Open Working Group Co-Chairs send focus areas to UN Permanent Representatives

In a letter dated 21 February, the Co-Chairs for the UN General Assembly Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals, sent to the UN Permanent Representatives (Ambassadors) a document listing 19 focus areas. The focus areas are listed below.

In their letter the Co-Chairs said that the document did not “constitute a zero draft of the report that the Group has been mandated to submit to the General Assembly at its sixty-eighth session.” The focus areas are also not exhaustive and do not preclude inclusion of other issues discussed within the context of the thematic clusters but that may not have been captured here. Based on this document, Member States are however asked to begin “the serious business of identifying SDGs and accompanying targets at the ninth session of the Open Working Group in early March.” They will also “at an appropriate time, and in light of discussions in the Group, provide a more concise document”.

It is therefore important to look carefully at the issues included in the various focus areas. “Sexual and reproductive health” is included both under health and gender equality. “Sexual and reproductive rights” are however omitted and there are few references in general to human rights. There are also few references to youth, and these are mainly in connection with employment and marginalization, with no reference, for example, to comprehensive sexuality education. At the same time language is included on eliminating violence, access to land etc. Looking at issues related to population dynamics, sustainable cities and human settlements are included as a focus area and there are several references to older persons, while there are only two references to migrants.

At the end of each focus area, the Co-Chairs have shown inter-linkages to other focus areas, for example the inter-linkages for gender include: poverty eradication, food security, water, energy, health, education, employment, and economic growth.

Insofar as this document could have a major influence on the deliberations in the negotiations ahead, it will be important to examine it in the context of the OWG Progress Report (ADD LINK TO POSTING OF 21 FEB) and also The Future We Want, the outcome document of the Rio + 20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development.

Focus areas

1. Poverty eradication
2. Food security and nutrition
3. Health and population dynamics
4. Education
5. Gender equality and women’s empowerment
6. Water and sanitation
7. Energy
8. Economic Growth
9. Industrialization
10. Infrastructure
11. Employment and decent work for all
12. Promoting equality
13. Sustainable cities and human settlements
14. Sustainable Consumption and Production
15. Climate
16. Marine resources, oceans and seas
17. Ecosystems and biodiversity
18. Means of implementation
19. Peaceful and non-violent societies, capable institutions