Avant-propos

Le Programme de développement durable à l’horizon 2030 et ses 17 objectifs de développement durable (ODD) adoptés par l’ensemble des Etats membres des Nations Unies en septembre 2015 offrent à tous les pays et parties prenantes une feuille de route visionnaire pour l’édification d’un monde de prospérité durable, d’inclusion sociale et d’égalité, tout en préservant notre planète et en ne laissant personne de côté. Une telle mission n’est guère chose aisée. Au cours de l’année écoulée, elle s’est encore compliquée avec la continuation de la pandémie du COVID-19. Des succès chèrement acquis sont menacés alors que les ressources sont réorientées pour lutter contre l'impact de la pandémie sur la santé et les domaines socio-économiques. Le multilatéralisme et la solidarité mondiale sont le seul moyen de reconstruire mieux au début de la décennie d'action et de réalisation pour le développement durable. Un suivi et un examen efficaces de l’Agenda 2030 grâce à l’apprentissage par les pairs sont essentiels à un regain d’action et des progrès dans la réalisation de ces ODD ambitieux et interdépendants en ces temps difficiles. Au cœur de ce processus se trouvent les Examens nationaux volontaires (ENV), qui sont devenus un élément essentiel de l’examen et de la mise en œuvre de l’Agenda 2030 et des ODD et continueront à montrer la voie à suivre et à fournir une source essentielle d’enseignements et de partage d'expériences.

176 ENV ont été présentés au Forum politique de haut niveau (FPHN) pour le développement durable depuis 2016 et 46 autres examens devraient être présentés en juillet 2022. Le présent manuel, édité par le Département des affaires économiques et sociales des Nations Unies en sa qualité de Secrétariat du FPHN, explicite la proposition révisée du Secrétaire général relative à des directives communes d’application volontaire sur les rapports aux fins des ENV et présente six années d’expérience partagée dans la mise en œuvre de ces examens et l’appui qui leur est apporté dans le cadre du Forum. Elaboré grâce à un effort de collaboration, ce manuel fournit des informations pratiques sur les mesures que les pays peuvent prendre ors de la préparation d’un ENV. Il explique de manière pratique toutes les étapes de ladite préparation, de la communication de l’intention de le présenter à la présentation en tant que telle au FPHN, en passant par l’organisation et l’élaboration de l’examen, ses éléments constitutifs clés et ateliers préparatoires y afférents. Comme de plus en plus de pays présentent leurs ENV pour la deuxième fois et suivantes, le manuel contient également des recommandations sur la préparation des ENV ultérieurs. Il contient également des recommandations pour mieux reconstruire après la pandémie.

Comme il a été souligné de façon récurrente, les ENV ne constituent pas une fin en soi, mais plutôt un moyen d’échanger des expériences, d'identifier des défis et d’accélérer la mise en œuvre de l’Agenda 2030. Dans cet esprit, le manuel propose en outre des actions à entreprendre après la présentation des ENV. Il contient également deux annexes qui doivent être lues et utilisées conjointement avec le présent manuel : une liste de contrôle pour les préparatifs de l’ENV ainsi que la proposition révisée du Secrétaire général relative à des directives communes d’application volontaire sur les rapports aux fins des ENV.

Quoique l’on puisse difficilement s’attendre à ce qu’il mette en exergue toute la richesse du suivi et de l’examen au niveau national, j’ose espérer que le présent manuel servira de référence utile pour les pays qui entreprennent des ENV. Il se veut un outil visant à aider les pays dans leur périple vers la réalisation du Programme de développement durable à l’horizon 2030 et des objectifs de développement durable en ces temps difficiles. Il sera peaufiné et mis à jour au rythme de l’acquisition d’expériences et de savoir à la faveur de l’approfondissement du processus d’ENV, y compris toute nouvelle orientation de l'Assemblée générale sur la base de son examen des résolutions sur le FPHN.

LIU Zhenmin Sous-Secrétaire-général des Nations Unies aux Affaires économiques et sociales

Foreword

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted by all Member States of the United Nations in September 2015, provide a visionary roadmap for all countries and stakeholders to strive for a world of sustainable prosperity, social inclusion and equality while at the same time preserving our planet and leaving no one behind. By no means is this an easy mission and in this past year it has been further compounded with the COVID-19 pandemic. Many hard-achieved gains are threatened as means of implementation are diverted to combat impact of the pandemic on health and socio-economic areas. Multilateralism and global solidarity are the only way to build back better at the beginning of the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development. Effective follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda through peer learning is essential for renewed action and progress in achieving the ambitious and interlinked SDGs in these challenging times. At the heart of this process are voluntary national reviews (VNRs), which have become a critical component of the review and implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs and will continue to show the way forward and provide essential source of lessons learned and experience sharing.

