CIVICUS at the 2024 UN High Level Political Forum (SDGs)

Without civil society, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) would not be possible. Civil society actively contributes to each of the goals, while also fulfilling an important watchdog role in the monitoring of government commitments. That’s why every July civil society representatives from around the world attend the UN High Level Political Forum in New York, the governance body for the SDGs. This year’s meeting will take place from 8-18 July, 2024. Very few of the goals are on track and some targets, including commitments to protect civic freedoms are regressing below their 2015 baseline.

To evaluate progress, representatives from forty-three countries will showcase their achievements on commitments outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs). 

Among the sustainable development goals (SDGs) being reviewed this year is SDG 16 which includes commitments on responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision making; and on access to information and fundamental freedoms. These hard-won commitments which recognise the importance of transparency, accountability and participation in achieving the SDGs were agreed only after persistent advocacy by civil society activists and public servants. 

Undeniably, the challenges in achieving SDGs are intricately linked to closing civic space and attacks on human rights defenders (HRDs). According to the CIVICUS monitor report 2023, only 2% of the global population lives in fully open civic spaces. Among the 43 countries presenting VNRs this year, only five—Samoa, Austria, Micronesia, Estonia, and Palau—have been rated as "open" in their national civic ratings by the CIVICUS Monitor.

To get involved in the events taking place at the UN High Level Political Forum, see the official calendar here. Below are the key events that CIVICUS will be supporting, either as a panellist or an organising partner. All times USA Eastern Time Zone: