Project Everyone: We do this together or not at all

​SDG 10: REDUCED INEQUALITIES
In 2015, UN member countries adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Campaign, known as Project Everyone, introduced the term Global Goals and is intended to help communicate the agreed SDGs to a wider constituency, accelerating the creation of a fairer world by 2030, where extreme poverty has been eradicated, climate change is properly addressed and injustice and inequality are unacceptable. Let us get to it then, everyone met Goal 10 ‘Reduce inequality within and among countries’; learn what has been done, what is yet to be achieve and what you can do to support the targets of this goal.

Why Should we care?
As a member of UN youth Seychelles, I stand as a proud champion of this campaign. However, this campaign calls for company, the company of men and women of all works of life to do their part to complete everyone’s project. In today’s world, we are all interconnected. Problems and challenges, be it poverty, climate change, migration or economic crises are never just confined to one country or group. Even the richest countries still have communities living in abject poverty. The oldest democracies still wrestle with racism, homophobia and transphobia, and religious intolerance. Furthermore, a recent UNICEF report noted growing inequality among children in several high-income countries. Global inequality affects us all, no matter who we are or where we are from.  

Inequalities based on income, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, race, class, ethnicity, religion and opportunity continue to persist across the world, within and among countries. Income inequality cannot be effectively tackled unless the underlying inequality of opportunities is addressed. In a global survey conducted by UN Development Programme, policy makers from around the world acknowledged that inequality in their countries is generally high and potentially a threat to long-term social and economic development.

Evidence shows that, beyond a certain threshold, inequality harms growth and poverty reduction, the quality of relations in the public and political spheres and individuals’ sense of fulfillment and self-worth. This, in turn, can breed crime, disease and environmental degradation. To reduce inequality, policies should be universal in principle paying attention to the needs of disadvantaged and marginalized populations.

Goal 10. REDUCED INEQUALITITES: Task in relation to Seychelles

• By 2030, progressively achieve and sustain income growth of the bottom 40 per cent of the population at a rate higher than the national average. This policy is in line with Seychelles policy targeting the poverty line and improvement in income inequalities, as such a commitment to both should foster an environment conducive to the UN target.

• By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status. Seychelles have benefited from a contemporary constitution and a multiculturally diverse society, resulting in limited cases of inequalities based in age, gender, race or religious status. However, more needs to be done regarding the inclusion of the disable portion of the population. Whilst, government program(s) exist for the inclusion of those with disability into the workforce and the society, these programs could benefit from a review based on the latest innovations brought forth by more advanced countries and assessing the feasibility in Seychelles.

• Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard. In general, the government, employers and all individuals in Seychelles should strive towards the successful completion of this task. The most urgent tasks, would be to revise the discriminatory law whereby having a different sexual orientation from that of heterosexuality is a criminal offense. A person's sexual identity in relation to the gender to which they are attracted should not restrict them from equal opportunity nor outcome.

• Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality. This task is achievable in Seychelles, if a strong commitment to policies that target a reduction in poverty line, improving the minimum wage and unemployment benefit without overheating the economy.

• Improve the regulation and monitoring of global financial markets and institutions and strengthen the implementation of such regulations. Seychelles authorities must continue commitment to international best practice and foster innovation with adequate regulation.

• Ensure enhanced representation and voice for developing countries in decision-making in global international economic and financial institutions in order to deliver more effective, credible, accountable and legitimate institutions. Many NGOs and State institutions are striving to achieve this target, as Seychelles become a more prominent voice on the international stage.

• Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies. A vital task that the Seychelles authorities must consider.

• Implement the principle of special and differential treatment for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, in accordance with World Trade Organization agreements.

• Encourage official development assistance and financial flows, including foreign direct investment, to States where the need is greatest, in particular least developed countries, African countries, small island developing States and landlocked developing countries, in accordance with their national plans and programmes.

• By 2030, reduce to less than 3 per cent the transaction costs of migrant remittances and eliminate remittance corridors with costs higher than 5 per cent

What you can do to help?
The first is to educate yourself and others about the problem and it what form they take. We can ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of income, if we support the elimination of discriminatory laws, policies and practices. The most important step is to be willing to recognise inequalities and do our best to include all members of society. We do this together or not at all.

(Contributed by Mr Craig Joseph) ​