Understanding the Present: Economic, Social and Cultural Justice for Sustainable Development.

 

Subtheme 2: Understanding the Present: Economic, Social and Cultural Justice for Sustainable Development 

• Partners of Choice for Sub-theme 2: the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), and Pan-African Parliament (PAP)

 • Having explored the origins of the socio-economic and institutional fabric of newly independent African nation-states as part of subtheme 1, the seecond week further explores their present-day projections from a human rights-based perspective, namely the rights to development, a clean healthy, and sustainable environment, self-determination and sovereignty over natural resources which are imperative for delivering broader socio-economic justice and truly inclusive sustainable development. To that effect, the sub-theme will explore perspectives to address the structural challenges commonly associated with extractive industries in Africa and measures to overcome these challenges by strengthening governance and institutions to help unleash the continent’s potential for domestic resource mobilization and support African countries to have control over their own economic and financial resources for inclusive sustainable development and durable peace.

 • This sub-theme also highlights the importance of cultural reparations that recognize and celebrate the vital contributions of women and youth to African societies. This includes revitalizing and investing in the creative and cultural industries—particularly considering current trends showing increased youth engagement in these sectors as a form of self-employment. It also involves supporting the arts and promoting inclusive narratives that reflect both the historical and contemporary roles of women and youth in shaping Africa’s identity, resilience, and development. 

• To initiate the discussions, the sub-theme will adopt the broader lens of SDG 16, namely peace, justice and strong institutions, as well as a human rights lens, and further explore their role in bringing about socio-economic justice, decent jobs and sustainable lives and livelihoods for Africans and people of African descent. 

• Sub-theme 2 will also discuss the role of partnerships at the national, regional and global levels to ensure equal access to justice for all and the prevalence of the rule of law as the basis for robust, transparent and accountable institutions facilitating inclusive and participatory decision-making for Africans at all levels on matters that determine the continent’s future trajectory of sustainable development and durable peace. 

• This sub-theme would also examine partnerships that support peace, justice, and strong institutions, with implementation means dedicated to such initiatives. 

• It will also discuss climate resilience and climate justice from a broader lens of sustainable development and the perspec4 tive of ensuring countries in Africa have full control of their economic and financial flows, enabling them to leverage the commensurate technology, technical expertise and predictable financial resources to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2063, laying the foundations for value-added sustainable industrialization and creation of decent and sustainable jobs for their young and growing population. Africa has to be in a position to deliver all these while addressing the cascading impact of climate change to which it has historically contributed negligibly (around 2-3 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions) yet suffers disproportionately, through droughts, floods and rising average surface temperatures, as one of the most vulnerable regions in the world.