SUSTAINABILITY TLDR NEWSLETTER: EDITION 27

This newsletter gives you highlights of selected sustainability insights that were, perhaps, too long (you) didn’t read (TLDR) or there’s just too much out there to read. The highlights presented cover insights gleaned from a global, regional (African), and national (Kenyan) perspective. Happy reading!

GLOBAL 

Summit of the Future Pact

The 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly held on 23-27th September 2024 was spearheaded by the Summit of the Future Pact. The pact, which includes Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations, was adopted by consensus by all 193 member states and seeks to create a better international system that responds well to sustainable development needs and other modern realities. The pact covers five key areas with specific actions in each:

1. Sustainable development and financing for development

2. International peace and security

3. Science, technology and innovation and digital cooperation

4. Youth and future generations

5. Transforming global governance

To achieve these goals, there are 56 specific calls to actions. Key among them are:

• Turbocharge the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on climate change;

• Listening to young people and including them in decision-making, at national and global level;

• Building stronger partnerships with civil society, the private sector, local and regional authorities and more to tackle interconnected challenges;

• Redouble efforts to build and sustain peaceful, inclusive and just societies and address the root causes of conflicts;

• Protect all civilians in armed conflict;

• Accelerate the implementation of our commitments on women, peace and security;

• Reaffirmation of human rights as foundational;

• Emphasizing universal freedoms and the need to combat discrimination.

In my view, the recognition of the critical role played by social protection and welfare in protecting the gains made so far and attaining SDGs is a big thing. The Pact notes that providing adequate social protection will be paramount in eliminating hunger, providing quality universal education, better housing, improved healthcare, reduce inequalities and even absorb the shocks in quality of life occasioned by climate change and adaptation challenges.

In furtherance to the social protection issue and its recognition as a foundational human right, the International Labour Organization (ILO) released its 26th edition of the flagship report-World Social Protection Report, on 12th September. The report provides an overview of the progress made around the world since 2015 in the face of climate change and action in terms of providing social and welfare support to the vulnerable in society.

Key highlights of the report are as follows:

• Social protection remains a basic human right that must be incorporated and even guide climate action;

• Social protection is part and parcel of the sustainability agenda because besides addressing poverty, it minimizes the effects of climate change to vulnerable households;

• Globally, social protection coverage has increased from 26.7% to 37.3% of vulnerable persons since 2015. Despite such increase, over 3.8 billion people remain without any form of social protection;

• Gender imbalance in social protection exists with men at 54.6% and women lagging behind at 50.1%;

• The older persons group is best covered by social protection in both high and low-income countries, though the gap between the two is large with high income countries recording 96% while the latter has only 12.7% covered;

• Unemployed persons and mothers with newborns are the least covered by social protection in both high-income and low-income countries.

My two cents: The UNGA report has made the right step into human sustainable development and deconstructing SDGs as government and private sector ideals. Provision of social justice to the masses will accelerate the attainment of the SDGs. I believe this approach will shape government policies in formulating requisite social policies as part of the sustainable development agenda. Again, judging by the weight placed on social protection, it will not be a surprise that developing and low-income countries will request some form of climate finance funding (besides official development funding) from development partners to be directed towards supporting local social protection funding. Perhaps, this could even open up new ways of fast-tracking SDGs.

AFRICA

Ibrahim Index of African Governance

The Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) was released this October. The report examines 96 indicators clustered into four categories namely: security & rule of law; participation, rights & inclusion; foundations for economic opportunity; and human development. The report shows an overall improvement of the performance of the continent over the last 10-year period. With the index created in 2007, it has been instrumental in tracking governance on the continent and has helped to objectively assess the performance of governments and highlight areas of needed improvement and adjustment. The index shows 2.9 (out of 100) points improvement in human development and 2.8 in foundations of economic opportunity. The most improved country in the overall IIAG index is Seychelles followed by Morocco, Angola and Somalia. Tunisia, Mauritius and Mali have recorded some of the largest declines.

