Major Group response to Georgia, Madagascar, Norway and Turkey
Major groups and other stakeholders
Questions and recommendations for the voluntary national reviews
of Georgia, Turkey, Madagascar and Norway
Dejan Bojanic
Major Group for Children and Youth
Thank you,
On behalf of major groups and other stakeholders I would like to express our compliments to the countries who volunteered to conduct national reviews. We come from the position that the only way to meet the Agenda 2030 is by ensuring a diversity of perspectives and voices represented in steering the way towards sustainable development. Similarly, in voluntary country reviews at the HLPF, governments should partner with all major groups and other stakeholders to deliver a complete picture of the follow-up and review of the progress in meeting our sustainable development commitments.
In the context of this review, we would like to address one specific question to each of the governments who have presented their reports.
To the distinguished representative of the Government of Georgia
1. In Georgia, women's leadership, political participation and economic empowerment are restricted. What strategies has the Government put in place to reach gender equality and what are the envisaged roles of women’s rights organisations and groups to reach this goal?
To the distinguished representative of the government of TURKEY
1. The summary report states that when it comes to MDGs “… progress on some goals such as gender equality was not adequate…” While we welcome this reflection from the government of Turkey, we would like to ask what precautions Turkey is envisaging to prevent a similar result on gender equality in 2030? What would the role of independent women, feminist and LGBTİ+ organizations be in these precautions, other than the role in “public awareness and ownership” of the Agenda, as you expressed in the report?
To the distinguished representative of the government of MADAGASCAR
1. In a fragile economy where 94% of the active population support themselves through working in the informal sector, what are the plans of the government to implement social protection floors? What is the strategy of the government to create decent work, especially to allow youth to have access to education and vocational training and job opportunities?
To the distinguished representative of the government of NORWAY
1. What is the Norwegian government doing to secure a transformation to a society with sustainable levels of consumption?
We’re eager to hear your responses to these questions, but before that we would also like to take this opportunity to make recommendations:
1. We call on all member states to partner with major groups and other stakeholders in implementation, monitoring and review of the SDGs. While we commend those countries who have had major groups and other stakeholder participating in the presentation of the national review, we call on you to engage with groups from all segments of the society from the beginning of preparations for the national reports, and throughout the process.
2. We advise you to have at least 3 voluntary reviews over the course of 15 years.
3. We call on you to utilise other mechanisms of the United Nations, human rights instruments and bodies more strongly to ensure the effective implementation of the SDGs.
Thank you.
Questions and recommendations for the voluntary national reviews
of Georgia, Turkey, Madagascar and Norway
Dejan Bojanic
Major Group for Children and Youth
Thank you,
On behalf of major groups and other stakeholders I would like to express our compliments to the countries who volunteered to conduct national reviews. We come from the position that the only way to meet the Agenda 2030 is by ensuring a diversity of perspectives and voices represented in steering the way towards sustainable development. Similarly, in voluntary country reviews at the HLPF, governments should partner with all major groups and other stakeholders to deliver a complete picture of the follow-up and review of the progress in meeting our sustainable development commitments.
In the context of this review, we would like to address one specific question to each of the governments who have presented their reports.
To the distinguished representative of the Government of Georgia
1. In Georgia, women's leadership, political participation and economic empowerment are restricted. What strategies has the Government put in place to reach gender equality and what are the envisaged roles of women’s rights organisations and groups to reach this goal?
To the distinguished representative of the government of TURKEY
1. The summary report states that when it comes to MDGs “… progress on some goals such as gender equality was not adequate…” While we welcome this reflection from the government of Turkey, we would like to ask what precautions Turkey is envisaging to prevent a similar result on gender equality in 2030? What would the role of independent women, feminist and LGBTİ+ organizations be in these precautions, other than the role in “public awareness and ownership” of the Agenda, as you expressed in the report?
To the distinguished representative of the government of MADAGASCAR
1. In a fragile economy where 94% of the active population support themselves through working in the informal sector, what are the plans of the government to implement social protection floors? What is the strategy of the government to create decent work, especially to allow youth to have access to education and vocational training and job opportunities?
To the distinguished representative of the government of NORWAY
1. What is the Norwegian government doing to secure a transformation to a society with sustainable levels of consumption?
We’re eager to hear your responses to these questions, but before that we would also like to take this opportunity to make recommendations:
1. We call on all member states to partner with major groups and other stakeholders in implementation, monitoring and review of the SDGs. While we commend those countries who have had major groups and other stakeholder participating in the presentation of the national review, we call on you to engage with groups from all segments of the society from the beginning of preparations for the national reports, and throughout the process.
2. We advise you to have at least 3 voluntary reviews over the course of 15 years.
3. We call on you to utilise other mechanisms of the United Nations, human rights instruments and bodies more strongly to ensure the effective implementation of the SDGs.
Thank you.