LETTERS: So, let's talk about what the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are, and why we should care about them.
There are 17 SDGs in total, set by the United Nations in 2015 and are to be achieved by the year 2030 (which isn't a long way from now, hence why immediate action is crucial).
The SDGs are universal goals that meet the urgent issues facing our world. They are global goals designed to be a "blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all".
Here are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals:
Goal 1: No Poverty
Goal 2: Zero Hunger
Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being
Goal 4: Quality Education
Goal 5: Gender Equality
Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Goal 10: Reduced Inequality
Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Goal 13: Climate Action
Goal 14: Life Below Water
Goal 15: Life on Land
Goal 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions
Goal 17: Partnerships to Achieve the Goal
So, take Goal 5 for instance. This goal revolves around achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls all over the world. The targets are to:
End all forms of discrimination against women and girls; eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls; ensure equal opportunities for women; ensure equal rights for women and so on.
Here's a little fact – not a single country has achieved full equality.
Women and girls all over the world face sexism, barriers to participation, and much more.
So, it's important that we take heed to these issues, and participate in making changes. You can read more about the SDGs by searching them up, or visiting the official United Nations website.
This brings me to my opinion that all schools should include the teaching of the SDGs in the syllabus. It is, I believe, as important as the other subjects being taught in school. Students should be well informed about these issues.
We shouldn't just leave these problems to the adults and hope that they handle it, no! Every single human on this planet plays a role. Everyone.
Besides, the youth are the backbone of any nation. We are the leaders of the future, and it'd do us good if we had a little practice, don't you think? Taking a stand, raising our voices for change.
In my opinion, it's a massive gain if students are well-versed in the knowledge of SDGs. It should 100 per cent be included in the syllabus. It's not a loss, but rather, an investment in the youth for a better future for us all.
I want it to be a mandate for schools to teach about this. My hope is that it can somehow reach the policymakers ear and be taken into serious consideration.
Vidyaasni Pretyba Uthiya Kumar
Kuala Lumpur
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times