A Year of SDG Action: MY World Mexico

Written by Karol Alejandra Arámbula Carrillo
National Operations Coordinator at MY World México

Three years ago when we had the opportunity to implement the United Nations Global Survey For A Better World MY World 2015 in my hometown Jalisco, México we were able to realize people’s interest in being part of the new global development agenda. Back then, I was amazed by people’s willingness to act and help others participate in the definition of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At the end of the day, having collected nearly 400,000 voices in the survey thanks to the mobilization of 500 young volunteers and 255 organizations, Jalisco was able to position itself as one of the most participative entities in the world in the definition of these new Global Goals.

This also led to make Jalisco’s the first in our country to align its State Development Plan to the SDGs taking into account the MY World 2015 results. Jalisco was also part of the adoption of the SDGs and was also awarded the “People’s Voices Challenge Award” for Best Multi-stakeholder Collaboration in September 2015. The results also had a considerable impact in Mexico’s First National Voluntary Review before the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in 2016, as a significant input for SDG actions coming from civil society’s mobilization mechanisms.

However, as soon as the SDGs were adopted in September 2015, the big questions for an already highly motivated team made mostly of young people, were “so what comes next?” and “how do we make sure that the SDGs are a reality by 2030?”. Thankfully for us this was also a question raised by the United Nations SDG Action Campaign which had recently transform itself from the United Nations Millennium Campaign and was exploring the different ways in which MY World could be used as a platform to track awareness and implementation on SDGs and monitor progress according to peoples’ satisfaction until 2030.

(c) MY World 2030 México – UN SDG Action Campaign. School kids hold the SDGs they feel most passionate about.

This is how a group of organizations and highly motivated people supported by the United Nations SDG Action Campaign and United Nations Volunteers in Mexico, decided to establish a national network called MY World Mexico in April 2016. This network, would not only implement the MY World 2030 survey throughout Mexico, replicating Jalisco’s successful strategy, but would also lead actions at the local, national and international levels for the implementation, monitoring, financing, follow-up and socialization of the SDGs in Mexico.

In its first year, MY World Mexico was able to collect close to 30,000 MY World 2030 votes in at least 25 states around Mexico thanks to the efforts of 75 volunteers and 20 Civil Society Organizations. By July 2016, during the first HLPF that would review countries the team was able to provide the United Nations SDG Action Campaign and Mexico’s Office of the Presidency, the first results of the survey. At the same time at the United Nations Headquarters MY World 2030 was officially launched and members of our team were able to present some of the outcomes of this first implementation phase.

(c) MY World 2030 México – UN SDG Action Campaign – Karol Arambula, MY World Mexico Coordinator presents results UN HQ

(c) MY World 2030 México – UN SDG Action Campaign

Simultaneously at the grassroots level, our volunteers were activating hundreds of other activities that were able to get others engage in the SDGs. The first challenge that the MY World 2030 results showed was that people did not know about the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Around 83% of the people who were surveyed, said they never heard about the SDGs before. The second challenge was that the results of MY World 2030 were quite different from what the MY World 2015 had shown in the past. For example, Water and Sanitation (SDG 6) were among the top priorities, as well as Health and Well-being (SDG 3), which led to identify that people indeed perceive implementation of the SDGs as quite a challenging effort.

Ever since, the network has grown significantly. As of today, MY World México is composed by nearly 60 organizations from academia, civil society, the public and private sectors, as well as 130 volunteers in almost all states in Mexico. The actions and strategies MY World Mexico focuses on are:

1. Promote and socialize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with the support of key stakeholders at the local, national and international levels.
2. Strengthen and expand the participation and commitment of people in the implementation, monitoring, financing, follow-up and socialization of the SDGs in Mexico.
3. Lead actions in favor of the SDGs through volunteerism and multi-stakeholder mobilization at the local, national and international levels to achieve all goals and targets proposed in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
4. Empower citizens to they promote actions and activities to tell everyone about the SDGs.
5. Lead national communication campaigns with key stakeholders of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
6. Promote the creation of local and inclusive networks for individuals and institutions in favor of the implementation, monitoring, financing, follow-up and socialization of the SDGs.
7. Co-create and promote accountability mechanisms at the local and national levels by people through ground mobilization and the search of multiple sources, as well as publicly acknowledge efforts and best practices.
8. Use technology, innovation and creativity to maximize the impact of people’s participation, as well as knowing SDGs progress in the country for information sharing and appropriate use of data.
9. Lead advocacy actions at the international, national and local levels.
10. Promote the annual participation of people in the MY World 2030 Survey.

The network has also participated in key advocacy processes in the United Nations, such as:

• 2016 United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.
• 2016 71º United Nations General Assembly.
• 2017 United Nations Economic and Social Council Youth Forum.
• 2017 United Nations 55º Commission for Social Development.
• 2017 1º Global Festival of Ideas for Sustainable Development.
• 2017 Youth Forum of the United Nations 61º Commission on the Status of Women.
• 2017 United Nations 50º Commission on Population and Development.
• 2017 United Nations First Regional Meeting on Sustainable Development of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)

The network is leading actions across the country on a daily basis to achieve the SDGs. We have also taken into account other projects such as Humans of MY World; Virtual Reality; Hackatons; hundreds of conferences and other mechanisms that allow us to tell everyone about the SDGs and incentive action.

