Capacity Building

Capacity building represents a fundamental approach in the implementation and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of global objectives adopted by the United Nations in 2015 aimed at addressing various global challenges. The concept of capacity-building revolves around enhancing the skills, abilities, processes, and resources of individuals, communities, and institutions, enabling them to tackle a wide array of issues more effectively.

One of the most direct mentions of capacity building in the SDGs is found in Goal 17, which focuses on strengthening global partnerships to support sustainable development. Specifically, target 17.9 of this goal emphasizes the need for international support in building capacities in developing countries. This is essential for these countries to not only participate in, but also contribute meaningfully to, the global sustainable development agenda.

However, the significance of capacity building extends far beyond SDG 17. It plays a pivotal role in virtually all the other goals due to its cross-cutting nature. For instance, in SDG 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education, capacity building is crucial for empowering educators and learners. By enhancing teaching methodologies and learning environments, and providing access to necessary resources and training, capacity building directly contributes to improving the quality of education.

In the context of SDG 8, which focuses on promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, capacity building is key in equipping the workforce with the necessary skills. This includes vocational training, digital literacy, and entrepreneurship skills, which are vital in the rapidly changing labor market. Such capacity enhancement leads to better job opportunities, increased productivity, and economic growth, particularly in developing economies.

Similarly, for SDG 13, which is centered on taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts, capacity building is indispensable. Developing technical skills and knowledge, particularly in the area of environmental management, renewable energy technologies, and climate resilience, is crucial for both mitigating climate change and adapting to its inevitable impacts. This involves training individuals and communities, as well as strengthening institutional capabilities to develop and implement effective climate strategies.

Moreover, capacity building is instrumental in achieving other SDGs, such as SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and SDG 5 (Gender Equality). By empowering communities with the skills and resources they need, capacity building fosters self-reliance and enables people to address the root causes of poverty, improve health outcomes, and promote gender equality and women's empowerment.

Capacity building is not just an isolated objective within the SDGs but a fundamental strategy that underpins the entire framework. Its holistic approach ensures that efforts in one area support and reinforce progress in others, creating a more integrated and effective path towards sustainable development. It requires a concerted effort from various stakeholders, including governments, international organizations, the private sector, civil society, and local communities, to share knowledge, expertise, and resources. This collaborative approach is essential for building capacities that are sustainable, context-specific, and aligned with the diverse needs and challenges faced by different countries and communities.

National statistics are an essential component of policy making. Yet many national statistical systems face challenges in collecting, producing, analysing and disseminating the data required for sustainable development. Furthering SDGs 10 and 15. This report introduce a pioneering approach to capacity development – Capacity Development 4.0 – that brings together new data stakeholders, does more to involve users and promotes a holistic view of statistical capacity development.
Elsevier, Fire Safety Journal, Volume 110, December 2019
The International Association of Fire Safety Science (IAFSS) is comprised of members from some 40 countries. This paper presents the Association's thinking, developed by the Management Committee, concerning pressing research needs for the coming 10 years presented as the IAFSS Agenda 2030 for a Fire Safe World. The research needs are couched in terms of two broad Societal Grand Challenges: (1) climate change, resiliency and sustainability and (2) population growth, urbanization and globalization.
Background: The population effects of armed conflict on non-combatant vulnerable populations are incompletely understood. We aimed to study the effects of conflict on mortality among women of childbearing age (15–49 years) and on orphanhood among children younger than 15 years in Africa. Methods: We tested the extent to which mortality among women aged 15–49 years, and orphanhood among children younger than 15 years, increased in response to nearby armed conflict in Africa.
Legal identity for all – including women, children, and other vulnerable groups – is critical for achieving the SDGs. Linking Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) with identity management systems can transform how governments empower and provide for their populations. This compendium brings together good practices from select countries that have made great effort in linking these systems and highlights the resulting benefits. This contributes to SDG 10 and 16.
The Africa Regional Data Cube (ARDC), based on the Open Data Cube infrastructure, is a technological innovation that layers 17 years of satellite imagery and Earth observation data for five African countries. This report identifies the key enabling environment, data management and sharing factors that affect the operationalization of the ARDC and makes recommendations to inform the scale-up of the technology, furthering SDGs 9 and 17.
This report conducts an analysis of the intergovernmental fiscal transfer programs whose budget allocation formulas include population criteria.Through a series of simulations in three Latin American countries (Bolivia, Ecuador, and El Salvador), it analyses what would have happened if more accurate population estimates had been used when allocating transfers to subnational governments. This contributes to SDGs 10 and 16.
Elsevier, Progress in Disaster Science, Volume 2, July 2019
The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction encourages investment in innovation and technology development in disaster risk management. However, needs for science and technology inputs are unmet, and there is a lack of policy making that is based on science and evidence. This paper identified three key issues that could help overcome these barriers: networking, coproduction of knowledge, and a stronger role played by academia.
This event primarily focusses on SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure), exploring the technical and engineering challenges of addressing all 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) is notoriously difficult to investigate and prosecute. SGBV occurs in varied contexts and requires flexibility in the investigative approach in order to develop a strong evidence base to enable successful prosecutions. In this paper we focus on the need for innovation and development of training protocols for gathering testimonial and forensic evidence in SGBV cases, particularly in low resource environments, such as developing countries, displaced communities, and conflict and post-conflict societies.

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