Category: News

Mainstreaming SDG 16 Resource Launch

Post author By client
Post date December 10, 2020

December 10, 2020

Mainstreaming SDG16: Using the VNRs to Advance More Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies

By John Romano and Claudia Villalona, TAP Network Secretariat

“As we mark the UN’s 75th anniversary and in a world such as ours, collectively doubling down on SDG 16, through VNR processes and as a goal and as an enabler, is as pressing as ever.”

On behalf of the Transparency, Accountability, and Participation (TAP) Network and the Global Alliance for Reporting on Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies, we are thrilled to launch the Mainstreaming SDG16: Using the VNRs to Advance More Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies Resource Guide.

As we continue to face the unprecedented challenges wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic amidst strained systems of governance, shrinking civic space, and growing social unrest fueled by entrenched inequalities, the vision put forth in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG16) proves to be more relevant than ever as a blueprint forward for the future we want. With these obstacles before us, this resource aims to provide guidance to advance more peaceful, just, and inclusive societies through SDG16+, the foundational goal underpinning the 2030 Agenda, and the Voluntary National Review (VNR) process.

The VNRs are a part of the review mechanisms for the 2030 Agenda, where member states voluntarily “conduct regular and inclusive reviews of progress at the national and sub-national levels, which are country-led and country-driven.” The VNRs are presented annually at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development as a platform to share experiences, including successes, challenges, and lessons learned. The VNR process also aims to strengthen policies and relevant institutions to mobilize multi-stakeholder efforts to implement and review the SDGs. The exponential increase in both the quality and number of VNRs since 2016 reveals their growing relevance and utility for both states and other actors.

Even before the emergence of COVID-19, the world was falling behind on the commitments made five years earlier in the 2030 Agenda, including an alarming regression of SDG 16. This resource seeks to counter this troubling trend with policy guidance, successful case studies, and the sharing of best practices and lessons learned at the national and sub-national levels by effectively leveraging VNR and post-VNR processes. The main question this resource tackles is, “how can we ensure that the VNR is maximized for SDG 16 impact, including improved subsequent reporting?”

The Mainstreaming SDG16 resource first introduces the 2030 Agenda, SDG16, and the VNR process. Detailed approaches to mainstreaming and accelerating SDG16 implementation by leveraging the VNR process follow. The resource’s content is structured through the role of key stakeholders at the subnational, national, and global levels. Finally, the resource is underpinned by the guiding principles that service the entire 2030 Agenda: Leave No One Behind.

Key Findings

Approaches to strengthen the VNR design and streamlining the process with SDG 16 implementation:

For example, in the planning stage of the VNR process, immediate next steps should be identified, embedding accountability mechanisms for follow up. Post-VNR presentation follow-up at the national level could include reporting back to parliament and/or the media about the VNR presentation as well as longer-term implementation.

Consolidating the VNR process with other reporting mechanisms and broader review frameworks leads to more coherent policy, consequential coordination, and greater impact. Additionally, streamlining these processes expands and deepens stakeholder engagement and allows for more effective use of collected data.

The importance of accountability while practicing the “whole of government” and “whole of society” approach:

The “whole of government” approach calls on coordinated and systematic coordination across sectors of the government and public agencies at national and subnational, local levels. This approach ensures better coordination and mobilization of public resources in the implementation and VNR review process.

On the other hand, the “whole of society” approach refers to forms of collaborative governance that engage non-state actors, including civil society, the private sector, and the media, among others, at every step of development. By engaging civil society actors and grassroots organizations, in particular, not only strengthens the impact of implementation, but it also facilitates greater ownership, and by extension, accountability in the review process. Ultimately, civil society plays a fundamental role in advocating for inclusivity and supporting marginalized communities, filling gaps in data, and providing relevant ideas that would otherwise be overlooked. Thus, meaningful civil society engagement based on a whole of society approach is crucial for accountability in the VNR design delivery and follow-up as it reflects inclusive decision-making, effective governance, ensuring that SDG 16 is included and no one is left behind.