The network has been one of the first partners to sign a National Voluntary Commitment before the President of the United Nations General Assembly for the 2017 Ocean Conference leading 25 coastal cleaning activities; 50,000 MY World 2030 surveys and 87 educational activities to achieve SDG 14 on Life Below Water.

(c) MY World 2030 México – UN SDG Action Campaign. Coastal cleaning activity volunteer holds SDG14

c) MY World 2030 México – UN SDG Action Campaign. School kids participate in educational activities around SDG14

We have partnered with initiatives such as TeachSDGs, The Global Goals and The World’s Largest Lesson to use existing creative platforms to engage many others in the process. The network grows by numbers every week and is trying to ensure State and Municipal Committees on SDGs are implemented and that the recently established National Council on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development mandated by the Office of the Presidency includes the participation of all social actors involve in the SDGs. The MY World Mexico’s team took part in the installation of this Council, which is hoped to shape federal policies in the SDGs for the years to come.

A year of great achievements for our time has not only motivated others to participate in the SDGs but has built a solid, diverse and talented team across the country. As one of the first pilot countries of the second phase of MY World 2030 we have been able to secure a place for the SDGs in many people’s hearts and minds, as well as in key efforts in organizations from across sectors. We are certain that MY World Mexico will continue to grow and expand itself to make the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development a reality in our country.

Being able to lead this amazing project has taught me great life lessons, among them realizing how interested young people are in shaping their future. Interest has led to amazing daily actions, which is why I see MY World Mexico as more than a team but a community that has been able to build a strong spirit of commitment to make our country better. We are in contact every day, through every possible mean, making sure we connect our ideas and our work wherever we go. Part of the success of our strategy depends on respect to diversity and willingness to work despite challenges.

We are forever grateful with each and everyone of the individuals, organizations, authorities and United Nations entities that have participated in this one-year journey as MY World Mexico. We could not have done this without out you. We hope to continue to work together for another year of great efforts!

c) MY World 2030 México – UN SDG Action Campaign. MY World volunteers

To know more about MY World 2030 : myworld2030.org

The SDG Action Campaign recently issued a Global Call for Partners to take part in supporting the MYWorld 2030 survey on Wed 31 May 2017 at 10am EST: Join the MY World 2030 Partner Team

 

 

Advocating for the SDGs through poster challenge in Saskatoon, Canada

In 2015, 11 year-old Sumaya Murabit noticed that there was very little awareness about the Sustainable Development Goals in her local community in Saskatoon, Canada which made it difficult to actually mobilize others into action.

Eager to create awareness and mobilize action Sumaya brainstormed different ideas; in the end she felt that the most cost-effective and practical awareness raising idea was a poster challenge. “With posters it is more fun. Other things like essays make it feel too much like school work and for things like making videos a lot of us don’t have cameras or computers. So the posters were easier because we could do it in art class at the schools and even at home it is not expensive and its fun. And sometimes it’s easier to express your ideas in art.”

(c) A. Murabit – SDG Poster Challenge organizer Sumaya Murabit addressing the audience

After getting her family’s support, Sumaya approached her school teacher, principal and the Saskatoon Public School Board to tell them about the Goals and her idea for a “Poster Challenge” where students designed posters based on the goals. Sumaya also emailed the City Mayor, University Professor Keith Walker and well known radio personality David Kirton. She recruited them onto the “judging panel” and by creating more collaboration with other sectors was able to ensure greater public and media awareness. In the first year, three classes participated in the poster challenge.

Now in its second year, students from three grades in 14 schools – a total of 42 classes – in the city cake together at Roland Michener School Saskatoon where the final posters were viewed and the winner and finalists were announced.

(c) A. Murabit – SDG Poster Challenge Finalists with judges and speakers

Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark spoke to students about the importance of local leadership and taking action, Chief of Staff Michelle Beveridge spoke about women’s leadership, Saskatoon Public Schools Director Barry MacDougall spoke about how an idea – with action – can transform the world, indigenous rights activist Andrea Ledding spoke about her work advocated for murdered and missing aboriginal women and the necessity to start now (even if that means starting small). Whitney Graves from Rock 102 told everyone to just “do whatever they put their mind to (unless it’s illegal)”.

(c) A. Murabit – Saskatoon City Mayor Charlie Clark with SDG Poster Challenge organizer Sumaya Murabit and SDG Poster Challenge four top finalists

The students each spoke about their posters, which Global Goal meant the most to them and what they felt needed to be done to actually achieve them. The winner of the poster challenge was 13 year old Jordyn Guan whose poster focused on “Quality Education”.

Jeff Shepherd, principal of Roland Michener School is incredibly excited to see the challenge continue to grow over the next 13 years, anticipating that next year at least 24 schools city wide will be involved. He encouraged all students with ideas, telling them that while it may seem small, it can impact so many and turn into something great.

All 17 finalist posters have been framed to be showcased by the Saskatoon Public School District and City of Saskatoon.

