The Social Dimension of Sustainable Development
There are many organizations involved in international
community development. When examining
the organizations that have been successful at effecting positive change in
developing countries, one theme has stood out - the relationship between
sustainability and empowerment. Issues
in these countries are severe and multifaceted; however, most seem to stem from
an imbalance of power causing a lack of basic human rights. Living in a safe
and prosperous country like Canada, it can be difficult to understand the
incredible lack of resources, justice, education and choice that many people
face around the world. Looking at human
need on a global level can seem overwhelming and impossible to affect change. I
always had a sense of uneasy guilt when thinking about the struggles that
people are facing in many countries. Although the seriousness and vastness of
this topic made me feel uncomfortable, I felt that it was my duty as a global
citizen to become more aware of these issues and so I enrolled in an
international community development course.
When I finally began to explore this complex world I was
surprised to discover that there are many ways to affect positive change and
make a difference in the lives of those who are suffering. I
realized that donating money to alleviate guilt around my comfortable existence
only helps when all of the factors contributing to the issues are being
addressed. I also learned that relief efforts to assist impoverished communities must be
developed with local resident input to be sustainable. The knowledge that I
have gained through my journey into international community development has
changed the way that I view global issues and I know now that I can make a
difference. I have begun to implement
small steps that will affect positive change, such
as adjusting my consumer habits. I strongly encourage everyone to learn about
how the struggles and successes in international development are affecting
people around the world. A severe lack of human rights is happening
whether we choose to hear about it or not, but even small steps taken by a few
individuals can improve the lives of many.
Solving complex issues requires complex plans and there
are organizations that are doing just that. International organizations that
are successful at improving the basic human rights that many North American’s take
for granted are implementing programs in underdeveloped areas that take social,
economic and environmental factors into consideration. Sustainable practices
include improving access to clean water, sanitation and education, developing
agriculture and income generating practices and addressing structural inequalities. The key to ensuring that these practices are
sustainable is local resident input, as the ability to make decisions about the practices
being implemented empowers residents to affect positive change for themselves,
their family and their community.
This month’s
edition of The Voice will take a look at some current areas of need and how the
social aspect of sustainable development has been initiating real change,
especially for the most vulnerable, disadvantaged and marginalized populations around
the world.
