City, regional, and state governments of all sizes across the United States are using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a common language to unite efforts and build resilient, inclusive communities for all. They are tailoring the SDGs to the needs of their communities, developing new solutions, and forming partnerships to bring students, businesses, and community leaders together. Local governments, through their innovation, policies, and actions, are at the heart of American leadership on the SDGs.
Similarly, the United Nations member states agreed on eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2000, focusing on pressing issues in the Global South such as high child mortality rates, extreme poverty, failure to meet basic needs, and environmental degradation. As the deadline for meeting the MDGs approached in 2015, evaluation reports revealed that millions of lives had been saved, a billion people had been lifted out of extreme poverty, and most people in developing countries had access to clean drinking water. Perhaps most importantly, growth in low-income countries had accelerated faster than in middle-income countries. Outcomes pertaining to the fulfillment of basic needs, such as healthy nutrition, schooling, gender equality, and environmental protection, are still under observation and require increased future action.
The SDGs are divided into three categories: social and economic prosperity, fairness and social equality, and environmental protection. These overarching themes emphasize three critical aspects of economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Intending to reinforce these three goals, the International Organization of Local Government (IOLG), an international non-governmental organization, was founded by Ahlem Arfaouri Tartir.
The International Organization of Local Government is an international organization that encourages local citizens to implement sustainable development goals in their community and region. Established in 2018, IOLG supports and expands the role and influence of local governments around the world by highlighting the example of US leadership in local government to other countries and by giving democratic local governments a voice. The organization plans to do so by fostering effective collaboration between the public and private sectors, as well as civil society, at the local, regional, and global levels.
Since its inception, IOLG has led programs and hosted community events that have contributed to the advancement of gender equality, local leadership in the Covid 19 response, community strengthening, and economic development. The organization has contributed significantly in:
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Promoting Gender Equality and Empowering Women’s Rights
IOLG has worked to empower women by rallying for their benefit, increasing their participation in local government, and increasing their capacity to participate in policymaking at the local level through education and networking opportunities.
Dr. Ahlem Arfaoui, president of IOLG, was also invited to speak at a United Nations conference on women’s entrepreneurship and empowerment in Africa in 2020, where she addressed the topic of African Women’s Challenges in front of representatives from Liberia, Cameroon, and Sri Lanka, and Nigeria ministries. In 2021, the Global Association of City and County Governments president attended the Generation Equality Forum in Paris. IOLG played an important role at the Commission on the Status of Women – 66 (CSW66), which was held in New York from March 14 to 25, 2022. IOLG was present at all aspects of CSW66, advocating for a gender-responsive disaster risk reduction strategy and risk-informed development. It has sped up the creation of gender-responsive disaster risk reduction policies, strategies, and programs. All these policies and programs empowered women to steer these initiatives.
Securing Human Rights
IOLG has taken a keen interest in human rights protection. Dr. Ahlem Arfaoui, president of the IOLG, attended the third session of the Forum on Human Rights, Democracy, and the Rule of Law on the topic “Equal access to justice for all: a necessary element of democracy, the rule of law, and human rights protection,” which took place from November 16 to November 17, 2021, at the UN office in Geneva, Switzerland.
During her speech, Dr. Arfaoui stated that for democratic governance to be successful, it must focus on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. In 2021, she met with His Excellence Mr. Ali Obadi, the Yemen counselor, and Mr. Ali Abid at the Yemeni permanent mission in New York. They discussed how the IOLG plans will benefit the Yemeni people, particularly in the areas of health and education.
Contributions During COVID-19
During the first wave of COVID-19, IOLG played a critical role in providing guidance, test kits, protective gear, technical assistance, and more to countries suffering from the pandemic. IOLG was in charge of procuring medical supplies and protective equipment through the international strategic stockpile to respond to the coronavirus and provide social assistance in the form of food and cleaning supplies in Nigeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Nepal, and Algeria.
It also looked after citizens from the five countries who were stranded in America, particularly in the state of New York, during the first wave of COVID-19 by providing them with lodging until they could safely return to their home countries.
Undoubtedly, organizations like the International Organization of Local Government are the ones who have undertaken the responsibility to alter the sphere of the world for everyone’s betterment.
