SDG 17 Partnership for the Goals Lab on HLPF on Sustainable Development | Full report

July 18, 2022

The Justice Coalition of Religious on the margins of the 2022 High-Level Political Forum for Sustainable Development. The final session of the SDG Lab on Goal 17 Partnership for the Goals

Teresa Blumenstein, the global coordinator for the justice coalition of religious, the community of many men and women who work together to advocate on behalf of or as part of the mission of Catholic Sisters, Brothers, Priests, and their partners in many corners of the world.

Yolanda, The Society of the Sacred Heart, will focus on a small reality: our JPIC project database SDG 17 seems to pay particular attention to the national and international scale of partnerships for the goals.

JPIC emission and their efforts on the ground meet vulnerable and marginalized groups that together explore a transformation for the future and that the impact of these efforts could have a wider reach if they were communicated to the whole society and indeed to a broader public to general public this was when the essence of our GPIC database arose.

The JPIC database is an open online platform that is intended to intensify transformation, so the efforts that are implemented

on the ground and this intensification of transformation are supposed as by increasing the availability of data and data sharing and eventually turning these ex-local experiences into the best practices and building partnerships internally within the religious of the Society of the Sacred Heart, the different prophecies building bridges and with other religious groups, NGOs.

The JPIC database is an open online platform that is intended to intensify transformation, so the efforts that are implemented on the ground and this intensification of transformation are supposed as by increasing the availability of data and data sharing and eventually turning these ex-local experiences into the best practices and building partnerships internally within the religious of the Society of the Sacred Heart, the different prophecies building bridges and with other religious groups, NGOs.

The structure of the database as a two-fold approach has quantitative and qualitative data; on the qualitative side, the database stresses the singularity of each project in its local context, and on the quantitative side, it features statistics charts, so the layout of the database it has the quantitative and qualitative blend translates into both general and society-related entries.

The database has categorized the project into four focuses. These four focuses decline from the four P's - people, planet, peace, and prayer. It will indicate where the project is taking place, the country, and the province; it might be two countries.

It also mentions whether the project is currently ongoing or has been completed; it will also mention the collaborations the project might have or might have had, and within the collaboration, it specifies each type of collaboration it can be a private organization, collaboration as NGOs could be or a collaboration with a body of the government like local authorities, municipalities, or other religious groups, and there are different types of collaborations. I just put the main ones, and of course, the project is also linked to the sustainable development goal.

It responds to the society-related entries; we have two categories; one is about the target group of the project that we have defined it with our society wording calling them people being served, and within this category, we have identified from the constitution of the society four groups and those are the children and young people, women, people who are marginalized and agents of transformation as educators, and the other entry which is very much related to the society is the GPIC imperatives.

Here we are landing on the home page of the database, and we've tried to make it as user-friendly as possible; we stress two bottoms that you can see at the introduction on the glossary button; those bottoms give a general understanding of The approach that is behind the building of this database and the wordings that we use in it so that.

The user can get familiar with our terms, and once the user has read the introduction and the glossary, it can move to the find the project button, which is the search engine for them the project, and then we have the statistics button that provides some numbers about the different categories mentioned before.

The last button is the contact us button, and we really have it on the landing page because we deem that it invites the user to get in touch with the administrators of the database, and we really want to make it an open conversation with users on any issues it could be a technical issue or a content issue.

Any invitation to a partnership it's really a way of communication, and that's why we have it as big as the others as other three, and on the landing page so, now we are entering into the statistics button; this is just a snapshot of two items the statistics provide

You can read about the group being served, and the focus of the project's this button provides absolute value numbers and percentage numbers. This is just a snapshot, as I said, but you can also have statistics on the other four items, which are

1. the countries where the projects are being implemented

2. the type of collaboration

3. the SDGs and

4. the society GPIC imperatives and

Here we go landing on the search engine; here are a number of drop-down menus that you have set so that the user can choose directly from a set search engine, or if none of these respond to the interest of the user, the user can type on the open keyword it's their interest, and when they click on search so it's a set search engine but also an open search engine and just to mention this is a cross-dimension engine so that you can have more than one interest in your search you can have you can choose to look for projects that are in one specific country and responding attending serving women for instance.

