Report on the Fourth Intergovernmental Meet on Financing for Development and its Implications for the Sustainable Development Goals

A recent analysis of the outcome document from the fourth intergovernmental meet on financing for development (FfD4) reveals significant shortcomings in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to gender equality, health, and systemic economic justice. Experts and civil society representatives argue that the document fails to address structural barriers, thereby undermining the 2030 Agenda’s core principle of “leaving no one behind.”

Deficiencies in Addressing Gender Equality and Economic Justice (SDG 5 & SDG 8)

Systemic Discrimination in Economic and Labour Markets

The FfD4 outcome document acknowledges the importance of women’s access to economic and labour markets. However, critics, including Zainab Shumail of the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD), contend that it fails to address the systemic discrimination and patriarchal barriers that prevent equitable access. This oversight compromises progress on several SDGs, including:

• SDG 5 (Gender Equality): The failure to tackle root causes of inequality hinders the achievement of full and effective participation for women in economic life.
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): The report notes that goals for economic justice cannot be realized unless principles of decent work and fundamental human rights are guaranteed for women and gender-diverse individuals in the workplace.

Inadequate Commitments to the Care Economy

While the document mentions investing in the care economy, its language falls short of established international standards. Swetha Sridhar of Fos Feminista highlights a missed opportunity for progress. The document’s call to “recognise, value and equitably redistribute” unpaid care work is less comprehensive than the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) framework, which calls to “recognise, redistribute, reduce, reward and represent” such work. This directly impacts SDG 5.4, which aims to recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work.

Gaps in Health and Well-being Commitments (SDG 3)

Omission of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

The FfD4 document commits to increasing investment in universal health coverage (UHC). However, it makes no specific mention of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) or access to safe abortion. This omission is a significant setback for SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), particularly target 3.7, which calls for universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services. Dr. Mabel Bianco, President of FEIM, emphasized that development is unattainable without the recognition of SRHR.

Widening Financial Gaps and Systemic Failures

Chronic Underfunding for Gender Equality

The report highlights a critical funding gap that impedes progress on SDG 5. According to UN Women, developing countries face an annual shortfall of an estimated USD 420 billion to achieve gender equality goals. Shereen Talaat of the MENA Feminist Movement noted that in 2022:

1. Financing for gender equality dropped to 42% of official development assistance (ODA).
2. Only 4% of this ODA had gender as a primary objective.
3. Less than 1% of this funding reached feminist and women’s rights organizations.

This chronic underinvestment perpetuates inequality and slows progress across the entire 2030 Agenda.

Lack of Transparency and Accountability (SDG 16 & SDG 17)

The FfD4 process was criticized for its lack of transparency and meaningful civil society participation, undermining SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). Lidy Nacpil of the Asian People’s Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD) stated that the outcome document was a “done deal” negotiated without significant input during the meet, largely influenced by Global North countries. This procedural failure challenges the spirit of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Failure to Address Broader Systemic Issues

The outcome document was further criticized for failing to address interconnected global challenges. Key failures identified include:

• Climate and Environment (SDG 13): No clear acknowledgement of the need to phase out fossil fuels or address the ecological breakdown as a cross-cutting issue.
• Inequality (SDG 10): Failure to address equity in income distribution or call for reparations for economic and environmental harm caused by colonialism and resource extraction.
• Financing (SDG 17): An over-reliance on private finance to fill development gaps instead of prioritizing public financing for essential services like health and education.
• Corporate Accountability (SDG 8): Silence on corporate abuses and safeguards to prevent gender-based violence in the workplace.

Conclusion: A Call for Systemic Transformation

There is a consensus among observers that the FfD4 outcome document lacks the ambition required for systemic transformation. It fails to mainstream a gender and human rights-based approach, falling short of the promises made in the Beijing Declaration and the comprehensive vision of the SDGs.

The path forward requires a feminist restructuring of the global financial architecture, one based on care, human rights, justice, and reparations. As articulated by activists, achieving development justice and the SDGs necessitates replacing top-down decision-making with a system where women, girls, and gender-diverse peoples are co-creators of a rights-based economic future. The fight must continue at national levels to translate frustration into energy and ensure the promise of the SDGs becomes a reality for all.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article discusses several interconnected issues that are directly relevant to a number of Sustainable Development Goals. The analysis highlights a critique of a recent financing for development outcome document, arguing it fails to adequately address the systemic barriers required to achieve these goals, particularly from a feminist and human rights perspective.

