Spotlight on Sustainable Development 2019

Baha'i International Community, Conference Room | 866 UN Plaza, New York | 11 July 2019, 9:30-11:30AM

Most governments have failed to turn the transformational vision of the 2030
Agenda into real transformational policies. Even worse, xenophobia and authoritarianism are on the rise in a growing number of countries.

But there are signs of change. New social movements have emerged worldwide. They not only challenge bad or inefficient government policies, but also share a fundamental critique of underlying social structures, power relations and governance arrangements. The implementation of the 2030 Agenda is not just a matter of better policies. It requires more holistic and more sweeping shifts in how and where power is vested, including through institutional, legal, social, economic and political commitments to realizing human rights and ecological justice.

For this reason, the Spotlight Report 2019 has as main topic “reshaping governance for sustainability”. It offers analysis and recommendations on the global governance that sustainability requires, as well as on how to strengthen inclusive and participatory governance to overcome structural obstacles and institutional gaps. Since 2016, the annual Spotlight Report has been published and supported by a broad range of civil society organizations and trade unions. It provides one of the most comprehensive independent assessments of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.

At the roundtable event authors of the Spotlight Report 2019 presented key findings and recommendations to participants for discussion.

Welcome: 

• Luise Rürup (FES New York Office) and Barbara Adams (Global Policy Forum)

Speakers:

• Jens Martens (Global Policy Forum)
• Roberto Bissio (Social Watch)
• Kate Donald (CESR)
• Antonia Wulff (Education International)
• Abigail Ruane (Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom)

Comments:

• Katja Hujo (UNRISD)

Moderator:

• Barbara Adams (Global Policy Forum)