Japan: Taking Action for Sustainable Development

South Sudanese participants study in the City of Peace and learn from Hiroshima’s reconstruction story. © UNITAR

What are the bold actions being taken by the Government ofJapan to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals?
Enhancing international support
for implementing effective
capacity building in developing
countries is pivotal for achieving
the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs).
The Government of Japan isincreasing efforts to enhance thepotential of young professionals
in the world’s newest country –South Sudan. By supporting the“UNITAR South SudanFellowship Programme” led andinitiated by the United Nations
Institute for Training andResearch (UNITAR) Hiroshima
Office in 2015, Japan is not only
supporting the stability andgrowth of the post-conflictcountry locally but also helping
to advance the SDGs globally.
The fellowship, which targets
young professionals in thegovernment, civil societyorganizations, private sector andacademic institutions is a sixmonth-long training programme
tailored to respond to thespecific needs of South Sudan,
focusing on knowledge, skills
and attitudes needed foreffective project management,
youth leadership and socialentrepreneurship.
South Sudanese fellows aretrained to identify local needs
and national priorities, as well as
design and implement projects

Through UNITAR’s Fellowship
Programme, I learned themeaning of unity and was able
to build deep and meaningful
relationships with my peers.
Having previously been
complete strangers, I felt thatcoming together with otherparticipants from the same
country inspired us to work
together for the betterment ofSouth Sudan.
Christina Pita Lukudu
2015 South Sudanese Fellow

I acquired skills on conducting
organizational needs
assessments, project proposalwriting, and leadership. My
ability to lead and understandmy place in a team has greatly
improved, as well as my ability
to coordinate, network, andunderstand other actors in theareas of development.
Marial Luk
2015 South Sudanese Fellow

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Japan: Taking Action for Sustainable Development

An in-country training session, attended by H.E. Kiya Masahiko, Japanese Ambassador
to South Sudan. © UNITAR

to address them in ways that will
help shape their nation’s path
towards sustainable recoveryand development. The
programme has thus farcompleted two annual cycles
with 45 graduates, aiming todevelop the capacity of eachindividual fellow to be a leader,able to contribute toorganizational change within
his/her respective ministry ororganization. One Fellow fromthe 2015 Cycle identified that
there was a lack of skilledteachers in a certain state ofSouth Sudan, and developed aproject proposal to train 25 percent of primary school teachers
in the state. This project has
been successfully funded and is
now being implemented.
Why do the above actions
matter to the people in South
Sudan and beyond?

Building the capacity of South Sudanese to be able to effectively identify and addressneeds in their organizations and community. © UNITARWith two-thirds of South Sudan’s
population under the age of 30,
investing in their potential andproviding them withmanagement, leadership andinnovation training and skills is
critically important. By building
capacity around needs
assessments, project planningand implementation, and sharing
best practices with others, theSouth Sudanese fellows can bebetter equipped to promoteeconomic and social
development that can lead topeace and security in thecountry.

shared long-term vision of thecountry for achieving the SDGs.
What SDGs have been
particularly advanced?
The fellowship programme
supports Goal 4 on quality
education (4.4 and 4.7), Goal 5
on gender equality (5.5), Goal 10
on inequality (10.2), Goal 16 on
peace, justice and strong
institutions (16.6, 16.7 and 16.a),and Goal 17 on partnerships(17.9 and 17.17).

Furthermore, the development ofentrepreneurial and leadershipskills can also reduce the risk ofaid dependency for South
Sudan. Through the fellowship
programme, the participantsacquire a strong sense ofownership, a solid identity and aun.org/sustainabledevelopment
GlobalGoalsUN
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