Communication for all: To move beyond 'business-as-usual'
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24135/pmm.v1i2.39Keywords:
communication, communication for all, communication rights, human rights, Millennium Development Goals, sustainability, Sustainable Development GoalsAbstract
This article argues for the urgent inclusion of an 18th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)—Communication for All—as a critical enabler of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. While the existing 17 SDGs address a broad spectrum of global challenges, from poverty and health to climate action and education, they overlook the foundational role of communication and culture in catalysing meaningful, equitable progress. Drawing from historical transitions between the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the SDGs, the authors highlight communication as an indispensable infrastructure—especially evident during global crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. By revisiting academic and policy critiques, and building upon the contributions of development scholars Lee, Vargas, Yusha’u, and Servaes, the article emphasises the need for an SDG18: Communication for All, aiming to strengthen civic spaces through equitable access to technologies, media pluralism, and cultural inclusion. Without such a goal, the SDGs risk remaining aspirational rather than actionable.
Downloads
References
African Union (n.d.). Linking agenda 2063 and the SDGs. https://au.int/en/agenda2063/sdgs
Akufo-Addo, N., & Solberg, E. (2020). Amid coronavirus pandemic, SDGs are even more relevant today than ever before. https://www.ipsnews.net/2020/04/amid-coronaviruspandemic-sdgs-even-relevant-today-ever/?
Asia-Europe Foundation (2020). Who will pay for the sustainable development goals? https://asef.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/ASEF-Who-Will-Pay-for-the-Sustainable-Development-Goals.pdf
Beckett, C. (2020). The future of journalism post-covid-19: Technology, diversity andcollaboration. London School of Economics. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/polis/2020/06/12/the-future-of-journalism-post-covid19-technology-diversity-and-collaboration/
Böhme, J., Walsh, Z., & Wamsler, C. (2022). Sustainable lifestyles: Towards a relational approach. Sustainability Science, 17, 2063–2076. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-022-01117-y
CRIS (2005). Assessing communication rights: A handbook. Communication Rights in the Information Society. London: WACC. https://waccglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Assessing-Communication-Rights.pdf
Danish Institute for Human Rights (n.d.). The human rights guide to the sustainable development goals. https://sdg.humanrights.dk/
Deen, T. (2022a, April 15). War in Ukraine & rise in arms spending undermine development aid to the world’s poor. IPS News. https://www.ipsnews.net/2022/04/war-ukraine-rise-arms-spending-undermine-development-aid-worlds-poor/
Deen, T. (2022b, May 23). Covid-19: Rise of the super rich & fall of the world’s poor. IPS News. https://www.ipsnews.net/2022/05/covid-19-rise-super-rich-fall-worlds-poor/
Development Report (2023). Times of crisis, times of change: Science for accelerating transformations to sustainable development. United Nations. https://sdgs.un.org/sites/2023-09/FINAL%20GSDR%202023-Digital%20-110923_1.pdf
Esser, D. (2017, November 13). Sustainable development goals: Elite pluralism, not democratic governance. https://bos.cbs.dk/the-sustainable-development-goals-elitepluralism-not-democratic-governance/
European Environmental Bureau (n.d.). Communicating about the SDGs. SDG Toolkit. https://makeeuropesustainableforall.org
Ghent Centre for Global Studies (2020). Blog series: Debating the SDGs. https://www.globalstudies.ugent.be/the-sdgs-and-the-urgency-of-human-rights-in-times-of-crisis/
Gresh, A. (2022). Quand le sud refuse de s’aligner sur l’occident en Ukraine. Le Monde Diplomatique, Mai. https://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/2022/05/GRESH/64659
Gupta, V. (2020, June 3). A simple plan for repairing our society: We need new human rights, and this is how we get them. Medium. https://medium.com/@vinay_12336/asimple-plan-for-repairing-our-society-we-need-new-human-rights-and-this-is-howwe-get-them-cee5d6ededa9
Hamelink, C. J. (1994b). The politics of world communication: A human rights perspective. London: Sage.
Horton, R. (2020). The COVID-19 catastrophe: What’s gone wrong and how to stop it happening again (p. 133). Polity Press.
Htay, M. N. N., et al. (2022). Digital health literacy, online information-seeking behaviour, and satisfaction of covid-19 information among the university students of East and South-East Asia. PLoS ONE, 17(4), e0266276.
Huffington Post. (2020). US billionaires grow wealth by over $1 trillion since pandemic began: Report. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/billionaires-wealth-grows-coronavirus-pandemic_n_5fbeb24dc5b61d04bfa69373
Jeffrey, S., Schmidt-Traub, G., & Lafortune, G. (2020, August 20). SDGs: Affordable and more essential now. Nature, 584, p.344.
Khan, D., & Khan, L. Y. (2020). Will COVID-19 change the global balance of power? IPS News. http://www.ipsnews.net/2020/10/will-covid-19-change-global-balance-power/
Kumar, S. D. (2020). What do the SDGs mean for the world’s indigenous peoples? In P. Lee & L. Vargas (Eds.), Expanding shrinking communication spaces (pp. 115-123). Southbound.
