Determined to make the country better, Kenya officials have been closely involved in the campaign towards the launch and adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that come into force as the Development Agenda (DA)-post 2015 after the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The discussion of the DA-post 2015 started in 2011 and Kenya engaged the civil society organizations in 2012/13, and the wider reach of citizens to listen to their views on the development goals, Director in the Devolution Ministry Gideon Mailu disclosed.
Mr Mailu was speaking during a media briefing meeting on SDGs held at the Intercontinental Hotel, Nairobi, where he said Kenya adopted a bottom-top approach in the SDGs to make sure they were ‘owned’ by Kenyans.
“The MDGs were seen as something alien and took time before they were embraced, but we are far ahead in involvement in the campaign of the SDGs through representation in past meetings,” said Mr Mailu.
Strategic Partnership Advisor-UN Country Team on SDGs and Philanthropy Arif Neky agreed and said, “Kenya was the first launch in Africa of the SDGs. The launch was in November 2014.”
Mailu then gave a goal-by-goal of the status report of Kenya on her achievement of the MDGs.
Kenya is lagging behind on goal 1 of poverty and hunger, although poverty levels in the country have reduced. “The country was at 56%, and now at 45.6% while we the target is at 21% below the poverty level,” said Mailu.
We have achieved goal 2 of Universal Primary Education with school enrolment high, and Free Primary Education taking shape.
The third goal of gender equality is achieved in the country with the girl child in school, affirmative action included in the constitution, leadership position and public service jobs, and the 30% procurement jobs set aside for women, youth and the disabled and other funds to aid women.
For goal 4 on child mortality, the deaths have reduced but the country has still not achieved the goal.
Mailu said the country was challenged in attaining goal 5 on maternal health, saying the deaths have increased and at 495 per 100, 000 women. He called for more support in the fight against maternal deaths, and also acknowledged the role of First Lady Margaret Kenyatta.
Kenya had achieved goal 6 reporting a 6% HIV/Aids prevalent rate, although there were disparities with few regions at 13% which is high. Malaria prevalence had also gone down.
Environmental Sustainability, goal 7, was on track with 7% afforestation and with more initiatives the tree cover in the country would increase to 10%.
The country was also miles into goal 8 on global partnership by use of ICT like the use of Mpesa, which is a locally initiated innovation renown across the world.
Some of the plans in Kenya in line with the SDGs are Vision 2030, Medium Term Plan II, Medium Term Expenditure Framework and County Integrated Development plans.
As the curtain falls on the MDGs, any unfulfilled parts will be tackled within the 17 SDGs to be launched during the UN Summit this September.
The SDGs touch on poverty, food security, health, education, gender equality, water and sanitation, energy, employment, infrastructure and industrialization, inequality within and among countries, cities and human settlements, climate change, marine resources, terrestrial ecosystems, peace and global partnerships for sustainable development.
By Anne Kanina/Diaspora Messenger contributor
Kenya’s Status Report on MDGs before Move to SDGs