(C) A. Murabit – Quality Education by Jordyn Guan (Winning Poster)

#Connect2Effect Winning Teams Visit NYC for concluding activities

In the summer of 2016, Influx Trust approached the UN SDG Action Campaign with a simple yet ambitious idea: what if we could host simultaneous hackathons around the world, bringing together the best in social enterprise to crowdsource solutions for the SDGs?

From 16-17 May, the #connect2effect project held its concluding activities, bringing together winners from Bali, Chandighar, and London with diplomats UN colleagues, innovators, and many other stakeholders at the United Nations.

“Around the world, people who experience the daily challenges that the SDGs were created to solve also hold the solutions. Initiatives like #connect2effect ignite the creative spirit and foster collaboration, serving as the spark to convert ideas into actions. We remain committed to projects which support community led action for the SDGs.” said Mitchell Toomey, Director of the UN SDG Action campaign

 

In March, 750 social innovators completed a 48 hour hackathon, organized simultaneously in 9 cities around the world. These winning teams were coached to hone their ideas, which were presented on a new crowdfunding site,  https://crowdfunding.connect2effect.com/. This site will promote the ideas emerging from the hackathon and any other creative projects supporting the SDGs in the future.

“#Connect2Effect is testament to the power of collaboration possible between the UN and social entrepreneurs in addressing the SDGs together. We’re delighted that this joint effort by the UN SDG Action Campaign, Influx Trust have paved the way for optimising worldwide impact on the SDGs” said Max Kalis, CEO & Founder of Influx Trust.

The results this inaugural year were astounding:

• 9 hackathons organized simultaneously in Bali, Bahrain, Chandigarh, Geneva, Lagos, Lisbon, London, NY and Rio
• 750 social entrepreneurs, tech experts, UN experts and mentors participated
• 90 pitches, with 9 regional winners and 3 global winners
• Hundreds of thousands of social media views

During their visit to New York City, the winners presented their ideas numerous times at the United Nations Headquarters.  The audiences of representatives from the United Nations, including the Office President of the General Assembly, UNDP, UN Women, the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, witnessed the progress made, learned about the hacking process, and discussed the details of the ideas of the winners.

K.Gutekunst

K.Gutekunst

K.Gutekunst

Following the pitching roundtable, the winners were invited to an intimate meet and greet with H.E. Mr. Peter Thomson, the President of the UN General Assembly, who received them in the General Assembly Hall itself. The President mused about the ideas, congratulating the teams on identifying some interesting local problems, and coming up with very innovative solutions.

“The world is changing rapidly. We need to keep up with this change yet conserve our cultural values by incorporating more sustainable practices.” H.E. Mr. Peter Thomson, President of the United Nations General Assembly

K.Gutekunst

Group photo with 12 people PGA and winners IT people in different parts of the world who tried to find innovative solutions for SDG 9, 11 and 12

Group photo with 12 people PGA and winners IT people in different parts of the world who tried to find innovative solutions for SDG 9, 11 and 12

Group photo with 12 people PGA and winners IT people in different parts of the world who tried to find innovative solutions for SDG 9, 11 and 12

The President was impressed by the quality of all winning projects. He identified with Niskala’s cultural waste program, having attended Balinese traditional ceremonies many times as a Fijian. He applauded Paperless’ commitment to working with those most in danger of being left behind in India through their magnetic braille tablet, and he was intrigued by eQuality’s way of empowering consumers with the knowledge to make more ethical decisions.

The meet and greet concluded with a photo opportunity on the dais of the GA, with the President surrounded by the winners and organizers.

The final pitch was given by all teams during A View From the Cloud, organized by World Council of Peoples for the United Nations and the Streaming Museum. This event united artist, scientists, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and civil society in a series of thoughtful discussions on how art and technology can influence and change our world.

“The experience of coming to New York and sharing their initiatives with UN representatives has been invaluable to this year’s winners of Connect2Effect. It has offered opportunities to improve not just the prospects for their work but has also provided powerful inspiration for these social entrepreneurs personally,” concluded Kalis.

For more information, please visit: connect2effect.com 

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

Share your actions for the SDGs to win a ticket to the Global Citizen Festival in Hamburg on July 6th

Take action for the SDGs for a chance to win tickets to the first ever Global Citizen Festival in Hamburg, Germany on July 6th!

Are you or someone you know raising his voice for gender equality?  Is one of your friends promoting the use of refillable water bottles and coffee cups? Every action counts to make sure that the SDGs are our reality by 2030 and together we can make it happen.

Tell us how you or a person you know are taking action to advance the Sustainable Development Goals in your community, region or city for a chance to be recognised for those efforts and win 2 tickets to the Global Citizen Festival Hamburg.

On 6th July you will be invited to see Herbert Grönemeyer, Coldplay, The Chainsmokers, Ellie Golding and many more live on stage.

