With eight years to hit the 2030 deadline for achieving the ambitious 17 Sustainable Development Goals – SDGs, Malawi has so far failed by 96 percent on goal number one which aims at ending poverty and 94 percent on goal number seven on access to affordable energy.
The 2022 latest study findings, are in peoples’ scorecard in a 66 paged SGDs report which has been disseminated in Lilongwe with the country’s average performance rated at 35 percent.
Some Malawians from Kasungu, Dowa, Nkhotakota, Chikwawa and Chiradzulu districts, took part in the reality check which has scored Malawi 10 percent on efforts to end hunger on goal number 2.
In the report, put together by the Council for Non-Governmental Organisations – CONGOMA, participants faulted duty bearers for lack of commitment to actualize the policies to solve development challenges negatively affecting the welbeing of of poor Malawians.
The report further singles out corruption as contributing to erosion of citizens’ confidence, towards the way public services delivery.
However, the country’s Voluntary National Review Report, presented by National Planning Commission’s Halord Fote, slightly differs with the peoples’ score on goal number 7 on affordable energy but agrees with CONGOMA’s report on failing big time on eradicating poverty.
In a report presentation, CONGOMA Programs Manager Sinekinala Kaluzi, also says peoples’ views indicate that access to water and sanitation on goal number six and partnership on goal number 17, are on positive strides with 58 and 54 percent respectively, while peace and justice stands at 40 percent.
The study reached out to district civil society networks, Area Development Committees, the youth, primary school pupils, women, the elderly, people with disability and the business community, among others.
Reported by Robert Edward–LILONGWE
