In 2015, world leaders expressed their determination to ‘foster peaceful, just and inclusive societies that are free from fear and violence’ in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They set ambitious targets under Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16) for reducing violence everywhere, ensuring access to justice for all and creating effective, transparent and inclusive institutions.
Going further, Switzerland and a group of selected countries and agencies are co-developing 16+ approaches: an integrated approach recognizing that SDG16 targets alone will not succeed in achieving peaceful, just and inclusive societies, unless it is implemented jointly with targets addressing poverty, education, gender equality, inclusive growth, employment, reducing inequality and sustainable cities. In piloting 16+ approaches, they contribute to accelerating our collective efforts by fostering stronger narratives, interfaces and synergies.
From the beginning, Switzerland joined forces with a coalition of countries and organizations in launching the Pathfinders Initiative for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies, an emerging movement bent on accelerating delivery of SDG 16 and 16+. In 2017, the Pathfinders adopted a Roadmap highlighting areas of critical importance to the success of the Agenda, relevant to all countries and stakeholders, which focuses on solutions and results. The Roadmap stresses key transformative strategies, catalytic actions and enablers that strengthen the foundations for ambitious delivery. This summer, the High Level Political Forum will showcase the efforts of all actors involved in SDG 16 and 16+. Members of the Pathfinders will present their engagement on the justice gap, and some of their reflection on reducing violence
Bilaterally, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is progressively introducing 16+ elements in policy and multistakeholders dialogue as well as in the relevant aspects of its strategies and programming. SDC fosters peaceful societies in countries like Cambodia, Colombia, Mali and Tunisia with programmes that contribute to prevent violence and violent extremism, reform and establish good security sector governance, and campaign against anti-personnel mines. SDC helps foster just societies in Afghanistan, Honduras, Laos, Mozambique and Rwanda by supporting human rights and access to justice while also fighting corruption. SDC also promotes inclusive societies in Egypt, the Great Lakes or Nepal by supporting inclusive politics, gender equality, combating all forms of discrimination, consolidating the space for civil society and strengthening its participation and contribution.
Switzerland intends to strengthen the transformative synergies of 16+ and to leverage intersectionalities around peace, justice and inclusion for the success of the Agenda 2030.