One hundred and seventy-six VNRs have been presented at the HighLevel Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) since 2016, with a further 46 due to be presented in 2022. This handbook, which is produced by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs serving as the Secretariat of the HLPF, elaborates on the Secretary-General's guidelines on VNRs and reflects five years of shared experience in undertaking and supporting VNRs at the HLPF.

Prepared through a collaborative effort, the handbook provides practical information on the steps that countries may take when preparing a VNR. It explains in a practical way all stages in VNR preparation - from communicating the intention, to organizing and preparing the review, including its key building blocks and related preparatory workshops, to presenting at the HLPF. As more countries are presenting their VNRs for the second time, it also contains recommendations how to prepare subsequent VNRs. This year, it also contains a section on some suggestions on how to build back better after the pandemic.

As often emphasized, VNRs are not an end, but a means to exchange experiences, identify challenges and accelerate implementation. In that spirit, the handbook further proposes what to do after the VNR presentation. It also contains two useful annexes to be used in conjunction with the handbook: a checklist for VNR preparations and the revised Secretary-General's proposal for voluntary common reporting guidelines for VNRs.

Though it can hardly be expected to do full justice to all the richness of the follow-up and review at the national level, I hope this handbook will be a useful reference for countries undertaking the VNRs. It is meant to be a tool to assist the countries in their journey to achieving the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals especially in these challenging times. It will be further refined and updated as more experience and knowledge are acquired along with the deepening of the VNR process including any new guidance by the General Assembly based on its review of the resolutions on the HLPF.

LIU Zhenmin Under-Secretary-General

Source: UN

Introduction: VNRs as the cornerstone of the follow-up and review framework of the 2030 Agenda

When the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted, Member States of the United Nations committed to engage in the systematic follow-up and review of the implementation of the Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A key element of this follow-up and review architecture is the preparation of Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) and the presentation of their results to the international community at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). This mechanism has become one of the more innovative contributions of the current global development agenda.

The VNR process was established by General Assembly Resolution 67/290 adopted in 2013, defines the format and organization of the HLPF. The resolution determined that VNR reporting exercises would replace the voluntary national presentations held in the ECOSOC annual ministerial-level substantive reviews. The same resolution determined that the new mechanism would start operating in 2016. Paragraph 74 of the 2030 Agenda outlines the principles for the followup and review process.

VNRs are presented annually to the HLPF. Even though these reports are voluntary, 176 of the 197 members of the HLPF1 have already submitted at least one VNR report. This equates to approximately 90 per cent of UN member States.

This repository identifies good practices resulting from an analysis of VNR Reports. It is intended to contribute to the national effort to conduct good national reviews and submit robust reports by learning from practice. It results from desk research analyzing 247 VNR reports submitted to the HLPF between 2016 and 2021. The author of the repository identified these good practices after considering:

• Alignment with the 2030 Agenda principles for implementing the SDGs;
• Alignment with the 2030 Agenda principles for reviewing and reporting exercises;
• Replicability and scalability of selected practices;
• Reported results arising from the selected practices;
• Consideration of the economic, social, and environmental dimensions under an Integrated Approach to Sustainable Development.

The repository contains examples of good practices from almost 100 developing and developed countries, small islands developing States, landlocked developing countries, least developed countries, and OECD members. It assumes that no country is too small or underdeveloped to have noteworthy experiences to share, and no country is too big or developed to have nothing to learn from others. One important caveat to note is that a good practice should be understood in the context in which it takes place. Good practices should not be replicated without further analysis, and what may be a good practice in one country could produce different results in others. Nevertheless, the good practices outlined in this repository may provide a gateway to identify successful practices that could be adapted to local contexts and implemented accordingly. The repository is organized in three parts, sub-divided into chapters. The first two parts aim at responding to possible support needs across VNR exercises, with part A focused on VNR report building and part B concentrated on how the reports reflect SDG implementation efforts. Part C, which refers to the effects COVID-19 pandemic, was included to link the VNRs, the Decade of Action, and the United Nations Secretary-General’s appeal to Build Back Better in the response to the pandemic. The author has also included several “Recommendation Textboxes” with suggestions for building a VNR report.

As UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated, “We must seize the opportunity of this crisis to strengthen our commitment to implement the 2030 Agenda and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. By making progress on our global roadmap for a more inclusive and sustainable future, we can better respond to future crises” (Shared Responsibility, Global Solidarity: Responding to the Socio-Economic Impacts of COVID-19. Secretary-General’s Report, page 2).

Transforming our world is still in our hands.

Source: UN

How to engage with the High Level Political Forum (HLPF)

User Guide

Introduction

In September 2015 a set of global goals were agreed, intended to map out a path towards sustainable development over the next fifteen years. These sustainable development goals are intended to set an ambitious path for a more equitable global economy with a clearer social and environmental balance.

The UN has been engaged in sustainable development policies since the Brundtland Commission published its report named Our Common Future in 1987 and the subsequent UN Earth Summit in Rio in 1992 (Also known as The UN Conference on Environment and Development), but sustainable development was rarely given the recognition in policy-making that it deserved. This changed with the Rio+20 Conference in 2012. The Rio+20 Outcome Document, named “The Future We Want” positioned sustainable development as the backbone of all future development.

This has been further reiterated by the work carried out by the UN Open Working Group, whereby governments, representatives from civil society and the private sector contributed to further crafting this new agenda. After 18 months of deliberations, 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) were agreed upon, in addition to 169 related targets. The SDGs were subsequently debated further and adopted under the title: “Transforming Our world: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”

It was agreed at the United Nations that these goals should be subject to annual review and not only acceding to their own national plans but also by using the indicators to measure these reviews. In order to provide a space for this regular review to take place, in 2013 the Member States of the UN agreed to establish the High Level Political Forum (HLPF) which replaced the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) established at the UN Earth Summit in 1992.

The HLPF has been called the preeminent forum within the United Nations to work on sustainable development issues for the next fifteen years or so. It is also referred to as the home of the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda. This Forum is the ‘apex body’ at the UN to ensure monitoring, follow-up and review of the SDG commitments. It provides a forum to review progress across nation states and to connect policies within the UN system.

The HLPF accords NGOs the most far reaching participatory privileges and rights in the history of the UN. But how can civil society most effectively engage with this process? How does the UN enable voices to be heard from the people who are most directly affected by these policies?

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1. Executive Summary

The theme chosen for the twentieth session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) was: “Peace, justice and strong institutions: the role of indigenous peoples in implementing Sustainable Development Goal 16”.

The format of this year’s session was modified due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In-person meetings took place at the opening and closing meetings, with limited in-person participation of Permanent Forum Members and Member States. For the rest of the participants, the Permanent Forum Members and the Secretariat decided to hold the sessions in a virtual format, with a session of 2 hours each day.

The discussion that raised the most interest was discussion agenda item 4 on “the six mandate areas of the Permanent Forum (economic and social development, culture, environment, education, health and human rights), with reference to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples”. The statements highlighted the persistent inequalities faced by Indigenous Peoples, such as lack of access to education for women and youth, human rights violations (pollution of their environment, land grabbing and killings, especially of indigenous women, etc.) and the need to preserve their indigenous languages. In light of this, they recommended the full implementation of UNDRIP and the strengthening of their participation in UN meetings. The dialogue over agenda item 3 on the theme, “Peace, justice and strong institutions: the role of indigenous peoples in implementing Sustainable Development Goal 16”, also raised a lot of interest. The interventions outlined the need for Indigenous Peoples to uphold their land rights, as their territories have been at the center of continued militarization and invasion by extractive industries. The declarations also expressed the wish that Indigenous Peoples would see their right to self-governance and autonomy fulfilled. In addition, Member States were recommended to strengthen their participation in decision making processes.

Download the report to know more. 

Source: Docip

Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals Report of the Secretary-General

Summary

In accordance with General Assembly decision 70/1, this report provides a global overview of the current situation of the Sustainable Development Goals, based on the latest available data (as of April 2021) on the global indicator framework for the SDGs 1 . It was prepared with inputs from over 50 international and regional organizations.

Introduction 1. The year 2020 was an extraordinary year in human history. To date, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken over three million lives, devastated the global economy, and upended all spheres of human life.

