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From Vision to Action: Uniting Humanitarian Engineering with the UN Sustainable Development Goals



What is Humanitarian Engineering?


Humanitarian engineering is the application of engineering expertise to enhance the living situations of individuals and communities who face difficulties.


Humanitarian engineers develop, design, produce, or innovate technology that supports the development of societies dealing with humanitarian challenges. This involves collaborating with those who are in need, learning about their priorities, and coming up with a solution that is both suitable and sustainable.


Humanitarian engineering often focuses on initiatives that are practical, environmentally friendly, and are centered around existing assets. The majority of projects are community oriented and multidisciplinary. They concentrate on establishing simple solutions to basic needs such as low-pollution cooking techniques, access to clean water, suitable housing, adequate sanitation, and reliable access to markets. A humanitarian engineer could be employed in developing nations or provide assistance in regions that have experienced a natural disaster. Their particular job responsibilities vary depending on the circumstances, but improving the lives of those who are financially challenged or have lost a significant portion of what they once had is their ultimate objective. Engineers who specialize in humanitarian work frequently work for governmental bodies, nonprofits, and charities.


What are the Sustainable Development Goals?


The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an international call to action to eradicate poverty, safeguard the environment, and build a world that is more just, fair, and equitable for all. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which outlined a 15-year plan to accomplish the seventeen goals, was adopted by all UN Member States in 2015.




A Decade of Action:

Today, progress is being made in several areas, but action to achieve the Goals is not moving at a sufficient pace or scale. With less than ten years to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals, world leaders at the SDG Summit in September 2019 called for a Decade of Action and Delivery for Sustainable Development, pledging to increase funding, improve domestic implementation, and strengthen organizations to achieve the Goals by 2030. The Decade of Action demands for advancing sustainable solutions to all of the world's most pressing issues, from poverty and gender inequality to climate change and financial inclusion.


In order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, they have urged every aspect of society to come together for a decade of action on three levels: global, local, and individual. Individual action includes youth, members of civil society, the media, the private sector and unions. Local action involves integrating the necessary transitions into government legislation, budgets, organizations, and regulation.



Similarities:


The SDGs and humanitarian engineering have similar goals of addressing global concerns and improving the public and the planet's well-being. Humanitarian Engineering brings these issues together in a global setting. It addresses urgent global concerns and fosters change by combining knowledge, social awareness, and sustainable development principles. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals ranks eradicating poverty and advancing human development as their top priority. Engineering for sustainable community development is a method for engineers to collaborate with people on the ground to identify needs and resources, design technology solutions, and measure impact.


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