March 2022: A critical look at the SDGs

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Published on Sunday, 29 November -0001 16:00

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March 2022: A critical look at the SDGs r1 Let's look into the limitations of the Global Goals... ...

March @ SOVI

The feature image is an illustration of the 17 Global Sustainable Development Goals. Across the middle of the image, half of the icons for the goals are clipped to a wire hanging in the air in front of the sky with clouds. Below, different blue-toned hands hold the rest of the icons, in front of green and blue mountains. Credit to the University of Edinburgh.

FEATURE INTERVIEW

This month, the SOVI newsletter explores a different side of the Sustainable Development Goals: their limitations. Our feature interviewee Katelynne Herchak has worked extensively on critically analyzing the SDGs, specifically for their lack of Indigenous and minority consultation.

Katelynne is VIDEA’s Manager of Indigenous Governance and Decolonial Practices & Policy. She’s Inuk from Kuujjuaq and Nunavut, Celtic and Viking from North Ireland, and when not working at VIDEA, a student and research assistant. She’s pursuing a Masters of Geography at UVic, focusing on Indigenous land and water governance in Tanzania. She also finds time to co-host a podcast, Spilling Labrador Tea Under Cedar Trees.

The SDGs are a primary focus of most development work, but as your work has shown, they’re also flawed. How can folks in the sector change the way they understand and interact with the Global Goals?

First, we need to acknowledge the goals don’t recognize Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing. But, we can find ways to work toward the goals while honouring and incorporating Indigenous knowledge. We also have to recognize how the individual goals are interconnected; we can’t achieve them if we view them as siloed. Indigenous perspectives differ depending on nations and geography, however, Indigenous worldviews come into alignment. The goals are universal, but the way we apply them will not be. The goals also require maintenance, care, and nurture. When 2030 hits, we don’t stop–we won’t suddenly live in an ideal society. Folks need to grapple with that.

We need to expand our perspectives, too. Quality education is my favourite goal, because it’s so sacred to nurture someone’s curiosity and path. We should be open to including less ‘typical’ SDG work that’s still educational. Highlighting how goals can be achieved differently will help us interact with them better. They can be intimidating and high-concept, and folks may struggle to see themselves doing that work. Breaking it down to easier parts invites people in, to show them they already are.

Why should international development practitioners reassess development through Indigenous-lead perspectives?

My favourite thing to say is that Indigenous people have always been experts in international development. For example, in the circumpolar region we’ve always had international relationships, through trade routes, songs, and ways of honouring each other. These relationships haven’t been broken by colonialism and borders– we still see each other as kin. Then, on this coast, I think of the Lekwungen history about how Indigenous people from Alaska would come down for potlatches. We’ve always had relationships, and visited each other's territories in celebration, or negotiation. It’s a form of nation-building.

With neocolonialism, we expect folks in other countries to rise to the Western way of being. Yet, the way we live in Western countries isn’t sustainable. But, Indigenous practices are, and Indigenous people are sustainability experts. A fundamental shift that needs to happen. It’s unsettling because it reevaluates the power we carry and hold. It forces folks to have different voices around the table. The heart of decolonization is the same as international development– it’s relational. It's about our relationships with ourselves, between people, the land, and kin who aren’t human. It will naturally foundationally better work, even for non-Indigenous folks.

International Women’s Day just passed, and with it came lots of focus on SDG#5: Gender Equality. In your experience, how have you seen the prioritisation of Indigenous knowledge and practices impact work in gender justice?

We just launched a project at VIDEA in the Arctic, working with Nunavut, the NWT and the Yukon on gender policy. We’re working with younger people who identify differently to create better gender equality policy, which is super exciting. Sometimes it’s a hit and a miss, though. As we talk, the CSW66 is happening, and many of us at VIDEA are delegates. I’ve only seen a few events centering Indigenous women. We can do so much better. Maybe it’s an attempt to avoid tokenizing, or because there’s conversations we’re not ready to have.

