Offaly doctor calls for greater action on the Sustainable Development Goals

Offaly woman Dr. Salome Mbugua played a key role in the launch of a report by Coalition 2030. Coalition 2030 is an alliance of 70 civil society organisations collaborating to ensure Ireland keeps its promise to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

The Coalition has published a new report, ‘Furthest Behind First, or Falling Behind Further?’, documenting Ireland’s progress on the SDGs from the perspective of those "left behind". The report parallels the Irish Government’s SDG Review, which is due for presentation to the UN in July.

Dr. Mbugua, who lives in Portarlington, is the CEO of AkiDwA, a member organisation of Coalition 2030. She spoke at the report launch in Buswell’s Hotel in Dublin this week, as well as addressing a briefing for members of the Oireachtas in Leinster House.

The key recommendations in the Coalition 2030 report include:

- The appointment by Government of a Future Generations Commissioner to ensure no public policy actions undermine the quality of life of future generations;

- Responsibility for the SDGs to be moved from the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications to the Department of the Taoiseach;

- All new public policies to be SDG-proofed to ensure they are aligned with the Goals; and

- The annual Budget process to become linked to progressing the SDGs.

At the report’s launch, Dr. Mbugua highlighted why the Government needs to take a cross-cutting approach to progressing the Sustainable Development Goals, and how this can only happen if responsibility for the SDGs moves to the Department of the Taoiseach. She also spoke about the challenges facing many migrant women in Ireland today, as well as other minority and marginalised groups.

The report published by Coalition 2030 features the real-life stories of people in Ireland who, according to the Coalition, are being “left behind” as the country continues to develop. These include disabled people, current and former residents of the Direct Provision system, people experiencing poverty and homelessness, lone parents, and older people.

Commenting at the report’s launch, its author, Sorley McCaughey, said: “An underlying principle of the SDGs is to ‘reach the furthest behind first’. But the case studies featured in our report show there are many people in Ireland being left even further behind as the country develops. With a General Election to be held by March 2025, and the Goals due to expire in 2030, now is a critical juncture for the Government and opposition parties to put the necessary measures in place to help Ireland play its role in progressing the SDGs and leaving no-one behind.”