Despite the October heat, over 800 people tuned up on Saturday 28 October 2023, at Lusaka’s Showgrounds to Run for the SDGs, in efforts to raise awareness and inspire actions on attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. The run which saw people from all walks of life included government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, private sector and Civil Society representatives, youth and United Nations staff with their families participate in the Run/Walk for the Sustainable Development for either 5km or 10km to help raise awareness about the SDGs and inspire action to ensure achievement of the Global Goals in Zambia by the year 2030. Speaking at the event, United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator Beatrice Mutali said that the Run for the SDGs event was about being inclusive because achievement of the SDGs requires actions from all of us at whichever level we are. “Today is about learning a bit more about the SDGs and inspiring each other to act, so that together we can help Zambia make progress on the SDGs by the year 2030. Your presence speaks volumes about your commitment to end poverty and inequality, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy health, justice and prosperity”. Said Ms Mutali. She further thanked all the private sector organizations that kindly agreed to join efforts with the UN, to make the run & walk possible. The sponsors and partners included Choz Fitness Club, Ethiopian Airlines, Pick & Pay, Prudential, Zambia Athletics, and ZANACO. “We are grateful to the companies for their partnership because making progress on the SDGs requires the involvement of all, every individual and every sector. This is now more urgent than ever as we are at mid-point to the year 2030 which is the deadline for the SDGs. Many countries have experienced challenges in attainment of the SDGs due to unexpected challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters and the impact of war and conflicts but here is hope that if we work together towards achieving the SDGs, we can get there,” she said. The SDGs, which are fully aligned with Zambia’s 8th National Development Plan (8NDP), were adopted by all 193 UN Member States including Zambia in 2015 to end poverty and inequality, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy health, justice, and prosperity. The Run for the SDGs event was organised as part of commemorative events for the UN Day which is celebrated annually on 24 October.  

Meet Retiana Tiyamike Phiri, a remarkable young scientist defying stereotypes. At just 20 years old, she is not your typical scientist. She is an outgoing and charismatic leader, overseeing a dynamic team of six innovators at Invenker Technologies, a startup consisting of four male and two female students. Retiana has invented a product called PEC, a pain relief solution for both children and adults. Love for Science Retiana's journey into the world of science was inspired by her father, who encouraged her and her sisters to excel in Mathematics and Science, breaking gender norms. “I am the third born in a family of only girls. I have five sisters. Dad always said Maths and Science was also for girls and urged us to prove that we were smart and competitive.” Despite occasional pressure from extended family members for the girls to choose what they termed ‘easy’ subjects and courses of study, Retiana and her siblings worked hard and excelled at Mathematics and Science subjects, sometimes perceived as difficult pathways for girls. While attending school at Roma Girls Secondary School in Lusaka, Retiana turned out to be the President for the school’s Junior Engineers Technicians and Scientists (JETS) club, a Zambian Government-led initiative that promotes the learning of scientific subjects through innovations and exhibitions among learners. Health Challenge According to Retiana, through her experience during industrial attachments as a bio-medical student, public health facilities in Zambia have limited options for pain relief while those in the private sector are expensive. “Public hospitals do not have certain medical devices. The only things patients are exposed to are hot water bottles and pain killers and maybe a massage with rub-on or any type of rubbing balm. Private sector facilities have availability, but they are very costly because they are buying machines that will be used by more than one person,” she said. Innovation PEC was born in 2020 but developed in 2021 when Retiana enrolled to study for a Diploma in Biomedical Engineering at Evelyn Hone College in Lusaka. Since that year, she has not looked back in finding ways of relieving back pain, arthritis, and other types of physical discomfort among people. “What triggered this idea was because I used to experience bad menstrual cramps every month. I would use either pain killers or hot water bottles.” Both options presented problems for Retiana as she could not take pain killers all the time due to a kidney problem that she had experienced for four years. On the other hand, carrying around a hot water bottle was not convenient including the fact that the water would soon cool down and become ineffective. Retiana also explains the convenience of PEC. “Instead of waiting for me as a Biomedical Engineer to come and switch on and move the machine for them to properly set it up, we could have a more wearable form that is easily placed on the patient. Also note that imported wearable devices are expensive due to shipping costs so why not have something that is made here in Zambia and have more treatment options for that device”? she wondered. A closer look at PEC “We have come up with different devices and keep making improvements based on the feedback we get from clients. You cannot see the parts of the equipment as we assemble and then get someone to nicely place in a fabric that is comfortable to wear. I have made different wearable devices for different parts of the body, so it depends on where the pain is and you pick the right device,” she said. Response “Many people have tried my equipment. I too always use it when I experience abdominal pain. I also get a lot of feedback from my grandmother who usually experiences pain due to Arthritis. She tells me if I need to reduce the heat, vibration, or design for more comfort on the body,” Retiana explained. Support from the United Nations Retiana’s project was selected in 2021 through the National Innovation Initiative (NII) – a nationwide competitive call for innovations by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Zambia and partners that included the National Technology