In 2015, UN Member States adopted the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, including 17 SDGs and 169 targets setting out an ambitious and specific global agenda in the areas of poverty eradication, health, education, food security, nutrition, environment and climate change, resilience, sustainable cities, violence prevention and the rule of law.
In many ways, National Societies around the world contribute to this agenda, because the SDGs have embraced long-standing areas of their work, such as building disaster resilience, providing vaccinations, and delivering community health promotion and water and sanitation support, among others. In recent years National Societies have also been taking newer areas of focus to scale, for instance in climate change adaptation and dedicated support for vulnerable migrants and displaced persons.
However, the existing contributions and potential for support of National Societies in the area of development — and in addressing the root causes of shifting vulnerabilities — are often not understood. As a result, opportunities are being missed, in terms of national development planning, coordinated approaches to leaving no one behind, and connecting local level initiatives with national goals.
The 33rd International Conference is an opportunity to raise awareness of the role and contribution of National Societies in achieving key aspects of the SDGs and explore the challenges and opportunities to scale up cooperation with the authorities and other partners, particularly with an eye to ensuring that no one is left behind.