and other global challenges. In inviting students from all over the world currently studying in Korea, CIFAL Jeju has provided a place to collectively learn about SDGs, discuss them from our varying points of view, and together grow in knowledge. I hope this short post has helped you all better understand the SDGs and consider the importance of partnerships to bring about an inclusive and peaceful world!
You can find the continuation of my group's series in this post by my groupmate Dooil Timothy Kim on July 29th.
마무리까지 한께 주셔서 고맙습니다! 다음에 뵙겠습니다!
CIFAL Jeju, who created this workshop, hopes their partnerships and programs will raise public awareness and discussion around the SDGs and other global challenges. In inviting students from all over the world currently studying in Korea, CIFAL Jeju has provided a place to collectively learn about SDGs, discuss them from our varying points of view, and together grow in knowledge. I hope this short post has helped you all better understand the SDGs and consider the importance of partnerships to bring about an inclusive and peaceful world!
You can find the continuation of my group's series in this post by my groupmate Dooil Timothy Kim on July 29th.
마무리까지 한께 주셔서 고맙습니다! 다음에 뵙겠습니다!
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