How to participate:

1. Like our Facebook Page
2. Join the contest on the @SDGAction Facebook at: bit.ly/sdgglobalcitizen
3. On the above Facebook post: Share a photo or video as a commen & tell us how you or someone you know is taking action on the Sustainable Development Goals.
4. Our Facebook community will chose their favourite best 17 stories of SDG Action by liking their favourite posts.
5. On Friday, May 26th, the 17 entries with the most ‘likes’  will win a pair of tickets for the Global Citizen Festival in Hamburg, Germany on 6 July 2017.
6. Spread the word! and let all your friends participate for a chance to spread their word on what they are doing, inspire others to follow their example and to win the tickets

Winners are responsible for any and all expenses, including, but not limited to: travel, accommodation, insurance, visa. Please see full Rules below.

Don’t miss the chance: participate

________________

Rules:
1. Eligibility: This contest is open only to those who submit valid entries at bit.ly/sdgglobalcitizen and who are 18 years of age or older as of the date of entry. Valid entries must include an image + caption or a video. The UN SDG Action Campaign reserves the right to screen and moderate entries.

2. Agreement to Rules: By participating, the Contestant (“You”) agree to be fully unconditionally bound by these Rules, and You represent and warrant that You meet the eligibility requirements. In addition, You agree to accept the decisions of the UN SDG Action Campaign as final and binding as it relates to the content of this contest.

3. Contest Period: Entries will be accepted online on Facebook starting on 19 May 2017 and ending on 26 May 2017 at 16:00 CEST. All online entries must be received by 26 May 2017 at 16:00 CEST.

4. How to Enter: The Contest must be entered by liking SDG Action Campaign Facebook Page and submitting a comment to the Contest Facebook post at bit.ly/sdgglobalcitizen. You may enter only once. You may not enter more times than indicated by using multiple email addresses, identities, or devices in an attempt to circumvent the rules. If You use fraudulent methods or otherwise attempt to circumvent the rules, your submission may be removed from eligibility at the sole discretion of the UN SDG Action Campaign.

5. Prizes: The Winner(s) of the Contest (the “Winner”) will each receive two tickets to the Global Citizen Festival on 6 July 2017 in Hamburg, Germany.  No cash or other prize substitution shall be permitted. Any and all prize-related expenses, including without limitation any and all travel expenses, accommodation expenses, visa, insurance, shall be the sole responsibility of Winner. The UN SDG Action Campaign will NOT provide any support in regards to visas needed to travel to the Festival. No substitution of prize or transfer/assignment of prize to others or request for the cash equivalent by Winner is permitted. Acceptance of prize constitutes permission for the UN SDG Action Campaign to use Winner’s name, likeness, and entry for purposes of communication and outreach without further compensation, unless prohibited by law.

The Global Citizen Festival is organized by Global Citizen. Any and all inquiries related to the festival itself shall be directed to Global Citizen at kontakt@globalcitizen.org.

6. Odds: The odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.

7. Winner Selection and Notification: Winner will be selected by identifying the top 17 entries with the most Facebook ‘likes’ under the supervision of the UN SDG Action Campaign. Winner will be notified by Facebook message within five (1) days following selection of Winner. The UN SDG Action Campaign shall have no liability for Winner’s failure to receive notices due to spam or other security settings or for Winner’s provision of incorrect or otherwise non-functioning contact information. If Winner cannot be contacted, is ineligible, fails to claim the prize within 2 days from the time award notification was sent, or fails to timely return a completed and executed declaration and release as required, the prize may be forfeited and an alternate Winner selected. Receipt by Winner of the prize offered in this Contest is conditioned upon compliance with any and all federal, state, and local laws and regulations. ANY VIOLATION OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES BY WINNER (AT THE UN SDG ACTION CAMPAIGN]‘S SOLE DISCRETION) WILL RESULT IN WINNER’S DISQUALIFICATION AS WINNER OF THE CONTEST, AND ALL PRIVILEGES AS WINNER WILL BE IMMEDIATELY TERMINATED.

8. Rights Granted by You: By entering this content (photograph, text, video), You understand and agree that the UN SDG Action Campaign, anyone acting on behalf of the UN SDG Action Campaign, and the UN SDG Action Campaign’s licensees, successors, and assigns, shall have the right, where permitted by law, to print, publish, broadcast, distribute, and use in any media now known or hereafter developed, in perpetuity and throughout the World, without limitation, your entry, name, portrait, picture, voice, likeness, image, statements about the Contest, and biographical information for news, publicity, information, trade, advertising, public relations, and promotional purposes. without any further compensation, notice, review, or consent.

By entering this content, You represent and warrant that your entry is an original work of authorship, and does not violate any third party’s proprietary or intellectual property rights. If your entry infringes upon the intellectual property right of another, You will be disqualified at the sole discretion of the UN SDG Action Campaign. If the content of your entry is claimed to constitute infringement of any proprietary or intellectual proprietary rights of any third party, You shall, at your sole expense, defend or settle against such claims. You shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the UN SDG Action Campaign from and against any suit, proceeding, claims, liability, loss, damage, costs or expense, which the UN SDG Action Campaign may incur, suffer, or be required to pay arising out of such infringement or suspected infringement of any third party’s right.

