Intergovernmental processes are gradually acknowledging that the health of people and the health of the planet cannot be separated. The full range of these interconnections, however, becomes clear only when conceptions of “health” transcend the personal and the physical.

The World Health Organization, for example, defines health in terms of “complete…social well-being,” in addition to more familiar physical and mental components. This is crucial, for aspects of social health, such as cohesion, solidarity, and bonds of association and reciprocity, are central aspects of sustainability at the community level.

Alliances and partnerships will be central in achieving the sustainable development goals, yet the truly systemic change necessary will require a fundamental strengthening of the social fabric. Indeed, patterns of relationships that sustained society to this point will need to be re-conceptualized and, in light of new realities, re-formed

One community’s experience

What might this look like? In 2005, the community of Bihar Sharif in northeast India established a process of education designed to tend to the moral education of children, facilitate the spiritual empowerment of young adolescents, and assist increasing numbers of youth and adults to explore the application of spiritual teachings to daily life and to the challenges facing society. By 2012, some 6,000 individuals were actively involved.      

This educational process, developed by the worldwide Bahá'í community, sought to raise capacity within a population to take charge of its own spiritual, social, and intellectual development. And as the process advanced in Bihar Sharif – grounded at all times in the principle of the oneness of humankind – clear advances at the level of culture gradually became apparent. These include:

• Caste relations. As a result of strengthening bonds of affiliation and friendship, a deeply ingrained caste system is gradually being set aside. Participants from different castes are associating, visiting each other’s homes, and sharing meals. Some parents report that they no longer tell their children which caste they belong to, so they have no reason to feel either inferior or superior to others.

• Role of Women. Women in the region are traditionally quite restricted and rarely allowed to be active outside the home. The emphasis the process places on the equality of women and men has led to wider participation of girls and women in community affairs. Restrictions on women leaving the home are being left behind and their active participation has become the norm. The number of girls receiving an education is increasing and the practice of child marriage is decreasing. The dowry system is also being revised. Whereas previously the parents of girls often had to sell land or other assets to finance elaborate weddings, contributing to their poverty, now some participants are opting to waive the dowry and have simple wedding ceremonies that do not burden their parents.

• Community decision-making. Traditionally, elders made virtually all important decisions in the community. While elders still retain due respect, youth, adults, and elders now consult together on community affairs. Unilateral decisions are avoided and varying perspectives from diverse backgrounds are welcomed and valued.   

Implications for sustainability

These advances in social health may not appear to explicitly address sustainability or the effects of climate change. Yet because of the close link between human and environmental well-being, the movement in Bihar Sharif, nascent though it still may be, sheds light on elements that are critical in addressing the underlying cultural causes of ecological challenges.

Consider, for example, this community’s efforts to foster a rich inner life and a vibrant social experience among its inhabitants; to cultivate a shared commitment to selfless service to others; and to replace passivity with a sense of empowerment and purposeful engagement.

Factors such as these are central to any population undertaking increasingly effective action on issues of environmental degradation and climate change. Yet they are also aspects of well-being intrinsically valuable in their own right. The social health of local communities is therefore a matter which must be given due attention in linking sound environmental practices to healthier lives.

-- Serik Tokbolat, Representative of the Baha’i International Community to the United Nations