A call to action: Re-activating the latent human factor for achieving the UN SDGs—cultivating courageous partnerships and compassionate human systems

Abstract

The raison d'être for psychotherapy1 is to address individual suffering and distress. The sustainable development goals address suffering and distress on a global scale in the context of threats to the survival of our communities and planet.

Objective

We propose scaling up therapeutic principles for collective impact and nurturing therapist commitment beyond the therapy room, to activate and sustain compassion-in-action at the community system level.

Design

The SDGs represent the strength of collective human concern and action coming together. At the half-way point, we are falling dangerously short of our targets, requiring an urgent response. The tenet of this paper is that the weakest link in our journey is not technical capability or finances, or even the impact of multiple intersecting crises, but our ability to collaborate for sustained action—it is the human factor—hence, we need a psychologically informed response.

Method

Notably, least ‘visible’ is SDG17, the umbrella goal designated means of implementation, through partnership. Partnership has been treated as a transactional element of SDG projects, rather than the vital heartbeat connecting daily actions to the 2030 vision. Partnership is about investing in relationships and a commitment to working together with a common purpose—the bailiwick of psychological therapists.

Results

We propose an architecture to support the development of courageous partnerships and compassionate systems.

Conclusion

Compassion uniquely potentiates global action on wicked problems.