7 March 2019: Human rights are core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and sustainable development in turn is a powerful vehicle for realizing human rights. This message was delivered by UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed during a dialogue with the the UN Human Rights Council as part of the Council’s 40th Regular Session, in an effort to “bridge the gap between the work in New York and Geneva.” The Council also held an interactive dialogue with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, who noted that overcoming “gross inequalities” is critical to achieving the SDGs.

The 40th HRC convened from 25 February to 22 March 2019, in Geneva, Switzerland. The Interactive Dialogue with Mohammed took place on 7 March, followed by Bachelet’s presentation of her annual report and an interactive dialogue.

Mohammed said implementation of both the 2030 Agenda and human rights depends on national leadership and ownership. She said the international community is off track to achieving the 2030 Agenda, and cited “entrenched patterns of inequalities and discrimination” and national and global policy choices.

Countries can show SDG progress by using human rights reporting processes, said Mohammed.

Mohammed stressed the importance of the universal periodic review (UPR) and other human rights mechanisms in making recommendations that can help advance the SDGs at the national level. She said countries can show progress in realizing the SDGs by using human rights reporting processes, which can complement voluntary national reviews (VNRs). She also urged enhanced engagement with the private sector to secure means of implementation, and engagement with civil society in SDG implementation and monitoring. She also underscored the need to generate solid, accurate data, and urged listening to the voices of civil society and human rights defenders.

Following Mohammed’s remarks, speakers underscored: the importance of gender equality; the need to invest in the justice sector and legal empowerment; and the importance of national human rights institutions (NHRIs) for good governance and institutional accountability, which are necessary to achieve the SDGs.

In January 2019 the HRC held an intersessional meeting on human rights and the 2030 Agenda. The meeting was mandated by a March 2018 HRC decision (resolution 37/24). It took up the theme of the July 2019 session of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), ‘Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality,’ and its messages will contribute to the HLPF. [Statement of the UN Deputy Secretary-General] [UN News Story on Dialogue] [OHCHR Story on Dialogue] [Meeting Webcast] [UN News Story on Bachelet Speech]