Alignment of Agenda 2030 to Celaya, Guanajuato Municipal Planning through its Municipal Development Program

#SDGAction42910

Description

Intro

The Municipal Development Program of Celaya 2018-2040 is the main instrument that guides the local actions and public policies at a municipal level. The objective and achievement were to have a participatory process along the development of the program. Not involve only the compilation of information from the stakeholders but instead, it was a collaborative construction of objectives and strategies with the social, academic, private and public sectors through active participation and direct dialogue. This was the first time the Municipal Development Program involves social participation, updating process and was sought and encouraged throughout the plan and for its implementation.

Objective of the practice

One of the main aims of the development of the Municipality Program of Celaya was to align with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Since the analysis, it was identified the relation between the objectives of the SDGs with the requirements of the local law in order to establish a direct connection of the strategies with SDGs in the next stage. Therefore, each strategy in the program establishes which sustainable goal and targets it backs up in order to move toward the full realization of the ambitions and principles espoused in the 2030 Agenda. Each strategy also establishes to which human right it supports. In consequence, the tool for monitoring and evaluation of the program establishes the indicators to measure the progress in the actions or public policies implemented. Most of these indicators were taken from the ones defined in the New Urban Agenda and complemented with the ones already being used by the local government. 
The program establishes a governance arrangement in order to enhance the coordination and efficiency of the existing participatory mechanisms with the aim to guarantee the inclusion of the results in the different commissions and committee of the public administration in charge of the development of actions and policies. Therefore, the program also specifies the route for the interinstitutional coordination which is fundamental in order for the governance mechanism to work properly and for the continuous dialogue between the exercises of planning and implementation of the program. The route includes the mechanism for the constant flow of information for public policies and the integration of actions of the government based on evidence. 
The program proposes the alignment of topics and objectives of commissions between the ones in charge of the participatory processes of the public administration and the ones in charge of the policies development, as well as the reduction of commissions and committees to achieve efficiency and optimize economic resources. The program also establishes the creation of a technical committee in charge of the monitoring and evaluation of the alignment of the public policies implemented with the objectives and targets of the program that arose from the SDGs.

Partners

Municipality of Celaya and IMIPE. For the public sector was developed roundtables dialogues, for the social sector were developed interactive activities in public spaces in urban and rural areas, for the academic sector were also developed interactive activities at universities and for the private sector was established to direct communication through meetings. In addition, 3 events open to all public were organized to present the progress of the program and get feedback. These activities were done all along the program development. The ultimate beneficiary is the citizens of the municipality of Celaya.

Implementation of the Project/Activity

The Municipality Development Program converts the municipality of Celaya, Guanajuato in one of the first municipalities of the Mexican Republic committed to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in an integrated manner, the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the targets to make municipalities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
The Municipality of Celaya has the Municipal Institute of Planning and Statistics (IMIPE by its initials in Spanish) and the Municipal Development Planning Council (COPLADEM by its initials in Spanish) as the instances of coordination of the exercise of democratic planning and they are also the municipal links for development within the National Planning System. COPLADEM is a governance mechanism that allows the municipality to incorporate the voices of the different stakeholders in a transparent and plural manner. This mechanism ensures that the program is implementable and in aligned with the Estate Planning System (SIMUPLAN by its initials in Spanish). These institutions were crucial to outreach different population sectors in the participation process that was fundamental for its acceptance and later approval for the program implementation.
One of the most important steps for the implementation of the program was taken on December 2018 when the local government council approved the Municipal Development Program making officially and legally their principal planning instrument to develop actions and policies in the municipality. This action was reinforced by the approval of the state of Guanajuato in January 2019, who validated the program and corroborates that its content is aligned with the state laws and program. Therefore, the action taken from on by the public administration has to be under the program guidelines and strategies to achieve the goals and targets established in the program besides the enforcement of the program itself.

Results/Outputs/Impacts

The main output of the program was to engage all the possible people in order to incorporate different perspectives with the aim of not leaving anyone behind. With this action, it was not only integrating the different interest and requirements of the people but it was also integrating the Celaya community in the planning of their municipality. It was well received the participatory initiative of engaging the public in the development, implementation, and enforcement of the program.
However, one of the main obstacles was the lack of credibility in the process at the beginning since the community was not familiar with participatory processes or program development. So it was hard for them to believe that for the first time they were reached to participate and collaborate in something has been done before by a public institution without consultation and behind doors. It was a situation that was overcome by the continuity of the participatory process that gave importance to show the results and how they were integrated into the program in order to demonstrate that the program was being developed through the different participation activities.
The quantitative achievement was that 220 interviews were done, 11 workshops were developed with a total of 380 participants and 6 activities in public spaces were developed with approximately 240 participants. The contribution of the participants served to provide feedback to the different stages of the development program that later helped to create the strategies.
The final outcome is a program integrated by 5 strategies with 48 actions aligned with the 17 SDGs, the 169 targets, the 22 human rights and with 88 indicators to measure progress.

Enabling factors and constraints

The coincidence in time between the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Municipality Development Program updating allowed to align them and look for the compliance of the international commitments in the smallest scale which correspond to the city or municipalities.
Therefore, the need for the updating of the Municipality Development Program of Celaya which scope was ahead of the 2030 Agenda helped to use it as a starting point and prioritize the goals and targets on it that are international commitments that have to be reached in 11 years.
The enabling factor to develop the program was the synergy of the team integrated by the Municipal Institution of Planning of Celaya and the private consulting office Urbanistica where the local experience of the public office joined with international and national experience of the private office that allowed to come up with innovative procedures and mechanism that adapt to the local context. Also, the commitment and collaboration between member let developed the program in time and form which was crucial for its implementation since Mexico was going through a local, state and national government change that could stop its completion. The program was developed and approved by different administrations and was possible because of the endorsement and support gained of the community in the participatory process.
It's important to mention a technological tool used in the process of the program development of interactive presentation software. The tool allowed the audience to participate and collaborate effectively in intensive workshops, in addition, to help participants assimilate a lot of information and data. This approach increased the engagement with interactivity by providing and visualizing the results of the activity immediately.

