South Africa Must Respond – & Lead – on COVID-19 & SDGs

Secretary-General António Guterres poses for a group photo with the members of the Global Investors for Sustainable Development Alliance. Credit: Mark Garten / United NationsBy Leila Fourie and Fani TitiJOHANNESBURG, South Africa, May 18 2020 (IPS) Sitting on the southern tip of Africa during a time of social distancing, while the entire planet fights Covid-19, we cannot help but reflect on how vulnerable our country is to this scourge. The pandemic has highlighted the underlying inequalities in our society. More than half of South Africa’s population lack access to piped water in their homes – never mind electricity or safe sanitation. We lack adequate medical facilities and the basics required to fight a contagious disease of this magnitude. Never has the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development been more relevant, more critical or more urgent. The 2030 Agenda sets out a vision for a future for the planet and its people in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It matters to all spheres of society and requires inclusive and sustainable economic development. This is vital for South Africa, which has one of the highest Gini coefficients in the world, severe poverty and rising unemployment. The COVID-19 lockdown exposes the deeply unequal nature of our society. A person from the affluent suburb of Sandton has very different health and livelihood challenges from one in the neighbouring, densely populated Alexandra township. In this, we are not unique. Frankly, if th...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Africa Civil Society Development & Aid Featured Global Governance Headlines Health IPS UN: Inside the Glasshouse Poverty & SDGs TerraViva United Nations Source Type: news