The urgent need for localization to facilitate ownership and accountability, as seen in case studies of meaningful community engagement:

Localization refers to the process of meaningfully taking into account sub-national contexts and local actors in the processes of decision-making, implementation, and review to “localize” the 2030 Agenda. More specifically, through a “ground-up” process, local actors can support the VNR and post-VNR processes. Critical to realizing the vision 2030 Agenda where no one is left behind is the meaningful inclusion and engagement of local governments and civil society at every level of the SDG process. It ensures greater accountability and inclusivity cultivated from the ground up.

The nature of data and data reporting mechanisms, as well as financing and partnerships as they relate to the VNR process:

Adequate data collection is a persistent challenge to tracking the progress of SDG16. It affects both the coverage and quality of data available for SDG 16 targets. In the face of this challenge lies an opportunity for bringing in diverse, new stakeholders into the process of data collection, disaggregation, monitoring, and reporting. Especially within the context of the pandemic, greater innovation, and inclusivity in collecting and managing data is critical for better quality and coverage. This endeavor requires greater coordination and communication among National Statistics Offices, UN agencies, human rights institutions, civil society, and other data collectors.

Judith Kaulem, Director of the Poverty Reduction Forum Trust in Zimbabwe and TAP Steering Committee Co-Chair explains the timely importance of this guidance resource:

“The integral role played by the Voluntary National Reviews in the 2030 Agenda and SDGs follow-up cannot be over-emphasized…the process towards their production provides an opportune moment to localize the 2030 Agenda by rallying together all key stakeholders, thus ensuring local ownership of the Agenda. This guidance is a go-to-resource, that provides a ‘whole of society’ approach to both governments and CSOs. It includes necessary tools to take the VNR one crucial step further—to use the recommendations identified in the VNR and link it firmly into national development plans and priorities.”

Thank you to all who joined us for the virtual global event to officially launch the resource on Monday, 14 December 2020 from 8:30 – 10:00 ET / 13:30 – 15:00 GMT. The webinar features a panelist of key experts that will provide insight and reflections as they introduce participants to the content of the resource. The virtual event also facilitated an interactive discussion between participants and practitioners. Please find the recording below, and the executive summary on the SDG16 Hub.

Please note that the content will be updated in the weeks and months ahead, including a virtual, interactive version of the resource. Download the resource now and sign up for updates on the SDG16 Hub.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on the TAP Network Blog Platform are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the TAP Network. Any content provided by our bloggers or authors are of their opinion.

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News Blog

The United Nations at 75: An Urgent Need for Action

Post author By client
Post date September 24, 2020

September 24, 2020

The United Nations at 75: An Urgent Need for Action

By John Romano and Claudia Villalona, TAP Network Secretariat

The United Nations observes its 75th anniversary this month with the virtual opening of the General Assembly amidst the coronavirus pandemic and mounting existential crises. Civil society from around the world lead the call for urgent action to realize the vision of the 2030 Agenda while leaving no one behind.

Photo by UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe: The General Debate of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly gets underway at UN Headquarters in New York.

For the first time in the history of the United Nations, leaders from 193 member-states are to deliver their annual speeches virtually at the opening of the UN General Assembly (1). This year, the annual high-level meeting that formally opens the General Assembly Session, marked the United Nation’s 75th anniversary amidst the catastrophic coronavirus pandemic, which has killed nearly one million people and sickened 31 million worldwide (1).

The planned celebrations ahead of the historic 75th session, which opened on September 15 and held the first high-level debate on the 22nd of September, were scrapped and moved to a primarily digital format in which only one mask-wearing representative from each member-state was allowed to attend at U.N. Headquarters in New York (2)(3). Under the theme “The Future We Want, the UN We Need: Reaffirming our Collective Commitment to Multilateralism,” the session’s most pressing priority has shifted to recovering and rebuilding from the pandemic (2).

