Reflections on SDG Summit 2023
/In September, our new Chief Executive, Abigail Kajumba, led a dynamic, all-women team to support our partners’ side events at the UN General Assembly and the Sustainable Development Goals Summit and advocate for greater inclusion of young people, especially women, in public service and governance.
From left to right: Betsy Williams, Amanda Douillette, abigail kajumba, and esther spio in the streets of new york city in september where they attended side events at the UN General Assembly and the Sustainable Development Goals Summit.
Highlights of our engagement included:
Goal Scorers Summit – African Leadership Academy, who we closely collaborate with, invited our executive director, Abigail Kajumba, and communications associate, Amanda Douillette, to facilitate a dynamic group of young leaders from Africa, Asia, and Middle East, on how to accelerate youth engagement towards SDGs;
Friends of Zambia and Malawi events – important networking events organized by Chandler Foundation & Open Society Foundation, and Chandler Foundation & Segal Family Foundation respectively, where the team interacted with potential partners as part of our ambitious partnership with Mastercard Foundation;
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Centre for Women and Development (EJS Centre) – our team stepped out in force to support our inspirational Chair Emeritus, and her panellists’ call for ‘greater collaboration and commitment’ to close the gender gap in political representation and within the civil service at side events with partners including Open Society Foundation, IDinsight, UNDP, UN Human Rights, and William and Flora Hewlett Foundation; and
The People First Community Gathering – our team joined members of peer organizations united in accelerating locally led, collaborative leadership as the primary driver of sustainable development and shared our Fellows' stories of impact.
From Left to Right: James Kiawoin, Abigail Kajumba, Betsy Williams, and Esther Spio attended an event at the Ford Foundation. Alumni Fellow, Esther Spio, exemplified the agency of young women in government at the UNGA which she attended as the youngest member of Ghana’s delegation from the Ministry of Finance.
Abigail Kajumba ( fifth from left) and Amanda Douillette(fourth from left) met with young leaders to discuss avenues of impact for youth in governance during a Social Innovation Workshop led by the African Leadership Academy on the sidelines of the UN 78th General Assembly.
Our Chairperson, Betsy Williams, said one of the highlights of the week was spending time and sharing ideas with Emerging Public Leaders’ dynamic team – including one of our rising Alumni, Esther Spio, who was with the Ghanaian delegation and making an incredible contribution to her country.
“My participation in this year’s General Assembly was so memorable. Joining the meeting that led to the adoption of the establishment of an independent secretariat for the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) and V20 Group in Ghana was inspiring. As the youngest member of the Ghana Delegation from the Ministry of Finance, my nomination underscored the value my superiors attached to my work and my contribution to national development regardless of how small. I thank the entire EPL team for facilitating my participation in side events with the EJS Center. I am optimistic that the networks formed will go a long way in helping me to advance my public service career as well as serve as a peer-mentor for other alumni members or new Fellows on the program!” Esther Spio, Emerging Public Leaders Alumni (Cohort 1), Ghana.
Our unique young professional public service program immerses graduates in the realities of the communities they serve – the food insecurity, the lack of schooling, or difficult access to clinics – so this understanding can inform their work back at the national ministries, and increasingly in devolved administrative bodies too, at the county level.
We believe that achieving the SDGs – so many of which are related to improvements in essential public services, especially health, education, and food security – depends on strengthening human capacity within government and attracting the most committed and talented young professionals to a career in public service.
Commenting on how inspirational and motivating these events have been, Abigail Kajumba said, “We look forward to working with our partners to ensure that there is acceleration towards achieving the SDGs, through effective public administration, strong partnership across government, business and civil society, and most importantly - mobilization of young people’s talent, energy, and optimism to create the future they deserve.”