How does OpenBubble contribute to UN SDGs?
So OpenBubble proudly contributes to UN SDGs 3, 5, 10 and 11. That’s great but what does it actually mean, and how are we helping, really?
What are the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals?
As defined on Wikipedia, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 global goals designed to be a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all”, set up in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly.
Each goal addresses a broad issue, with specific targets and indicators to assess the progress being made.
OpenBubble contributes to Global Goals Good Health and Well-being (3), Gender Equality (5), Reducing Inequality (10), Sustainable Cities and Communities (11).
OpenBubble’s contribution
SDG #3: “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”
Target: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being (3.4)
Loneliness is as lethal as smoking 15 cigarettes a day (Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General). By allowing people who feel lonely to connect with other kind people and have a real conversation we allow for empathy development, better self-esteem, greater creativity, and overall improved physical and mental health, leading to a happier life and an increased productivity at work.
In a survey we recently conducted with OpenBubble’s users at EM Normandie Business School, we witnessed a 12 point increase in the feeling of being supported from before using OpenBubble, demonstrating how having random conversations with other students can help tackle the feeling of loneliness.
SDG #5: “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”
Target: Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women (5.b)
OpenBubble sparks conversations between two strangers, with no way for choosing any characteristic like Age, Race, Skin Color, Social Background, Wealth, Religion, Political Opinion, Sexual Orientation, you name it. The only exception to the list is Gender. We are not a dating app, and gender selection is only offered to those who feel safer meeting with people of a specific gender (feminine, masculine, non-binary). A vast majority of our users chooses to meet the next available person, regardless of their gender.
However, we get thank you notes from women meeting other women and getting stronger together, as well as feedback from women meeting people of other genders and taking the opportunity to display the full spectrum of human abilities they possess, much broader than the reductive stereotype they often feel trapped in.
SDG #10: “Reduce inequality within and among countries”
Target: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status (10.2)
With its no-selection policy (except for Gender, confidence-wise), OpenBubble lets people with completely different social and cultural backgrounds meet and talk. This can lead to better understanding of other cultures without denying one’s own, but instead helping people welcome difference and diversity.
Just knowing what very different people can go through first hand, how they live, what they endure and what they cherish, will help one make better judgment, more informed decisions, vote from a larger comprehension, and ultimately drive a real greater good.
SDG #11: “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”
Target: By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities (11.7)
OpenBubble conversations always take place in a public place, so everyone can feel safe and be present in confidence. People who feel lonely tend to stay home. OpenBubble gives them a reason to wander outside and talk with another kind person. When having access to green and public spaces should be natural for anyone in large cities, having a reason to actually go out is essential.
OpenBubble conversations have actual effects on both participants’ health, and widen their cultural horizons. There are ripple effects on each persons’ immediate community, family, co-workers, etc., potentially also leading those to open their own bubbles, and go meet people they wouldn’t have met any other way, spreading kindness and knowledge.
When you multiply by the number of encounters OpenBubble generates, you start to envision how big the change can be, and how we at OpenBubble want to help improve our World, two people at a time, through kind and open conversations.
And the funny thing is, what is actually said during the conversations doesn’t matter at all! What’s important is that the conversations occur. And the more conversations are sparked, the more inclusive the cities will be, and the brighter the future will shine.
