THE newly-elected officials need to face the task of addressing the unfulfilled commitment for the sustainable development goals (SDG) since the country is up for review in the UN this mid-year.
Our review of the efforts of the Duterte administration to address SDGs focused on five priority goals, namely: Goal 4 on Quality Education, Goal 8 on Decent Work, Goal 10 on Reducing Inequalities, Goal 13 on Climate Action and Goal 16 on Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. We looked into how government policies and programs addressed the plight of women and we presented stories of women from different sectors such as farmers, indigenous and national minorities, workers, urban poor, young women and professionals.
These goals were selected primarily because they belong to the cluster that will be included in the country’s report to the Voluntary National Review (VNR) in the United Nations (UN) this July. VNR is part of the follow-up and review mechanism of the SDGs which facilitate ‘sharing of experiences including successes, challenges and lessons learned.’
This review is timely since it looked back on how the government fared in meeting the SDGs. At the same time, it also brought to light women’s pressing issues that need to be addressed, especially now that we have newly-elected government officials who promised to bring change.
Findings revealed that despite the government’s commitment to meeting the SDGs, many issues have remained unaddressed. Among the issues highlighted in the report were:
Goal 4 Quality Education: The Philippines posts a high net enrollment rate at 95.9%, however, cohort survival rate (CSR) remains low, especially in region with highest poverty incidence like Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao with its CSR at 39.6 percent in elementary level and 67.8 percent in secondary level.
Goal 8 Decent Work: Unemployment rate stands at 5.7 percent, underemployment is at 16.1%. While women post lower unemployment and underemployment, the labor force participation of women is at 46.2 percent, the lowest in the past decade.
If the implementation of the SDGs in the succeeding years will follow the same free market development framework like the Duterte administration’s 10-point agenda, inequality, poverty, injustice and culture of impunity will likely persist.
In the end, meeting the SDGs is simply upholding and protecting the rights of every Filipino to live free from poverty and inequality, and in peace and prosperity based on social justice. This is the challenge for the newly-elected officials. Their performance will show if they work for the people or live for profit.
I am curious as to why we look to mandatory militarism as a way to promote nationalism, whilst at the same time removing National Language and Panitikan as mandatory courses in schools? Mandatory militaristic courses don’t have the monopoly of inculcating love of country. Love of country should be an expression of a deeper understanding of social responsibility. (By Center for Women’s Resources)