Prepared by the with the coordination of DESA’s Office of Intergovernmental Support and Coordination for Sustainable Development Prepared with inputs from: Odyek Agona, Maame Agyeben, Sami Areikat, Gregory Barret, Anna Onate Bovino, Naiara Garcia Da Costa Chaves, Aanoshka Choksi, Kenzhuo Chen, Philipp Erfurth, Julia Ferre, Nicolas Franke, Maria Godunova, Simen Gudevold, Sumi Han, Chelsea Yoshany Acosta Hodgson, Linda Hooper, Mario Huzel, Seok-Ran Kim, Jan-Willem Lammens, Isabelle Legare, Maria Lehtnen, Meng Li, Ke Liu, Saras Jagwanth, Riina Jussila, Melissa Martn, Victoria Panghulan, Nelson Pereira, Grace Puliyel, Anjali Rangaswami, Taylor Sabatelli, Paul Simon, Friedrich Soltau, Alexandra Tomczak, Tonya Vaturi, Evelyn Wonosaputra, Irena Zubcevic, Ellery Wong. Design and layout: Yihang Ouyang Department of Economic and Social Afairs United Natons Foreword how the pandemic hampered the full engagement of stakeholders in their VNR preparations, but also the alternative approaches they took, by using virtual tools where possible, or conductng interviews over the phone or through community radio statons. In many cases, the reportng countries expressed concern that the pandemic will adversely impact progress in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and disrupt their development efforts in the short term. Many described the health, social and I am pleased to share with you the ffh Synthesis economic efects of the pandemic and were open Report of the Voluntary Natonal Reviews (VNRs) and candid in acknowledging their challenges, so conducted at the high-level political forum on that others can learn from their experiences. sustainable development (HLPF) in 2020. The Financing has always been a challenge for HLPF was held in the midst of the COVID-19 developing countries and especially for countries pandemic; therefore, the report pays significant in special situations. But with the spread of attention to its impact on us all. Moreover, it COVID-19, a new layer of vulnerability has been underscores the value of multilateralism and added to pre-existing macro-economic and global solidarity during these difcult tmes. financial difficulties. Depending on the country 47 countries presented their VNRs at the 2020 context, countries also reported challenges that HLPF, out of which 26 were first timers. This included a steep decline in industrial activity; brings the total number of countries who have high unemployment; elevated levels of household presented their VNRs since 2016 to 168. It is debt among vulnerable groups; increased heartening that, despite the many challenges inflation; capital flight and record public debt countries faced in their last stage of preparatons levels. The pandemic has also exposed even for the VNRs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more the vulnerabilities of those who are being they succeeded in finalizing their report and lef behind, ranging from women and children, to presentation at the HLPF. Countries described youth, persons with disabilities, older persons, 004 people in situations of conflict, and migrants. for many countries. But signifcant improvements The VNR countries reported on measures they have been made and the majority of the 2020 adopted to alleviate their situation during the VNR countries incorporated data into their pandemic, such as providing better safety nets reviews. Over half of all VNRs reports include a including disbursing cash transfers or providing Statstcal Annex. food and healthcare free of charge. The 2020 Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) Overall, the number of 2020 VNRs, and the give an idea of ways to overcome the pandemic fact that 20 countries presented a VNR for the and recover better and of the obstacles that second tme and one for the third tme, show the stand in the way. We must learn from those continued commitment to the implementation lessons as we engage in the Decade of Acton to of the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs. The VNRs deliver the SDGs by 2030 and celebrate the 75th present a rich gamut of policies and measures to anniversary of the United Natons, reafrming our realize the SDGs amidst the crisis. dedication to multilateralism and international cooperaton. Limited evidence and data availability, disaggregaton and collecton remain a challenge Liu Zhenmin Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Afairs 005 T ABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary 8 Introduction 14 Bringing SDGs into the national context: assessments, 16 strategies and budgets Institutions for implementing the 2030 Agenda 22 Leaving no one behind 28 Countries in special situations 38 Sustainable Development Goals and targets 45 Monitoring and data 77 Coherence among global frameworks and with regional 81 frameworks Stakeholder Engagement 84 Awareness-raising 89 Means of implementation 91 Differences between first and second and subsequent VNRs 100 Conclusion 101 Introduction ExEcutivE Despite the sudden onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and its global impacts, 47 countries presented their Voluntary Natonal Reviews (VNRs) Summary during the frst virtual high-level politcal forum on sustainable development (HLPF) held under the auspices of the UN Economic and Social Council from 7 to 16 July 2020. Since 2016, when the frst reviews were presented, a total of 168 countries have reported on their efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With the launch this year of the Decade of Action and Delivery for sustainable development, some countries reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of the 2030 Agenda and expressed the urgent need to a strengthened and accelerated implementation of the SDGs over the next ten years. As in previous years, this synthesis report provides an overview of the approaches and actons taken by all countries reportng in 2020, and showcases best practces, lessons learned, gaps and challenges encountered in working towards the achievement of the SDGs. Drawing from the VNR reports, key elements pertaining to the implementaton of the 2030 Agenda are examined, including insttutonal arrangements and coordination mechanisms, the principle of leaving no one behind and its application in national contexts, monitoring and data, stakeholder engagement and awareness raising, as well as the means of implementation. In addition, the report outlines actions taken on each of the SDGs. The report is not exhaustive; all examples chosen are illustrative, and their selection does not imply that the collection of 2020 VNRs do not also contain other equally valid and useful examples of country practces. 008 Bringing SDGs into the national context: across countries presentng VNRs in 2020. assessments, strategies and budgets While most countries have established institutional Five years since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, arrangements for implementaton of the SDGs, the VNRs countries have made significant progress in integrating provide litle informaton on the actual impact that these the SDGs into national development plans and sectoral arrangements have had on overall policies and SDG strategies, elaboration of indicators. There has been an implementaton. Some countries also reported challenges increased focus on implementation at the sub-national in making these arrangements as effective as possible. level. In some instances, countries have begun to take Systematc assessment of the efectveness of insttutonal stock of inital implementaton eforts. arrangements, including through auditing, may prove Yet many countries expressed deep concern about the useful. effects of COVID-19 on their societies and economies. Leaving no one behind This included the impact on national budgets and the Most VNRs dedicated a specific section on the principle need to redirect existng expenditures towards emergency of leaving no one behind (LNOB) and its meaning in their responses, with some countries reportng that their inital natonal context. Many VNRs highlighted a human rights- response packages amounted to signifcant proportons of based approach to development, and referred to LNOB as their annual budgets. a cross-cutting principle in their strategies, programmes Institutions for implementing the 2030 Agenda and plans. Most ofen the principle of LNOB was refected A number of specifc insttutonal mechanisms have been through the lens of social protecton, as targeted actons consistently reported in the VNRs, to facilitate decision- to support the most vulnerable or as universal services making and coordination for implementation of the with equal treatment. 2030 Agenda. Many inter-ministerial committees and Many VNRs included assessments of populations commissions have been created, with some chaired or considered most at risk of being left behind, including overseen by the Head of State or Government. Other children and youth, women and girls, migrants, persons countries are utlizing existng insttutonal structures, with with disabilities, older persons, indigenous peoples, and a specifc ministry designated as responsible for advancing people identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, SDG implementation. Numerous governments have also and/or intersex and queer (LGBTI). Other vulnerable established multi-stakeholder engagement mechanisms, groups identified in some instances included stateless which are essential for whole-of-society approaches to persons, populations affected by conflict, people achieving progress. sufering from the impacts of natural disasters