By Joyce Mukucha
As Zimbabwe prepares to host the 2020 African Development Forum on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Government together with various partners are in the process of reviewing the drafting of SDG progress report inception to ensure that all significant data is captured in order to come up with a factual report.
The process seeks to check progress made to date in the implementation of 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda as well as fostering coordination among stakeholders on collecting information on the implementation of SDGs in Zimbabwe. It provides a comprehensive analysis and audit of the related trends, progress, challenges, opportunities and successes.
Sustainable development is consistent with the nation’s developmental vision of attaining upper middle income status by 2030 that is at the core of the nation’s development priorities.
Speaking at the SDG Report Inception Workshop in Harare on the 6th of November 2019, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Simon Masanga said implementation of SDGs remains crucial and requires collective responsibility. Thus, effective evaluation and monitoring of the report was imperative.
“For Zimbabwe to become globally comparable, this national report needs concerted effort from line Ministries so as to achieve the set targets on SDGs as a nation. We need to come up with effective reporting strategies to ensure that all important data is captured and ensure that no one is left behind,” he said.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Zimbabwe National Economist, Ethel Bangwayo indicated that SDGs were a key guidance to development and it was important to engage in such a milestone for the progress of the nation in ensuring that no one is left behind.
In terms of statistics, the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency reviewed that there were data gaps in as much as reporting on SDGs was concerned.
Zimbabwe can report on 62 percent of social goals with a data gap of 50 percent. In this area, Goal number 3 has a data gap of 41 percent, Goal 4 with 19 percent, Goal 5 standing at 15 percent as well as Goal number 10 standing at 64 percent.
On Economic Goals, which include Goals number 8, 9 and 17, Zimbabwe can report 62 percent with Goal 8 having a data gap of 28 percent with Goal number 9 standing at 34 percent and Goal 17 with 66 percent.
Concerning Environmental Goals, Zimbabwe can report 25 percent clearly indicating that the rest of 75 percent data has not been reported with Goal 2 having data gap of 54 percent, Goal 6 standing at 73 percent, Goal 7 at 50 percent, Goal 11 at 67 percent, Goal 12 at 85 percent, Goal 13 at 87 percent, Goal 14 standing at 100 percent and Goal 15 with 12 percent.
Peace and Security Goals that is Goal 16 stand at 39 percent with a data gap of 27 percent.
“Though strides have been made to report in some areas of SDGs, we are having a challenge of not receiving adequate data in other areas so I’m urging all sectors to feed into the Zimstat database so as to have a progressive report. Communication and coordination is required to improve on data gaps. The ministry responsible must fulfil coordination effectively and need to develop necessary coordination instruments and production must occur within a framework of demand,” said the Zimstat Representative, Mr Munyaradzi Bote
Civil Society Organisation, private sector, development partners among other stakeholders are some of the key partners who are making steps in reporting necessary information pertaining the drafting of the SDG progress report inception.