2. Before the pandemic, progress was being made on the implementation of some important areas of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), for example, on reducing poverty, improving maternal and child health, increasing access to electricity and advancing gender equality. In many instances, however, those advancements were not happening fast enough. And in some truly transformative areas, such as reducing inequality, lowering carbon emissions and tackling hunger, progress had either stalled or reversed. In short, by early 2020, the world was not on track to meet its 2030 targets.

3. With the pandemic still raging in many parts, the degree to which the SDGs have been knocked further off track is not yet fully known. As this report shows, however, it is clear that the pandemic has already had a very significant impact in a number of areas, undermining decades of development efforts.

4. This is particularly evident in SDG 1, where the pandemic-related economic downturn has pushed an additional 119 to 124 million people into extreme poverty in 2020, further compounding poverty eradication challenges such as conflict, climate change and natural disasters. The crisis is also exacerbating inequalities. In 2020, the equivalent of 255 million fulltime jobs were lost and an additional 101 million children and youth fell below the minimum reading proficiency level, wiping out the education gains achieved over the last two decades. It is also estimated up to 10 million additional girls at risk of child marriage in the next decade as a result of the pandemic.

5. The slowdown associated with COVID-19 has done little to slow the climate crisis. Preliminary data show global greenhouse gas emissions increased in 2020 while the global average temperature in 2020 was about 1.2°C above pre-industrial level, dangerously close to the 1.5°C limit called for in the Paris Agreement. Furthermore, the world fell short on 2020 targets to halt biodiversity loss and 10 million hectares of forest being lost per year between 2015-2020.

6. This report also shows that the means of implementation required to support SDG transformation have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Funding flows fell significantly in 2020: global flows of FDI fell by 40% and remittance flows to low and middle-income countries fell by 7%. The value of global merchandise trade is predicted to fall by 5.6% in 2020 compared to 2019. The numerous fiscal impacts of the pandemic are leading to debt distress in many countries. While net official development assistance increased in 2020 to a total of $161 billion, 3 this still falls well short of what is needed to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and to meet the long-established target of 0.7% of GNI.

7. Overall, this report paints a worrying picture regarding the state of the SDGs six years after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda. But it will depend on the collective response over the coming 18 months whether or not the COVID-19 crisis serves as a much-needed wake-up call that spurs a decade of truly transformative action that delivers for people and planet.

8. Over the past year, there have been rays of hope. There has been immense community resilience, decisive action from governments, a rapid expansion of social protection, an acceleration of digital transformation; and a unique collaboration to develop life-saving vaccines and treatments in record time. And as documented in this report, there are solid foundations to build on in some areas.

9. Now a concerted effort is needed to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, to strengthen the financial position of developing countries and to embrace a recovery that is guided by the 2030 Agenda. To get the SDGs back on track, governments, cities, business and industries have to use the recovery to adopt low-carbon, resilient and inclusive development pathways that will reduce carbon emissions, conserve natural resources, create better jobs, advance gender equality and tackle growing inequities.

10. The ability of governments to respond effectively and recover better will also depend on the availability of data. Over the last year, the data and statistical community has faced unprecedented disruptions in statistical operations and a spike in demand for data to monitor and mitigate the effects of the global pandemic. Many national statistical offices have adapted quickly to the challenges and played a major role in governments’ COVID-19 response. New partnerships, data innovations and new measures have been introduced which have profoundly changed the statistical production process in many countries. However, the pandemic has exacerbated critical funding gaps in national, regional, and global statistical offices, making the need to mobilize international and domestic resources to support data for decision making more urgent than ever.

 11. The same is true of the availability of internationally comparable data on SDGs. Considerable progress has been made in this area, with the number of indicators included the global SDG database increasing from 115 indicators in 2016, to around 160 in 2019 and to 211 in 2021. At the same time, significant data gaps still exist in terms of geographic coverage, timeliness and the level of disaggregation, making it difficult to fully comprehend the pace of progress, differences across region and who is being left behind. With a view to the High-level Political Forum and the 2021 World Data Forum, it is essential that greater resources and innovation are deployed to further strengthen data for the SDGs

To read the full report, download the document. 

5th Volume STATE OF THE WORLD’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES: Rights to Lands, Territories and Resources

Foreword

Anne Nuorgam

Chair of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

At the core of indigenous peoples’ struggles are their rights to lands, territories and resources. Ancestral lands are the source of indigenous peoples’ cultural, spiritual, social and political identity and the foundation of traditional knowledge systems.