However, to me, the indicator overlooks some core modern realities such as climate action and change, increased intra-Africa collaboration (e.g. COMESA, AfCTFA), and the ballooning African young population among others which have been fundamental in Africa’s governance efforts.

In the same breath, the African Union together with UNESCO released the Continental Strategy for Tertiary Education and Training (TVET) which is a collaborative effort by African countries to improve and standardise skills training as a response to increasing youth employment in the region. The strategy is perceived as a timely accelerator to the attainment of sustainable development and SDGs and also addressing the high rate of youth unemployment in the region. The report identifies key issues as some highlighted below:

• Fragmented structuring of TVET

• Unregulated traditional apprenticeship

• Growing importance of private TVET centres

• Mismatch between supply and demand for skills

• Low prestige and attractiveness of TVET

• Insufficient funding

• Weak policy implementation structures

• Promising initiatives at national level

Of these major issues, skills mismatch seems to have a huge impact on the acceptance and effectiveness of TVETS. Partnerships and collaborations between training institutions, government and industries can address this issue. However, the strategy only recognises “training for the green economy and emerging job markets” as a function of governments in institutionalising TVETs and not a function of TVETs themselves. This anomaly is even in the list of competencies targeted by the World Skill Africa Livingstone 2025 event to be held in Zambia. This event will cover common skills such as:

The IIAG recognises education as a key indicator of human development and an important foundation for economic opportunity. With poverty statistics in Africa remaining relatively high at over 38%, it is paramount that TVETs play an integral role by imparting skills that can create jobs and promote sustainable development.

My two cents: The advances made in governance as reported by IIAG report are impressive. However, I believe that the index needs to be reorganised to acknowledge new realities such as climate threats, clean energy and intergovernmental collaborations. Also, TVETs in Africa need to top up the traditional skills of plumbing, tailoring and hair dressing with more green skills such as clean energy, efficient resource utilisation and others to address the supply and demand of the mismatch in green skills.

KENYA

Extending Social Protection: Collaborations in Providing Social Protection 

Government to government 

Last week, Kenya launched the, “Extending Social Protection to Workers in the Informal Economy in Lao PDR and Kenya while Leveraging Digital Transformation through South-South Cooperation Event” with the support of the International Labour Organisation and the Government of China. During the launch, the Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection, Alfred Mutua, indicated that the Kenyan government was looking into enacting social protection for over 16 million Kenyan workers in the informal sector. The government already implements the Inua Jamii Program that provides welfare support to the older persons and persons living with disabilities through monthly stipends.

The social support program has also been instrumental in driving digital innovation in the private sector. Specifically, the program has led to has led to dynamic and flexible payment methodologies such as MPesa in remitting funds. This captures the collaboration between the private sector and government in offering social support to vulnerable citizens.

Government-private sector 

In the same week, there was another collaboration between the government and the private sector in providing social protection. Kipeto Wind Farm, which is an indigenous organisation, was awarded the United Nations Person of The Year recognition. As a clean energy producer, Kipeto Wind farm is already making its impact in the world by offsetting about 175,741 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, taking a bold stand in the fight against climate change and advancing SDG 13: Climate Action. Additionally, the project ensures clean air that supports improved health for the populace. Beyond that, the press release announcing this award also highlighted Kipeto’s novel contribution to social support to local communities in Kajiado. Other than providing employment opportunities to the locals, the firm constructed and handed out 84 houses to residents who lived within 500 meters of the 60 wind turbines. The firm has also allocated funds to local initiatives such as improving schools, hospitals, and clean water supplies

My two cents: The private sector in Kenya has been very instrumental in offering social benefits through CSR to local communities. Key among them are the Equity’s Wings to Fly Program, and the Mpesa Foundation, both which target students from poor backgrounds. However, more can be done with a different approach. Perhaps CSR can be offered more directly to vulnerable individuals and households. In the past, firms such as Brookside Dairies have donated milk products in support of hunger relief efforts. Maybe, in the near future, private businesses will offer offer direct benefits to individuals as social protection as part of their CSR in a more explicit manner.