A coalition of civil society organizations (CSOs) has launched the ninth edition of the ‘Progressing National SDGs Implementation’ report, which provides an independent analysis of reporting by UN Member States to the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). The report examines the current status of implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, discusses trends in reporting, and highlights good practice for civil society participation.
Building on previous editions, this year’s report, compiled by Action for Sustainable Development, BOND, Cooperation Canada, Forus, the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), Save The Children, and Sightsavers, focuses on evaluating the delivery of the 2030 Agenda in a turbulent global context. In its assessment of key areas, including governance, civil society participation, and the principle of leaving no one behind (LNOB), the report brings together official voluntary national reviews (VNRs) with independent analysis from CSOs featured in parallel spotlight reports.
Taking place in advance of the July session of HLPF 2025, the launch event took place on 18 June. Oli Henman, Action for Sustainable Development, moderated the discussion.
In a keynote address, Aleksandra Plesko, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), highlighted the importance of civil society’s meaningful participation in the preparation of VNRs and spotlight reports. She emphasized safe participation as a precondition for stakeholder engagement, calling attention to OHCHR’s mandate to lead efforts against intimidation and reprisal against individuals cooperating with the UN on human rights-related matters.
Plesko underscored the critical role civil society plays in enhancing the quality of VNRs, which, she said, should develop a vision of priority actions going forward, and called for integrated approaches in achieving the SDGs and human rights.
Nicolas Sautejeau, Action for Sustainable Development, summarized key findings across the report’s key dimensions that are based on 35 VNRs and one set of key messages submitted to the HLPF this year.
Analyzing governance, institutional mechanisms, and engagement, Sautejeau said 66% of the countries report they established new SDG coordinating institutions to enhance a whole-of-government approach, of which only nine are vested at the level of Head of State or Government, representing a “marked reduction” from 2023. He also reported that 63% of the countries characterize their SDG institutional arrangements as “multi-stakeholder” – a significant increase from the 38% reported in 2023.
With regard to policies for SDG implementation, Sautejeau indicated that 91% of the 2024 VNR countriesstate they have integrated the SDGs into their national policy frameworks but only a few back plans with SDG-aligned budgets, revealing a persistent gap between ambition and funding.
On monitoring the SDGs, he said the 2024 VNRs point to “a shift from token consultations to some level of VNR co-creation,” citing examples of Armenia, with its three rounds of stakeholder consultations, and Vanuatu’s “open draft process.” While fewer than 15% of countries indicate they have access to disaggregated data, 100% of the 2024 VNRs mention actions to strengthen national statistical capacity – up from 85% in 2023. This, according to Sautejeau, signals momentum around efforts to strengthen data.
With respect to implementing the SDGs in partnership, Sautejeau highlighted an uptick in reporting on efforts to accelerate the SDGs, including through multi-stakeholder compacts, localized models, and integrated approaches. He said the 2024 VNRs identify three levers for acceleration:
- Capacity building for institutional and data systems strengthening;
- Innovative finance; and
- Digital transformation strategies to widen connectivity and service delivery.
On LNOB, Sautejeau revealed that while 100% of the 2024 VNRs mention the principle, only 29% of the countries ran a baseline study to identify the groups being left behind. Groups most commonly viewed as being left behind include women and girls, persons with disabilities, and children and youth. Almost all the countries (97%) report having at least one policy aimed at tackling inequalities.
On localization, Sautejeau further noted that subnational governments and non-state actors are increasingly engaged in SDG reviews, with around 75% of the VNR countries providing information on their localization efforts and 33% reporting that voluntary local reviews (VLRs) were conducted in parallel with the VNRs – up from 16% in 2022.
In addition, 71% of the 2024 VNRs discuss civic space, with a handful citing positive independent indices. However, Sautejeau flagged, CSOs highlight gaps in civic engagement and participation.
In conclusion, Sautejeau emphasized that harnessing insights from VNRs can help close SDG gaps and mobilize inclusive and effective partnerships. He called for a shift from descriptive VNRs to in-depth assessments that offer actionable options for SDG acceleration, outline solutions to institutional and policy bottlenecks, and propose integrated, costed solutions.
Wangu Mwangi, IISD, offered reflections on CSO action as a lever for effective and inclusive multilateralism. Pointing to a disconnect between the 2024 VNRs and global events, she warned against pushback and inertia and emphasized the need to identify entry points to accelerate the SDGs. Mwangi underscored that being at the heart of better local-global integration, CSOs can provide clear results and solutions and thus need to be included in VNR processes “in a much more systematic way.” She called for innovative and transformational financing, including scaled funding for multi-stakeholder partnerships.
Next, civil society representatives shared key 2024 case studies from national CSO coalitions, including a children-led VNR process in Zimbabwe, multi-stakeholder governance for the 2030 Agenda in Brazil, and Nepal’s 12-step CSO engagement strategy.
Looking ahead, Lilei Chow, Save the Children, emphasized the critical role of partnerships in delivering progress and ensuring accountability. She stressed the need to prioritize solutions; reform the global financial architecture; and prioritize human rights and LNOB.
Henman thanked the participants and looked forward to further engagement around HLPF 2025. [SDG Knowledge Hub Sources] [Publication: Progressing National SDGs Implementation Report 2023]