The 17 Sustainable Development Goals
Poverty. Hunger. Gender inequality. Climate change. These are some of the most intractable issues facing our world. Solving them will require coordination among governments, organizations and individuals worldwide.
In 2015, the United Nations provided a global framework for tackling these challenges with the introduction of its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which were adopted by all 193 member states. Intended as a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future,” the 17 interconnected SDGs aim to eradicate poverty and hunger, ensure equitable educational and economic opportunities, promote conservation and sustainability efforts and more by 2030.
“The SDGs cover a broad range of issues, recognizing that inequality and unfairness in society pervade in numerous areas,” London litigation partner Harkiran Hothi said.
Legal organizations have an especially critical role to play in achieving these ambitious goals by the target date — SDG 16 explicitly focuses on “Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions,” and many of the other goals rely on access to justice and effective legal systems.
To that end, Hothi and a team of Kirkland lawyers were eager to assist in drafting “A Legal Guide to the Sustainable Development Goals,” a publication that will empower lawyers to better contribute to the social and environmental efforts outlined in the SDGs.
The project was the brainchild of Advocates for International Development (A4ID), a global charity that partners with law firms to provide free access to legal advice for non-governmental organizations. With the guide, A4ID aims to provide a more concrete roadmap for legal professionals who want to lend their skills to achieving the SDGs, but who may be unsure of where to start.
Over the course of several years, the Kirkland team conducted research and analysis on the links between the law and the SDGs, focusing on SDG 10, which aims to reduce economic inequality within and between countries.
The team examined existing international and European Union measures designed to achieve a similar goal, including the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The guide will allow lawyers to see what legal rights and protections already exist for clients in this realm, and to identify how attorneys themselves can make the greatest impact in the areas covered by the SDGs.
“It enables lawyers to better understand on an individual level how we can contribute personally and professionally to achieving the SDGs,” Hothi said.
In working on the guide, Hothi and the team also realized how much of Kirkland’s pro bono work organically relates to the SDGs. Almost every matter Kirkland handles involves several of the UN priorities. “Most of our pro bono work already touches upon these goals, and that was quite promising and inspiring to see,” she said.
Notably, London investment funds partner Richard Watkins led a team that helped Equity for Africa (EFA), a nonprofit organization that aims to promote small- and medium-sized enterprise development in Africa, form a new fund to raise capital.
The EFA subsidiary Equity for Africa in Tanzania (EFTA) wanted to create a pool of capital to acquire business-related capital assets and equipment to be leased to micro- and small businesses across Tanzania. A funding gap of $2,000–$50,000 was severely restricting these businesses’ growth opportunities.
Kirkland leveraged its investment funds experience to help EFA establish its inaugural fund — navigating various legal, tax and regulatory hurdles involved in raising capital from public and private sources. The $5 million impact investment fund provided substantial capital to finance small enterprises in Tanzania on a broader scale, and also helped build EFTA into an established leasing company able to attract direct investment.
The project provided an opportunity to use Kirkland’s investment funds experience to effect multiple SDGs, including 8 (decent work and economic growth) and 11 (sustainable cities and communities).
“We are always looking to provide true value-add by applying our specialist knowledge for the benefit of pro bono clients,” Watkins said. “It’s rewarding as transactional attorneys to have the opportunity to do just that in a meaningful way.”
Through their work on the A4ID guide — and by contributing thousands of hours to pro bono work aligned with the SDGs — Kirkland lawyers are doing their part to ensure that the world achieves the objectives set out in the SDGs.
“These are issues that affect us all, whether or not we face them personally,” Hothi said. “I want the world to be more equal, peaceful and sustainable when my kids are adults.”