In my work, I prioritize the implementation of the 231 Calls for Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Gender Diverse relatives. No matter what sector you’re in, bringing them into your values, principles, and work will create sacred places for folks like myself. We’re not there yet with recognizing folks who identify differently on the gender spectrum. These folks have always existed in Indigenous spaces– and around the world– and we’re still debating it in 2022? That points to where we are in our decolonial process as a whole, and it’s at the expense of people. People should be shaken awake to be better.

You were the writer on VIDEA’s incredible Decolonization Toolkit. Have you been able to witness folks put the toolkit into action– and if so, what’s that experience like?

I am continuously humbled by the Toolkit. I worked with so many outstanding Indigenous youth in building it; we heard about their experienced barriers and asked, ‘what should this resource look like?’ It’s an amalgamation of all those ideas. It’s also accessible enough for folks having these conversations for the first time. We’re now looking at ways to expand it, so ideally it’ll be a living document.

It’s emotional to see something I was part of impacting people. It’s been facilitated in the local school district, in Decolonization 101 workshops, and organizations. There’s places it has touched that I don’t even know about, so I think there’s a bigger impact we’ll see in the future. It’s been empowering to see folks want to work on integrating it. I also feel a heavy amount of responsibility. There’s so many people’s stories and experiences wrapped up in there, so I want it to be seen as something special. The conversations folks can have post-Toolkit is so enriching– we’re seeing people put the pieces together, begin to think about intersectionality, and ask questions.

I want people to know I’m doing this work too. Decolonization is an ongoing process. It’s a journey you choose to walk, and I’m inviting you to walk with me on it through both of our mistakes.

What do you find most rewarding about your position? On the flip side, what are some challenges or barriers you’re still working to overcome in doing this work?

The most rewarding is the people we work with. The people surrounding your organization are what make your organization. Recently, we were talking about our organizational chart, because we wanted to make it more interesting. I suggested framing it like a meadow: the communities we work with are the stream, the sun is our values, and so on. An organization is living, so why not portray it that way? The other best part is the opportunity to go to Nunavut and work with my people. As someone who grew up away from culture, getting to go there for the first time was beautiful. I’ve been able to participate in important parts of my culture, meet friends and family, and now work with people from the North. That’s invaluable and sacred.

On the flip side, part of my decolonial journey is learning patience. The push to want to get people there faster, understand faster, implement faster, meet me faster. I need to remember that people will get there when they’re meant to. I want people to heal quickly, but I can’t dictate that. The most difficult part is taking time to honour the full journey and what folks need to go through to meet me.

CHAPTER NEWS

First, we’d like to introduce SOVI Co-chair, Joanna Li! Joanna started with SOVI as a volunteer, bringing with her a background and interest in intersectional healthcare. We’re thrilled to now have her as one of our four co-chairs!

SOVI would also like to celebrate our departing co-chair, Rachel Levee. Throughout her three years at our chapter, Rachel has been an incredibly valuable leader and mentor to the team. Her constant thoughtfulness and expertise has shaped SOVI into what it is today, and we thank her for all her work.

In March, SOVI’s Anti-Racist Community of Practice and several members of our community participated in ICA’s Bystander Intervention Training. If you’re looking for tangible, honest, and thorough anti-racism education, we highly recommend checking out their full Tools for Equity Program. A huge thanks for ICA and facilitator Tari Murwira for the opportunity to become Upstanders in our community!

RECENTLY

We’re in the midst of the 2022 Commission of the Status of Women, where delegates from South Vancouver Island, Canada, and across the world gather to discuss and act on global gender justice. Recent reports and snapshots of SDG #5: Gender Equality show concerning trends: COVID-19 caused intense setbacks, specifically in economic success, health, and wellbeing. A March report found one-in-three countries have not made progress on Gender Equality since 2015, pointing to non-pandemic related issues. Feminist scholars did critique the SDGs, pre-pandemic, for failing to identify larger issues within economic and social structures that create obstacles to achieving gender equality. Though, there is hope and opportunity for change. Currently, proposals to rethink the 17 Goals are gaining traction, gender-specific solutions and plans born from the evidence of COVID-19 are put into action, and calls for “gender-sensitivity and responsiveness across all areas” are taken more seriously. We encourage folks to take what we’re learning and adapt our strategies, rather than focusing on perceived failures.

