Chapter 7: Showcasing the leadership role of civil society in implementing and monitoring SDG16+
Across history and societies, the existence of civil society has enabled individuals to hold power to account and advance progressive societal transformations. From the campaigns against slavery and for civil rights, to global poverty reduction and equality campaigns, womenâs suffrage movements, or the countless grassroots associations and human rights defenders (HRDs) which have sought to enhance their communitiesâ living conditions and demand governmental transparency, the undeniable influence of civil society in effecting positive change is apparent. Today, in every country and community, civil society has emerged as indispensable in creating and sustaining vibrant, inclusive, and participatory societies. From the global to local level, civil society complements governmental efforts, provides checks and balances, and amplifies the voices of individuals and communities, leading to more effective governance, social cohesion, and sustainable development.
Throughout each stage of developing the SDGs, civil society has played an equally critical role. During their most incipient stage, prior to 2015, the SDGs benefited from the vast expertise of a diverse spectrum of civil society, which brought decades of experience to help create a global blueprint for prosperity and sustainability rooted in human rights. While the development of the SDGs was a truly concerted and universal effort, the contributions of civil society in sculpting the SDGs is most readily evident in the unprecedented decision to include aspirations, targets and indicators around peace, rule of law and inclusive institutions largely housed under the auspices of SDG16. From engaging with national government stakeholders, to developing viable conduits of information-sharing for grassroots groups, to direct engagement and participation in countless UN processes, civil society has worked tirelessly with allies across the international-development and human-rights systems to ensure that the SDGs were underpinned by well-established norms on access to justice, creating peaceful societies and developing participatory decision-making bodies.
Over the course of the last seven years, since the adoption of the SDGs, civil society has served as an integral stakeholder in the implementation and monitoring of the SDGs. In every corner of the world civil society has played a fundamental role in raising awareness about the SDGs, acting as a watchdog, fostering inclusivity, empowering marginalised groups and creating space for collaboration and coordination. In many places, civil society has prevailed in supporting the realisation and implementation of SDG16 in spite of attempts by some government officials and private actors to actively silence or diminish their role. As we approach the halfway point of the SDGs, and in light of the global concerns about the failure to fully realise the SDGs, the involvement and impact of civil society is more important than ever. The following paragraphs represent a brief distillation of the innumerable civil society interventions across the world to support the realisation of the principles and ideals enshrined under SDG16.
One key aspect of civil societyâs leadership role in implementing SDG16 is its ability to raise awareness and mobilise communities. Civil society possesses the power to generate public discourse, educate individuals about their rights, and raise awareness of issues related to justice, transparency, and accountable governance. Through various communication channels and grassroots campaigns, civil society organisations have engaged their constituencies, empowered them with the tools to be agents of change, and inspired them to actively participate in efforts to achieve SDG16. For example, across the world since 2015 the global homicide rate precipitously declined. This welcome drop is not the preserve of any region or one particular factor. However, it is undeniable that civil society groups have played an instrumental role in raising awareness and mobilising communities to create safer societies. The US-based âMarch For Our Livesâ is one such example. In 2022, March For Our Lives (MFOL) held 450 marches worldwide, leading to over 20 new state laws to curb gun violence in the US and to the establishment of the bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the first federal legislation on guns in 30 years. Today, MFOL has over 300 chapters across the US which are mobilising to address gun violence and usher in a safer future for all.
Moreover, civil society acts as a watchdog, holding governments and institutions accountable for their actions, or lack thereof. By monitoring the performance of governments, advocating for policy reforms, and demanding transparency, civil society organisations ensure that commitments related to SDG16 are upheld. They provide independent assessments, research, and data analysis that help identify gaps in governance, justice systems and rule of law, prompting governments to take appropriate actions. Globally, the establishment of the International Criminal Court stands as a momentous triumph for civil society, which tirelessly works towards securing justice and accountability for human rights violations. Advocacy by victimsâ groups has also led to the pursuit of justice through national and specialised courts. Notably, the trial and subsequent conviction of Hissène HabrĂŠ, the former President of Chad, in Senegal in 2016 for crimes against humanity, was primarily instigated and propelled by victimsâ associations and NGOs. Similarly, in Eritrea, unwavering activism by citizen groups and diaspora associations played a pivotal role in shaping the formation of the UN commission of inquiry on human rights in Eritrea.
