From left to right: Mr. Afrane, Dr. John Coonrod, Vice President of Hunger Project; Nana Asantewa Afadzinu, Executive Director of WACSI, listening to Nana Nketia V making his presentation at the launch
A GLOBAL Movement for promoting community-led development (CLD) around the world in line with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been launched in Ghana.
The Movement which was launched at the Ghana Country Level on Tuesday in Accra is an alliance of over 40-member non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and donor agencies seeking the widespread adoption of grassroots initiatives to empower communities to achieve the SDGs and thereby become the authors of their own development.
It was formally launched at the international level alongside the SDGs in 2015 in New York, United States of America (USA).
At the global level, the Hunger Project provides a secretariat in Washington DC for the over 40-member Movement.
CLD Movement unites a broad range of development organizations, including civil society organizations (CSOs) that fundamentally believe that integrated and community-led solutions at the local level are critical to the effectiveness and sustainability of ending extreme hunger and poverty.
The members include The Hunger Project (THP), Oxfam, WaterAid, Global Communities, Save the Children, Catholic Relief Services, CARE, Fhi360, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide and the Alliance to End Hunger, among others.
DAILY GUIDE understands that the Movement is considered as a pathway through which the SDGs can best be achieved by ensuring that people are empowered to set their own priorities, implement their own actions, and achieve lasting progress in their lives.
Ghana Country Director of THP, Samuel Afrane, told journalists at the launch that “the Movement is inspired by SDG #16: “Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development; provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.”
According to him, the purpose of establishing the national chapter of the CLD Movement “is to create the space for learning and sharing best practices and to present a united front for advocating community-led development approaches in Ghana.”
He added that the national chapter would also ensure that communities have the voice, resources, skills and decision-making power to successfully achieve the SDGs.
Mr. Afrane disclosed that the Movement would operate mainly through what he termed as existing networks such as the International NGO Forum and CSO Platform on SDGs.
In a presentation, the Omanhene of Essikado Traditional Area, Nana Kwabena Nketia V, outlined the role traditional authorities could play to successfully localize the SDGs in Ghana.
Caption: left to right – Mr. Afrane, Dr. John Coonrod, Vice President of Hunger Project; Nana Asantewa Afadzinu, Executive Director of WACSI, listening to Nana Nketia V making his presentation at the launch
BY Melvin Tarlue