In his speech to a socially-distant audience in the General Assembly chamber, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres painted a bleak picture of the challenges facing the world, including an “epochal” health crisis, the biggest economic calamity and job losses since the Great Depression, threats to human rights, the threat of climate change and escalating geopolitical tensions (3). Guterres remarked that while the emergence of COVID-19 has “has brought the world to its knees, it is just a “dress rehearsal for the challenges to come” (3).

The UN prepares for the road ahead

The United Nations has made an effort to utilize these unprecedented times as an opportunity to reflect and regroup in order to effectively face these monumental challenges. Garnering over one million inputs in this “global consultation,” the UN has released a report with these findings called the UN75 report. The report calls for global solidarity stating the urgency for multilateralism and unity “has rarely been greater” to confront the COVID-19 pandemic, the climate crisis, and conflict, while also tackling poverty and reducing corruption (4).

Civil society comes together with the UN2020 Declaration

Civil society around the world has also come together in putting forth the UN75 People’s Declaration and Plan for Global Action, “Humanity at a Crossroads: Global Solutions for Global Challenges— a call to action to forge a new foundation for a better path for humanity through a transformation of global governance to reflect a new reality. The declaration recognizes the importance of this year as a turning point for humanity in which global and inclusive cooperation and multilateralism is needed to rise to the challenge (5). To endorse the declaration, click here.

The SDG16+ Community releases the Statement: Act Now for SDG16+

In this necessary moment of reflection, it is essential that we heed the Secretary-General’s call for cooperation across borders, sectors, and generations to recover and realize the vision of the 2030 Agenda (4). In other words, collective action and commitment to peace, justice, inclusion and the vision of the 2030 Agenda is more urgent now than ever.

In the months leading up to UNGA75, the TAP Network and its partners in the SDG16+ Community have co-released the statement “Act Now for SDG16+: Peace, Justice, Inclusion and Strong Institutions in a Pandemic” recognizing the immense challenge in overcoming the pandemic crisis and calling on governments, the international community and leaders in every sector to urgently make SDG16+ the foundation for reset and recovery efforts, and for building more resilient societies and institutions going forward.

The statement, which has garnered support from nearly 90 organizations and partners, affirms that in the face of the global health crisis and other long-standing challenges, the implementation of SDG16+ is “critical to unlocking the 2030 Agenda as a whole” and leaving no one behind (6). To read and commit to the “Act Now for SDG16+” statement, please follow the link here.

The Campaign for a Decade of Accountability for the SDGs

With just a decade to realize the 2030 Agenda, action must be accompanied by accountability. To that end, the TAP Network and its partners have launched the Campaign for a Decade of Accountability for the SDGs complementary to the Campaign for a Decade of Action and Delivery. The multi-stakeholder campaign aims to bolster concerted action and amplify efforts to hold duty-bearers accountable to commitments made to the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda. The Campaign for a Decade of Accountability is driven by the principle that meaningful accountability is critical to rebuild, recover, and realize more inclusive and resilient societies as enshrined in the 2030 Agenda.

The Campaign has launched a platform for SDG Accountability Champions, with commitments from diverse stakeholders around the world. It also launched and closed the SDG Accountability Survey, which is now currently being analyzed for the forthcoming Global SDG Accountability Report set to launch later this year. To learn more about the campaign and to become and SDG Accountability Champion, please follow the link here.

As we take this moment to pause and reflect on the challenges before us, we must acknowledge that the world finds itself at a tipping point, requiring concerted and collective action in response. In the words of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres: “the COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the world’s frailties. We can only address them together” (3).

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Tags 2020, blogseries

News Blog

In the face of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Our Commitment to SDG16+ Matters Now More Than Ever

Post author By client
Post date June 17, 2020

June 18, 2020

In the face of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Our Commitment to SDG16+ Matters Now More Than Ever

By John Romano and Claudia Villalona, TAP Network Secretariat

SDG16+ takes center stage in the response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and will be critical to rebuilding and building resilience in the future

In 2015, leaders and change-makers from around the world came together to commit to a shared ambition and vision for the future with the adaptation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development framework, including the groundbreaking commitments to SDG16 for peaceful, just and inclusive societies.