Civil society also plays a critical role in fostering inclusivity and empowering marginalised groups. SDG16 emphasises the need to ensure access to justice for all, promote the rule of law and reduce corruption. Civil society organisations often work directly with vulnerable communities, providing legal aid, counselling and support services. They work tirelessly to advocate for the rights of marginalised groups, address discrimination, and promote social cohesion, thus contributing to the building of inclusive societies as envisioned in SDG16. In Colombia, civil society has been at the forefront of the peace process. Through a range of social media campaigns, organisations such as El Avispero provided spaces for people to actively engage in a broad spectrum of peace-building activities. Moreover, ComisiĂłn Ătnica para la Paz y la Defensa de los Derechos Territoriales helped to ensure that Afro and indigenous peoples played a prominent role in the peace process, which resulted in the inclusion of a chapter in the final peace agreement focusing on ethnicity.
Additionally, civil society organisations are instrumental in advocating for legal reforms that promote human rights, access to justice, and effective governance. They engage in legislative processes, provide inputs on policy frameworks, and advocate for laws that protect fundamental freedoms, ensure equal access to justice, and promote transparency and accountability. Their involvement helps shape legal systems and institutional frameworks in line with the principles of SDG16. By means of legal action, civil society has achieved notable successes in upholding empowering laws and overturning restrictive regulations that undermine core values such as equality and inclusion. Since 2015, as hundreds of human rights defenders continue to be killed every year, several countries have adopted national legislation to protect and promote the work of human rights defenders. Through these laws, which have been adopted from Mexico to Cote dâIvoire, HRDs have been granted legal recognition and protection. The legislation has also helped to ensure that the HRDs operate in a safe and supportive environment, free from attacks, reprisals and unwarranted restrictions. Of nearly two dozen of these laws, civil society was at the forefront of the development of each, by advocating and working with governments to ensure that national legislation on protecting and promoting the work of human rights defenders was in line with international best practice.Â
These examples are just a microcosm of how civil society plays a vital leadership role in implementing SDG16. Since the SDGs were launched, through raising awareness, advocacy, accountability, inclusivity, collaboration and legal reforms, civil society has driven positive change, promoted peaceful and inclusive societies, and contributed to the establishment of effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions. We know that civil society is pivotal in supporting governments, businesses and individuals to achieve their human rights and development aspirations. Moving forward, as we embark on the second half of the SDGs and seek to accelerate action on SDG16, we must ensure that civil society is recognised, supported and nurtured by all stakeholders as essential partners in achieving the goals of SDG16 and creating a more just and sustainable world.
Case Study: Civil Society leading the charge for SDG16+ - Voices of SDG16+ : Stories for Global Action
Voices of SDG16+: Stories for Global Action is a collaborative campaign to bring the work of civil society on SDG16+ to the High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development in New York. In 2019, a group of organisations joined forces in launching a campaign dedicated to showcase civil society SDG16+ work and to call for global action. Individuals and partner organisations from around the world were invited to submit video stories demonstrating compelling examples of how efforts are being undertaken towards SDG16+ at the local and national level and how SDG16+ is positively impacting peopleâs lives globally.
The Voices of SDG16+: Stories for Global Action campaign was initiated to generate a collection of stories to be used to present best practices from civil society around SDG16+, by enabling peacebuilders across the globe to spread their voices and local experiences and by involving the producers in discussions around the documented practices.
The Voices SDG16+ Alumni Booklet has noted that, since the initial launch in 2019, the campaign has proven to be a resounding success. Over the years, selected videos have been showcased during the High-level Political Forum in New York, both during in-person meetings and through official online side events. Through this, the campaign provided an opportunity to showcase best practices and insert localised experiences into policy discussions at the HLPF.