9. Terms & Conditions: The UN SDG Action Campaign reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest should virus, bug, non-authorized human intervention, fraud, or other cause beyond the UN SDG Action Campaign’s control corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, or proper conduct of the Contest. In such case, UN SDG Action Campaign may select the Winner from all eligible entries received prior to and/or after (if appropriate) the action taken by the UN SDG Action Campaign. The UN SDG Action Campaign reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers or attempts to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or website or violates these Terms & Conditions. The UN SDG Action Campaign has the right, in its sole discretion, to maintain the integrity of the Contest, to void votes for any reason, including, but not limited to: multiple entries from the same user from different Facebook profile; fraudulent ‘likes’ of the entry from false profiles. Any attempt by an entrant to deliberately damage any website or undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest may be a violation of criminal and civil laws. Should such attempt be made, the UN SDG Action Campaign reserves the right to seek damages to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Winners must also abide by the Terms & Conditions set forth by Global Citizen.

10. Limitation of Liability: By entering, You agree to release and hold harmless the UN SDG Action Campaign and its subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, partners, representatives, agents, successors, assigns, employees, officers, and directors from any liability, illness, injury, death, loss, litigation, claim, or damage that may occur, directly or indirectly, whether caused by negligence or not, from: (i) such entrant’s participation in the Contest and/or his/her acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of any prize or any portion thereof; (ii) technical failures of any kind, including but not limited to the malfunction of any computer, cable, network, hardware, or software, or other mechanical equipment; (iii) the unavailability or inaccessibility of any transmissions, telephone, or Internet service; (iv) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Promotion; (v) electronic or human error in the administration of the Promotion or the processing of entries.

12. Privacy Policy: Information submitted with an entry is subject to the Privacy Policy stated on the website.

13. Winners List: To obtain a copy of the Winner’s name or a copy of these Rules, send your request to support@sdgactioncampaign.org. Requests must be received no later than 31 May 2017 at 17:00 CEST.

14. Sponsor: The Sponsor of the Contest is the UN SDG Action Campaign, in partnership with Global Citizen.

15. Facebook: The Contest hosted by the UN SDG Action Campaign is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook.

 

Internship opportunity: SDG Engagement and Outreach

Join our dynamic team in Bonn, Germany! We’re looking for interns to support SDG engagement and outreach.

Intern, SDG Engagement and Outreach
Location :	Bonn, GERMANY
Application Deadline :	15-May-17 (Midnight New York, USA)
Time left :	5d 17h 43m
Additional Category :	Management
Type of Contract :	Internship
Post Level :	Intern
Languages Required :	English
Starting Date : (date when the selected candidate is expected to start)	22-May-2017
Duration of Initial Contract :	3-6 months
Expected Duration of Assignment :	3-6 months
REFER A FRIEND  APPLY NOW

Background

In September 2015, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted by UN Member States. Central to the Agenda is the set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which define a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity to be undertaken by all countries until the year 2030. As the successor to the Millennium Development Goals, after the adoption of new Agenda, the formerly UNMC (United Nations Millennium Campaign) was extended as a special initiative of UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon mandated to support peoples’ participation in SDG implementation. The now called UN SDG Action Campaign works to build new multi-stakeholder partnerships to ensure a transparent dialogue between decision makers and their constituencies, especially the most marginalized and vulnerable populations. It works to leverage cutting-edge communication technologies, to show the human story behind development challenges and create deeper empathy and understanding between decision-makers and their people. Finally, it uses data, technology and innovation to empower people with the knowledge and tools to become actively involved in supporting their governments with SDG implementation and to continue to involve as many people as possible in the decision-making process. Responding to requests from Member States for coordinated support from the UN development system in implementing the 2030 Agenda, the United Nations Development Group (UNDG), under its Sustainable Development Working Group, elaborated a common approach for effective and coherent implementation support, under the acronym ‘MAPS” (Mainstreaming, Acceleration and Policy Support). As part of MAPS, the UN SDG Action Campaign has started last year to develop its own strategy for popularizing the goals, including the setup of a Global Campaign Center in Bonn (Germany) to act as a hub to inspire people’s action on the SDGs, connect and amplify stakeholder efforts, open up measures of accountability, aggregate citizen-generated data, showcase impact, share best practices, and incubate and test out innovative efforts around SDG implementation. As a part of centralizing the services and providing global support to partners the UN SDG Action Campaign is aiming to streamline online platforms, strengthen communications activities and the delivery of campaign toolkits to facilitate large scale advocacy and citizen dialogue efforts around the world. The UN SDG Action campaign is seeking to engage 2-3 interns to assist with SDG campaign outreach and engagement activities. The interns will support the preparation and delivery of tools and services to partners and UN country teams, in the areas of communications, project coordination, and development of online platforms. The interns will be based in Bonn, Germany.

