The United Nations hosted the 2020 High Level Political Forum (HLPF) from Tuesday July 7th, to Thursday July 16th. With the theme of “Accelerated action and transformative pathways: realizing the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development, ” the 2020 HLPF gave the global community a place to reflect on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), their progress, and their downfalls, specifically in the context of current world affairs. Taking place under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council, the forum included an array of High Level Events, Voluntary National Review Labs, Side Events, SDGs Learning, Training and Practices workshops, as well as the three-day ministerial meeting of the forum from July 14th-16th .
Held annually, the HLPF is the core United Nations platform for follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, inclusive of the 17 SDGs. In 2020 a new approach was taken where all of the 17 Goals were reviewed in the context of the theme rather than having a focus on specific ones. With a particular focus on the status of the SDGs in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, its participants took part in a global forum which allowed room for debate on where we stand on the SDGs. Such discussions engaged all, allowing for the voices and reflections of the international community to be heard, and gave space for ideas on how the international community can respond to the pandemic in a way that puts us back on track to achieve the SDGs.
While discussions affirmed that progress has been made in the first five years of the 2030 Agenda, it remains uneven and has been stalled or reversed by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the SDG 2020 Report: “The poorest and the most vulnerable, including women, children, girls, older persons, persons with disabilities, migrants and refugees, and informal sector workers are affected disproportionately by the pandemic.”
Throughout the forum there was a distinct call for the global community to respond with greater urgency, especially to world hunger which has increased, with 270 million people currently experiencing extreme food insecurity (1). To end global poverty, there needs to be an increase in Social Protection Systems, which is crucial for vulnerable groups. This is especially true in the wake of the pandemic, given that 55% of the world’s population do not benefit from any form of social protection, which is pushing 70-100 million people into extreme poverty (2).
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic all of the High-Level meetings and side events were held virtually. While only registered or official designated delegates were able to attend some meetings, a significant number of events were held online and aired on UN TV. It was estimated that over 70,000 viewers globally followed the various meetings online with the opening session alone having over 12,000 observers (3). If you would like to watch some of the content you can visit UNTV.
Throughout the Forum, 47 countries carried out voluntary national reviews (VNRs) of their national implementation of the 2030 Agenda, giving an overview of their progress and the challenges they face. The official presentations and reports can all be found on the HLPF website, some of which we are happy to report include sections on housing and addressing homelessness. Over 240 side events also took place virtually, shedding light and giving thought to a myriad of aspects and crosscutting issues such as homelessness, and their implementation on a national, regional and local level. UNANIMA International was fortunate to attend a number of these events, giving voice to the people we advocate for any chance we could!
Further information on the High Level Political Forum, including links to the Voluntary National Reviews, can be found by visiting the official website.
