Background and Significance: The Global Advisory Panel on the Future of Nursing (GAPFON) report (2017) identified policy and decision-making as an important way that nurses can contribute to advancing global health. The World Health Organization (WHO) report (2016) on global strategic directions for strengthening nursing and midwifery supports strong leadership to ensure good strategic planning, implementation and evaluation. Sigma Nursing has been affiliated with the United Nations Department of Public Information as a non-government organization (NGO) in special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, and is well-positioned to influence global health policy and decision-making at the United Nations. Sigma Nursing is planning and working strategically to gain leadership recognition and build our reputation of excellence within the NGO community of the United Nations to align with the recommendations of GAPFON and the WHO.
The UN 2030 Agenda focuses on the seventeen SDGs and the 169 measurable targets that were adopted as a result of collaborative decision-making about worldwide priorities among the 193 member states of the UN. The goals and measurable targets are important areas for research because they represent the world’s input about priorities. The plan of action includes people, planet, peace, prosperity and partnerships. The goals are an integrated and indivisible balance of economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Division of Sustainable Development, 2015). The goals are significant to nursing because they align with the WHO determinants of health (no poverty, zero hunger, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, decent work and economic growth, climate action, life below water, life on land, peace and justice.)
Global Citizenship includes a commitment to achieving the UN seventeen SDGs, and the 169 measurable targets for these goals that are expected to be achieved world-wide during the fifteen year period for 2016 through 2030. Global Citizenship refers to a sense of belonging to a common humanity and a broader world community with political, economic, social, and environmental interconnectedness and interdependency. It encompasses an understanding that personal perspectives and actions impact the values and practices of the world community and the well-being of populations locally, nationally, and globally.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO, 2017) gives these objectives for global citizenship education: to acquire knowledge, understanding, and critical thinking about global, regional, national and local issues and the interconnectedness and interdependency of different countries and populations; to gain a sense of belonging to a common humanity sharing values and responsibilities, empathy, solidarity and respect for differences and diversity; and to act effectively and responsibly at local, national, global levels for a more peaceful and sustainable world. UNESCO believes that Global Citizenship Education is a strategy to prevent violent extremism. As a result of some work with the Coalition for Global Citizenship 2030 at the UN, Global Citizenship is being integrated into a university nursing curriculum to build a sense of responsibility to engage and assume an active role to face and resolve global challenges and to become a pro-active contributor to a healthier, more just, peaceful, tolerant, inclusive, secure and sustainable world (UNESCO, 2017). The plan for revising a university nursing curriculum to include Global Citizenship as a competency will be addressed. In addition, the UN archived briefings on WebTV can be publicly accessed in any course/class as a means of disseminating knowledge, raising awareness of issues, and stimulating discussion about probable solutions.
Sigma Nursing has been involved in partnerships, collaboration and networking with groups such as the Commission on the Status of Women, the International Federation on Aging, and the Coalition for Global Citizenship 2030. Sigma accomplishments within the NGO community will be shared. Workshops were presented to promote engagement and provide knowledge to the worldwide community. Representatives of the organization assumed leadership positions on committees for planning major conferences and outcome documents, and contributing as session leaders at events. The All Party Parliamentary Group on Global Health (APPG, 2016) paper that connects nursing with SDGs #3, 5 and 8, has been given attention in outcome documents for the CSW because of Sigma participation. The APPG paper speaks about developing nursing capacity to improve health, promote gender equality, and support economic growth. Through our presence at the UN, Sigma has also learned about innovative ways to promote population health, such as digital storytelling, which is shared with our membership in the Sigma UN Representatives Activity Reports on the website. Additional opportunities for engagement will be discussed in this presentation such as participation the UN NGO conferences for civil society and social media platforms. Members outside of the New York area are encouraged to participate and engage in UN activities via web and social media.
Implications: In conclusion, the audience will be asked to consider how to use the examples and the information presented in practice, education and research. The goal is to develop ideas and actions aligned with the UN SDGs locally, regionally and globally to lead health policy development and decision-making and promote population health.