As highlighted in the Rome Civil Society Declaration on SDG16+, the snapshot of progress over the first five years of progress towards the SDGs has not been encouraging, and the international community has found itself well behind in its goals to achieve the 2030 Agenda – with SDG16 progress stagnating or even backsliding on many fronts, and in many countries around the world. In the face of this downward trend around the implementation of the SDGs, the world also now faces unprecedented challenges related to the current COVID-19 pandemic, with governments and key civil society partners shifting focus to responding to this growing crisis (1).

In the midst of these troubling times, it is more important than ever that the global community remains steadfast to realizing the commitments made in the 2030 Agenda and SDG16. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exposed the deepening cracks that have emerged in society, only serving to magnify the deep inequalities that exist on many fronts, and exposing weaknesses in institutions that have been chronically under-funded and under-supported over past years or even decades.

It has also highlighted the critical accountability relationship between a state and its citizens, with government responsiveness to its citizens more important than ever before. The current reality accentuated by the global public health crisis underscores the need to accelerate progress on SDG16+ around peaceful, just and inclusive societies, and indeed, highlights that progress towards SDG16+ is a prerequisite to advancing gains to push back this global pandemic in communities around the world.

What is clear is that in order to overcome this crisis, we must frame our response to COVID-19 through the framework of SDG16+, particularly as we look towards recovery and building resilience in the future. Additionally, as populations turn to their leaders for an effective response to this crisis, there is a critical need for transparency and comprehensive accountability for those in power. Ultimately, leveraging SDG16+ is the key to ensure an effective, inclusive, and just public health response – a necessity even more evident in conflict-affected and fragile states (1).

Why SDG16+?

Strong, transparent, and accountable governments, a key element to SDG16+, paves the way for a more effective public health response “rooted in trust and social cohesion” (1). Trust in public institutions also allows for a fair allocation of key resources and crisis relief to the most vulnerable– paramount to an effective response to the pandemic. Fragile states plagued by pervasive conflict, violence, poverty, inequality, and poor public services are extremely vulnerable to the widespread and compounding repercussions of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

All government emergency responses, regardless of institutional capacity, must take on a “peace-building” approach to avoid potential sources of conflict, while ensuring an inclusive and just crisis response that takes into account the societal cleavages and needs of vulnerable communities. An SDG 16+ – centered approach, that addresses the disproportionate health and socioeconomic effects of the crisis on the most marginalized in our societies, presents the most effective strategy to delivering an effective public health response as it mitigates the pandemic’s potential to deepen exclusion and inequality and inflame sources of conflict (1). A testament to this fact is the recent mobilizations against police brutality and white supremacy around the world. As a result of a poor public health response, the black community in the United States has disproportionately endured the acute consequences of the pandemic, effectively deepening the existing fault lines of marginalization and inequality.

The degree to which governments and public institutions are accountable to their populations, providing an inclusive response under girded by the commitment of “justice for all,” will determine the outcomes of this crisis (2). Historical precedence has demonstrated the potential for crises to be exploited for political gain and the suppression of opposition. The propensity for exploitative anti-democratic forces to take advantage of crisis further underscores the need for accountable, inclusive and transparent institutions. Consequently, we must be vigilant to “defend and strengthen our institutions” through the lens of SDG16+.

To effectively manage the crisis there must be a focus on good governance, inclusivity, and “justice for all.” In other words, an SDG16+ approach would “reduce the spill-over effects of this pandemic,” ensuring that the public health crisis does not generate secondary effects of conflict and socioeconomic instability (2).

An Opportunity to “Build Back Better” through an SDG16+ approach

As we continue to face this crisis that permeates nearly every aspect of our lives, we are also confronted with an opportunity to build back better than before and create the future we want. As the Secretary-General António Guterres stated, “We must act in solidarity and turn this crisis into an impetus to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals” (3).

