25 September 2019: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) issued a report discussing ways public governance can strengthen SDG implementation, based on experiences, good practices and lessons learned from countries around the world. Among other purposes, the publication supports a new initiative from the OECD and the UN Development Programme on governance of the SDGs.
The publication titled, ‘Governance as an SDG Accelerator: Country Experiences and Tools,’ includes sections on: whole-of-government and policy coherence; stakeholder participation and open government; effective use of budgeting and public procurement tools; monitoring, evaluation and audit insitutions; fostering a culture of integrity and fighting corruption; and governance frameworks to ensure equal access to justice and citizens’ legal empowerment, and to support gender equality. Each chapter is accompanied by case studies.
The VNRs show a lack of reflection and understanding about including evaluation in national follow-up and review processes.
The report was published on 16 July 2019 to coincide with the 2019 session of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). It is meant as a “live repository” of experiences, good practices and lessons learned from countries’ governance challenges related to the SDGs.
The report finds that none of the countries reviewed has fully integrated their SDGs into its budgeting exercise, but case studies from Egypt, Paraguay and Slovakia show how results-based resource allocations can help strengthen accountability mechanisms. As mentioned in this brochure on the publication, setting high-level goals and indicators is a first step for the effective use of budgeting tools, and needs to be followed by a national strategy plan, overall reporting and accountability system.
On monitoring, evaluation and audit institutions, the report indicates that while most countries reviewed have established a monitoring framework for SDG implementation, only a few have addressed the question of how to evaluate SDG achievements. It further notes that a review of 43 Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) refers to “a general lack of reflection and understanding about how evaluation should be included into the SDGs’ national follow-up and review processes.”
Among the case studies included in the report, Indonesia, Lithuania, Thailand and the UK illustrate the relevance of tackling corruption to achieve sustainable development and the importance of promoting integrity through a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. Australia, Canada and the UK provide insights on how to assess legal needs and facilitate access to justice to vulnerable groups, like indigenous communities, women, and socially and economically disadvantaged people through a comprehensive approach. Iceland, Kazakhstan, Lithuania and Mexico case studies include examples of gender mainstreaming practices to position gender equality at the core of national development goals.
The publication provides empirical evidence to the Global Hub for the Governance of the SDGs, which was launched on 25 September 2019. The Global Hub is a joint initiative of OECD and UNDP, and seeks to facilitate targeted support to interested countries on specific SDG-related governance challenges. IISD coverage of the launch is available here. [Publication: Governance as an SDG Accelerator: Country Experiences and Tools] [OECD brochure]