Salt Lake County Council Endorses “A Bolder Way Forward” Initiative

A Strategic Move Towards Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

The Salt Lake County Council has formally passed a resolution supporting the “A Bolder Way Forward” initiative, a strategic framework aimed at empowering women and girls throughout Utah. This decision marks a significant commitment by a local government entity to address systemic issues and advance key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

Resolution Analysis and SDG Alignment

SDG 5: Gender Equality

The resolution’s core objective is to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, directly aligning with SDG 5. Dr. Susan Madsen of Utah State University’s Women and Leadership Project presented data highlighting critical areas for intervention:

• High rates of domestic violence
• Pervasive sexual violence and child sexual abuse
• Systemic discrimination
• Utah’s ranking as the lowest state for women’s equality

By targeting these issues, the initiative seeks to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls (Target 5.2) and end all forms of discrimination (Target 5.1).

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The council’s action demonstrates the role of effective and accountable institutions in promoting just and inclusive societies. The resolution directly addresses targets within SDG 16 by aiming to:

1. Significantly reduce all forms of violence (Target 16.1).
2. End abuse, exploitation, and all forms of violence against children (Target 16.2).

Mayor Jenny Wilson emphasized the urgency, stating, “When you hear those statistics of children who are impacted, often within their homes? That’s alarming.” This highlights the government’s responsibility to protect its most vulnerable citizens.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

“A Bolder Way Forward” is designed as a multi-stakeholder partnership, reflecting the principles of SDG 17. The initiative explicitly calls for collaboration between:

• Government bodies
• Non-profit organizations
• Community groups

Council Chair Dea Theodore noted the “nonpartisan effort,” underscoring the broad-based coalition required to achieve the goals.

Stakeholder Perspectives and Deliberations

Support for the Resolution

Elected officials voiced strong support for the initiative as a necessary step towards progress.

• Mayor Jenny Wilson: Pledged to seek funding to support the initiative’s ideals, acknowledging, “We are not doing enough. Hard stop.”
• Councilmember Laurie Stringham: Countered criticism by emphasizing the resolution is about supporting all choices for women and girls and called the rates of abuse “unacceptable.”
• Sheriff Rosie Rivera: Spoke as an example of female leadership in a male-dominated field, highlighting the importance of allies.
• County Treasurer Sheila Srivastava: Addressed the need for representation, noting the experience of being in “rooms where very few people look like you.”

Opposition and Concerns

The resolution was met with some public opposition and council member reservations.

• Fiscal Concerns: Carolyn Phippen of the Republican Women’s Club of Salt Lake and Councilmember Sheldon Stewart raised concerns about the use of taxpayer money, particularly during a lean budget year.
• Scope of the Initiative: Kris Kimball argued the resolution did not adequately address or value the choice of motherhood.
• Constituent Feedback: Councilmember Carlos Moreno cast the sole dissenting vote, citing exclusively negative feedback from his constituents.

Conclusion: A Commitment to Reducing Inequality (SDG 10)

The passage of the resolution, despite one dissenting vote, positions Salt Lake County as a leader in addressing gender-based disparities. This action is a direct contribution to SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by seeking to empower and promote the social and political inclusion of women (Target 10.2). The commitment from the majority-women council and the mayor’s office to find financial support indicates a tangible plan to translate the resolution’s ideals into impactful programs, moving the region forward on its sustainable development path.

1. SDGs Addressed in the Article

• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

2. Specific SDG Targets Identified

1. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere. The article directly addresses this by mentioning the resolution aims to combat “discrimination” and highlights that Utah is “ranked as the worst state for women’s equality.”
   • Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres. This is a central theme, as the resolution seeks to combat “serious issues” including “domestic violence, sexual violence, [and] child sexual abuse.” Councilmember Laurie Stringham reinforces this by calling the rates of abuse “unacceptable.”
   • Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life. The article highlights the “majority-women Salt Lake County Council” and mentions other women in leadership, such as Mayor Jenny Wilson, County Treasurer Sheila Srivastava, and Sheriff Rosie Rivera. Srivastava’s comment about walking “in the rooms where very few people look like you or where women haven’t always had a voice” directly relates to this target.

2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of… sex… The resolution’s core purpose is to “empower women and girls in Utah.” The entire initiative, “A Bolder Way Forward,” is designed to address the systemic issues that lead to Utah being ranked last for women’s equality, thus promoting their social and political inclusion.

3. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere. The article’s focus on combating “domestic violence” and “sexual violence” directly aligns with this target of reducing violence.
   • Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children. The specific mention of addressing “child sexual abuse” connects directly to this target. Mayor Wilson’s alarm at “statistics of children who are impacted, often within their homes” underscores the relevance of this target.

4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships. The article states that the resolution “seeks to bring together governments, nonprofits and others to combat serious issues.” This describes the exact multi-stakeholder partnership model that SDG 17 promotes.

3. Indicators for Measuring Progress

1. Indicators for SDG 5 & SDG 16

   • Prevalence/rates of violence and discrimination: The article explicitly mentions that Dr. Susan Madsen presented “troubling statistics about Utah’s rates of domestic violence, sexual violence, child sexual abuse, [and] discrimination.” These statistics serve as direct indicators to measure progress. A reduction in these rates would indicate success.
   • State ranking for women’s equality: The article cites Utah being “ranked as the worst state for women’s equality.” This ranking is a comparative indicator; an improvement in the ranking would measure progress towards Target 5.1.
   • Proportion of women in leadership positions: The article implies this indicator by noting the “majority-women Salt Lake County Council” and the presence of a female Mayor, Sheriff, and Treasurer. Tracking the number and proportion of women in such elected and public offices serves as a measure for Target 5.5.

2. Indicators for SDG 17

   • Number of participating entities in the partnership: The article mentions the resolution’s goal to “bring together governments, nonprofits and others.” The number of counties, cities, and organizations that formally support or join the “A Bolder Way Forward” initiative would be a key indicator of progress towards building the partnership described in Target 17.17. The article notes Salt Lake County is the “first county in Utah to support the initiative.”

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: fox13now.com