Once you have the search, you have clicked on your search button, the list of projects will come out, and then you choose the project you are interested the first, and this is the landing page of a project, so on the very top, you have the title of the project in the center you have the narrative that reads about the background of the project - the objective the activities and the outcomes that the project has reached or is planning to reach. You will also find about the country where it's happening and the focus of our GPS imperatives; then, on the left column, you have extra information, other tabs that are more specific, and you about the people being served the schedule so if it's ongoing or completed as and the collaborations.

On the bottom right, you have a mention of the SDGs logos so which SDG the project falls under, and of course, visuals couldn't miss because they are eye-catching and they also give an image to the narrative it helps the and the reader the user to understand the project this is the database or only provides a general overview of what's happening in the project if anyone would like to know more have more details, we also have the contact name of the person who is in charge of the project.

If it's the user is an RSCJ, they can get we have an internal internet catalog where we have our addresses so they can get in touch with the direct contact person; if it's someone not from the congregation, they can get in touch via the contact us button requiring to have further information on a specific project the administrator would then value if it's a genuine request and if so it would forward the request to the contact person of the project so that they can directly communicate together, so that was the database a small reality as I said, so that aims to document experiences sharing data strengthening partnerships into intensifying transformation.

The database has values such as

· transparency

it is transparent because its content runs in a clear and organized way that is shared openly with others

· accountability

it shows accountability based on actual and genuine efforts on the ground

· engagement & humanity

this GPIC database is for the congregation of the society of the sacred heart a working resource, but it is also the translation of the open part of the society

Comments from Winnie Fred:

I would like to ask how many people are working on the website to collect the data and post it?

Many people are talking about databases, but it's the first one that I have seen that I actually feel enthusiastic about, and therefore I think it's a marvelous resource. I was particularly delighted about the transparency aspect and, you know, incorporating other groups that might be doing the same thing are contributing to the goals, and so somewhere or another might be interested in contributing.

Yolanda:

We gather the data through our links in the different provinces. We have a form, and this is a fairly new method of gathering because before we had an online form so we would invite directly our religious on the ground to fill in the form online, but we understood it didn't really have a good result so we get directly in touch with our links on the ground via email and we send them a word form, and it looks like it is working better than the online form because the online form needs a connection that it's not always available

while the attached file can be downloaded and can be worked on more easily, so once they have a project they want to share, they fill in the form, and I am the one who then records the information that arrived via the word form into the database I'm the only one working right now we have over 300 projects, and we don't have daily forms coming on so it's quite easy and manageable.

Having Database as a framework or a template to fill in could almost be an exercise in kind of strategic planning because it reminds you to ask yourself you know what is the focus who are we partnering with to really think about it in a systematic way which sometimes ministry arise organically and there is no time, or we just don't remember to go back and think about it kind of more systematically, so that can be kind of a helpful guide if anyone's looking to do some strategic evaluation or retelling of the work that you're doing. You might just visit that database as a template for how to organize your thoughts.

Representative of the society of the sacred heart who is speaking to us from the Philippines, Candid

From its inception, hungry minds have relied on partnerships to reach their goals these have deepened borne fruit and then became part of the fiber of the organizations we collaborated with as we became transformed lives - transforming lives, our partners responded and became transformed lives themselves.

What we do here really deeply resonates with our purpose and our values. Supporting local communities is part of Cargill's purpose to nourish the world in a safe, responsible, and sustainable way, and we believe that partnerships are a key ingredient in making it happen.

Working in collaboration with our partners helps us reach more people and deliver a more lasting impact. 180 young minds. I remember this is since 2006; our long-standing partnership with hungry minds has truly helped young beneficiaries to dream

to aspire that is power on their hands to uplift their lives and their families; our collective efforts paved the way for a better future for these young minds.

it's very rewarding for us at Cargill to witness our beneficiaries grow and become the ones who uplift others, and we are especially proud that we have one scholar who has become a part of the cardio family - one of the many success stories that inspire us to keep going with this meaningful work and let us continue to transform lives and help communities thrive according to the UN the achievement of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development and the sustainable development goals requires all hands on

deck though the scope of this statement may have meant a macro scale of partnerships among countries and global entities, we and food for hungry minds would like to exemplify partnerships at the grassroots level that have allowed us to continue serving our community amidst the raging pandemic in early January 2022 an omicron variant surged in the Philippines led to food for hungry minds declaring an emergency health break.

Sixty of the learners were sick so were educators on a national level. Strict lockdowns were imposed due to a phenomenal rise in COVID cases. All these led to serious food security issues nationwide; though the government sent help, it was not enough.