Sustainability and replicability

The program envisions a sustainable development by harmonizing the three core elements of economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection. The general objective of the program is to guarantee the citizens to enjoy their human rights in equal conditions, good quality of life and social welfare. Therefore, it is needed to consolidate and diversify the economy where it prevails to a unique model of collaboration between companies, government, and society that achieves universal access to employment with sufficient income. Also, the aim is to involve the community in the processes of democratic planning and municipal public administration in order to be efficient and connected to a solid social base. This translates into a balanced territory, in the conservation and sustainable use of its resources and in a healthy environment, the social aspect, the objective is to achieve equality in access to opportunities based on identity, cooperation, cohesion and community trust byCoordination for attention to vulnerable populations in urban and rural areas. Implementation of public policies for access to housing and improvement of housing conditions.Provision of health services for the entire population.Creation of community projects for adequate nutrition. Strengthening the educational level. Creation of support and integration spaces for vulnerable groups. Strengthening mechanisms and instruments to ensure gender equity, prevention and combating violence against women, girls, and young people. The increase of community capacities for welfare over security.Preservation and diffusion of tangible and intangible local heritage. Promoting cultural and sports skills. Consolidation and increase of quality public spaces in urban areas.
In the economic aspect, the objective is to ensure a sound, diversified, inclusive and equitable economy that contributes to poverty and diminishes the inequalities through Strengthening the labor market. The attraction of large national and foreign companies.Strengthening of products abroad.Consolidation of value chains and commercial alliances.Strengthening and transformation of the tourism sector.Consolidation and strengthening programs for rural development. Linking research and technological development centers with the public and private sectors.
In the environmental and resilience aspect the objective is to preserve natural systems and maintain ecological processes essential for human well-being, without diminishing the potential to meet the needs of future generations through Sustainable water management. Efficient management of solid waste.Protection and restoration of ecosystems.Preparation of a Strategic Mobility Plan.Mitigation of the effects of climate change.Strengthening of the Civil Protection system.Incorporation of territorial strategies for adequate urban development.
In the governance and legislation aspect, the objective is to promote, respect and guarantee human rights in equal conditions for everyone supported bySensitization, empowerment, and prevention of gender violence. Education and dissemination in human rights.Strengthening of the organs responsible for public safety and administration of justice and combat crime.Implementation of public management based on evidence.Review and regulation updating.Regularization of land tenure.Diversification of municipal income.Installation of an accessible digital government platform.The inclusion of citizen participation in public security policies.Participatory budgeting. Strengthening the mechanisms for democratic planning for social cohesion.

Conclusions

The main impact of the Municipal Development Program of Celaya 2018-2040 is to the alignment with the international goals and targets identified in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in order to prioritize their actions and policies towards the problems that are currently affecting our world and its population. 
Therefore, the first lesson learned by the Municipality was the acknowledgment of the importance of the international commitments and the importance to take action in the municipal planning whichever the territory scale. In the case of Celaya, it was also taken into advantage the revision and updating of the program required by law to apply this lesson. 
The municipality is the smallest territory scale to implement the 2030 Agenda, but it is also the most operational and therefore fundamental. It was very meaningful and crucial to transfer the content and objectives of the Agenda to the public, private, social and academic sectors through the participatory process which helped to support the 2030 Agenda and the Municipal Development Program that uses the agenda as its main guide. 
In the planning process it is very difficult to define the priorities and guidelines that will be included in a program but in the case of Celaya, the process was simplified by using the 2030 Agenda where it was already established and accepted by several countries the main goals that have to be complied. So another lesson learned was the 2030 Agenda is a planning instrument that also helps to negotiate and to influence different actors in order to incorporate and support actions, projects, plans or programs that help to reach the commitments of the agenda. 
On the other hand, the municipality of Celaya had a mechanism of participation that was functional but not sufficiently efficient, but it was important and crucial for the program development since the participation process relied on it in order to integrate the different voices of the community. In the process, it was also possible to identify the flaws in the mechanism which were enhanced during the process and incorporated in the program in order to make the participation and the existing mechanism imperative in the municipal actions and policies from the implementation to the enforcement. 
The Municipal Development Program of Celaya 2018-2040 is already a good practice reference for other municipalities in the state of Guanajuato as in other parts of Mexico, since other municipalities have approached the municipality of Celaya to get to know the methodology implemented to incorporate the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the municipal planning and in concordance with the local, state and national laws which are required.

Other sources of information

http://www.imipecelaya.org.mx/NOTICIAS/actualizacion_plan_2018_2043.html

http://enlace.celaya.gob.mx/sala-de-prensa/comunicados/2019/febrero19/s…

https://www.elsoldelbajio.com.mx/local/aprueban-plan-municipal-de-desar…

http://enlace.celaya.gob.mx/sala-de-prensa/comunicados/2018/agosto-2018…

http://enlace.celaya.gob.mx/sala-de-prensa/comunicados/2018/marzo/celay…

https://kreactiva.sharepoint.com/:v:/s/PMD-Celaya/EZpj_ifqRspJoyRqvSpVL…

SDGS & Targets

Goal 15

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

Goal 7

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

Goal 9

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Goal 4

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Goal 8

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

Goal 6

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

Goal 2

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

Goal 10

Reduce inequality within and among countries

Goal 11

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

Goal 5

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Goal 16

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels