Further information
The Global Forum’s Communities of Practice (CoP) were set up at our network meeting last September to enable them to share their experience on key topics.
In the CoP that focussed on members’ experiences of supporting VNRs and VLRs we spent a lot of time talking about the challenges that those undertaking these reporting and evaluation processes face. For example, how to get broad-based and unbiased information to assess progress on the SDGs? How to get buy-in from key sections of government to take part in the process? How to turn these reports from one-off snapshots of progress into a living document that leads to more effective implementation of the SDGs at local and national levels?
These topics are addressed in many of the existing tools that guide participants in VNRs and VLRs through the process. But as we started to share some of experiences of how we had helped to overcome some of the challenges we had identified, a common theme began to emerge about the unique roles of multi-stakeholder advisory bodies.
As I wrote in a previous blog, SDG advisory bodies can have a key role in contributing to this because they bring together interests from all parts of society to work closely with their government on complex issues. This can achieve consensus on how to find solutions that work for everyone. They can also lead to innovations in how the SDGs are achieved.
This means that Global Forum members are also able to support VNRs and VLRs to have ownership from all sectors of society and be more inclusive and forward-facing.
We felt that this was a recipe worth sharing! So we captured current best practice from our members in a new Global Forum guide:
How to use multi-stakeholder advisory bodies to support an inclusive approach to VNRs and VLRs.
It starts with the challenges in undertaking VNRs and VLRs that are most relevant to multi-stakeholder advisory bodies. It distils Global Forum members’ principles that most apply to VNRs and VLRs: making their government accountable for achieving the SDGs through a whole-of-society approach, and the imperative to include the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in the community in VNRs and VLRs. It provides a checklist of issues that can guide members that are engaged in these processes, and provides practical tips from members’ experience of what has worked.
The ‘How to…’ guide also provides a compelling answer to my opening question: what is member’s unique role in addressing their county’s sustainable development challenges?
SDG advisory bodies are trusted to bring stakeholders together from all parts of society in a way that no single player in SDG implementation can do, including the government. This enables the process of undertaking VNRs and VLRs to be more transparent and honest. It supports good relationships and communication between participants.
Giving a seat at the table to diverse groups and voices results in broad-based ownership and mutual accountability. Finally, new relationships are built between stakeholders that can last beyond the reporting process and result in more effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda and SDGs.