This is a handbook for country preparation and presentation of voluntary national reviews (VNRs). It should be read in conjunction with the updated Secretary-General’s proposal for voluntary common reporting guidelines for voluntary national reviews at the High-level Political Forum on sustainable development (HLPF). The updated Secretary-General’s voluntary common guidelines are attached in the handbook as annex 2.
After two successful editions of the Youth Solutions Report, published in January
2017 and June 2018, respectively, this year’s publication continues to expand its
scope and objectives. Not only do we celebrate the efforts of young innovators
towards achieving the 2030 Agenda, we also seek to provide all public and private
stakeholders with actionable insights on the value and opportunity of investing in
youth-led innovation as a key enabler of sustainable development.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development constitutes a paradigm shift. It requires understanding and articulating a narrative around the meaning and value of sustainable development, how the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) interrelate across various sectors, and what it will take to achieve them.
OECD - OCDE forecasts that more than 80% of the world's poorest could be living in fragile contexts by 2030 if fragility is not addressed. Read the attached snapshot to learn about challenges and opportunities in implementing the 2030 Agenda in fragile and conflict-affected settings. These insights are based on eight countries which shared their experiences in voluntary national reviews.
As part of its follow-up and review mechanisms, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development encourages member states to "conduct regular and inclusive reviews of progress at the national and sub-national levels, which are country-led and country-driven" (paragraph 79). These national reviews are expected to serve as a basis for the regular reviews by the high-level political forum (HLPF), meeting under the auspices of ECOSOC.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted in 2015, are a historic commitment to take on the world’s most pressing and intractable problems. Through the SDGs, 193 UN Member States have agreed to address poverty, hunger, climate change, gender equity, and other global issues and to make major progress by the year 2030. National governments are now developing plans to address their countries’ own priorities in the context of this major global effort.
Publishing and disseminating data and statistics on the SDG indicators - referred to as SDG reporting - can be a valuable tool to help national governments achieve their goals by enabling policymakers to understand where their country stands in relation to the SDG targets, and how far they still need to go. Government officials can use this data to adjust their country’s development strategies, inform the distribution of resources, and engage stakeholders around specific goals.
the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), which co-produces the Sustainable Development Report (formerly SDG Index and Dashboards), in partnership with the Brabant Center for Sustainable Development (Telos, Tilburg University), released the first-ever SDG Index and Dashboards Report for European Cities.
Human rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development are inextricably linked. The 2030 Agenda is explicitly grounded in international human rights. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) "seek to realize the human rights of all", and more than 90% of the targets directly reflect elements of international human rights and labour standards. The pledge to “leave no one behind” mirrors the fundamental human rights principles of non-discrimination and equality.