26 January 2026 - In a small Nepalese village surrounded by mountains, evenings used to end when the sun set. Pabitra Giri cooked by a kerosene lamp, while her children struggled to read their schoolbooks. That all changed when a community-run micro-hydropower plant, backed by the Government of Nepal, UNDP and other partners, brought electricity to the village.
“With electricity, my children could study after dark, modern conveniences became part of my household, and I, along with members of a local women’s cooperative, initiated a small soap-making business, securing a stable income to support our family's future," Pabitra said.
Her story is one example of what a partnership for the Sustainable Development Goals looks like in real life and how it delivers meaningful results for people who need them most - light in a classroom, a job created through a small workshop, clean water flowing from a village tap, and streets that are safer and more accessible for families. People everywhere are asking for similar things: reliable water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, resilient infrastructure and cities that work for everyone.
Across the world, these needs are met when governments, communities, businesses, local governments, civil society and other stakeholders join forces. Partnerships are helping to rebuild water systems in vulnerable towns, connect rural schools and clinics to clean energy, and support local innovators who make transport, housing and public spaces more inclusive and resilient.
The 2026 Partnership Forum of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), to be held on 27 January 2026 at United Nations Headquarters in New York, will shine a spotlight not only on these shared needs, but also on the most promising solutions. Led by the President of the ECOSOC in collaboration with UN DESA, the Forum will focus on SDGs 6 (water and sanitation), 7 (clean energy), 9 (innovation and infrastructure), 11 (sustainable cities) and 17 (partnerships) – which will be reviewed at the 2026 High-level Political Forum (HLPF).
If partnerships can power a remote village in Nepal, they can also help deliver cleaner water, safer streets and greener jobs in every community. The 2026 ECOSOC Partnership Forum is an invitation to do just that - and to turn our work together into a real source of power.