By facing the crisis through the lens of SDG16+, not only can we manage the acute consequences of the pandemic in the short-term, but we can also demand more accountable public institutions and forge more peaceful, inclusive and just societies to break cycles of conflict in the long term.

Using SDG16+ as a road map, we can build more resilient societies that are better prepared to confront the existential global challenges. As we move through this public health emergency, we must double down on our commitment to SDG16+ and the 2030 Agenda, not only to salvage the global goals and ensure no one is left behind but also to create a more resilient and sustainable future (2).

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News Events

2030 Agenda: Speaker Registration for 1 April Stakeholder Consultation

Post author By client
Post date March 24, 2016

As indicated in the road map that was circulated by the co-facilitators of the General Assembly informal consultations on the follow-up and review of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda at the global level (Belize and Denmark), the co-facilitators will convene a first informal consultation with stakeholders on Friday, 1 April, at 3 p.m. (NY time) in Conference Room 3 to have an exchange of views with stakeholders on the upcoming process and substantive issues to be considered in the resolution.

Colleagues interested to make short interventions during the consultation are invited to complete the following registration form by 6 p.m. (NY time) on Wednesday, 30 March 2016: http://goo.gl/forms/IHxPmXAJuu

The final determination of speakers and the order in which they will speak will be made by the co-facilitators based on the inscriptions received through this form.

The informal consultation will be webcast at (http://webtv.un.org/). Please note that there will be no travel funding available to support travel to this meeting. For more information on the General Assembly informal consultations please see: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/hlpf/follow-up

News Events

President of the United Nations General Assembly’s High-level Thematic Debate on Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals 21 April 2016 Civil Society and Academia Speakers Selected

Post author By client
Post date March 23, 2016

President of the United Nations General Assembly’s
High-level Thematic Debate on
Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
21 April 2016

Civil Society and Academia Speakers Selected

On Thursday, 21 April 2016 at United Nations Headquarters in New York, the President of the UN General Assembly H.E. Mogens Lykketoft will convene a High-level Thematic Debate on Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to support prompt and inclusive implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

The Thematic Debate will feature a panel discussion on “Action at all levels,” which will focus on national responses to implementation of the 2030 Agenda. This panel will include three speakers from civil society and one from academia. At the request of the Office of the President of the UN General Assembly, UN DESA and UN-NGLS facilitated an open and participatory process to identify these speakers. A Stakeholder Selection Committee reviewed nearly 250 applications received, and agreed a short list of candidates to submit to the President of the UN General Assembly.

The four speakers selected to participate in the event are:

Ms. Vanessa Rosemary Anyoti – World Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) – Tanzania
Mr. Najib Saab – Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) – Lebanon
Mr. Thauan dos Santos – Federal University of Rio de Janeiro – Brazil
Ms. Siva Thanenthiran – Asian Pacific Resource And Research Centre For Women (ARROW) – Malaysia

More information about the selection process is available here.

News Events

21 April High-level thematic debate on SDGs: Contribute to discussions

Post author By client
Post date March 24, 2016

On Thursday, 21 April 2016, the President of the General Assembly H.E. Mogens Lykketoft will convene a High-level Thematic Debate on Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to support prompt and inclusive implementation of the 2030 Agenda. This event will serve to significantly increase international awareness and political momentum around the implementation of the SDGs. It will bring together global political, business and civil society leaders in New York to focus on kick-starting SDG implementation. A unique opportunity to address the synergy between the COP21 outcome and the 2030 Agenda, the meeting will serve as a platform to catalyse action, discuss concrete steps forward and mobilize potential implementation partners.

For more information on the event, please see: http://www.un.org/pga/70/events/sdgs/

In preparation of this important event, all relevant stakeholders are invited to contribute to the discussions through a dedicated google page available at:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1WlZgbEUPsC0i_K7DcG1MqzZzHZmYFeT3dQZ1_fPWMKY/viewform

Contributions will be made available publicly to promote engagement and inform the Debate, in particular contributions from actors not able to be present.

