International solidarity is must to achieve SDGs

Ranjan K Baruah *

Coming together and working together is always positive and when one gets support and could work in team then there is always more chances to be successful. Whenever terms like human rights or marginalisation comes then we hear about solidarity too.

Solidarity is unity (as of a group or class) that produces or is based on unities of interests, objectives, standards, and sympathies. It refers to the ties in a society that bind people together as one. The term is generally employed in sociology and the other social sciences as well as in philosophy or others. It is important as it has mention when we talk about global developmental agenda.

The new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda is centred on people & planet, underpinned by human rights and supported by a global partnership determined to lift people out of poverty, hunger and disease. Global cooperation and solidarity is must to achieve global goals. As solidarity has become important there has been much focus on the same and now 20 December is observed as International Human Solidarity Day.

The aims or focus of the day is to celebrate our unity in diversity; to remind governments to respect their commitments to international agreements; to raise public awareness of the importance of solidarity; to encourage debate on the ways to promote solidarity for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals including poverty eradication and a day of action to encourage new initiatives for poverty eradication.

Solidarity is identified in the Millennium Declaration as one of the fundamental values of international relations in the 21st Century, wherein those who either suffer or benefit least deserve help from those who benefit most. Consequently, in the context of globalization and the challenge of growing inequality, strengthening of international solidarity is indispensable.

Therefore, the UN General Assembly, convinced that the promotion of the culture of solidarity and the spirit of sharing is important for combating poverty, proclaimed 20 of December as International Human Solidarity Day.

The General Assembly, on 22 December 2005, by resolution 60/209 identified solidarity as one of the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the Twenty-first century, and in that regard decided to proclaim 20 December of each year International Human Solidarity Day.

Through initiatives such as the establishment of the World Solidarity Fund to eradicate poverty and the proclamation of International Human Solidarity Day, the concept of solidarity was promoted as crucial in the fight against poverty and in the involvement of all relevant stakeholders.

There must be solidarity amongst people and community and also amongst countries to achieve the goals and to eradicate poverty from earth. Solidarity from individual to global means developed nations supporting developing nations is also crucial to fight poverty.

(With direct inputs from UN publication )