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.

Elsevier, World Development, Volume 103, March 2018
Data collection methods and poverty measures have not caught up with the reality of an increasingly urbanised world; as a result, urban poverty may be underestimated. This has important implications for targeting interventions and allocating resources in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Elsevier, Extractive Industries and Society, Volume 5, January 2018
image of miners
This article examines how Fairtrade is transforming artisanal and small-scale gold mining. Focusing on the ‘Extending Fairtrade Gold to Africa’ project in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, it demonstrates how Fairtrade is becoming embedded within local formalization contexts and organizational dynamics. The Project is at an early stage; therefore, findings consider emerging issues. By probing what solidarities at a distance imply for gold mining, the article elaborates on how artisanal and small-scale miner organisations are developing to produce gold for Fairtrade markets.
For over 15 years, businesses around the world have turned to the UN Global Compact to shape their corporate sustainability approach. We offer an extensive toolbox ranging from leadership engagement platforms to best practices and resources that will help your business embed the Ten Principles into your operations, identify new opportunities to advance the SDGs and partner with the United Nations.
Addressing SDG 7, this chapter discusses the need to integrate the various renewable energy technologies to meet the ever-increasing demand for energy in West Africa. At the same time it makes connections with SDG 9.
RELX Group has published a new analysis, conducted by Elsevier, on SDG4: Quality education. This new graphic builds on Elsevier’s 2015 Sustainability Science in a Global Landscape Report, and its 2017 update Sustainability Science in graphic form. Looking specifically at SDG 4, this graphic provides insight into peer-reviewed research on education as related to the themes of the goal.
This book presents the country development diagnostics post-2015 framework, developed by the World Bank Group to assess the country-level implications of the post-2015 global agenda, as well as brief, ‘at-a-glance’ applications of the framework to ten countries: Ethiopia, Jamaica, the Kyrgyz Republic, Liberia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Senegal, and Uganda.
Elsevier published Sustainability Science in a Global Landscape which analysed the sustainability science research according to six themes: Dignity, People, Prosperity, Planet, Justice, and Partnership. Key data has since been updated covering 2011 to 2015 for the top 15 countries  in sustainability science output.
RELX Group Inspiration Day artwork created by a visual recorder at the launch event
RELX Group launched the SDG Resource Centre at its Inspiration Day on 21 June 2017, in partnership with UN Global Compact UK, the Business and Sustainable Development Commission and the Responsible Media Forum. The launch brought together business, government and civil society with keynote speeches from SDG thought leaders whose calls to action underline the importance of SDG 17.6 to enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources.
Approaches to food security primarily focus on technological solutions, seeking to produce more food, preferably with fewer resources. It has been argued that access to food involves issues of resource distribution and social marginalization. Governance is seen as one of the keys to redressing the institutional inequity that affects resource distribution. Rural women's empowerment is seen as a means to reduce social marginalization and to hasten progress towards hunger eradication and gender equitable institutions.
Lawyers from the Juris Pilot travel to Myanmar to deliver training
The burgeoning economy in Myanmar is creating much opportunity in the country but this is putting a strain on the judicial system which is trying to keep pace with development. The Juris Pilot addresses the need for greater knowledge of international contract law by training government legal staff. Sharing knowledge between professionals advances SDG 16.3 to promote the rule of law at the national and international levels.

Pages