Lafortune, G., Woelm, F., Fuller, G., & Marks, A. (2020, July 23). The SDGs, COVID-19 and the global south: Insights from the Sustainable Development Report 2020. IPS News. https://www.ipsnews.net/2020/07/sdgs-covid-19-global-south-insightssustainable-development-report-2020/?utm_source=English%20-%20SDGs&utm_campaign=e756da33e1-E
Lee, P., & Vargas, L. (Eds.). (2020). Expanding shrinking communication spaces. Penang: Southbound.
Luers, A. (2020). The missing SDG: Ensure the digital age supports people, planet, prosperity & peace. https://www.globalissues.org/news/2020/07/06/26585
MacBride, S. (Ed.). (1980). Many voices, one world: Communication and society today and tomorrow. Paris: UNESCO.
Macchi, C. (2020). The SDGs and the urgency of human rights in times of crisis. https://www.globalstudies.ugent.be/the-sdgs-and-the-urgency-of-human-rights-in-times-of-crisis/
Macklem, P. (2015, March). Human rights in international law: Three generations or one? London Review of International Law, 3(1), 61–92.
Maclean, K. (2015). Cultural hybridity and the environment: Strategies to celebrate local and indigenous knowledge. Heidelberg: Springer.
Mahon, J. (2021, December 3). How the Covid-19 pandemic changed digital journalism? https://www.journalism.co.uk/news/how-the-coronavirus-pandemic-changed-digitaljournalism/s2/a880580/
Malikhao, P. (2016). Effective health communication for sustainable development: Public health in the 21st century. Nova Publishers.
Masmoudi, M. (1979). The New World Information Order. Journal of Communication, 29(2), 172–179.
Melkote, R. M., & Steeves, H. L. (2015). Communication for development: Theory and practice for empowerment and social justice. Sage.
Melkote, S., & Singhal, A. (Eds.). (2021). Handbook of communication and development. Edward Elger.
Moyer, J. D., & Hedden, S. (2020). Are we on the right path to achieve the sustainable development goals? World Development, 127.
Mpofu, E. (Ed.). (2020). Sustainable community health: Systems and practices in diverse settings. Palgrave MacMillan.
Nicolai, S., Hoy, C., Berliner, T., & Aedy, T. (2015). Projecting progress: Reaching the SDGs by 2030. Overseas Development Institute. https://www.odi.org/publications/9895-projecting-progress-reaching-sdgs-2030
O’Malley, B. (2020). Universities are key to achieving sustainable development. https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20200711094917938
OECD. (2017). 10 learning areas for SDGs communication. https://www.oecd.org/dev/pgd/DevCom_10_Learning_Areas_SDG_Communications.pdf
Ogan, C. L., et al. (2009). Development communication: The state of research in an era of ICTs and globalization. The International Communication Gazette, 71(8), 655–670.
Richardson, E., et al. (2020). Keeping what works: Remote consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eurohealth, 26(2), 1–4.
Sachs, J. (2022). Ending the war of attrition in Ukraine. Project Syndicate. https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/only-negotiation-can-end-ukraine-war-of-attritionby-jeffrey-d-sachs-2022-05
Sachs, J. D., Lafortune, G., & Fuller, G. (2024). The SDGs and the UN Summit of the Future. Sustainable Development Report 2024. Paris: SDSN; Dublin: Dublin University Press.
Sachs, J., Schmidt-Traub, G., Kroll, C., Lafortune, G., Fuller, G., & Woelm, F. (2020b). The sustainable development goals and COVID-19. Sustainable Development Report 2020.
Salsiah Alisjahbana, A., Wignaraja, K., & Susantono, B. (2020). Fast-tracking the SDGs: Driving Asia Pacific transformations. United Nations (ESCAP), ADB, UNDP.
Saxer, M. (2022, May 5). The coming world order. https://www.socialeurope.eu/thecoming-world-order
SDSN. (2015). Indicators and a monitoring framework for the sustainable development goals. https://sdgs.un.org/publications/indicators-and-monitoring-frameworksustainable-development-goals
SDSN. (2024). Networks in action report. https://www.unsdsn.org/resources/networksin-action-report-2024/
Servaes, J. (1999). Communication for development: One world, multiple cultures. Hampton Press.
Servaes, J. (2000). Advocacy strategies for development communication. In J. Servaes (Ed.), Walking on the other side of the information highway (pp. 103–118). Southbound.
Servaes, J. (2008). Confusion about MDGs and participatory diffusion. Global Journal Communication for Development and Social Change, 2(3).
Servaes, J., et al. (2012). Towards a framework of sustainability indicators for ‘communication for development and social change’ projects. International Communication Gazette, 74(2), 99–123.