Duties and Responsibilities

The specific activities assigned to each intern will be aligned with their skills and background in the areas of communications, project coordination, data visualization/management and online engagement. The duties and responsibilities will include: 1. Product and Services Development Support the expansion of the UN SDG Action Campaign toolkits, including drafting updates and coordinating translations, testing and roll out of tools including for: My World 2030, World We Want, Virtual Reality, People’s Voices Challenges, and more. 2. Partnership Mobilization and Support Provide ongoing support and follow-up to coordinate campaign and outreach services with UN SDG Action Campaign partners Engage with UN SDG Action Campaign partners to understand national/local campaign priorities and opportunities and to promote and provide support for campaign tools and services. 3. Communications, Media relations and outreach Support the development of coordinated media outreach efforts to increase the awareness of the UN SDG Action Campaign activities Support the on-going outreach activities through drafting messages, creating visuals and editing videos to promote and support UN SDG Action Campaign tools and services 4. Event Support Represent UN SDG Action Campaign, as appropriate, in key campaign moments and sustainable development events, including at booths and exhibitions Provide logistical support to events (as needed) 5. Knowledge Management Support the development of a knowledge sharing platform to offer examples of campaign plans, resources and toolkits to support the outreach and mobilization efforts of UN country team networks and other partners and to ensure synergies across countries and inform the ongoing processes to improve the products and services of the UN SDG Action Campaign Support the capture of good practices in global goals campaigns through research, writing and editing of partner case stories General office support including note-taking, management of routine correspondence meeting scheduling and organization and other general duties.

Competencies

Strong writing and clear communications skills Good organizational skills and the ability to work independently on projects Social media, graphic design and/or data visualization skills are an asset

Required Skills and Experience

Education: Current enrollment in Master’s degree (Master’s or equivalent) or final year of undergraduate degree in international relations, sustainable development, social sciences, communications or related disciplines. Recent Master’s graduates can also be considered. Experience: Academic or professional experience in areas relevant to the SDGs Experience in partner/customer relations, marketing, communications, or data visualizations Excellent research and analytical skills required. Language Requirements: Fluency in English, both written and oral. Fluency in other languages is an asset.

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

New media to change the way we respond to humanitarian crisis: 2 years after Nepal´s earthquake.

2 years after Nepal’s devastating earthquake, donations and lasting support in the region are still critical.  To raise awareness, the UN SDG Action Campaign, UNDP and Here Be Dragons release The Ground Beneath Her, a virtual reality film to raise awareness for the need of building resilience and long term support. 

Today Tuesday 25th is the 2nd anniversary of the Nepal Earthquake. Nearly two years later, tens of thousands of people — mostly women and children — still live in makeshift shelters, lack food and clean drinking water, and struggle to earn a living.

To support thousands of people to rebuild their lives in Nepal, the UN SDG Action Campaign, UNDP and Here Be Dragons release the Virtual Reality Film Ground Beneath Her, which showcases the struggle of 14-year-old Sabita as she balances an arduous routine of school and housework, while trying to keep dreams for her future alive. The release of the film, a collaboration between the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN SDG Action Campaign, production studio Here Be Dragons seeks to raise awareness for the need for lasting support for the most vulnerable regions as part of a UNDP fundraising campaign to help rebuild lives in Nepal like Sabita’s.  

 

 

 

Need for long term support and building resilience

Across Nepal the earthquake damaged or destroyed more than half a million homes and buildings, claiming nearly 9,000 lives, and leaving about 22,000 injured. The devastation was so severe that experts believe it may take a decade for Nepal to recover. For the millions left behind and left vulnerable by the quake, life will never be the same. More than 3 million people were displaced, many of whom still live in makeshift homes or camp-like shelters. Of the more than 625,000 households waiting for government aid, only 3,500 have been able to reconstruct their homes. Thousands of children study in damaged classrooms that lie open to the elements. They wrestle daily with a lack of food, clean water and electricity.  Despite the generous outpouring of support by the international community more resources are still needed to help affected communities rebuild better than before.  UNDP´s fundraising campaign seek supports to vital post-earthquake development initiatives that include: rebuilding community infrastructure and reestablishing public services such as access to water, irrigation and markets.

 

 

Sabita’s Story

Ground Beneath Her and other UN SDG Action Campaign Virtual Reality experiences like it were designed to support the  Campaign’s efforts to draw attention to some of the world’s greatest challenges, allowing people living through them to tell their stories in their own words and giving them a protagonism in how we conceive of the human toll of natural disasters.

In Ground Beneath Her, viewers gain a better understanding of the long-term emotional and physical scars that mark people, after events like the Nepal earthquake. The film provides a window into the hardships that hundreds of thousands of people in the country still face, whose homes were damaged or destroyed in an instant, and whose lives were changed forever.

Take action:

Learn more about UNVR or host a UNVR screening: www.unvr.org
Donate now: help build Nepal
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Security, justice, education and health rank as the most urgent issues for the people in Somalia

In a consultation recently conducted in Somalia, and despite the severe challenges the country is facing, most people perceived their situation in the past 12 months has improved in the country. Yet the report shows that greater attention and significant improvements must be made in security, justice, education, and health.  

The recently implemented e-consultation, a coordinated effort between the Federal Government of Somalia and UNDP, supported by the SDG Action Campaign, finds that SDG1 – poverty reduction, SDG 2 – food security and nutrition, SDG 3 – health & well-being, and SDG 4 – education, are among those goals in which progress is most notably perceived. Lowest in this ranking are SDG 11 – making cities inclusive, safe and sustainable, SDG 16 – promoting sustainable consumption and production, and SDG 12 – ensuring good and inclusive governance.

