13 February 2019: The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), in collaboration with Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Youth, introduced its ‘SDG Help Desk’ in a webinar. The SDG Help Desk features a knowledge hub, data portals, topics related to technical assistance, a community of practice and toolboxes.
In March 2018, ESCAP established the SDG Help Desk in response to requests by governments for capacity development support in SDG implementation. The Help Desk aims to provide a gateway to share knowledge products and services related to SDG implementation.
The knowledge hub allows users to browse content by the following thematic areas:
- Integration of the SDGs into national planning;
- Follow-up and review;
- Stakeholder engagement and partnerships;
- Resource efficiency;
- Climate action;
- Water for sustainable development;
- Sustainable urbanization;
- Sustainable energy; and
- Healthy ocean.
Users can also access e-learning course, an e-library and learning videos. On integration of the SDGs into national planning, for instance, the knowledge hub provides an overview of relevant issues and shares case studies on national planning and the 2030 Agenda from Fiji, Sri Lanka and Tajikistan, and SDG integration into planning in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal and the Philippines, as well as on topics like systems thinking, and synergies and trade-offs.
A technical assistance tab describes ESCAP’s support on the SDGs, ranging from facilitating stakeholder participation in SDG implementation, follow-up and review to promoting integration of the SDGs into national planning and policy prioritization. Users can read about best practices for each of the 17 SDGs, and learn about training institutions engaged in promoting SDG implementation.
As an illustration, for SDG 15 (life on land), the site showcases activities and tools ESCAP has used to strengthen environment statistics in Asia and the Pacific, shares a stocktaking of national responses to SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production), SDG 14 (life below water) and SDG 15 from 15 developing countries in Asia and the Pacific, highlights a paper on inequality and water and sanitation, and features a number of other handbooks and publications on topics ranging from protection of migratory animals to SDG indicators.
SDG practitioners and other interested users can join the SDG Help Desk’s community of practice to engage with other aspects on SDG implementation through webinars, discussion forums, news stories and other media. The community of practice aims to promote conversations around the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, connections among people who share interests or work in similar areas, exchange of stories, experiences and ideas, and opportunities to find inspire and provoke thought on SDG implementation.
SDSN Youth is partnering with the SDG Help Desk as part of its Youth Solutions Program, which supports youth-led innovations for the SDGs. The SDG Knowledge Hub is a data portal partner for the SDG Help Desk. [SDG Help Desk] [ESCAP Help Desk Introduction]