More than 80 civil society organisations from across all sectors in Ghana have set up a national Civil Society Organisation (CSO) Platform on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during a forum on the SDGs held in Accra, on May 4, 2016.
“The Platform is fully a civil society initiative, and aims to provide a space for civil society actors to influence development policies, strategise and coordinate efforts, and monitor implementation and progress in achieving the global goals by 2030”, Elkanah Odembo from CARE International Ghana, the convener of the platform for SDG 9 stated.
The national platform is made up of 18 sub-platforms, one for each of the 17 goals and one on advocacy. Each of these platforms has assigned a convener and co-convener to coordinate platform activities, lead and provide overall oversight in managing the sector platform, and represent the platform on specific issues in the platform’s area of operation.
“Members of the various Platforms have already given valuable input to government processes around the SDG indicator framework and in developing a national action plan on implementing the SDGs in Ghana”, Rikke Sig Hansen from Media Foundation for West Africa, the convener of the advocacy platform explained.
Platform members are organisations with a proven track record that implement projects and major activities related to the platform goal. Members are highly diverse and include community-based organisations, national networks and foundations, faith-based organisations as well as regional and international organisations.
The national CSO Platform on SDGs will be governed by a National Steering Committee. The Steering Committee is made up of all conveners and co-conveners of the 18 sub-platforms.
The meeting was made possible by CARE International in Ghana, ABANTU for Development, World Vision, Christian Aid, World University Service of Canada (WUSC), Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) and the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA).
For more information contact Rikke Sig Hansen on rikke (@) mfwa.org, Nyamikeh, Mercy on mercy.nyamikeh (@) care.org, Grace Afrifa on g.afrifa14 (@ )gmail.com or Ernest Okyere on EOkyere (@) christian-aid.org.
