Literacies as a Strategic Means of Implementation for Sustainable Development Goals: Lessons from Health and Water Literacies

摘要

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), now known as the "2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," are aimed at building on the progress achieved through the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In addition, they address persistent issues and new challenges facing people and the planet. While much discussion on the SDGs tends to focus on the content of the goals, the fundamental question remains of how to achieve these goals. Education has been one of the core components of the MDGs, and it continues to play a critical role in the SDGs. Against this background, our paper aims to highlight quality education as a critical means of implementation to deliver effective SDGs. In particular, we suggest the importance of having every human being foster multiple 'literacies' so as to actively reflect and deal with-the complex challenges surrounding people both individually and collectively. To do so, we first draw lessons from the educational goals among the MDGs to demonstrate how multiple literacies acquired through quality education have contributed to the achievement of other MDGs. The evolution of the concept of 'literacies' is presented, situating it in the wider context of transformative and progressive pedagogy. Then, we focus on two important areas of the SDGs-namely, health and water-and demonstrate the importance of 'health literacy' and 'water literacy' as means of implementing the SDGs. The following two points are drawn as important lessons. First, for effective implementation of health-related SDGs, it is essential to empower all people by providing them with access to information and quality education, especially at the community level, in order to help prevent negative spirals that would affect subsequent generations. Second, it is equally imperative that government representatives and other stakeholders acquire an accurate understanding of water-related issues, and that systems be established to create opportunities for all people to gain the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes they need to respond effectively to water-related sustainability challenges. Finally, we argue that fostering literacies for all through quality education is also essential for achieving all the Other SDGs, such as eradicating poverty, boosting shared prosperity and building peaceful, tolerant societies.