High Level Political Forum (HLPF) for the follow up and review to monitor Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and its targets is taking place from 11th to 20th July in New York. With setting of indicators for the monitoring of goals and targets of SDG completed at least for the first phase – there is a dire need to have a check list to ascertain objective if we have sufficiently included and have a strong mechanism for the recognition and inclusion of traditionally marginalized and socially excluded communities.
A side event is being organised ‘Leave no one Behind – Check list for Inclusion’ in Sustainable Development Goals to address the above concerns with a rallying cry of inclusion which has become the core idea of SDG implementation.
Ensuring No one is left behind in the developmental planning and implementation has captured the world attention and gravitated towards the Sustainable Development Goals and Targets. The focus on the people centric approach and principles of accountability, transparency and participation ensures SDGs as a near perfect model of holistic development. With all the positive signs through this paradigm shifting global developmental agenda, there are concerns its reach and impact on the traditionally marginalised and socially excluded communities.
Traditionally marginalized and socially excluded populations and their progress need to be mainstreamed in the SDGs so that there are consistent debates onthe stages of development and economic progress in the global scenario, with a special focus on their inclusion. With 260 million (approx) people worldwide, such structurally excluded communities if hypothetically reside at one state, it would be 6th largest populous country in the world. These communities are the victims of exclusion based on their caste, work, descent and identity are considered as lower (status) or impure and polluting the society thus isolated physically, socially and politically from other castes/communities of the society. Thus they are victims of colossal amount of violence and other forms of atrocities, perpetuated by other (higher status) communities and state. Apart from the gross violence, these communities are also excluded from various public and private resources and services for development and welfare.