Over 175 children’s and disabilities rights organisations and academics from across the world have intensified their demands on the UN to ensure that all children are counted as part of its global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In a letter to UN statistical bodies – reissued after it was first sent last year, with a three-fold increase in signatories – they argue it is vital to ensure that the framework for monitoring the implementation of the SDGs captures “children living outside of households and/or without parental care”.
This diverse group of civil society organisations believe some of the world’s most vulnerable children, those without parental care or at risk of being so, have “fallen off the statistical map” and will be left behind by the SDGs. If the data gap is not filled, children will continue to be left behind. International Child Development Initiatives (ICDI) is one of the signatories.
The SDGs, which were adopted by the United Nations last September, will guide spending of billions of dollars in international assistance over the next 15 years.
The goals have been set, with an accompanying global monitoring framework to measure progress and success. The SDG Global Indicator Framework was agreed by the UN Statistical Commission (UNSC) at its 47th session in New York on 11 March. However, there is yet to be seen a concrete change to the system and methodologies that will ensure that the SDGs will benefit all children.
