Roundtable Discussion 2: Civil Society Contributions in achieving the SDGs: Best Practices

Round 2: Civil Society Contributions in achieving the SDGs: Best Practices

Civil society plays a crucial role in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) with innovative projects, programs, and initiatives. The SDGs need the support of a strong
and loud civil society to realize the Global Agenda by 2030. The UN Secretary-General António
Guterres recognized the role of civil society, saying: “civil society is a key instrument for the success
of today’s UN”, particularly in a global political climate “where governments are finding it more
and more difficult to do their job”. The UN Secretary-General’s 2021 report on “Our Global
Agenda” sets the parameters of the UN’s vision for inclusive, peaceful, and effective
multilateralism to address global challenges such as sustainable development, peace and security,
climate change, and human rights.

The Common Agenda calls on civil society and NGOs to join
their efforts in delivering solutions that make a positive impact in our society.
The COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing wars and conflicts, climate change and natural disasters have
imposed social, economic, and environmental challenges globally. Governments face significant
challenges in addressing these challenges with limited financial and human resources, delaying the
delivery of the SDGs. The critical role of civil society is needed more than ever to support the
development agenda.

Unfortunately, there is a significant setback in achieving the Global Agenda
2030 where civil society can help drive the action, cooperation, and partnership to realize and
accelerate the implementation of the SDGs from a bottom-up approach.
Civil
society organizations and educational institutions can serve as an engine to deliver innovative
solutions, hold institutions to account, become a voice of the society, deliver services to the needs
of the society, and build partnership with government and the private sector.

Roundtable Discussion 2 addressed:
- Promoting sustainable development through meaningful participation of civil society
- Engaging NGOs to deliver solutions to the needs of the local community
- Challenges and threats faced by civil society organization to serve the needs of the society
- Promotion and protecting civil society space for sustainable peace and development
- Building partnerships and collaboration among civil society and NGOs worldwide
- Innovative projects and initiatives that make a positive social change
- The United Nations and UN Platforms to influence decision-making and policy change
- NGOs working in many different areas, including with education, health, poverty eradication,
human rights, gender equality and indigenous issues