The key asset of the campaign has been that it has provided a unique space and momentum for local SDG16+ champions and their practitionerâs stories to be featured in the context of the policy discussions, follow-up and review meetings centred on the progress of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Showcasing local practitioners working on issues related to bringing about more peaceful, just and inclusive societies has stood-out from the very start. The campaign provided a unique niche to amplify the voices of those making a difference and bring them to the fore.
One final, distinctive feature of the campaign is that the partner organisations supporting the campaign have maintained active contact with previous participants. Through this, a Voices of SDG16+ Alumni Group has been established which convenes to update one another on their continuing SDG16+ work and to share further updates on how their engagement in the campaign has helped them in their contexts.
More information on the Voices of SDG16+: Stories for Global Action campaign can be found on the dedicated website of the campaign, containing information about past campaigns, and including links to the videos submitted during previous iterations of the campaign.
Case Study: Civil society pursuing inclusive governance in follow-up and review
The Civil Society Platform for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (CSPPS) is a global network of civil society organisations supporting peacebuilding efforts in fragile and conflict-affected settings (FCAS). CSPPS represents the civil society constituency in the context of the International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (IDPS).
IDPS is a unique tripartite political dialogue platform, whose members are committed to supporting country-owned peacebuilding and statebuilding as the cornerstone of development. IDPS was one of the leading voices for the inclusion of Goal 16 on peaceful, just and inclusive societies in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, acknowledging the indivisibility of peace and development, and the centrality of statebuilding and institution-building in their sustainability.
The CSPPS Ready for Review project is built around political dialogue processes taking place in the context of the IDPS partnership through which CSPPS has ensured the meaningful inclusion, participation, and contribution of local civil society during Voluntary National Review (VNR) processes, with a focus on SDG16+ and within a group of selected fragile and conflict-affected countries. This process of pursuing inclusive governance in the context of follow-up and review at the national level was embarked upon through a number of related steps focusing on partnerships, collaboration, awareness raising and capacity strengthening.
In the various countries where CSPPS worked in the context of its Ready for Review project, civil society organisations were often unaware of how they could contribute to SDG monitoring through engaging in VNR processes. In this context, civil society often had to be introduced first to the ways in which it could take part in follow-up and review, in order to later mobilise and take action.
Awareness-raising and capacity-strengthening activities have proven to be key in supporting participation and ownership in the review process. Bolstering coordination and collaboration between civil society actors at the national level has been another central element in the process, where linkages with civil society involvement in SDG-coordination and national-implementation committees were pursued and established. Coordinated engagement with those involved in these structures is of crucial importance to influence policy processes at the national level.
A final element in the Ready for Review approach was that of forging partnerships with key stakeholders involved in the VNR-process, utilising the IDPS partnership as a segue for this, inclusion and participation of civil society was secured. The VNR consultations created a space for enhancing cooperation between the government and civil society and served as an entry point for greater state-society collaboration and improving inclusive governance in a national setting.
As a follow-up on the engagement in the Ready for Review project, civil society representatives who have been involved in a VNR consultation process in their countries were able to share experiences and lessons-learned to other civil society organisations which were new to this mechanism. This coaching role of so-called VNR-veterans has been instrumental in the process of sharing lessons-learned and approaches embarked upon. This peer-to-peer learning can also take place through collaboration between civil society actors working at different levels of intervention. Civil society representatives in various FCAS countries have been leading in ensuring more inclusive governance in the context of follow-up and review at the national level. The actual engagement also moved beyond the national level, through strategic advocacy during the VNR presentation at the High-level Political Forum in New York.
In conclusion, VNR consultation activities can mark a starting point for improved dialogue and coordination between various stakeholders. It is essential to engage at an early stage with a variety of national (and international) key stakeholders, to gain a good understanding of possible entry points for the inclusion of civil society representatives in the process, and to gauge how to better coordinate activities from the perspective of civil society, by delineating tasks among organisations and forging coalitions which can cultivate fruitful working relationships.