A new tool to combine Indigenous knowledge and Western science to address climate change was launched last week in Canada. The Indigenous Knowledges addition to the Climate Atlas of Canada shows climate change projections for 634 First Nations and 53 Inuit communities, while also highlighting Indigenous-led climate solutions and Indigenous knowledge. Initiatives that prioritize Indigenous climate leadership are crucial, as historically, Indigenous knowledge has been sidelined as “nonscientific” and therefore less valuable. The Sustainable Development Goals have been critiqued for mentioning Indigenous rights and knowledge, without actively and specifically directing folks to guarantee global Indigenous rights and autonomy. Yet, globally, Indigenous people have been the most successful guardians and stewards of the Earth’s biodiversity and conservation efforts. We hope all sustainable development work continues to better incorporate Indigenous leadership, as we likely won’t achieve the Sustainable Development Goals without.

WHAT'S NEXT...

• Vibes & Verses - a celebration of BC Black Performance and Art I March 26th I BC Black History Awareness Society
  • Enjoy a captivating blend of music, art and culture that recognizes and celebrates the experiences of Black communities and people of colour through a showcase of art, poetry and musicianship.
  • Sign up here!
• Building Community-Based Evaluation Capacity to Advance Sustainable Development Goals: Webinar Series I April 1st- May 6th I Centre for Community Based Research

  • Interested in localizing the sustainable development goals? Are you a community-based organization working in Canada on issues of peace, gender equity or education? Interested in building your evaluation capacity? Curious about a community-led, grassroots approach to Canada's SDG 2030 agenda? Join us for a four-part webinar series on community-based evaluation and the sustainable development goals.

  • Registration and further details here.
• International Virtual Indigenous Internship I April 4th I VIDEA

  • Are you or someone you know an Indigenous youth between the ages of 18 to 35? Have you always wanted to learn about other cultures and build new skills but aren’t able to travel? This internship is for you! Apply to build your knowledge of sustainable development, environmental stewardship, gender equality, and good governance.

  • Learn more and apply here.
• Virtual 'Moving Day' Screening and Q&A I April 7th I The Existence Project

  • For the anniversary of the original date set by the city as "Moving Day", hear the story of the people who were left outside – quite literally – during a global pandemic, the community that came together, and the day that could pull them apart. ​​On April 7th, join a virtual Q+A with Directors Kendra Crighton and Meera Mathew!

  • Sign up here.
• 2022 Indigenous Feminisms Symposium I April 21-23 I University of Victoria

  • This event will bring together Indigenous feminist scholars, activists, artists, and community members to consider the historical trajectory and future directions of Indigenous feminist ideology and practice. The symposium is a hybrid event, with in-person and virtual options!

  • For details on events, panelists and registration, click here.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

• READ | The World’s Sustainable Development Goals Aren’t Sustainable
• LEARN | Indigenous Peoples Major Group for Sustainable Development
• WATCH | Progress on the SDGs: The Gender Snapshot 2021
• PARTICIPATE | A list of Vancouver Island organizations providing aid for Ukraine / CIRA’s Internet Performance Test
• LISTEN | Spilling Labrador Tea Under Cedar Trees
• RESOURCES | VIDEA Learning Resources

“Recalibrating the SDGs — especially in the current climate — won’t be easy. But the evidence that there is a need for a changed approach is accumulating. If the pandemic has shown us anything, it’s that countries can drastically change the way they think and act. The pandemic is radically altering economic and social realities. It shows that radical action can be taken to tackle poverty and inequality, health, education, biodiversity and climate.”

-– Nature Journal

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