Achieving Sustainable Development Goals and Partnership of Non-Government Organisations

At the 70^th General Assembly of the United Nations, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted by all the United Nations member states on 25 September 2015. All the signatory states have expressed their commitment to work towards the implementation of the development goals by 2030. The Agenda 2030 includes 17 goals 169 targets and 230 indicators, which are collectively known as the Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs. The scope of the SDGs is much wider and deeper than the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). What distinguishes the SDGs is that the new goals are universal, integrated, transformative and inclusive.

If the massive task of implementing the Agenda 2030 is taken into account, it can surely be said that the partnership between government and non-government organizations in the process is extremely crucial. With a view to strengthening the cooperation between government and non-government organizations for the implementation of the SDGs, the NGO Affairs Bureau of Bangladesh and ALRD jointly organized a seminar entitled ‘Achieving Sustainable Development Goals and Partnership of Non-Government Organisations” on April 4, 2019. At the programme, representatives from the top tiers of the government and heads of non-government organizations shared their opinions and came up with various suggestions. Discussions about how the government and non-government organizations can work together to reach the SDG targets were also held.

At the seminar, Md. Abul Kalam Azad, the Principal Coordinator of the SDG Affairs, the Prime Minister's Office, was the Chief Guest. The Chairman of Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF), Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, Member of National Parliament and Executive Director of PRIP Trust Ms. Aroma Dutta and Chairperson of ALRD Ms. Khushi Kabir attended the seminar as Special Guests. Director-General of NGO Affairs Bureau Mr K.M. Abdus Salam presided over the seminar and Executive Director of ALRD Mr Shamsul Huda thanked all the participants.

Government representatives in connection with the SDG implementations at different tiers as well as top representatives from around 200 NGOs at national and local levels participated in the seminar; three non-government (ALRD, BRAC, and CPD) and two government organisations (GED and NGO Affairs Bureau) gave PowerPoint presentations on their activities about the SDG implementations. 

At the beginning of the programme, Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad and Ms. Aroma Dutta were paid homage with flowers for receiving Swadhinata Padak, 2019 and being elected a Member of the National Parliament.

Seminar objectives:

1. to provide a brief idea on SDGs Implementation Review (SIR) presentation to the NGOs and briefing them on upcoming SIR preparations;
2. to Inform the NGO Bureau’s progress on the SDGs;
3. to share the actions plan by the NGOs on SDG implementation;
4. to identify the areas of partnership between government and non-government organisations in implementing the SDGs.