The UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) developed a methodology to prepare action-oriented voluntary local reviews (VLRs). The methodology aims to strengthen the anchoring of VLRs within SDG localization and local decision-making processes by providing a practical roadmap for VLR development, including key phases, tracks, specific steps, and tools.

The partners launched the methodology in a virtual event on 28 February 2024.

Shipra Narang Suri, UN-Habitat, delivered opening remarks. She highlighted VLRs as actionable public participation tools and said they present new opportunities for local governments to engage on the global arena. She emphasized that VLRs have brought local governments closer together, opening new channels for dialogue, more coherent policy making, and more effective delivery of the SDGs.

Noting that capital, small, and intermediary cities in the Global North and Global South alike have taken ownership of the VLR process, Narang Suri acknowledged that without whole-of-society and whole-of-government approaches, we will not be able to get the SDGs back on track. She emphasized the need for VLRs that go beyond diagnostics and can become an instrument to plan and deliver sustainable development for communities.

Narang Suri said the methodology is a useful starting point for those who have never done a VLR before and called on participants to place VLRs at the core of sustainable development.

In her opening remarks, Emilia Saiz, UCLG Secretary General said localization allows us to look for global solutions at local level. She welcomed VLRs’ acknowledgement at the SDG Summit and lamented that the outcome of the forthcoming Summit of the Future does not recognize their significance.

Stressing that VLRs involve political will to involve communities and change paradigms, Saiz said by being relevant for everyone, they constitute an important part of national SDG localization process.

Martino Miraglia, UN-Habitat, introduced the methodology, saying it draws on years of VLR implementation and focuses on how to conduct impactful reviews with limited resources. He said the methodology outlines phases, tracks, and key work steps to support VLR preparation, underscoring action-oriented VLRs as a catalyst for positive change that ensures a legacy of sustainable governance for future generations.

Kiema-Majanen Eveliina, Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities, stressed the importance of linking VLRs to municipal strategies and processes, noting the need for flexible reporting requirements that serve the needs of specific cities.

Idfi Septiani, Samarinda City Government, Indonesia, shared her city’s experience developing a VLR and an SDG localization strategy with a focus on SDGs 1 (no poverty), 3 (good health and well-being), 11 (sustainable cities and communities), 13 (climate action), and 17 (partnerships for the Goals).

Afif Chowdhury, Deutsche Bank, shared a financial institution perspective. He said to leverage capabilities effectively, it is important to understand the risk-adjusted return of the financed endeavor. While there is an established market for larger loans, loans for small-scale projects are more difficult to secure, Chowdhury explained, stressing the need for a common understanding as a lever to enable SDG financing.

According to the UN, while VLRs hold no official status, the process of undertaking such reviews is beneficial to SDG implementation at large as it helps reinforce vertical coherence and complements and contributes to voluntary national reviews (VNRs). [Publication: Action-oriented Voluntary Local Reviews: A Methodology for the Partners of UN-Habitat] [SDG Knowledge Hub Sources]