You Can Support the UN's Fight to End AIDS in Under Two Decades

The UN's Sustainable Development Goals are 17 encompassing objectives meant to address the world's most pressing health, educational, social and economic issues by 2030. This month, the UN General Assembly, as well as many of the governing bodies behind the UN's SDGs, will be convening and we'll be breaking down a goal a day.

Healthy people are the core of healthy economies, healthy political systems, and healthy, sustainable communities. So the stakes are high, and playing out big time right here at home.

In the last few months, we've seen multiple attempts to rollback the Affordable Care Act, failed replacements, and notable cuts to public health programs including teen pregnancy prevention initiatives, and the slashing of funds allocated for ACA enrollment promotion. Your access to healthcare in the US is already at risk, and largely inaccessible to sectors of the population including undocumented immigrants.

It's time to change that, and that's exactly what this SDG is all about. Both at home, and beyond.

By promoting and protecting your own health, and the health of those around you, you've already taken the first step to supporting SDG #3. Now it's time to go further.

Abroad

There are a ton of NGOs working towards global health, but the most effective focus on empowering sustainable, independent health care by, and for, communities.

Partners in Health does this by training community health workers to provide ongoing care to the sick within their own communities. PIH also trains community members on sexually transmitted diseases, mental health, and other public health concerns.

Their motto is, "We go. We make house calls. We build health systems. We stay." It's a direct, and simple mission statement that supports some difficult work. Support their work now.

At Home

The time is now! Call your state politicians and let them know that universal healthcare (yes, for everyone) is a human right, and should be a national priority.

This week, Sen. Bernie Sanders dropped his long awaited Medicare For All bill, which essentially seeks to expand the coverage of Medicare, which already provides universal eye, vision, hearing, and medical care to people over the age of 65, to everyone.

Sound good to you? Fifteen Democratic senators have already signed on, but it looks like an uphill battle ahead. If you believe in Medicare For All, give your senators a call and encourage them to add their name to the list of bill supporters.

Not up on your phone bank game? There are a ton of other ways to support the fight for good health and well-being close to home. For thousands of uninsured people, non-profit community clinics provide the only health care services available. Find your local community provider, and find out what services or donations they may need to maintain their work. Non-profits, including Planned Parenthood, are also fighting to provide sexual and reproductive health care regardless of your insurance coverage.

To learn more about the SDGs, head to the Goalkeepers site created by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which highlights an event in New York City on September 19 and 20 that convenes activists, world leaders, and the public to share their successes and challenges in advancing the SDG agenda. And September 25 is a global day of action on the SDGs -- find an event or opportunity near you.