Servaes, J. (Ed.). (2013). Sustainability, participation and culture in communication: Theory and praxis. Intellect-University of Chicago Press.
Servaes, J., & Wilkins, K. (Eds.). (2015). Advocacy and communication for social change. Communication Theory, 25(2), 177–258.
Servaes, J., & Malikhao, P. (2010). Advocacy strategies for health communication. Public Relations Review, 36(1), 42–49.
Servaes, J. (Ed.). (2017a). The sustainable development goals in an Asian context. Springer.
Servaes, J. (2017b). Introduction: From MDGs to SDGs. In J. Servaes (Ed.), Sustainable development goals in the Asian context (pp. 1–22). Springer.
Servaes, J. (2020). Handbook on communication for development and social change. Springer.
Servaes, J., & Malikhao, P. (2020). Communication for development and social change: Three development paradigms, two communication models, and many applications and approaches. In J. Servaes (Ed.), Handbook of communication for development
and social change. Springer.
Servaes, J. (2021). The sustainable development goals: A major reboot or just another acronym? In M. J. Yusha’u & J. Servaes (Eds.), The Palgrave Handbook of International Communication and Sustainable Development. Palgrave Macmillan.
Servaes, J., & Yusha’u, M. J. (2021, July 30). Are UN’s sustainable development goals in the doldrums due to the coronavirus? IPS News and Views from the Global South. http://www.ipsnews.net/2021/07/uns-sustainable-development-goals-doldrums-due-corona-virus/
Servaes, J., & Yusha’u, M. J. (Eds.). (2023a). The missing link between SDGs and global agendas. SDG18 communication for all, 1. Palgrave/Springer.
Servaes, J., & Yusha’u, M. J. (Eds.). (2023b). Regional perspectives and special cases. SDG18 Communication for All, 2. Palgrave/Springer.
Servaes, J. (2024, March 28.). Will agenda 2030 be postponed to 2062? IDN-Indepth News. https://indepthnews.net/will-agenda-2030-be-postponed-to-2062/
Sustainable Development Goals. (2020). Goal 17: Revitalize the global partnerships for sustainable development. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/globalpartnerships/
Sustainable Development Report. (2021). https://www.sustainabledevelopment.report/reports/sustainable-development-report-2021/
Sustainable Development Report. (2024). https://www.unsdsn.org/?mc_cid=46e7a3c0dd&mc_eid=4f4d98ad6b
Thales. (2021). Digital inclusion: The human right to have an identity. https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/dis/government/magazine/digital-inclusion-human-right-have-identity
The Global Goals. (2020). 9—Industry, innovation and infrastructurehttps://www.globalgoals.org/9-industry-innovation-and-infrastructure
UN. (2012). The high-level panel of eminent persons on post-2015 agenda. https://www.un.org/sg/sites/www.un.org.sg/files/documents/management/ToRpost2015.pdf
UN. (2013). A new global partnership: Eradicate poverty and transform economies through sustainable development. https://sdgs.un.org/publications/new-globalpartnership-eradicate-poverty-and-transform-economies-through-sustainable
UN. (2020a). Goal 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal16
UN. (2020b). With political will, smart policy choices, ‘tremendous’ gains possible. https://www.un.org/pressTechnological
UN. (n.d.-a). We can end poverty: Millennium development goals and beyond 2015. https://www.un.org/millenniumgoals
UN. (n.d.-b). Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda for sustainable development. https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda
UN News. (2017). Communicating SDGs key to achieving global development targets. https://news.un.org/en/story/2017/03/552532
UN News. (2020). Startling disparities in digital learning emerge as COVID-19 spreads. https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/04/1062232
UN World Social Report. (2020). https://www.un.org/en/desa/world-social-report-2020
UNCCD. (2017). Goal 15: Life on land—Facts and figures. https://SDG15_why_it_matters_compilation_of_resources_%20references.pdf
UNDP. (2020b). Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/water-and-sanitation/
UNDP. (2020c). Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production. https://www.undp.org/sustainable-development-goals/responsible-consumption-and-production
UNEP. (2020). Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy. https://www.unenvironment.org/explore-topics/sustainable-development-goals/why-do-sustainable-developmentgoals-matter/goal-7
UNESCO. (2020). COVID-19: At least a third of the world’s school children unable to access remote learning. https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/covid-19-least-thirdworlds-schoolchildren-unable-access-remote-learning-during
Vandemoortele, J. (2011) ‘If not the millennium development goals, then what?’ Third World Quarterly, 32(1), 9-25.
Vandemoortele, J. (2015). Are the SDGs a major reboot or a sequel to the MDGs?
Vandemoortele, J. (2016). SDGs: the tyranny of an acronym? https://impakter.com/sdgs-tyranny-acronym/
Vandemoortele, J. (2018). From simple-minded MDGs to muddle-headed SDGs. Development Studies Research, 5(1), 83-89, https://doi.org/10.1080/21665095.2018.1479647
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Pacific Media Monographs
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