José Martínez Cobo1, in his capacity as Special Rapporteur of the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, stated the following:

It is essential to know and understand the deeply spiritual special relationship between indigenous peoples and their land as basic to their existence as such and to all their beliefs, customs, traditions and culture. For such peoples, the land is not merely a possession and a means of production. The entire relationship between the spiritual life of indigenous peoples and Mother Earth, and their land, has a great many deep-seated implications. Their land is not a commodity which can be acquired, but a material element to be enjoyed freely.

Deep connections endure within this context that are unique to indigenous peoples. There is a profound relationship between indigenous peoples and their lands, territories and resources, and this relationship is characterized by various social, cultural, spiritual, economic and political dimensions and responsibilities. The collective dimension of this relationship is significant, and the intergenerational aspect is crucial to indigenous peoples’ identity, survival and cultural viability.

Land and resource issues, particularly the dispossession of indigenous peoples from their lands, has been at the forefront of the deliberations of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues since its inception, with two dedicated thematic sessions held in 2007 and 2018.

The lack of formal recognition, non-implementation or abolition of collective land rights in many countries continues to make indigenous peoples highly vulnerable to displacement, poverty, discrimination and marginalization. Indigenous lands containing natural resources sought after for extraction have regularly been the source of disputes and conflict. The intensification of natural resource exploitation is adversely affecting indigenous peoples’ lands and territories and rapidly dispossessing them of their primary sources of livelihood.

Violent conflicts directly related to land issues are increasing, and indigenous peoples are suffering systematic human rights violations, internal displacement, the loss of cultural identity, the destruction of livelihoods, poverty, permanent environmental damage, pollution, and the loss of biodiversity in their traditional lands and territories.

In addition, over the past decade, there has been an expansion in agribusiness, rising demand for more land to source “green” fuels, and the adoption of conservation measures that have restricted indigenous peoples’ access to their lands and resources. The growing demand for greater “economic productivity” from indigenous lands and resources is reflected in the increasing number of agreements made with investors by third parties that have failed to obtain free, prior and informed consent from indigenous residents. These circumstances are contributing to the rising incidence of land-grabbing, forced evictions, relocations, and reprisals against human rights defenders.

Since they first came to the United Nations, indigenous peoples have emphasized the fundamental importance of their relationship with their lands, territories and resources. Recognition of their attendant rights is crucial for their survival as distinct peoples.

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples recognizes the right of indigenous peoples to self-determination (articles 3 and 4), their collective right to own and control their lands and resources (articles 25-27), their right to free, prior and informed consent in relation to legislation, measures and projects that may have an impact on their rights (articles 10, 11, 19, 28, 29 and 32) and their right to participate in decision-making processes (articles 5, 18 and 27). The Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention of the International Labour Organization — ILO Convention No. 169 (1989) — also makes explicit reference to the land rights of indigenous peoples, and there is jurisprudence developed by human rights treaty bodies, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, and the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights that focuses on the land rights of indigenous peoples. Ensuring the collective rights of indigenous peoples to lands, territories and resources is important not only for their well-being, but also for addressing some of the most pressing global challenges, including climate change and environmental degradation. Strengthening and safeguarding such rights constitute an effective way to protect critical ecosystems, waterways and biological diversity.

Source: UN

Forest governance by indigenous and tribal peoples. An opportunity for climate action in Latin America and the Caribbean

Abstract:

The document summarizes the report that, based on a review of more than 250 studies, demonstrates the importance and urgency of climate action to protect the forests of the indigenous and tribal territories of Latin America as well as the indigenous and tribal peoples who protect them. These territories contain about a third of the continent's forests. That's 14% of the carbon stored in tropical forests around the world; These territories are also home to an enormous diversity of wild fauna and flora and play a key role in stabilizing the local and regional climate.

Based on an analysis of the approaches that have proven effective in recent decades, a set of investments and policies is proposed for adoption by climate funders and government decision-makers in collaboration with indigenous and tribal peoples. These measures are grouped into five main categories: i) strengthening of collective territorial rights; ii) compensate indigenous and tribal communities for the environmental services they provide; iii) facilitate community forest management; iv) revitalize traditional cultures and knowledge; and v) strengthen territorial governance and indigenous and tribal organizations. Preliminary analysis suggests that these investments could significantly reduce expected carbon emissions at a low cost, in addition to offering many other environmental and social benefits.