News Events

General Registration form Expert Group Meeting that will take place on 19 April, in NYC (UNFPA Office)

Post author By client
Post date March 14, 2016

We are glad to share with you the general registration form for the Expert Group Meeting that will take place on 19 April, in New York City (UNFPA Office) http://goo.gl/forms/1PQBn5PMcZ

Prior registration is mandatory in order for participants to be able to enter the building. Deadline for registration is 13 April 2016 (Wednesday). Please note that since seating capacity is limited, registration through this form does not guarantee attendance to the event. Participants will be notified prior to the event.

Also note that there is a separate registration form for the nominations of funded participants, which can be found here (deadline 16 March).

News Events

2030 Agenda: Letter by two co-facilitators (Belize and Denmark) on process to take decisions on critical issues addressed in the report of the Secretary-General

Post author By client
Post date March 14, 2016

You may be interested in the letter (http://www.un.org/pga/70/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/14-Mar_2030-Agenda-Follow-up-and-review-14-March-2016.pdf) that has been circulated today by the two co-facilitators (Belize and Denmark) for the process to take decisions on the most critical issues, as seen by Member States, addressed in the report of the Secretary-General outlining critical milestones and way forward towards coherent, efficient and inclusive follow-up and review at the global level of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As indicated in their letter, the two co-facilitators will hold a informal consultations of the General Assembly on Thursday, 17 March, at 4 p.m. in the Trusteeship Council Chamber, to discuss a road map for the process.

The Secretary-General’s report and related background information can be accessed at: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/hlpf/follow-up

News Events

Civil Society: Apply to attend or speak at Paris Climate Change Agreement Signing Ceremony at UNHQ in NY (22 April)

Post author By client
Post date March 14, 2016

Signing Ceremony of the Paris Climate Change Agreement at United Nations Headquarters in New York 22 April 2016

Civil Society: Apply to speak in the opening session, or to attend the event

By 16 March: Apply for civil society Selection Committee

By 20 March: Apply to speak or attend

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has invited all world leaders to a signing ceremony on 22 April for the historic climate agreement that was reached in Paris in December last year. The signing event will take place at UN Headquarters in New York on the first day the agreement will be open for signature, which coincides with the UN observance of International Mother Earth Day. The Secretary-General intends to use the occasion of the signing ceremony to further engage world leaders as well as those from business and civil society to put the new agreement into action as quickly as possible.

At the request of the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, UN-NGLS is leading a process for civil society to apply for a speaking role in the opening session of the signing ceremony, or to attend the event as an observer.

For the speaking role in the opening session, the Executive Office of the Secretary-General is seeking someone from a developing country who can share a compelling story of a new innovation or solution (from social entrepreneurship to engineering to community action) that she / he has put into practice that is delivering tangible results on climate change mitigation or adaptation.

Travel funding will be provided for the selected speaker, as well as a supporter if the selected candidate is under 18.

Travel funding is not available from the UN for civil society observers to attend the meeting.

Apply here by 20 March to speak in the opening session, or to attend the event:
http://bit.ly/22April-Paris-Agreement-Signing-CSO-Speaker-Apply

Apply here by 16 March for the civil society Selection Committee for this process:
http://bit.ly/22April-Paris-Agreement-Signing-SC-Apply

More information about this event is available here.

News Events

Live Facebook chat on Global Governance and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Post author By client
Post date March 14, 2016

Live Facebook chat on

Global Governance and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

with

United Nations Committee for Development Policy members

Prof. José Antonio Alonso
Complutense University, Spain

Prof. José Antonio Ocampo
Columbia University, New York

Prof. Keun Lee
Seoul National University, Republic of Korea

Tuesday, 15 March, 1:15 PM – 2:15 PM EST

Post your questions at http://bit.ly/AskUNCDP

or on Twitter using any of the following hashtags: #AskUNCDP #SDGs #GlobalGoals