Tracking progress towards the sustainable development goals in four rural villages in Limpopo, South Africa

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Authors

Wernecke, Bianca
Mathee, Angela
Kunene, Zamantimande
Balakrishna, Yusentha
Kapwata, Thandi
Mogotsi, Mirriam
Sweijd, Neville
Minakawa, Noboru
Wright, Caradee Yael

Journal Title

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Volume Title

Publisher

Ubiquity Press

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Measuring national progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) enables the identification of gaps which need to be filled to end poverty, protect the planet and improve lives. Progress is typically calculated using indicators stemming from published methodologies. South Africa tracks progress towards the SDGs at a national scale, but aggregated data may mask progress, or lack thereof, at local levels. OBJECTIVE: To assess the progress towards achievement of the SDGs in four low-income, rural villages (Giyani) in South Africa and to relate the findings to national SDG indicators. METHODS: Using data from a cross-sectional environmental health study, the global indicator framework for the SDGs was applied to calculate indicators for Giyani. Local progress towards SDG achievement was compared with national progress, to contextualize and supplement national scale tracking. FINDINGS: Village scores were mostly in line with country scores for those indices which were computable, given the available data. Low data availability prevented a complete local progress assessment. Higher levels of poverty prevail in the study villages compared to South Africa as a whole (17.7% compared to 7.4%), high unemployment (49.0% compared to 27.3%) and lack of access to information via the Internet (only 4.2% compared to 61.8%) were indicators in the villages identified as falling far short of the South African averages. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding progress towards the SDGs at a local scale is important when trying to unpack national progress. It shines a light upon issues that are not picked up by national composite assessments yet require most urgent attention. Gaps in data required to measure progress towards targets represents a serious stumbling block, preventing the creation of a true reflection of local and national scale progress.

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Keywords

Sustainable development goals (SDGs), South Africa (SA), Low-income, rural villages, Progress, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Sustainable Development Goals

Citation

Wernecke B, Mathee A, Kunene Z, Balakrishna Y, Kapwata T, Mogotsi M, Sweijd N, Minakawa N, Wright CY. Tracking Progress Towards the Sustainable Development Goals in Four Rural Villages in Limpopo, South Africa. Annals of Global Health. 2021; 87(1): 16, 1–11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/aogh.3139.