SDG success lies in lifting up the underprivileged
Says NGO network
The government has to bring marginalised and underprivileged communities to the mainstream by taking effective action plans if it wants to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, development organisation Sushasoner Jonny Procharavizan (Supro), said yesterday.
Supro, a network of grassroots NGOs in Bangladesh, also said more budgetary allocations are necessary for education, health and agriculture sectors to accelerate attaining the SDGs.
Supro gave its observations through a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity. It was organised marking the 3rd anniversary of the adoption of SDGs by the United Nations.
Presenting a keynote paper, Supro General Secretary MA Quader said budget allocation for the education sector is only 2.09 percent of the country's GDP, but it is supposed to be 6 percent as per the recommendations of Unesco.
Besides, budget for the health sector is below one percent of GDP, which the World Health Organization (WHO) says should be at least 5 percent, he said.
“We don't know how it is possible for the government to achieve SDGs in time with such budgetary allocations for these crucial sectors,” he said.
He called upon the government to build partnership with the private sector to get financial and technical support for SDG efforts.
Supro Vice-chairperson Manju Rani Pramanik and its National Council Member Ahmed Swapan Mahmud also spoke at the programme.