The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs https://sdgs.un.org/goals) “provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future” (United Nations, 2015). Each of the 17 SDGs impacts the world’s citizens and the United Nations encourages strong commitment by all stakeholders, to achieve these goals. Communication for all is essential for the achievement of the SDGs and everyone has a role.
Professor Sharynne McLeod (CSU) and Professor Julie Marshall (Manchester Metropolitan University, UK) were the guest editors of a special issue of the International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology titled “Communication, Swallowing and the Sustainable Development Goals” (open access - https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/iasl20/25/1). Thirty-six papers, by authors from 36 countries, between them addressed all of the 17 SDGs, demonstrating the importance of communication and swallowing to their achievement. The 36 papers were written by authors who work in Australia, Austria, Benin, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, China, Columbia, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Greece, Iceland, India, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Maldives, Mozambique, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, State of Palestine, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Serbia, South Africa, Uganda, UK, USA, Vietnam. Innovations by communication professionals and researchers focussed on poverty, hunger, health, education, work, innovation, climate, cities, land, oceans, justice, and partnerships. This special issue supports the international call for SDG 18: Communication for All.
- The following paper presents an overview of the special issue: McLeod, S., & Marshall, J. (2023). Communication for all and the Sustainable Development Goals. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 25(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1080/17549507.2022.2160494
- Professor Sharynne McLeod launched the special issue at a plenary session of the Speech Pathology Australia national conference in Hobart in May.
- Throughout 2023 she has/will co-present with Professor Marshall about the special issue at conferences and seminars in Salzburg (Austria), Manchester (UK), Auckland (NZ), Santander (Spain) and Boston (USA).
- Speech Pathology Australia has a webpage devoted to the special issue (https://bit.ly/SPAWEB_CSSDG) Additionally,
- Speech Pathology Australia has launched a podcast on Soundcloud titled “UN Sustainable Development Goals: How speech pathologists can support peace and prosperity for people and the planet”: https://soundcloud.com/speechpathologyaustralia/un-sustainable-development-goals-how-speech-pathologists-can-support-peace-and-prosperity-s05e18
