OWG-10 discusses SDG goals and targets

The Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals at its 10^th session began its discussion on goals and targets with delegations putting forward their suggestions on the areas as included in the revised focus areas using the various clusters as defined by the Co-Chairs. The discussions on sexual and reproductive health and rights took place under the cluster on gender equality; education; employment and decent work for all; and health and population dynamics.

While a substantial number of “troikas” and individual countries supported the inclusion of sexual and reproductive health and rights, others put forward different combinations based on ICPD language. Some considered that it should be included under a gender equality stand-alone goal; others said it should go under a health goal; and a few said it could go under either or both. The need to address the unfinished MDGs, particularly maternal and child morbidity under MDG 5 was mentioned by a large number of delegations.

In addition, a number of delegations identified specific aspects of sexual and reproductive health and rights and related issues that should be included, such as contraception and family planning, post-abortion care and HIV/AIDS. Comprehensive sexuality education was also highlighted. A number of countries called for the inclusion of issues related to violence against women and girls, namely child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation/cutting mainly under a stand-alone goal on gender equality.

There was some agreement that it would be better to separate population dynamics from health as it related more closely to other issues including employment. Aspects of population dynamics that were referred to included urbanization and migration.

Next steps…

As discussed in the closing session the next version of the Co-Chairs draft document will be online by 18-21 of April. In it the co-chairs might proposed a reduction of focus areas (trimmed) as well as a chapeau / introductory part. The OWG-11 and OWG-12 will go into more details on possible targets, so that by last session of OWG (16-19 July), they will have a "pretty firm documents spelling out goals and targets" to be adopted by members of OWG. The final report with the SDG proposals will then be released in August.

The Co-Chairs talk of this process now as 'consultations' not ‘negotiations’, which is good as it allows countries to be much more ambitious. They want the SDGs need to look beyond agreed language. Nigeria, in particular, does not agree on moving beyond agreed language. It should be noted that there are a number of contentious and difficult areas and on these the Co-Chairs have asked for concrete proposals rather than the politics of the issues.