Dimapur, May 22: DC Dimapur Sachin Jaiswal on Monday launched the website of National Foundation for India’s (NFI) project ‘Leave No One Behind’ here at Hotel Saramati, Dimapur. The event, co-funded by the European Union and hosted by CAN Youth, was organised by NFI.
The project is designed to empower youth and youth leaders in Northeast India by building their capacities and institutional strength using Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework and enable them to take up leadership roles in the process of developing their communities and ensuring peace and justice in the region.
Speaking on the occasion, Jaiswal said that whatever is done in the government offices, policies are directed towards achieving SDGs. He said that while there are many schemes for the upliftment of the poor in the country, whether they are being delivered in the ground is a concern for which the society needs to be mobilized and stakeholders need to come forward.
He called for the achievement of the 17 SDGs (no poverty; zero hunger; good health and well being; quality education; gender equality; clean water and sanitation; affordable and clean energy; decent work and economic growth; industry, innovation, and infrastructure; reduced inequalities;, sustainable cities and communities; responsible consumption and production; climate action; life below water; life on land; peace, justice and strong institutions; and partnership for the goals) in totality involving all stakeholders to ensure the implementation of the schemes on the ground.
He mentioned that while no poverty is one of the goals, employment opportunities are drying and therefore self-employment has become crucial.
On gender equality, he stressed that the women needs to come forward and take leadership roles for inclusive decision making. He hoped that the launch of the website would help reach the goals by the targeted year of 2030.
Earlier, board member of CAN Youth, a partner in the project, said that people here in general are ignorant about the SDGs and CAN Youth is trying to play a small role towards achieving the goals. She, however, lamented about the lack of support the NGO receives from the government, village councils, student unions, and others.
She said that there are hundreds of NGOs in the state but very few are actually functioning, and appealed to the stakeholders to support the mission of CAN Youth not just in words but also in actions.
Katini Eshena, Dimapur Field Coordinator, NFI, in her introductory remark had stated that the project was launched in Assam, Manipur, Nagaland in 2020 and intends to promote civil society and youth engagement so that models of participation and inclusive development are designed and implemented at the grassroots using SDGs.
The project ‘Leave No One Behind’ intervention logic is that post building capacity of youth leaders on SDGs framework they will further get engaged with local/district and /or state councils and other stakeholders in variety of forums to uphold inclusiveness and participation.
The objectives of the project are to contribute to the promotion of peace and sustainable development by enhanced integration of SDGs framework and increase participation of youth and youth-led civil society organizations in local or state development processes. It will strengthen the development and realization of the state’s vision document 2030 through inclusive and equitable participation of different communities and age groups, especially the youth.
The project website launching event aims to bring together the various stakeholders and CSOs in support to reach out to more groups through collective collaboration and to strengthen SDGs in locality, district and state.
(Page News Service)