The preferred options to tackle these issues and achieve these goals: strengthening of national systems and developing clear strategies and plans. 

Cultural Barriers preventing women´s equal participation in decision making

That “women can bring leadership and value to development, when equally represented” was agreed among the majority of participants. The major perceived factor  preventing women’s equal participation in development in Somalia: the existence of cultural barriers, followed by lack of awareness about women’s rights and discrimination.

Why is this relevant?

This report harnesses the voices of a wide number of Somali people, their priorities and expectations, to put forward the key areas for investment in order to achieve the Goals. The initiative was specifically implemented at a first stage with the hope for furthering women’s inclusiveness and give the Federal Government of Somalia a better understanding of what is important to its citizens and the basis to create a strategy for implementing the SDGs.

Making the people´s voices count 

Consultations allow people to participate effectively in raising their voices to their governments on priorities and on the preferred methods by which these Goals can be achieved and holding them accountable. Through this process we learned some key lessons that will help us better implement these surveys in the future:

• Consultations are a key tool to better understand people’s perceptions and consider them in planning processes, monitoring implementation of programmes and projects by asking people about their perceptions on service delivery.
• In order to do this, it is key to reflect what are the findings expected from such a survey: what do we want to listen to? This will help us answer important questions such as: Should the consultation be conducted at a national o local level? What segments of the population do we want to engage? what are their preferred or available options to reach out? Should civil society be engaged?
• A consultation can support and strengthen an ongoing process and be a useful exercise for the planning and implementation of government plans. Moreover, these exercises are key to improve State legitimacy and build strong institutions.
  
• Nationally-owned designed processes are much stronger when linked to global initiatives.  
  

Read the full report :
Somalia e-Survey NDP-SDGs

Want to take action? Register your interest to translate, distribute or even roll out the survey in your country here: http://myworld2030-citizenadvisor.nationbuilder.com

 

Does your neighbour know about the Sustainable Development Goals?

By Felix Zimmermann, Coordinator at OECD Development Communication Network. Originally published at OECD

Words OECD governments use
to describe the SDGs online.
Source: OECD DevCom 2017

I don’t really know my neighbour. What I do know is that she can get pretty grumpy when my kids are too noisy. I also know that she uses the recycle bins. But what does she think about sustainable development? I wouldn’t have a clue. That needs to change.

An urgent task: mobilising citizens into action for the SDGs

To have any hope of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, we need all citizens to change their behaviours, no matter where in the world they live. SDG priorities may differ from country to country, but we need citizens in all countries to call upon governments, companies – and neighbours – to act.

The good news is that the SDGs give us a powerful story to tell – just check out the inspirational word cloud we created using only language from the SDG web pages of OECD governments.

The even better news is that people are beginning to engage. One year into the “SDG era”, about 3 in 10 citizens say they’ve heard about the SDGs, according to both Globescan and Eurobarometer. Almost 10 million world citizens have shown they care about sustainable development by participating in the UN MyWorld survey. These numbers will rise further thanks to the work of initiatives like the UN SDG Action Campaign, Project Everyone and the World’s Best News.

Will new SDG narratives and campaigns convince my neighbour to shop differently or support global efforts to end hunger? They should!

But these are tough times for SDG communicators in public institutions. Their audiences include many people who have lost trust in public institutions and become resentful about international co-operation. In a changing media landscape, they have to compete for attention with “fake news” and “clickbait”. And, with social-media algorithms deciding what people read and dividing readers into different bubbles, communicators may just be preaching to their own audiences.

Good listeners make great SDG communicators

To overcome these challenges, the first thing government institutions need to do is improve their listening skills.

Take the opinion polls that some institutions commission on a regular basis. These surveys should tell communicators what citizens really think, particularly when coupled with other kinds of public attitudes research, such as focus groups.

The problem is that polls are designed not only to provide accurate information on public attitudes. They are also designed as advocacy tools, for example to strengthen the case for specific policies.¹  With budgets being squeezed, public institutions have strong incentives to make public support for their work look higher than it really is.

Yet, polls are not the only way to understand public attitudes today. Businesses mine online data to find and target new customers. Political parties have done the same in their quest for votes. The development community has begun to embrace the data revolution, but the digital transformation has not yet reached all of its communications departments.

Facebook and Twitter have become daily business for institutions that deliver development assistance, according to a recent survey conducted by the OECD Development Communication Network (DevCom).²  However, when DevCom members were asked why they use social media, interacting with citizens and seeking feedback on policies ranked amongst their lowest priorities (see figure below). Amongst 13 respondents, only six had specific budgets for social media, and only two were confident in their abilities to make use of web analytics.

The bottom line is that if they want to mobilise citizens for the SDGs, then communicators need better listening architectures. They need to invest in opinion polls and public attitudes research that provide reliable information. They need to consider how social media and web analytics can and should inform their public engagement strategies.

Applying the right SDG narratives for different audiences

It is only by listening more carefully – setting up stronger listening architectures – that SDG communicators will know what SDG messages work best for different audiences.

