Together 2030, the Norwegian Forum for Environment and Development, Cepei, JDPC, Leonard Cheshire Disability, PhilSEN, Save Matabeleland Coalition, Sightsavers, and World Vision International co-hosted the side event “Stakeholder engagement in the 2030 Agenda: How transformative, inclusive and accountable is the implementation and monitoring process around the globe?” in the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2018.
The event explored the pressure placed on civil society by government, corporations and other actors, including the opposition to the integration of a human rights agenda into the implementation of the SDGs. We heard from a range of stakeholders and how their agenda can support, or hinder, the inclusion of the voice of civil society in national discussions. Among the participants were Jean Patrice Ngoyi, Executive Director, Justice, Development and Peace Commission of Nigeria and Together 2030 Core Group member; Jens Frølich Holte, State Secretary at the Norwegian Forum for Environment and Development; Pietro Bertazzi, Head of Sustainable Development, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and Philipp Schönrock, Director of Cepei, who moderated the event.
Key questions
- How can governments work in a more collaborative way with civil society to increase participation of people in SDG implementation, follow up and review?
- Is the civil society perception that they are not being meaningfully included in SDG implementation, follow up and review right?
- What can civil society learn from the first 3 years of implementing the SDGs about how to work in a multi-stakeholder environment?
- What can the international community do to reduce the pressure on human rights defenders who work on SDG implementation?
- What are the evidence gaps for a multi-stakeholder approach and how should we look to fill them?
- What are the mechanisms we need for understanding other stakeholders? Are we speaking the same language, and how do the SDGs provide a frameworks for multi-stakeholder engagement for development?
Speakers
- Philipp Schönrock
Director
Cepei - Pietro Bertazi
Head of Sustainable Development
Global Reporting Initiative - John Patrick N’Goyi
Director
Justice, Development and Peace Commission of Nigeria - Jens Frølich
State Secretary for Sustainable Development
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs