Joint Statement to the Open Working Group on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
13th Session, July 14-18, 2014 – United Nations, New York
Delivered by H.E. Ambassador Nozipho Mxakato-Diseko of South Africa on behalf of the following countries: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kiribati, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Samoa, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vanuatu.
We reaffirm our commitment to developing Sustainable Development Goals and a Post-2015 Development Agenda that leaves nobody behind, places people at the centre of development, and is rooted in human rights. The future agenda should aim at tackling the root causes of structural inequalities and discrimination for all members of humankind, and to achieving gender equality, the empowerment of women and girls and ending gender-based violence, throughout their life cycle, with particular attention to those living in poverty, vulnerable groups, adolescents and youth.