The need was palpable in the hungry minds of families how timely it was the covid response grants from a private corporation. Especially at a time of calamity and illness, a sack of rice is mana from heaven; the goods gave hope and courage to the families that perhaps we could all get through this together in our work to bridge global divides. We don't just link decisions in boardrooms to food on the table. We also work to allow people to meet one another as fellow human beings.

The food for hungry minds model is not recreating the wheel; it's building on existing strengths that are within the country. They partner with communities, they partner with education partners, and they partner with existing families and ask for a commitment of involvement. I personally was able to visit manila and see the children, and I was impressed.

All our work is anchored on the strength of the partnerships of The Food for Hungry Minds. May our contributions inspire others to believe that our concerted efforts will get us through these tumultuous times.

We in food for hungry minds choose wholeness and fullness of life for all.

We practice compassion, excellence nurturing, and trustworthiness; we will build a community with a thriving and striving mindset. We are transformed lives; we are transforming lives.

Sister Virgo, on behalf of the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd from the Philippines.

Families live if there is a work-life balance, and everyone feels secure or entitled so that the online presentation will be in context good and effective governance is by the application of human rights and SPGS targets 17.1 and 7.6, and the third is the primary aim the fourth is the church response target 7.9 17.8 standing point I call to action challenges Philippine government target 17, 2017 and the church.

The context of my presentation for the VNR or Philippines 2022 is the 59 from the international criminal court there is a growing vote on the crime against humanity committed on our underdogs, and then we have also the challenges for church people who have been fighters as then, so these are all the contexts good and effective governance is by total industrialization of human rights and sustainable development growth.

Target 17.1 mobilize resources to improve domestic revenue collection; because of the pandemic, there have been setbacks in the implementation of the SDG in the Philippines, but for target 17.1mobilized resources to improve domestic revenue collection, there has been glamour to disqualify tax evaders who are running for high positions in the government and who are also fake news straddlers target 17.3 resources for developing countries on the left side you will see the list of the resources that came from outside of the Philippines to contribute to the implementation and actualization of the SDG, this is from the UN Philippines.

We have here of the different partner organizations mobilizing their resources.

On the middle part are the different sustainable development goals, and on the right side are the different implementing agencies of the country, and you will see there the allocations of where it went.

Now the United Nations is supporting SDGs in the Philippines; the source is the UN Philippines, and the available resources of 94.6 million u.s dollars, so you can see here where the allocation length for good health and well-being is 58.1 of the total.

Affordable and clean energy is 3 of the total, so these are the ones that have been optimized or maximized or have been given allocations, and then there is also a big portion that went to peace and justice strong institutions, which is 14.7 percent, and the partnership for the goals in 1.9 of total.

However, there have been alleged anomalous transactions with field health and formally vis-a-vis Kobe 19. it amounts to billions. Phil health is the health service arm of the country, which have been allegedly pocketed 15 billion pandemics from the health funds to respond to the pandemic; the other one is the family is a company that procured, and that supplied the different resources that we needed during the pandemic like face masks and everything else

so the primary aim of j core justice coalition of religions is collaboration and strengthening the capacity of catholic religions and their partners to address the root causes of human and environmental suffering.

Data so we had research entitled human rights violation as drivers for human trafficking Cebu province experience we asked 100 women from the different areas in Cebu province and sectors and some of the significant data which are springboards for advocacy 57 of women do not have enough access and enough knowledge about the human rights 59 percent of women do not go to government agencies because they do not know of its existence in 60 out of 66 of women are not employed for self-employed women in frequencies.

I would like to emphasize that Good Shepherd Sisters do not require prostitution as a job but rather assistance and all this form of oppression. So based on the research, the following human rights were not aptly provided to the respondents, which could be factors or drivers for their easy pay to human traffickers to write to education which article 26 of the UDHR for everyone has the right to education and it is related to SDG 4.

The right to have decent word article 23 and SDG 8, the right to nationality article 15 and SDGs 10 and 11. Also, the right on marriage and family article 16 a family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the state SDG 11 and 16. Article 25, everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family, and in article 17, everyone has the right to own property alone as well as association with others which is SDG 5.

Target 17.8 effective partnerships - encourage building on the experience and resource strategies of partnerships from the evidence-based responses we came up with a project of prevention and advocacy.