Business Centre (NTBC) and the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA), PACRA and with support from  UNFPA. Following her application, she won the Youngest Innovation Award under the 2021 National Innovation Initiative. Following the award, her innovation has benefitted from mentorship and technical support from UNDP through its Accelerator Lab , which is part of UNDP’s drive to be an agile incubator of local solutions that have a high potential to  accelerate progress towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. Further, the project, which is now under the experimentation stage. It has also benefitted from technical advice from engineering personnel from the Copperbelt University (CBU) in Kitwe, under the Experimentation Programme, led by the National Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research (NISIR) in collaboration with CBU located in Zambia’s mineral rich Copperbelt Province.. Within the college [Evelyn Hone], the team receives support from the Physiotherapy Department that provides guidance on needed adjustments to the innovation. “Through the Accelerator Lab’s Experimentation Programme we are also receiving support with regulatory approval and guidance on procedures and purchasing of components. They have also assigned experts to provide feedback on engineering and technical aspects as we work towards trials and the launch,” said Retiana. Due to Retina’s enthusiasm and passion for innovation, she is currently serving on the Experimentation Committee, providing strategic advice to the implementation of the Unipod (another UNDP Innovation initiative) being setup at the Copperbelt University to ensure that programs developed for female led innovations are relevant and targeted at promoting their participation. Dreams With a distant gaze, Retiana spelled out what she would like to see from her efforts. “I want to be the first to manufacture medical equipment in Zambia and improve the health sector in line with Sustainable Development Goal 3. The more we manufacture our own equipment as Zambia, the better the health care access in this country,” she said. “This innovation requires different types of skills, so we want to create employment not just for us but everyone. We want to hire more young people, women and girls that have the skill. We want to be impactful in different ways.” Team She believes that young people can make a difference. “As young people we are energetic and have fresh brains. We can acquire different skills. Young people should be today’s leaders. We cannot wait for tomorrow,” she said. One of her team members is Emmanuel Mwape, aged 23, a final year Biomedical Engineering Student at Evelyn Hone College. He embraces Retiana’s leadership and is happy to be part of the team. “I do not feel intimidated being led by a female as women also have what it takes to lead.  I met Retiana in 2021 as we were in the same class and wanted to know who this girl was that talked all smart. We had a long conversation that lasted from a few minutes to hours. We later started working together.” Emmanuel sees a lot of promise in the PEC innovation. “Locally I see a lot of people being helped including the old, and others such as truck drivers who sit for a long hours as they drive and may end up with back pain. I see PEC being implemented and helping many people,” said Emmanuel. As the globe stands at the halfway mark to 2030, which is the deadline for progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, youth-led efforts are key in fostering hope that countries can rescue the Global Goals in the remaining seven years. ###

The Gender Equality and Women’s Participation Initiative (GEWPI), a programme funded by the Ireland Embassy in Zambia running from October 2022 to September 2023 is supporting the Government to address current gaps in existing coordination mechanisms across all key stakeholders in the Gender area. The initiative plays a catalytic and key role in tackling the four critical areas for a gender transformative approach namely Strengthened Coordination, Research & Data, Diminishing Voices – Women’s Empowerment, and Social Cohesion – Male Involvement and GBV Prevention. The GEWPI project strengthens UNHCR’s current programme in preventing, risk mitigation and responding to Gender Based Violence (GBV)/Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) in refugee settlements. To promote community ownership and sustainability of GBV prevention and response programmes, awareness campaigns are being conducted through engaging community structures, men and boys, the youth, and women in Mantapala Refugee Settlement. Building on the existing activities with Implementing Partners including YWCA through coordination with UNFPA, UNHCR leads on inclusive engagement interventions for men and boys for GBV prevention through peer-to-peer support and youth facilitation of GBV prevention and women and girl’s empowerment dialogues in Mantapala. In August 2023, the UN undertook a  monitoring visit to Mantapala Refugee Settlement to assess progress made towards implementation of the programme activities through Research and Data in addition to Enhanced Social Cohesion by Male Involvement & GBV Prevention done with the Mens and Womens Networks. There was also a separate interaction with youth to get their views and concerns with the awareness training on GBV and Gender norms. Furthermore, a one-day training workshop on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) was conducted for GRZ, UN Staff and Implementing Partners to ensure that they were aware and understood how to prevent and respond to SEA in the Mantapala Settlement. At the close of the training, UNHCR Head of Field Office Kawambwa Awo Dede Cromwell had this to say, "The Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse is important in the work that we do and it is our responsibility to protect those under our care". On the final day of the monitoring visit, two UN Clubs were opened at Mantapala Primary and Secondary schools. Present at the launch were Headmen Kunda and Nsamiwa, members of the PTA, community leaders, teachers, and learners. The clubs are aimed at helping children and youth learn more about the UN, global issues and topical subjects such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Human Rights, Gender, Democracy, Health, and Governance. The clubs will enable learners to relate what they learn in class and other platforms to practical situations during debates, outreach activities, learning visits and related opportunities. “This is a historic moment for the school, the learners and the community at