Covid-19 affected every SDG pillar: Citizen's Platform

The global coronavirus pandemic has affected every Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) pillar, almost all indicators and posed a multitude of challenges for the vulnerable, the Citizen's Platform for SDGs has observed.

According to a recent Centre for Policy Dialogue study, the impact of the Covid-19 health crisis - that evolved into a global humanitarian and socio-economic catastrophe - ranged from "medium" (57% of indicators) to "high severity" (43% of indicators) in Bangladesh. No indicator experienced impact of "low" severity.

The report was published at a virtual dialogue on Thursday and Debapriya Bhattacharya, convenor of the Citizen's Platform and distinguished fellow of CPD, presented the keynote speech titled "Covid-19 Impact on SDGs-The Index".

He said the report was prepared to assess Covid-19's impact on SDGs in Bangladesh from perspectives of the vulnerable population and articulate policy outlooks to align recovery efforts with SDGs to "build back better".

The triple blow - economic, social and health issues - of the deadly virus has threatened to roll back decades of SDG progress in Bangladesh and created more hurdles for subsequent delivery. As a result, vulnerable groups have been exposed to disproportionate hardships.

As per the study, the economy was the most affected pillar exposed to highest impact intensity with effects manifesting in the short term (within a year post 2nd wave) and perceived to channel high-level challenges to the disadvantaged group. 
The social pillar also had a high negative impact manifesting in medium-term but posed the largest impact on disadvantaged groups.

Meanwhile, the governance pillar manifested relatively low impact intensity in the short term (within 1 year). Although the environment pillar bore the lowest impact of pandemic, its implications were associated with high impact on disadvantaged groups.
The study noted that the impacts have increased the pre-existing vulnerabilities of the "traditionally left behind" and created new challenges for the "newly pushed behind".

It warned these effects may persist into the medium-term for one to three years post-second wave which started in mid-March 2021.

In this situation, the Citizen's Platform for SDGs suggested updating SDG Tracker urgently and using SDG as a framework for post-pandemic recovery.

The think tank came up with a slew of recommendations, including the stabilization of the BDT exchange rate, reviewing interest rate policy, reducing duties, tariffs and taxes to make prices of essentials more affordable and increasing the tax rebates for job creation.

The Citizen's Platform for SDGs also stressed on controlling the cost of basic living and enhancing income opportunities.

Meanwhile, it proposed to redirect public resources for subsidy to control prices of electricity, fuel, food and fertilizer while expanding public works, social protection programmes and food assistance.