Editorial

“Leave No One Behind is the central and transformative promise of the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It represents the unequivocal commitment of all UN member states to eradicate poverty in all its forms, end discrimination and exclusion, and reduce the inequalities and vulnerabilities that leave people behind. “

There is a great consensus on this postulate of the UN and there are many of us who are working in that direction. Although we see that these efforts so far are not enough and that eradicating poverty “in all its forms” seems utopian, each particular action that manages to change at least one life has infinite value.

However, this logic of the impact that each one of us can have within our own context is less popular than we think. Often the impact indicators have to be quantitatively high and handle high volumes of beneficiaries before we can speak of a change, according to many experts. For this reason, it is essential never to underestimate an action, no matter how small it is, because not leaving anyone behind is already worth it.

In Latin America, we are witnesses of decades of extremely high inequalities within and between countries, and the consequences of the pandemic have further accentuated them. For this reason, and without dismay in all our efforts, we must recognize that at the rate we are going it seems unlikely that poverty will be eradicated by the year 2030.

Therefore a factor arises in my view which is more important than not leaving anyone behind, namely: Leave No One Alone.

At this level, or even worse than poverty, is loneliness; not having anyone to share pain, sacrifices and needs with. We can live in poverty, but how crucial it is for all of us to know that we can count on somebody; sometimes it can be just sitting in silence listening to a cry, or cooking side by side, sharing what little there is to eat. The value of family, friendship, and a caring community is incalculable.

Therefore institutions must realize that, whereas offering a plate of food, healing, providing medicine, or training people are necessary, they are only the beginning. True cultural change towards an integral development of the person is a process and requires time. Accompaniment programs are also needed even in the midst of emergency assistance, proposals with innovative methods to prevent substituting the responsibility of the person and avoid generating inhuman dependency relationships.

“Given the choice between the experience of sadness and loneliness, I would choose sadness”, said William Faulkner; Therefore I dare to say our goal should be: Leave No One Behind or Alone.