Teaming up women for global goals

Since the adoption of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in September 2015, there have been various initiatives and organisations working towards the attainment of the 2030 agenda. From profit-making entities seeking to maximise on corporate social investment programmes as a marketing tool to non-profit efforts seeking to inspire development renaissance at the grassroots level, steps have been made to integrate them to their daily operations. To stimulate the importance of the SDGs in Africa, Eir Soccer and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) teamed up on 5 March to hold a unique amateur football tournament, the Global Goals World Cup in Nairobi’s Impala Sports Club.

Graced by Game of Thrones star Nikolaj Waldau, a UNDP goodwill ambassador, and Victor Ochen as guest referees, 24 women teams from across east and southern Africa played their hearts out to epitomise the different 17 goals with 169 targets.

As a gesture to demonstrate the value of teamwork and participatory development, commercial based entities and NGOs were involved regardless of their skill level. The Shine Women Amputee Federation showed the importance of having determination and the need to involve women living with disabilities in decision making processes. Athletes with and without disabilities competed in different matches to encourage spectators on the need to protect the planet and sustainably use natural resources as outlined in SDG 15.

Communication giant Safaricom’s participation was crucial in reminding the public of the importance of inculcating sustainability in their daily business processes. This comes at the backdrop of their partnership with audit firm KPMG where they conducted a “true value” assessment of their operations by signing up their female employees christened Team Pepea to advocate for reduced inequalities. The most profitable firm in east and central Africa has been at the forefront in integrating SDGs through a top-down, bottom-up approach thus ensuring their activities, whether it is in the finance division or technology department, will have a positive impact to its employees and the customers they serve.

The Global Goals World Cup is a true reflection that to attain the SDGs, a multi-disciplinary approach will be needed with participation of different population groups in the community: children, youth, and women.

[This article has been edited by the Operating Team.]