The Ministerial Forum for Development will take place from September 12 to 13. Here you can find all about the topics that this new edition will address

The X Ministerial Forum for Development in Latin America and the Caribbean will take place from September 12 to 13 in Panama, in which "partnerships for the reduction of structural inequalities in the market of" Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be discussed. The forum was created in 2007 with the purpose of being a space to debate knowledge in public policies regarding human and social development in the region.

Leer en español: Foro Ministerial para el Desarrollo: ¿Cuáles son los desafíos de América Latina?

11 years later, issues such as structural inequality, innovation in the face of sustainable development and inclusive development for communities will be addressed. This forum is an opportunity to address several issues in Latin America, such as social management, youth inclusion, financing of social policies and social stratification.

As part of the 2030 Agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals seek to eradicate poverty, protect the planet and guarantee human rights. Around the Ministerial Forum, economic inequality is one of the great challenges for sustainable development in the face of emerging economies.

"The SDGs entail a spirit of collaboration and pragmatism to choose the best options in order to improve life, in a sustainable manner, for future generations," says the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) on its website.

To achieve these 17 Goals requires the collaboration of governments, the participation of the private sector in conjunction with society and citizens. The issue of structural inequality is recurrent in Latin America and is understood as a neoliberal dynamic that benefits the richest through resources and tax systems.

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According to an Oxfam report, in Latin America the richest 10% concentrates 68% of the total wealth, while the poorest half only have access to 3.5% of it. UNDP also states that female employment is held in the region with 53% and 78.1% of women are employed in low-productivity sectors.

The challenges for Latin America include issues such as education, economic growth, the reduction of inequalities, and, of course, the end of poverty. The work that UNDP is doing with respect to the reduction of vulnerabilities and inequalities consists of indicators to assess multidimensional progress. What is sought is to break the meaning of well-being, which only includes overcoming the poverty threshold.

On the other hand, the lack of education and the high levels of poverty go hand in hand. For the SDGs, the goal is to achieve an inclusive and quality education so all girls and boys complete primary and secondary education by 2030. "Eradicating poverty in all its forms continues to be one of the main challenges that the humanity faces," says the UNDP.

In this way, States need to direct their efforts towards the most vulnerable to improve access to resources and services, not only in Latin America, but in the rest of the world in the remaining 12 years of the SDGs. The forum promises to be a space for discussion that culminates in alliances and public policies for the continent.

Latin American Post I Diana Ramos

Translated from "X Foro Ministerial para el Desarrollo: ¿Cuáles son los desafíos de América Latina?"