Stakeholders Mobilise Communities For SDGs Implementation

Stakeholders across the development sector have intensified efforts to mobilise grassroots communities for the effective implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), following the launch of the 2026–2030 strategic blueprint by the International Caribbean Women Alliance for Empowerment.

The initiative in collaboration with Community Participation and Empowerment for Sustainable Development, was unveiled through advocacy walks and stakeholder engagement sessions held in Nasarawa, Anambra and Ekiti states, aimed at deepening community participation in development programmes and ensuring that global goals translate into measurable local impact.

The event, which featured both physical and virtual participation, was coordinated by the President and Founder of ICWAE, Yveline Dalmacy, who underscored the importance of inclusive, community-driven approaches to achieving sustainable development.

Participants engaged in discussions on SDGs implementation, gender equality, and empowerment opportunities, with emphasis on the need to involve local communities in policy execution and programme delivery.

According to the organisers, the five-year blueprint is designed to localise the United Nations development agenda for African and Afro-Caribbean communities, with a focus on vulnerable groups, including women, widows, children, and persons living with disabilities.

“This initiative is about translating global commitments into real outcomes at the community level. Sustainable development cannot be achieved without active grassroots participation,” the organisers stated.

The programme, anchored in Nigeria by Ambassador Olufemi J.S. Oladejo, attracted over 2,000 participants, including community women, widows, and persons living with disabilities.

Several civil society organisations participated in the exercise, among them Unity Rise Foundation, Omo Ekiti Ni Mi Foundation, Foundation for Excellent Living and Development (FELAD), Ayoideraoluwa Charity Foundation, Islami Relief Foundation, 6Keys Tabitha Wellness Foundation, and Islam Is Good Foundation.

Dignitaries at the event included representatives from the FIDA International and the National Youth Service Corps SDGs unit, as well as government officials from Ekiti State.

The organisers also acknowledged the participation of Prof. Doreen Z. Yusuf, a member of the Global Advisory Council of the World Sustainable Development Goals Organisation, for her contribution as an international discussant.

They noted that the blueprint would serve as a roadmap for strengthening partnerships, promoting inclusive policies, and accelerating progress towards achieving the SDGs at the grassroots level.