16.10.2015 – This week's #PhotoFriday takes a look at four significant International Days related to the Sustainable Development Goals.

 

International Day for Disaster Reduction - 13th October

"Traditional and indigenous knowledge is the indispensable information base for many societies seeking to live in harmony with nature and adapt to disruptive weather events, a warming globe and rising seas." Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Post-tsunami, Indonesia

227,000 people perished in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, leaving the livelihoods of 1.4 million people in ruins. In addition to the immediate economic loss of $9.9 billion, there were long-term environmental and development destruction as the salt water contaminated the land, wiping out agriculture and damaging forests and ecosystems.

 

International Day of Rural Women - 15th October

"The new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have gender equality and women’s empowerment at their core, and include a target to “double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women”. Indeed, rural women are critical to the success of almost all of the 17 SDGs." Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Woman farmer, Malaysia 

Although women are the foundation of the rural economy, especially in the developing world, they only receive a small part of the land, credit, inputs, agricultural training and information compared to men. Empowering and investing in rural women improves rural livelihoods for everyone by significantly increases productivity, reduces hunger and malnutrition.

 

World Food Day - 16th October

“Hunger is more than a lack of food - it is terrible injustice. On World Food Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to work together to end hunger in our lifetime.” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Famine Memorial, Dublin 

The sculpture is a commemorative work representing a group of famine refugees, dedicated to those Irish people forced to emigrate during the 19th century. During the Irish Famine about 1 million people starved to death and a million more emigrated from Ireland. Right by the sculpture, there is The World Poverty Stone, marking the United Nations International Day for the Eradication of World Poverty.

 

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty - 17th October

"On this day we recommit to think, decide and act together against extreme poverty -- and plan for a world where no-one is left behind. Our aim must be prosperity for all, not just a few." Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Woman and child, Bolivia

While Bolivia is South America’s poorest country, the overwhelming majority of people living on less than $1.25 a day belong to two regions: Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. In the world, there are 836 million people living in extreme poverty and one in seven children under age five in the world has inadequate height for his or her age.

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UNRIC’s Related Links:

•  Female face of farming
•  Poverty in the SDGs
•  World Food Day
•  International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
•  International Day of Rural Women
•  International Day for Disaster Reduction

Photo Credits:

•   First photo: UN Photo/Evan Schneider
•   Second photo: Pison Jaujip
•   Third photo: Tobias Abel
•   Fourth photo: M M