Source: FAO

The present report examines some of the main issues addressed in the fifth round of VNRs that took place during the 2020 HLPF under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which was convened entirely virtually for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic, from 7 to 16 July 2020. Despite the pandemic and its impacts, global interest in preparing a VNR remained high, and 47 countries prepared and virtually presented their VNRs this year, including 16 from Africa, 11 from Asia-Pacific, 11 from Europe, and nine from Latin America and the Caribbean. Twenty-six countries conducted their first VNR, 20 countries conducted their second VNR, and one country conducted its third VNR over the course of the HLPF, including on 10 July and from 13 to 16 July during the ministerial segment.

This year’s VNRs synthesis report provides highlights of country progress in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals and its SDGs. As with past years, the report identifies examples, best practices, lessons learned and challenges from countries conducting reviews. It also addresses specific topics, including national ownership, stakeholder involvement, institutional mechanisms, incorporation of the SDGs into national development frameworks, means of implementaton and partnerships. It also provides an overview of how countries addressed each of the SDGs, and examines actions to implement the principle of leaving no one behind. While the synthesis aims to highlight practices from all reporting countries, it is not exhaustive; the examples included are illustrative and their selecton does not imply that the 2020 VNRs do not contain other equally valid and useful examples of country practces. Background informaton and details concerning the mandate for the VNRs is contained in the 2016 Synthesis Report of Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) and it is not repeated in the present report.

Source: UN

As this report is published, the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. Even before it hit, the Asia-Pacific region was progressing too slowly on delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Prospects for success will be influenced by the region’s response and recovery strategies. Transformative approaches that will also address the climate crisis, halt environmental degradation and reduce inequalities are needed.

This report explores six transformative entry points that can help the region achieve the SDGs, including in the context of efforts to respond to the pandemic. These are:
• Strengthening human well-being and capabilities;
• Shifting towards sustainable and just economies;
• Building sustainable food systems and healthy nutrition patterns;
• Achieving energy decarbonization and universal access to energy;
• Promoting sustainable urban and peri-urban development;
• Securing the global environmental commons.

The report takes a closer look at the speed of progress and levels of achievement of countries in the Asia-Pacific region, as compared with regional averages, for these six entry points. It highlights strategies deployed in countries that have progressed most rapidly. A special “deep dives” section takes a look at the experiences of six diverse countries. 

Source: UNDP Asia Pacific

Preface

The present document refers to the Strategic Outcome Document of the International Year of Indigenous Languages (IYIL2019) and intends to inform Member States of the progress achieved in follow up to the UNGA resolution and in the implementation of the Action Plan for organizing the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages. The document also summarizes the outcomes of the consultative process launched by UNESCO and the Steering Committee for the organization of the International Year of Indigenous Languages. The present document also informs on UNESCO’s role and specific contribution with regard to the organization of the International Year of Indigenous Languages.

The preparation of the Strategic Outcome document benefited from the editorial expertise of members of the Open-ended Drafting Group established by UNESCO and the Steering Committee. It was further enriched by meetings organized during the 18th session of the UNPFII (22 April-3 May 2019), the 12th session of the EMRIP (15-19 July 2019) and its statement on IYIL2019 (28 January 2019), as well as online consultations organized by UNESCO in August and September 2019, and the contributions received from a large group of indigenous peoples, intergovernmental, research, national and regional organizations, and individual experts. The outcomes of the international and regional consultative meetings organized in cooperation with Member States, Indigenous peoples and other stakeholders also contributed to the preparation of this document.

Source: IYIL

Introduction 

Voluntary national reviews (VNRs) are part of the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As stated in paragraph 84 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, regular reviews in the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) are to be voluntary, state-led, undertaken by both developed and developing countries, and provide a platform for partnerships, including through the participation of major groups and other relevant stakeholders.1 

VNRs make possible the sharing of experiences, including successes, challenges and lessons learned, with a view to accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. They are most meaningful when they involve an inclusive, participatory, transparent and thorough review process at the national and sub-national levels, when they are evidence- based, produce tangible lessons and solutions, and when they are followed by concrete action and collaboration that drives SDG implementation. Four years into the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, VNR can also be a useful tool to show progress in the implementation and impact of policies and strategies that have been put in place. It is especially important for countries presenting their second VNR to show progress that has been made since their first VNR. They are encouraged to address in particular those areas which they identified in their first VNR as challenging and not to repeat what has already been presented in their first VNR. The emphasis should be on implementation and progress. 

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