Today marks the fourth anniversary of the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The SDGs were adopted by world leaders on the 25th September 2015. The Objective? End poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity.
Today is also the first United Nations (UN) Summit on SDGs. On 24 and 25 September 2019, Heads of State and Government gather at the UN headquarters in New York to review progress in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and SDGs.
Our work on the Sustainable Development Goals
We want to ensure the SDGs also become a reality for persons with disabilities. That is why we advocate for disability-inclusive SDGs.
In particular, we:
- Aim to harmonise SDGs policy on disability-inclusive development at European level. We want to make sure that all work the EU does to achieve the SDGs (both in its Member States and in third countries) includes persons with disabilities from the beginning.
- Support European organisations of persons with disabilities to implement and monitor the SDGs at national level,
- Advocate for strong data disaggregation by disability using the Washington Group Short Set of Questions on Disability,
- Engage in information sharing with other regional platforms of persons with disabilities outside the EU.
What have we done so far in 2019?
- In March 2019, we actively took part in the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, organising the first ever accessible side-event, in collaboration with the Swiss Organisation of the Deaf. We are the co-chair of the UN ECE Constituency of Persons with Disabilities and we actively raising awareness on the inclusion of persons with disabilities in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
- In June 2019, we made a successful contribution at the European Development Days (EDDs), partly by contributing to the report launch “Falling through the cracks: Exposing inequalities in the European Union and beyond”, organised by ‘Make Europe Sustainable for All (MESA)‘ and SDG Watch Europe. The new report focuses on SDGs: 10 reduced inequalities.
- In July 2019, we participated at the High Level Political Forum on the Sustainable Development Goals, speaking at different events as well as organising a side-event with the Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities and other partners.
- In July 2019, we published flyers on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in all EU languages, Easy to Read English and in International Sign. It clearly explains what the SDGs are, how are persons with disabilities included and what can you do to contribute. We also highlight the importance of data in the SDGs and for data to be disaggregated by disability.
- In July 2019, we launched a set of videos on 7 SDGs, which exemplifies how the life of persons with disabilities will improve if we achieve the 2030 Agenda
- In July 2019, we published EDF’s ‘disability voice’ newsletter focusing on international cooperation and the SDGs.
For more information, please see the 2030 Agenda and SDGs section on the EDF website, including EDF 2nd Human Rights report on the theme “The 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals: A European perspective to respect, protect and fulfil the United Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities” and EDF’s Resolution on the SDGs.