Global Partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Overview
Overview

SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institution - IAU HESD Cluster Lead Institution

In September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This Agenda uses a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to define the kind of future the world should strive to achieve and how through addressing the targets set for these goals such future can be built. One of the key messages and motto of Agenda 2030 is “that no one should be left behind”. It is an inclusive Agenda from everyone for everyone, combining all dimensions of sustainability.

The University of Nairobi was requested in September 2018 by International Association of Universities (IAU) to become the SDG lead institution on SDG 16 of the IAU’s Higher Education and Research for Sustainable Development (HESD) Cluster. The Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace and Environmental Studies (WMI) was requested to provide leadership on SDG 16 IAU-HESD Cluster. The Institute nominated Dr. T. Thenya to be the SDG 16 Cluster Lead Coordinator.

The International Association of Universities (IAU) organized and held the 1st International Workshop of the Global IAU Cluster on Higher Education and Research for Sustainable Development, UNESCO, Place de Fontenoy, in Paris, France from 28-30 January 2019, https://www.iau-aiu.net/The-IAU-Global-HESD-Cluster-Members-Meet-at-UNESCO.  The WMI attended the workshop and actively participated in the meeting, where they were represented by the SDG 16 Coordinator, Dr. T. Thenya. Since then, the WMI has continued to actively participate in IAU-HESD activities including online meetings and updates on various activities

Group photo taken during the launch workshop of the IAU Global cluster on HESD at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, 28-30 January 2019
Group photo taken during the launch workshop of the IAU Global cluster on HESD at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, 28-30 January 2019

The (IAU) fosters the role of higher education in support of sustainable development since the early 90s and has contributed to increasing the commitment of Universities and other Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to sustainable development over the years. With Agenda 2030, IAU advocates for the role higher education plays in advancing the global agenda and associated SDGs and also looks at how Agenda 2030 contributes to the transformation of HEIs themselves.

SDG 16 on Peace, Justice and Strong Institution  focuses on promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels through 12 targets https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg16. To effectively contribute to the SDG 16 targets, WMI being a multi-disciplinary institution is working with several departments at the University of Nairobi and different partners including the Green Belt Movement (GBM), Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), among others.

Report compiled by Dr. Thuita Thenya

Project team & leader
Dr. Thuita Thenya