Cohosted by the Government of Sierra Leone, Government of Canada, Government of the U.K and by the SDG 16+ Coalition Steering Group - Global Alliance for Reporting Progress on Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies, WFUNA/16+ Forum, Civil Society Platform for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding, Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies and the TAP Network

The theme of the 2021 High-level Political Forum (HLPF) is "Sustainable and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, that promotes the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development: Building an inclusive and effective path for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda in the context of the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development."

As we witness rising inequality (SDG 10) and poverty (SDG 1) the world over SDG 16+ is very much needed to build back better. SDG 16’s focus on improving responsive and accountable governance, strengthening institutions, protecting fundamental freedoms and enabling civic space at all levels is critical to implementing the 2030 Agenda as a whole. Additionally, as 2021, 2022 and 2023 HLPF themes will focus on response, recovery, and resilience from the COVID-19 crisis, SDG 16+ must lie at the heart of the discussion and governments’ efforts to rebuild following the pandemic.

SDG16+ provides a united framework on how countries can tackle rising inequality (SDG 10), ensure just climate transition (SDG13), provide decent work and fair economic growth (SDG 8), and provide peaceful, just and inclusive societies for all (SDG16) - all goals currently under review. It is also in line with the current HLPF theme by focusing on resilient recovery and the Secretary General’s Call to Action for Human Rights - with SDG 16+ at the heart of key policy discussions and global efforts.

The pandemic has exposed striking vulnerabilities in all corners of the world, given the destabilizing impacts and grave risks it has brought. As the COVID-19 pandemic further unfolds and continues to test humanity’s resilience, we see it also impacting on progress made to deliver the aspirations of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Especially in this context, it has become abundantly clear that effective, accountable governance is a fundamental pre-requisite for building back better. SDG16’s focus on improving responsive and accountable governance and strengthening institutions at all levels is critical to implementing the 2030 Agenda as a whole.

As members of the Global SDG16+ Coalition, at the HLPF 2019, we called for bolder and accelerated action on SDG16+. Our call is even more dire now - to make SDG16+ the foundation for reset and recovery efforts, and for building more resilient societies and institutions going forward. Given the centrality of action on SDG16+ for sustainable and resilient recovery from the pandemic, we are calling on member state to review SDG 16 yearly in order to track progress and to avoid backsliding during this 2021 HLPF side event.

In context of HLPF2021, the Global SDG16+ Coalition is organizing a High-level side event that aims to bring together representatives from key SDG16+ constituencies.

The session objectives are:

Highlight the importance of SDG16+, its interlinkages to all SDGs, and its role as an enabler of the entire 2030 Agenda.

Demonstrate the strong connection of SDG 16 and human rights; and thereby the need to open up civic space.

Showcase local examples that illustrate the crucial importance of local action for safeguarding peace, justice and inclusion [launch of joint publication/statement]

Illustrate the cross-cutting benefits of SDG 16+ through concrete examples

Galvanize political will and forward-looking, multi-stakeholder commitments to accelerate SDG16+ implementation in context of sustainable and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Building on SDG16+

Join us for an HLPF2021 Side-Event organized by the Global SDG16+ Coalition and spearheaded by CSPPS, the Global Alliance, 16+ Forum, TAP Network, and the Pathfinders, in partnership with Sierra Leone Permanent Mission to the UN, and supported by a growing coalition of SDG 16+ Champions -- Please note that the side-event is taking place as a virtual webinar.

Register for event