Majority of the countries in the region reported that their governments have established specific SDG strategies, and a specific government agency in their country has been assigned to spearhead the implementation of SDGs. The capacity of the said institution, the planning and coordination architecture and policy coherence has been weak to track the implementation of SDGs across countries and, hence a deeper study on the effectiveness and strength of the said agencies will be very crucial, especially reckoning the regressions across the SDGs despite being halfway through the SDGs timeline.
In the midst of the persistent systemic barriers, we have witnessed increase in policy incoherence, shrinking civic space, criminalisation of the civic dissent, direct attacks on human rights and environmental defenders, compounded by the lack of funding opportunities for CSOs, lack of understanding of SDGs at the sub-national level, and absence of democratic dialogue and accountability. It is a matter of serious concern that shrinking civic spaces reported by civil society across parallel and shadow reports is being ignored in the official VNR reports. In terms of a whole-of-society approach, fewer countries reported on the inclusion of non-state actors in governance for implementation than in previous years. Although more countries referred to formal processes for right holders’ engagement, there have been backslides in reporting on non-state actors’ engagement in the VNR process, consultations to define national priorities, and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on stakeholder engagement.
OUR DEMANDS
Inclusive and Participatory VNRs: Establish an enabling legal and regulatory environment that supports all civil society actors to contribute to sustainable development through inclusive and regular engagement with right-holders, including inputs through public consultations from the most marginalised and vulnerable groups such as women, LGBTIQ, children, youth, persons with disabilities, and Indigenous Peoples, among others.
National assessment of SDGs: Ensure inclusivity and integration of the 2030 Agenda priorities into national policies and frameworks, assess policies and data to inform prioritisation, and create national targets and indicators that cover all three pillars of sustainable development.
Data and evidence: Assess policies, data availability and baselines to inform prioritisation and nationalisation of the 2030 Agenda and ensure an evidence-based approach to implementation.
Leaving No One Behind: Prepare a dedicated chapter on leaving no one behind in VNR reports that details country-wide approaches and specific efforts to reach marginalised groups, highlighting policies, processes, and results.
Agency Coordination: Evaluate the level of coordination between ministries and agencies, as well as the spatial dimension, and involve National Audit Institutions and National Human Rights institutions for identifying process-related and right-based gaps.
Reporting and Accountability: Provide an account of national level reporting and accountability processes for 2030 Agenda implementation in VNR reports, demonstrate progress made between reports, and link the 2030 Agenda to relevant international agreements.
CSO Reports: Advocate for civil society reports to be recognized in the UN ESCAP and the UN's High-level Political Forum processes.
Please refer to the VNR Factsheet 2023 here
(https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jE0QWLuGX6FiW2FTQIeSdmBU1amGkHsl/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=100884737925258157315&rtpof=true&sd=true)
ADA was also invited by the UNESCAP-ADB to speak about the launch of the report.
Event Recording here
(https://youtu.be/GW5s-snyZ-w)
Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific
[Virtual]
10 Am to 11.15 AM Bangkok Time
[Please note this is a VIRTUAL EVENT]
Organiser: Karachi Research Chair (KRC)
Co-organisers: Asia Development Alliance (ADA), Asia Pacific Research Network (APRN), Forus International, Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation (JANIC), CECODECON, Asia Pacific Regional CSOs Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM)
The Asia Pacific region is at the receiving end of severity of climate crisis, rapid biodiversity loss and ever-increasing pollution, with Asia accounting for one-third of the extreme weather events and climate disasters. The region is off track on the 2030 Agenda, unlikely to be achieved before 2065, while efficient COVID 19 recovery remains a pipedream urgently requiring policy coherence, across national, regional, and global processes. The side event deliberated country progress on Policy Coherence for Climate Action in Asia and the Pacific, in the light of PCSD report, as well as recommend strategies for inclusive, efficient, and accountable governance at the national levels dovetailed with regional and global call for action. Some of the presentations by the governments of Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the UNESCAP addressed the same issues of policy in-coherence at the national level and echoed with the CSOs voices about the concerns on how Goal 13 is critically regressing in the Asia-Pacific region
Recording of the event here
(https://youtu.be/CCu2YomP1EA)
Publications
Climate Justice and Policy Coherence for
Sustainable Development - Lessons from Asia-Pacific
(https://ada2030.org/publication-detail.php?url=climate-justice-and-policy-coherence-for-sustainable-development---lessons-from-asia-pacific)
Asia-Pacific SDG Partnership Report
(https://www.unescap.org/knowledge-products-series/asia-pacific-sdg-partnership-report#:~:text=The%20ESCAP%2DADB%2DUNDP%20Asia,in%20Asia%20and%20the%20Pacific.)
Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report 2023
(
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