Decent Work and Economic Growth

Home » 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth » SDG 8- SID-Israel facilitating 130 organizations towards a positive change-By Dr. Eitan Eliram Lead Innovation Strategist Jan 2024

SDG 8- SID-Israel facilitating 130 organizations towards a positive change-By Dr. Eitan Eliram Lead Innovation Strategist Jan 2024

Economic development is good for a community, but not when it ignores the needs of the people. Communities consist of diverse groups of people from the wealthy and well-off to the poor and marginalized groups of society. Development at every level should strive to include not only the needs of every group of people but it should also consider the sustainability and long-term impact of change. One such organization working to promote social justice and inclusive participation in the development process is the Society for International Development (SID).

Society for International Development – Israel

The Society for International Development – Israel is the Israeli branch of SID. SID is a global organization that champions sustainable economic and social development through individuals and groups around the world. The organization was founded in 1957 as a way to encourage the exchange of information and experiences between development professionals. In the 1960s, SID’s focus shifted a bit from solely focusing on economic growth to instead highlight the needs of the poor in the community. The organization started to recognize how they could use development to assist the underserved.

Since then, SID has been leading the way in the creation of alternative development strategies, which lean on the experiences and knowledge of local organizations and activism groups to gain true insight into a community’s needs. The group facilitates the sharing of diverse information through various programs courses, training, and internships as well as various conferences and events. Through their efforts, SID has grown to encompass 3,000 members located in 80 different countries with 45 branches of the organization located all over the world.

The SID-Israel branch serves as an umbrella organization for 130 member organizations. Through the collaboration of all these organizations, SID-Israel works with the humanitarian and government sectors of the country to impact international development, promote foreign aid, and build local and international networks for sustainable development.

Sustainable development of communities

The promotion of social justice and the focus on long-term development is essential for building communities that will last. SID-Israel’s focus on sustainable development and meaningful economic growth aligns with the sustainable development goals the United Nations released in 2015. In particular, SID-Israel’s mission aligns with the SDG 8 of Decent Work and Economic Growth. The UN understands that sustainable development requires inclusive economic growth and social development, as well as the elimination of poverty and hunger.

SID-Israel facilitates important conversations within government agencies and humanitarian organizations to bring awareness to the needs of all people within the country. One such way SID-Israel promotes collaboration with impactful groups is through the Global Impact Awards (which Israel’s President Rivlin addressed in 2019). For example, in 2018 SID-Israel gave an award to GivingWay, a platform that connects nonprofits organizations to volunteers. Through this platform, nonprofit organizations can find assistance for a number of their needs from website development and fundraising to grant writing and marketing. Being selected as a Global Impact award recipient brought attention to Giving Way’s platform and mission. It was also a call by SID-Israel for their member organizations to join forces and support the platform that was working so hard to connect skills to nonprofit needs.

Through local and international networks, the organization has created a community that strives to better the lives of the poor and marginalized groups of society. SID recognizes one of the best ways to create a sustainable community that offers decent work for everyone is to come together to share information, life experiences, and needs with each other. Visit the Society for International Development – Israel to learn more about how you can get involved in this impactful organization.