Tracking Progress Towards the Sustainable Development Goals in Four Rural Villages in Limpopo, South Africa.
Journal
Annals of global health
ISSN: 2214-9996
Titre abrégé: Ann Glob Health
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101620864
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
15 02 2021
15 02 2021
Historique:
entrez:
26
2
2021
pubmed:
27
2
2021
medline:
16
10
2021
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Measuring national progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) enables the identification of gaps which need to be filled to end poverty, protect the planet and improve lives. Progress is typically calculated using indicators stemming from published methodologies. South Africa tracks progress towards the SDGs at a national scale, but aggregated data may mask progress, or lack thereof, at local levels. To assess the progress towards achievement of the SDGs in four low-income, rural villages (Giyani) in South Africa and to relate the findings to national SDG indicators. Using data from a cross-sectional environmental health study, the global indicator framework for the SDGs was applied to calculate indicators for Giyani. Local progress towards SDG achievement was compared with national progress, to contextualize and supplement national scale tracking. Village scores were mostly in line with country scores for those indices which were computable, given the available data. Low data availability prevented a complete local progress assessment. Higher levels of poverty prevail in the study villages compared to South Africa as a whole (17.7% compared to 7.4%), high unemployment (49.0% compared to 27.3%) and lack of access to information via the Internet (only 4.2% compared to 61.8%) were indicators in the villages identified as falling far short of the South African averages. Understanding progress towards the SDGs at a local scale is important when trying to unpack national progress. It shines a light upon issues that are not picked up by national composite assessments yet require most urgent attention. Gaps in data required to measure progress towards targets represents a serious stumbling block, preventing the creation of a true reflection of local and national scale progress.
Sections du résumé
Background
Measuring national progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) enables the identification of gaps which need to be filled to end poverty, protect the planet and improve lives. Progress is typically calculated using indicators stemming from published methodologies. South Africa tracks progress towards the SDGs at a national scale, but aggregated data may mask progress, or lack thereof, at local levels.
Objective
To assess the progress towards achievement of the SDGs in four low-income, rural villages (Giyani) in South Africa and to relate the findings to national SDG indicators.
Methods
Using data from a cross-sectional environmental health study, the global indicator framework for the SDGs was applied to calculate indicators for Giyani. Local progress towards SDG achievement was compared with national progress, to contextualize and supplement national scale tracking.
Findings
Village scores were mostly in line with country scores for those indices which were computable, given the available data. Low data availability prevented a complete local progress assessment. Higher levels of poverty prevail in the study villages compared to South Africa as a whole (17.7% compared to 7.4%), high unemployment (49.0% compared to 27.3%) and lack of access to information via the Internet (only 4.2% compared to 61.8%) were indicators in the villages identified as falling far short of the South African averages.
Conclusions
Understanding progress towards the SDGs at a local scale is important when trying to unpack national progress. It shines a light upon issues that are not picked up by national composite assessments yet require most urgent attention. Gaps in data required to measure progress towards targets represents a serious stumbling block, preventing the creation of a true reflection of local and national scale progress.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33633927
doi: 10.5334/aogh.3139
pmc: PMC7894382
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
16Informations de copyright
Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s).
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
The authors have no competing interests to declare.
Références
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Aug 06;15(8):
pubmed: 30082638