For example, many people will want to be reassured that their taxes are being spent wisely and achieving SDG results. Some will want to be moved by stories that evoke shared values – they may want practical suggestions on how to become global citizens.³  Others will want to take pride in their country’s performance or global leadership on the SDGs. Others still will need reminding that the SDGs are in everyone’s interest, including their own.

Listening better will also help choose the right SDG messengers. Consider who represents the development community in the media today: political leaders, policy experts and celebrity ambassadors. But where some audiences see trusted figureheads, others only see big words, big numbers and big egos.

Most audiences today also want to hear from “real” people: People who share their interests, such as business leaders, fellow hikers or young bloggers; people actually delivering on the SDGs, such as doctors, teachers or engineers; people in their entourages; peers; parents.

Open government: building trust and seeking genuine dialogue with citizens

Of course, clever and targeted messaging alone won’t convince everyone to join the global SDG effort. To have any chance of reaching the sceptics, government institutions will need a deeper change, linking words to actions. They will need to become more open, building trust, pursuing an honest dialogue and finding new ways to collaborate with citizens, both offline and online.

Leading the way, Indonesia, Georgia, Peru, Tanzania and dozens more countries have joined the Open Government Partnership. Governments in Mexico, Germany, Finland and the Netherlands have launched ambitious platforms for citizens to share ideas and make personal commitments to sustainable development. Austria’s Mitmachen portal invites individuals, schools and small businesses to sign up and shows them how they can participate in both local and global efforts. Last year, Canada and the European Commission conducted major public consultations to help design new development policies.

And there are more reasons for optimism: in the first set of SDG progress reports to the UN High Level Political Forum, most governments provide examples of how they are listening to and engaging with citizens, NGOs, businesses and local communities.

These experiences need to be shared. That’s why, together with its members and UN partners, DevCom is setting up a Peer Learning Hub for SDG Communicators. Please contact us with your guidance, ideas and examples.

And: go and talk to your neighbour about the SDGs. As an SDG communicator, I should have done so a long time ago. She may have some great ideas on how we can engage the whole neighbourhood!

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^{1. For a discussion on development polls, see Good Practices in Development Communication, OECD Development Centre, 2014.
2. OECD DevCom is a platform where communications managers from development institutions explore ways to engage with citizens for sustainable development.
3. A survey of young people by the Varkey Foundation shows that young people want to make a wider contribution to society, but need more knowledge and skills to make a difference.}

 

How can new technologies ensure we leave no one behind

Professionals developing world class innovation discuss the real potential of virtual reality and new media and the challenges that lay ahead:  How do we make sure it brings a positive impact to global issues.? How can we bring it to everyone and really use it to help the people who need it the most?

 

 

Friedrich Kurz, General Manager Social Innovation, Deutsche Telekom, Marisol Grandon, CEO of Untold Stories, Kristin Gutekunst, Executive Producer of UNVR, UN SDG Action Campaign, Wilfried Runde, Head of Innovation Projects at Deutsche Welle join the discussion at the SDG Live Stage of the Global Festival of Ideas for Sustainable Development.

To convey the stories of the most vulnerable people in the world and bring them home to the decision makers and global citizens around the world, pushing the bounds of empathy, the UN SDG Action Campaign has coordinated the United Nations Virtual Reality Series since 2015.

This discussion happened during the first Global Festival of Ideas for Sustainable Development. Watch more: http://globalfestivalofideas.org/

 

Call for Applications: Youth for SDGs Scholarship with Peace Boat US.

Peace Boat US is an NGO working toward the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, recognizing that achieving the goals requires an unprecedented mobilization of the energy and skills of young people, who play a key role in promoting and advancing the SDGs through entrepreneurship, volunteering, research, education and other endeavors.

This summer, Peace Boat US is offering a program titled “Peace Education and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Latin America.” This unique program will take place onboard the Peace Boat ship as it visits Panama, Nicaragua, and El Salvador from June 20 – July 3, 2017 as part of a global voyage.

The program includes exchanges with indigenous communities, visiting the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) office, learning from youth working for the SDGs, lectures, cultural exchanges and presentations on peace and sustainability, climate change, visits to mangrove forests along the coast and joining educational activities including an exchange program at the University of Don Bosco in San Salvador.

The “Peace Education and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Latin America” is geared toward university students, and welcomes advanced high school students, graduate students, and lifelong learners, participating individually or in groups. But, Peace Boat US is also offering two full “Youth in Action for the SDGs” scholarships for the program!

The scholarship covers airfare from NYC-Panama, and El Salvador-NYC (or equivalent price); accommodation, meals, and travel onboard Peace Boat and in ports of call for the duration of the program and travel insurance and is open to candidates between the ages of 16-30. The scholarships will be awarded to one female and one male representative. Experience volunteering or working on SDG-related initiatives, and a commitment to continuing SDG-related work in the future will be one of the main considerations in awarding the scholarship.

Applications must be submitted by 5:00 pm (Eastern Standard Time) on April 25, 2017.  For a full list of eligibility requirements as well as details on how to apply, click here.