large”, said Mr Naciuos Musata, Head Teacher, Mantapala Secondary School at the official opening of the club. Voices from the community “As a youth, I am grateful for the awareness training on SEA as it has helped me better understand how to protect myself from being abused.” *Angela “Children are aware of their rights, this has helped reduce the chances of being abused by adults because they know where to go and report matters of abuse.” *James “We have seen a significant reduction in issues of GBV in the community following the awareness sessions.” *Beauty “My home is now a peaceful environment for my children and myself, we are now self-conscious in how we conduct ourselves.” *Martha “We are respected in the community because of our training and the branding we have that easily helps identify us and our neighbours come to us when they are facing difficulties.” *Mary “We urge the sponsors for this programme to continue with the good work.” *Moses “The UN Clubs that have been opened at the two schools will enhance the learning experience of the children. Climate Change is a real issue here in Mantapala and I am glad that it is something that with the knowledge received will not only benefit the learners but the community as well” Headman Elastus Kunda. *note real names About Mantapala Refugee Settlement Mantapala Settlement, which covers approximately 8,000 hectares, was established in January 2018 to host refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) who entered Zambia through Luapula province and other northern border entry points. The refugees who are 7,943 as of 31st August 2023 coexist with a farming host community of approximately 7,000 people in 11 villages surrounding the settlement. In 2022, more than half of the refugee population in the settlement chose to return to the DRC as part of the voluntary repatriation programme which began in December 2021.    

Mr. Guterres was speaking at the opening of a high-level forum at UN Headquarters where world leaders adopted a political declaration to accelerate action to achieve the 17 goals, which aim to drive economic prosperity and well-being for all people while protecting the environment. “The SDGs aren’t just a list of goals. They carry the hopes, dreams, rights and expectations of people everywhere,” he said.  Concerted, ambitious action World leaders adopted the SDGs in 2015, promising to leave no one behind. The goals include ending extreme poverty and hunger, ensuring access to clean water and sanitation, as well as green energy, and providing quality universal education and lifelong learning opportunities. UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis noted that despite commitments, 1.2 billion people were still living in poverty as of 2022, and roughly eight per cent of the global population, or 680 million people, will still be facing hunger by the end of the decade.  The international community cannot accept these numbers, he said. "With concerted, ambitious action, it is still possible that, by 2030, we could lift 124 million additional people out of poverty and ensure that some 113 million fewer people are malnourished," he said.  Going backwards  Each of the 17 goals contains targets, with 169 overall, but the Secretary-General warned that currently only 15 per cent are on track, while many are going in reverse. The political declaration "can be a game-changer in accelerating SDG progress," he said. It includes a commitment to financing for developing countries and clear support for his proposal for an SDG Stimulus of at least $500 billion annually, as well as an effective debt-relief mechanism. It further calls for changing the business model of multilateral development banks to offer private finance at more affordable rates for developing countries, and endorses reform of the international finance architecture which he has labelled "outdated, dysfunctional and unfair." Millions still starving  The UN chief highlighted the need for action in six critical areas, starting with addressing hunger, which he called “a shocking stain on humanity, and an epic human rights violation.” “It is an indictment of every one of us that millions of people are starving in this day and age,” he added.  The Secretary-General said the transition to renewable energy isn’t happening fast enough, while the benefits and opportunities of digitalization are not being spread widely enough. Education cannot wait At the same time, too many children and young people worldwide are victims of poor quality education, or no education at all, he continued, before shining a spotlight on the need for decent work and social protection. Finally, he called for an end to the war on nature and “the triple planetary crisis” characterized by climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss. Ensure gender equality “Cutting across all of these transitions is the need to ensure full gender equality,” he said. “It’s long past time to end discrimination, ensure a place at every table for women and girls, and to end the scourge of gender-based violence. “  Mr. Guterres highlighted UN response to each area, including initiatives to transform global food systems so everyone can have access to a healthy diet.  Other efforts focus on boosting investment in the renewable energy transition, promoting internet access for all, creating 400 million new “decent jobs”, and extending social protection to over four million people. Testament to commitment  The President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Paula Narváez, was heartened by the adoption of the declaration, calling it a testament to leaders’ unwavering commitment towards implementing the SDGs.  ECOSOC is at the core of the UN system’s work on all three pillars of sustainable development - economic, social and environmental – and provides a platform for follow-up and review of the goals.  The two-day SDG Summit is the centrepiece of the UN General Assembly’s high-level week, the annual gathering of Heads of State and Government, and Ms. Narváez also pointed to two other events on the agenda.   Seize the moment  She said the High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development will address the need for an international financial architecture that can respond to current needs and emerging challenges.    Meanwhile, the Climate Ambition Summit presents an opportunity for decisive progress on climate action and to raise the bar for more timely and targeted efforts.    “This week should serve as a turning point to rescue the SDGs,” she said.  “We must not let this moment slip away.”    *Source: https://news.un.org/