Through coalition building, we designed an advocacy training trainers manual that encompasses human rights human trafficking see and person as advocates the training of leaders as car movers and advocates for that being of policy advocacies local ordinances against human trafficking importance of human rights and species

so from July 2021 to July of this month, we were able to establish coalition members from various interfaith government non-government and women organizations, and we had we have 50 car movers who were trained in three piloted parishes which are popular tourists.

We piloted parishes that are popular tourist destinations and locals for prostitution, human trafficking, and exploitation of natural resources; these parishes within the archdiocese of Cebu, where the religious of the good shepherd mission also have multinational corporations that are manufacturing cement and are detrimental to the health of the people.

The call to action if we are to access the resources of life, we must listen with our common heart to the cries of the world this is from hearing the price of the world by mark Nepal, and the photo is from one Ukraine by caroline drake because the philippine government targeted 17 points, I mobilized resources to improve revenue collection.

Target 17.6 knowledge sharing and cooperation for access to science, technology, and innovation former Australian Senator Lee, commissioner of the international observer's mission which conducted the study of the 2022 philippine polls, violence accounting issues compound both buying and disinformation as among the reasons why the Philippines sells short free honest and fair elections.

There is a challenge for the government to properly access and properly train people in the use of technology, science, and innovation and innovations this information, trolls, and everything else and also during the height of the pandemic and recently the shutting down of private credible media companies like the abs-CBN where thousands of workers lost their jobs during the height of the pandemic, and then a very credible news company revoked the operating license of raptor one of the country's leading news websites, so these two ninja companies and organizations have been very truthful in reporting information; the truth is discrediting this information for the church the challenge to the church is the human suffering.

What is the role of UNJ COR as an international coalition of religions in support and solidarity of church people responding to the cause of the moment or undergoing legal charges are read or killed or speaking the truth and making a stand on various atrocities committed and are violations of human rights there are situations that freedom to a dissenting opinion is curtailed hence call to actions has to be initiated from the external conversations for voices to be heard internationally poplar did a video entitled letting the dead speak policies in connection with the extrajudicial killings that have happened in our country.

There have been thousands who were killed due to the war and drugs on this woman is a forensic doctor who extreme the bodies after they have been buried for five years and then they cannot pay for the place that the bodies were very extreme and they cut the skulls and they were surprised that some of them have gunshot wounds in the skulls but the cause of that is that of hypertension um any other causes pneumonia but not those that have been found and that is one of the priests that have been charged with a peace on religious place because he stood up for what he sees and feels his rights let the dead speak also speaks about the thousands of people died of quality 19 especially the poor who were not given the access to required help because of those alleged anomalous transactions and letting the dead speak also speaks about the church people who have been killed who have been placed who have been killed lay church people not only in the catholic church but also partner in her faith organization churches who put their lives on the front lines and overkill massacres environmental suffering;

The available legal mechanisms for action and advocacy within the Philippines and also presented some really important obstacles to note when it comes to, for example, opportunities for free speech and to have the truth heard, especially with the challenge of losing independent media sources that we should look, of course, to observe and critique and, where appropriate, congratulate and support the government, but we should do the same within the institutional church within our own congregations within our own projects and ministry places and organizations that advocacy really needs to happen at all of these levels.

Comments Gail Mohamed Oxley:

We need to look at human rights as the church and according to the hemisphere; now you notice the hemispheres, and across the north, southeast, and west, we have the quadrants that we need to collaborate on before we make general statements we need and Jacob is a good place to begin that many times some of the what you call it the rules are not rules but the what you call it not contracts um at the UN we have conventions made, and because of the non-input of the general grassroots data, we tend to create more harm than good.

I can see that your work extends beyond church to other entities in the community, I think it's amazing to see the network building through the diocesan structure through Caritas through other community organizations and also your openness and awareness to some of the larger institutions in the public sector like the media and all of those organizations you showed on the slide of your partnerships with other congregations.

With global structures like JCORE and so many others, you have really made an effort to reach out, and I know at times that can feel like a distraction from the heart of your purpose in ministry; sometimes, it feels like an impossible addition to the work you are doing on the ground, but it will really make a huge difference I hope in the big picture and in the longer term that we can find the important enough to invest time in being together and telling stories and sharing our data and our experiences beyond the smaller settings where we're doing work on a daily

Source High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, Lab Goal 17, June 13

Special regards to Good Shepherd Sisters Thailand for sharing an invitation with Neya Global to attend the educational lab

Tags: education, SDG17

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SDG 17 Partnership for the Goals Lab on HLPF on Sustainable Development | Full report