Canada
High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development
Under the Auspices of ECOSOC
Statement: “Reviewing and Monitoring Progress: What have we Learned and how can it Advance Implementation” Wednesday, 8 July 2015, 10:00 – 1:00 pm
• For Canada, accountability is about more than reporting—it is about learning lessons, and integrating them into our efforts as we work to achieve our common goals. As stressed by many other interventions, we should strive for an HLPF that promotes real political dialogue, rather than a forum that simply receives reports. Our primary purpose should be implementation, and, the HLPF should be action-oriented, with data and results informing decisions and investments.
• In this regard, follow-up and review should not be a static exercise, in which one country accounts for its performance to other member states. In order to truly boost implementation, follow-up and review of the Post-2015 agenda should be a dynamic process that encourages dialogue and partnerships among all development actors. This will improve our ability to identify solutions where progress is lagging and provide support where it is needed. And in those areas where significant strides have been made, the follow-up and review process should provide countries a space to celebrate their successes, renew their efforts, and inspire others.
• The follow-up and review framework for the Post-2015 agenda can and should use existing instruments and minimize new reporting requirements. According to the matrix prepared by the UN Technical Support Team, shared in May, as many as 22 follow-up and review mechanisms are already in place in some goal areas.
• The HLPF – as the apex of a global network of review processes – should ensure efficient coordination and collaboration among the existing review mechanisms through a coherent architecture yet to be elaborated.
• Canada is a strong supporter of strengthening statistical systems and promoting innovations. Our national statistical agency (Statistics Canada) participated in the UN Secretary General’s Independent Expert Advisory Group on the Data Revolution, and is currently contributing to the work of the Inter-Agency and Expert Group on the SDG indicators. We recognize the vital role technology can play in increasing access to information while also providing real-time data on progress. Accurate, reliable and disaggregated data is required if we are to improve policies and services to our citizens.
• Establishing a follow-up and review framework will undoubtedly be challenging, and information gathered will not translate into better policies on the ground, unless we find ways to ensure that data collected is efficiently synthesized and accurately analyzed. Fortunately, we can draw on lessons from existing initiatives, including the MDGs, the Global Partnership for Education from which we heard important recommendations this morning, from the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC), as well as the Commission on Information and Accountability for Women’s and Children’s Health.
• Another example is the work being carried out on civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS).
A CRVS system is vital for monitoring, generating statistics for policy formulation, planning and implementation, and for identifying inequalities in access to services.
• Ultimately, we are seeking a new paradigm of accountability, one that involves a constellation of different actors including governments, the UN and sister international institutions, the private sector, civil society, and perhaps most importantly, ordinary citizens in all countries. Our follow-up and review mechanism must provide effective platforms for meaningful participation of all people, particularly those most marginalized.
• It is clear that the follow-up and review mechanism will not be built in one day. We should consider a transition period for the UN to build a system commensurate with the implementation of our ambitious SDGs. This would include finalizing the Follow-up and review architecture, linking it with the outcomes of the ECOSOC dialogues on positioning the UNDS, as well as building capacity to ensure that national and regional systems are well in place to feed into the global follow-up and review mechanism. Moving forward, we could consider a roadmap to come up with a HLPF which would correspond to the vision envisaged.
• We look forward to continuing to collaborate with stakeholders from around the world to strengthen data systems and analysis, and ensure we learn, innovate and share as we implement the Post-2015 Development Agenda.
Under the Auspices of ECOSOC
Statement: “Reviewing and Monitoring Progress: What have we Learned and how can it Advance Implementation” Wednesday, 8 July 2015, 10:00 – 1:00 pm
• For Canada, accountability is about more than reporting—it is about learning lessons, and integrating them into our efforts as we work to achieve our common goals. As stressed by many other interventions, we should strive for an HLPF that promotes real political dialogue, rather than a forum that simply receives reports. Our primary purpose should be implementation, and, the HLPF should be action-oriented, with data and results informing decisions and investments.
• In this regard, follow-up and review should not be a static exercise, in which one country accounts for its performance to other member states. In order to truly boost implementation, follow-up and review of the Post-2015 agenda should be a dynamic process that encourages dialogue and partnerships among all development actors. This will improve our ability to identify solutions where progress is lagging and provide support where it is needed. And in those areas where significant strides have been made, the follow-up and review process should provide countries a space to celebrate their successes, renew their efforts, and inspire others.
• The follow-up and review framework for the Post-2015 agenda can and should use existing instruments and minimize new reporting requirements. According to the matrix prepared by the UN Technical Support Team, shared in May, as many as 22 follow-up and review mechanisms are already in place in some goal areas.
• The HLPF – as the apex of a global network of review processes – should ensure efficient coordination and collaboration among the existing review mechanisms through a coherent architecture yet to be elaborated.
• Canada is a strong supporter of strengthening statistical systems and promoting innovations. Our national statistical agency (Statistics Canada) participated in the UN Secretary General’s Independent Expert Advisory Group on the Data Revolution, and is currently contributing to the work of the Inter-Agency and Expert Group on the SDG indicators. We recognize the vital role technology can play in increasing access to information while also providing real-time data on progress. Accurate, reliable and disaggregated data is required if we are to improve policies and services to our citizens.
• Establishing a follow-up and review framework will undoubtedly be challenging, and information gathered will not translate into better policies on the ground, unless we find ways to ensure that data collected is efficiently synthesized and accurately analyzed. Fortunately, we can draw on lessons from existing initiatives, including the MDGs, the Global Partnership for Education from which we heard important recommendations this morning, from the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC), as well as the Commission on Information and Accountability for Women’s and Children’s Health.
• Another example is the work being carried out on civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS).
A CRVS system is vital for monitoring, generating statistics for policy formulation, planning and implementation, and for identifying inequalities in access to services.
• Ultimately, we are seeking a new paradigm of accountability, one that involves a constellation of different actors including governments, the UN and sister international institutions, the private sector, civil society, and perhaps most importantly, ordinary citizens in all countries. Our follow-up and review mechanism must provide effective platforms for meaningful participation of all people, particularly those most marginalized.
• It is clear that the follow-up and review mechanism will not be built in one day. We should consider a transition period for the UN to build a system commensurate with the implementation of our ambitious SDGs. This would include finalizing the Follow-up and review architecture, linking it with the outcomes of the ECOSOC dialogues on positioning the UNDS, as well as building capacity to ensure that national and regional systems are well in place to feed into the global follow-up and review mechanism. Moving forward, we could consider a roadmap to come up with a HLPF which would correspond to the vision envisaged.
• We look forward to continuing to collaborate with stakeholders from around the world to strengthen data systems and analysis, and ensure we learn, innovate and share as we implement the Post-2015 Development Agenda.
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