2019 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development

In 2019, two high-level political forums on sustainable development took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York:

HLPF under the auspices of ECOSOC 2019

The 2019 high-level political forum under the auspices of ECOSOC took place from 9–18 July 2019 under the theme “Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality”. The following Sustainable Development Goals were reviewed:

  • Goal 4: Quality Education
  • Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities
  • Goal 13: Climate Action
  • Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
  • Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals

In 2019, there were 47 Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) out of which 13 Member States referenced indigenous peoples.                       In 2018, there were 46 VNRs out of which 10 Member States referenced indigenous peoples.

SDG Summit 2019 (HLPF under the auspices of the General Assembly)

The SDG Summit (High-level political forum under the auspices of the General Assembly) was held from 24–25 September 2019 under the theme “Accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. The event was the first UN summit on the SDGs since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda in September 2015. The United Nations SDG Summit was be chaired by the President of the General Assembly and also resulted in a concise negotiated political declaration.

Political Declaration of the HLPF

The General Assembly in its resolution 70/299 decided that the high-level political forum on sustainable development (HLPF) shall have only one negotiated Political Declaration, covering the different and complementary functions of both sessions of the forum under the auspices of the General Assembly and the Summit, and the forum under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) when the forum is convened twice in the same year.

IPDB/SPFII Side Event at the HLPF

Theme: Peace, justice and strong institutions: the role of indigenous peoples in implementing Sustainable Development Goal 16

16 July 2019, 1:15–2:45 pm
Room S-1522, UNHQ New York

The 2019 high-level political forum convened under the theme “Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality” reviewed a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including, among others, SDG 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions. Using this excellent opportunity to highlight the contribution of indigenous peoples to achieving the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development, a side event on the role of indigenous peoples in implementing SDG 16 was also held.

The side event brought together representatives of indigenous peoples and Member States, as well as other stakeholders to deepen our understanding of the role of indigenous peoples in the implementation of SDG 16. It  included presentations by invited speakers and an interactive discussion. The outcomes from the discussion will inform a UN DESA Expert Group Meeting on the same theme in October 2019, as well as the 2020 session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

The side event was organized by the Indigenous Peoples and Development Branch/Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP). Co-organizers were the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) and the Indigenous Peoples Major Group on SDGs (IPMG).

Indigenous Voices (Media Zone) at the HLPF 2019

Theme: Indigenous Peoples’ Inclusion and Empowerment in the implementation of the SDGs

16 July 2019, 10.00 am – 5.00 pm
UN Correspondents Association Lounge, UN Secretariat Building, 3rd Floor (take escalator from the 1B level)

The Permanent Forum’s recommendations on the 2030 Agenda

In its report of its 18th session, the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues made the following recommendations regarding the 2030 Agenda and the high-level political forum:

  • 58. The 2030 Agenda is now in its fourth year of implementation, yet few countries refer to indigenous peoples in their voluntary national reviews. The Permanent Forum therefore urges countries undertaking voluntary national reviews at the high-level political forum on sustainable development to include indigenous peoples under all Sustainable Development Goals.
  • 59. The Permanent Forum expresses concern that indigenous peoples are not receiving adequate information regarding the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals at the national level and encourages Governments, United Nations entities, indigenous peoples and civil society organizations to convene workshops and other forums to ensure their effective participation in implementing the 2030 Agenda.
  • 60. The Permanent Forum recommends that the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly ensure the meaningful participation of indigenous peoples and the Forum at the meetings of the 2019 high-level political forum on sustainable development, to be convened under the auspices of the Council and the Assembly in July and September 2019, respectively. The Forum stresses that the contributions of indigenous peoples to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda should be adequately reflected in the outcome document of the high-level political forums convened under the auspices of the Council and of the Assembly.
  • 61. The Permanent Forum reiterates the importance of data collection and disaggregation for tracking progress in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda to ensure that indigenous peoples, who often trail the general population on development indicators, are not left behind.