With the adoption of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, the focus of the international community turned to ensuring robust monitoring and accountability for these commitments at all levels – including the global, regional, and national levels. While global processes around the 2030 Agenda to date have seen unprecedented levels of engagement by civil society, a significant gap still remains in overall awareness and action from states and other stakeholders on the SDGs. This is particularly true at the national level, where action and follow-up by civil society with their governments will be most critical, particularly in regard to SDG16 on peaceful, just, and inclusive Societies. To support accountability for the 2030 Agenda, civil society can also play a key role by producing SDG “spotlight reports” and taking the lead on other monitoring efforts, which can be an important tool for highlighting progress towards the SDGs through the perspectives of civil society and citizens themselves.

This “Empowering Civil Society for National Reporting and Action on SDG16” report (Empowering Civil Society report) — published in partnership by the Transparency, Accountability, and Participation (TAP) Network, Asia Development Alliance (ADA), and Forus, with contributions from CIVICUS, Civil Society Platform for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (CSPPS), Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD), Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC), Namati, Saferworld, and Transparency International (TI)—features a compilation of national civil society case studies and civil society spotlight reports on SDG16. It provides analysis of a range of approaches and methodologies utilized by civil society for implementation and monitoring of SDG16 by civil society, specifically with regards to drafting and disseminating of spotlight reports. The report also examines gaps, challenges, and opportunities for robust accountability at all levels, and provides key recommendations for enhancing civil society monitoring and action going forward.