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  This is the central theme of the article. It extensively discusses the need to remove “systemic discrimination, disadvantages and patriarchal barriers” to ensure women’s economic and social rights. It explicitly mentions the funding gap for gender equality, the importance of recognizing unpaid care work, ensuring sexual and reproductive health and rights, and preventing gender-based violence.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article directly connects gender equality to economic justice, mentioning the need for women to “equitably and justly be able to access economic markets and labour markets.” It emphasizes that this cannot be realized unless “the principles of decent work and safeguards for fundamental human rights at workplaces” are assured.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The article critiques the financing for development document for its commitment to “universal health coverage” (UHC) while failing to mention “sexual and reproductive health and rights.” It quotes an activist stating, “if we are not having sexual and reproductive health and rights recognised – including access to safe abortion- it is not possible to reach development.”

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The article’s focus on “systemic discrimination,” the gap between the Global North and Global South, and the call for an economic system that doesn’t leave “no one is left behind” directly addresses this goal. It critiques the outcome document for failing to “address the equity for income distribution” and for perpetuating inequalities.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The entire article is a critique of the global financing framework for development (FfD). It discusses the “widening funding gap for SDGs,” the inadequacy of “official development assistance,” the over-reliance on “private finance,” and the lack of accountability in the intergovernmental process, all of which are central to SDG 17.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  The article laments the “absence of accountability and restrictions of civil society participation” in the financing for development meet. It also calls for an “urgent end to escalating wars, territorial invasions and genocides” and demands “justice and reparations” for historical harms, which aligns with the goal of promoting just, peaceful, and inclusive societies.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues raised, several specific SDG targets can be identified as being either directly addressed or critically undermined by the policies discussed in the article.

1. Targets under SDG 5 (Gender Equality)

   • Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere. The article’s central argument is about the need to remove “systemic discrimination, disadvantages and patriarchal barriers.”
   • Target 5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work. The article explicitly critiques the outcome document for not adopting the more progressive ILO language to “‘recognise, redistribute, reduce, reward and represent unpaid care and domestic work’.”
   • Target 5.6: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights. The article repeatedly emphasizes the omission of “sexual and reproductive health and rights” and “access to safe abortion” from key development and health commitments.
   • Target 5.a: Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources. The call for women to “equitably and justly be able to access economic markets and labour markets” directly relates to this target.

2. Targets under SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)

   • Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men. The article’s call for “the principles of decent work” for women and gender-diverse people aligns with this target.
   • Target 8.8: Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers. This is directly referenced in the call for “safeguards for fundamental human rights at workplaces” and the need to prevent “gender-based violence in the workplace.”

3. Targets under SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being)

   • Target 3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services. The article’s strong critique of the lack of commitment to “sexual and reproductive health and rights” and “access to safe abortion” makes this target highly relevant.
   • Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage (UHC). The article explicitly mentions the commitment to UHC in the outcome document but criticizes it for being incomplete without the inclusion of sexual and reproductive health.

4. Targets under SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

   • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all. The entire article is a call for the inclusion of “women, girls, and gender diverse individuals” and critiques a system that fails to achieve this.
   • Target 10.4: Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality. The article calls for a “transformative fiscal policy” and criticizes the outcome document’s failure to “address the equity for income distribution.”

5. Targets under SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)

   • Target 17.2: Developed countries to implement fully their official development assistance commitments. The article directly discusses the amount and effectiveness of “official development assistance” in relation to gender equality.
   • Target 17.3: Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources. The article critiques the current model, highlighting the “widening funding gap for SDGs” and the “over reliance on private finance.”

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article provides several specific quantitative indicators that can be used to measure the lack of progress towards the identified targets.

• Indicator for SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 17 (Partnerships)

  The article provides concrete financial data that serves as a direct indicator of the commitment to gender equality.

  • Funding Gap: “developing countries are falling short by an estimated USD 420 billion a year to achieve gender equality as envisioned in the Sustainable Development Goals.” This is a clear indicator of the resource gap for Target 5.a and 5.c.
  • ODA Allocation for Gender Equality: “gender equality financing dropped to 42% of official development assistance in 2022.” This measures the financial commitment from developed countries (Target 17.2).
  • Quality of Gender-focused ODA: “only 4% of it had gender as a primary objective and less than 1% reached feminist and women rights organisations.” This provides a more granular indicator of how effectively aid is being targeted to achieve gender equality.

• Indicator for SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

  The article provides a statistic on violence, which can be seen as an indicator for peace and safety.

  • Prevalence of Violence: “conflict-related sexual violence is up by 50%.” This is a stark indicator of the failure to protect women in conflict situations, relevant to Target 16.1 (reduce all forms of violence).

• Implied Indicators

  While not providing numbers, the article implies the need for other indicators, such as:

  • The number of countries whose UHC plans explicitly include comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, including safe abortion (relevant to Target 3.7 and 3.8).
  • Rates of gender-based violence in the workplace (relevant to Target 8.8).
  • The proportion of unpaid care and domestic work performed by women, which should be measured to track progress on “reducing” and “redistributing” it (relevant to Target 5.4).

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article. In this table, list the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), their corresponding targets, and the specific indicators identified in the article.

Source: pakistanchristianpost.com