NITI Aayog, UNICEF India sign Statement of Intent on SDGs with focus on children

NITI Aayog and UNICEF India recently signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with a focus on children.

Key Point:

This child-focused SDG initiative builds on India’s effort of monitoring progress through the SDG India Index and Dashboard which continues to be a unique data-driven initiative for triggering policy action.
This new initiative with UNICEF is built on the ethos of SDG attainments for children and ensuring that no child is left behind.
To achieve the child development priorities under the SDGs, UNICEF India and NITI Aayog are developing a comprehensive measure to understand the multi-dimensional attainments and deprivations among children across health and nutrition, education, water and sanitation and household living standards.
The collaboration between NITI Aayog and UNICEF India will draw up the methods, technical analysis, reporting, and action planning for the first report on the ‘Status of India’s Children’ with a focus on the multi-dimensional aspects of child development like health, education, nutrition, protection, and other relevant areas.
This project will undertake a whole-of-society approach of involving all stakeholders ranging from Union Ministries, State Governments, Civil Society Organizations, and child rights collectives.

About Sustainable Development Goals

In September 2015, the General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Building on the principle of “leaving no one behind”, the new Agenda emphasizes a holistic approach to achieving sustainable development for all.

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

At the Millennium Summit held in 2000 at the UN Headquarters in New York, eight development goals known as the 'Millennium Development Goals' (MDGs) were adopted, which formed the blueprint for countries to pursue their national development strategies from 2000 to 2015.
The MDGs comprised eight Goals and addressed various development issues.
The MDGs targets were unevenly achieved across the countries and a need was felt to start fresh discussions to assess the usefulness of the MDGs and to explore possible successor to guide development cooperation in the world beyond 2015.
The UN General Assembly in its 70thSession considered and adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the next 15 years. The 17 SDGs came into force with effect from 1^st January, 2016.
o Though not legally binding, the SDGs have become de facto international obligations and have potential to reorient domestic spending priorities of the countries during the next fifteen years.
Countries are expected to take ownership and establish a national framework for achieving these Goals.
Implementation and success will rely on countries' own sustainable development policies, plans and programmes.
Countries would be responsible for follow-up and review at the national level, with regard to the progress made in implementing the Goals and targets. Actions at the national level to monitor progress under SDGs will require quality, accessible and timely data.