It is more important than ever that the locus of control of education development is driven by African public intellectuals who can speak truth to power
An index developed to gauge progress towards the sustainable development goals and their targets shows that nine of the world’s worst performing countries are in Africa.
Donatien Beguy, African Population and Health Research Center
The truth is that data in Africa are not produced on time, not frequently enough, are of poor quality and aren’t accurate. This makes it difficult to make data driven decisions.
Mega development projects can have a positive impact. But there are risks. Between 2004 and 2013, some 3.4 million people were ‘physically and economically displaced’ by World Bank projects alone.
Getting more women into science, technology, engineering and maths fields is a process that involves many parts of a society. Several African countries are setting the pace.
Child labour in Tanzania is driven largely by poverty. More must be done to keep children in school so their skills aren’t lost to the economy in the long run.
Much international aid fails to achieve its ends because the technology employed is not “appropriate” to its intended environment or culture. This needs to change.
Sustainable development is one of the priorities of Nigeria’s new government. This is an opportunity to combat problems detrimental to the country’s economy and ecosystems.
A growing field of policy analysis now focuses on reducing armed violence. Remarkable consensus has emerged at high policy levels around the basic elements of an approach to reduce violence.
Africa faces the monumental task of reducing its maternal deaths by three-quarters if it is to meet the Sustainable Development Goals around maternal mortality.
Erica Penfold, South African Institute of International Affairs
In the region, the Southern African Development Community will have a critical role to ensure the targets of the sustainable development goals are met over the next 15 years.
Health has secured its place as one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. But without clear mechanisms to report, finance or engage other sectors, could more end up as less?
Erica Penfold, South African Institute of International Affairs
The sustainable development goals will be ratified by the United Nations next week but there are a few lessons it should learn from the failed millennium development goals.