Reflecting on the impact of the global COVID pandemic on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) might seem not so urgent at a time of multiple competing crises, including the climate crisis, conflicts and the global food crisis.
However, especially in times of insecurity and amid a widening disparity between the rich and the poor, they do offer a compass to navigate difficult times. Despite the relevance of the SDGs, many states and opinion leaders have widely neglected them, especially in the wealthier hemisphere. For CARE the SDGs are our guiding principles, and all our activities are aligned either with one or more of them.
This report reflects on various aspects of the SDGs and it points out the big disruptions we are still seeing. Among them is the increase of global hunger and poverty, the breakdown of global supply chains, the weakness of health systems to effectively deal with the impact of COVID-19 as well as a more general view on the performance of the SDGs amid a multiple global crisis.