July 17, 2025 | 1:00–2:00 p.m. (EST) | By invitation only
UNHQ S-1521
Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) increasingly reflect SDG16, in policy or principle, and as an enabler of progress across the SDGs. Understanding how peace, justice, equality and inclusive, and effective institutions are captured in VNRs, as objectives in and of themselves, and through interlinkages with other SDGs (SDG16+), including SDG5 on gender equality, can crystalize the role of SDG16+ in achieving national priorities and plans. These links between governance, peace and development have been heavily emphasized in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Ten years into the 2030 Agenda, there is much to be harnessed in how VNRs have: identified gaps in SDG implementation; built upon synergies with other relevant frameworks (e.g. Universal Periodic Reviews or the African Peer Review Mechanism), and advanced the policy, budgetary shifts and partnerships needed to realize more peaceful, just and inclusive societies, now and in the future, however iterative the process.
In a year critical for multilateralism and against a backdrop of global milestones, from FFD4 to HLPF, the Peacebuilding Architecture Review and the Second World Social Summit, among others, this VNR Lab aims to highlight how, and why, SDG16 is present in member state VNRs (2025 and previous), share in lessons learned for improved follow-up and action, from consultations to outcomes, and unpack the relevance of peace, justice, equality, institutions and governance to any global development agenda amidst a rapidly evolving and uncertain geopolitical and economic landscape.
Objectives
- Unpack SDG16+, as a goal and as an enabler, as reflected in VNRs and from a cross-regional perspective. Similar focus will also be given to SDG5. This also strongly aligns with Moonshot 3 of African Union’s Agenda 2063 on public institutions.
- Address the return on investment that SDG16 offers (economic arguments, in addition to policy interlinkages), as well its value in navigating current and future shocks or crises.
- Identify challenges and progress in SDG implementation, more generally, with an eye to how VNRs could support, or have supported, intergovernmental policy coordination and action, including in acting upon long-standing national or local development priorities.
- Explore lessons learned in accountability, transparency and oversight in the VNR process, from consultations and data collection (including at local levels) to follow-up and review.
- Address synergies and complementarity between VNRs and other reporting processes in advancing sustainable development.
Speakers
- Ms. Anna Pasková, Director of Environmental Policy and Sustainable Development of the Ministry of Environment, Government of Czechia
- Ms. Terezie Hiclová, Czech UN Youth Delegate
- Mr. Luis Madera, Vice-Minister of Monitoring and Government Coordination, Ministry of the Presidency, Government of the Dominican Republic
- Mr. Hugo Allan García, Undersecretary of Strategic Analysis for Sustainable Development, Government of Guatemala
- Mr. Arifin Rudiyanto, Experts Coordinator, SDGs National Secretariat, Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas, Government of Indonesia
- Dr. Sheka Bangura, Director of Planning, Policy and Research at the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, Government of Sierra Leone
- Mr. Solly Molayi, Acting Deputy Director-General for Population and Social Statistics, Statistics South Africa, Government of South Africa
- Ms. Sara Hamouda, Senior Continental Governance Officer, African Union-APRM
- Ms. Alexandra Wilde, Global Policy Centre for Governance, UNDP
- Ms. Katherine Liao, Equality, Development and Rule of Law, OHCHR
- Mrs. Mary Addah, Executive Director, Transparency International Ghana/Co-chair, CSO Platform
- Ms. Margaret Williams, Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies (Moderator)
