By 2030 or later, achieving SDG3 targets is one of the top priorities of all countries --- Dear Muna, I tend to agree with you, but I would not be so worried about achieving SDG3 by 2030. As I had noted in the comments to the issues of Module 2, we need to look much more to the SDG targets and indicators than to the goal itself. If we, as UN Member States, will do that, we will be able to organize ourselves to achieve the targets in our own territories (first) and, at the same time (and not necessarily after that), cooperate and learn with other countries to promote science diplomacy, research and development to fill the gaps (measured and monitored by the respective SDG target indicators). But, here again, I reiterate that, for this to happen, UN Member States will need to promote a fully open and inclusive intercultural, ecumenic dialogue to go beyond national/regional/international differences and find common ground in terms of actions needed to achieve the targets. An example of what I mean is offered by Target 3.7 (By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes). Such Target involves achieving universal inter-cultural and inter-religious consensus about sexual and reproductive health AND rights, which will involve, for example, a consensus about the need to promote the dissemination of contraceptives. So, the consensus will also involve the ability of country governments to promote and achieve a match between individual and collective beliefs, values, rights and duties.

Source author: Massimiliano Lombardo m.lombardo@unesco.org