I just attended two of the biggest international events for development professionals at the heart of UN and European diplomacy: AidEx 2023 and Development2030 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Planning for this joint conference was half the fun. To put together our two panels, I had the honor of partnering with several extraordinary women leaders. I collaborated particularly closely with Oyetola Oduyemi of The END Fund and Sadna Samaranayake from BRAC to shape sessions during which panelists could share their work and reflections and highlight the impact their organizations are making in overcoming the barriers to achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030.
In many ways, the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can seem daunting, but my co-panelists shared my goal to energize the international development community and think creatively about intersectional solutions that could transform the conversation and catalyze our collective support.
We know that COVID, conflict, and climate change over the past few years have reversed a great deal of progress toward achieving many of the SDGs. It is more important than ever to explore partnerships, coalitions, and consortiums that allow different actors to lend their strengths and skills to build a stronger, more sustainable future through thoughtful collective action.
On October 25, I hosted two dynamic and interactive sessions.
The first session explored how we can double down on solutions to end extreme poverty in the next seven years. To learn more, click the link to the session below.
“Leveling the Playing Field, How Can We Turn the Tide on Eradicating Extreme Poverty.”
Development2030 Panel, Oct 25th 1:15pm
The World Bank estimates that 650 million people in the world today are living in extreme poverty, defined as living on less than $2.15 a day. This number has grown due to COVID, conflict, and climate change. In this session, Nathalie Laidler-Kylander, Trickle Up, moderates a dynamic panel to dissect the true significance of the convergence of the humanitarian and development sectors and explores multidimensional solutions to solving SDG 1: No Poverty. Panelists from the Danish Refugee Council, BRAC, and J-Pal will share perspectives and learnings to reenergize action on eliminating extreme poverty leading up to 2030.
Later in the afternoon, I co-hosted a session with The END Fund to discuss concrete examples of successful partnerships, as well as the challenges associated with making partnerships work, to accelerate progress on multiple SDGs. Read more about this session below.
Development2030 Day 1 Discussions, October 25th 3:30-4:30 pm
Since their inception, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been interconnected – so why have the development sector’s solutions been siloed? In this discussion session of the Development2030 conference in Geneva, co-chairs Nathalie Laidler-Kylander, Trickle Up, and Bridie Layden, The END Fund, will lead a conversation that explores multi-sectoral collaboration for achieving the SDGs. With panelists from Committed to Good, Oxfam Great Britain, and the Saudi Fund for Development, this interactive session will be driven by the urgent need to explore a range of innovative partnerships and intersectional solutions for making significant progress towards the SDGs in the next seven years.
It has been an energizing experience and I feel optimistic about the future of international development and our collective ability to eliminate extreme poverty and build partnerships to accelerate progress on all the SDGs. The opportunity for Trickle Up to work more closely with a range of partners and stakeholders is key to our growth and future impact. Trickle Up has much to offer in terms of our long experience working with the most marginalized and excluded communities in partnership with local and international actors. And we have much to learn from different partners who share our goal and vision for a more equitable and just future. I am looking forward to the opportunities that emerge in 2024 for continuing to build partnerships and elevating Trickle Up’s work.
