The United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) is the designated space to evaluate progress of the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which was mandated in 2012 by the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), “The Future We Want”.
As part of its follow-up and review mechanisms, the Bangladesh government has adopted a comprehensive response plan embracing health and socioeconomic recovery measures to control and contain the COVID-19 pandemic. The VNR process of Bangladesh is led by the “SDGs Implementation and Review Committee” to integrate regarding the SDGs views of relevant stakeholders from central to the local levels, where each District and Sub-District is lagging behind with the following topic including reaching the target rate of neonatal mortality rate, family planning needs and reduction rates of poverty and hunger are on-track, enhanced budgetary allocation and gender parity in primary and secondary education.
In the 2020 HLPF, representatives of the UN member countries raised points where the global development processes stand on the SDGs in light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. They reflected on how the international community can respond to the pandemic in the near future that puts us back on track to achieve the SDGs and accelerate progress during the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development. 47 countries, including Bangladesh carried out voluntary national reviews (VNRs) of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in the 2020 HLPF.
Reflecting to the VNR report 2020, youths felt a need to raise voice and complement it as leading youth organization SERAC-Bangladesh along with the Coalition of Youth Organizations in Bangladesh (CYOB) organized a national consultation on 13th July, 2020 to send the youth voices with some powerful messages regarding the country perspective and youth demands.
The 24 youth organizations addressed all the 17 SDGs and recommended what includes rights to decent employment, quality and skill focused education, cutting gender based violence to zero, improve youth friendly health services, ICT based interventions, flexible financing for youth led initiatives, and demand for policies that prevent discrimination, violence, corruption, and every form of human rights violation against young people, and marginalized populations. They also stressed on increased access to democratic participation, sustainable urbanization and environment friendly trades and industrialization. Detailed statement is accessible at SERAC Website that has been submitted to the relevant government agencies including the Prime Minister’s Office and Planning Commission.
Organizations that participated and endorsed the statement include-SERAC-Bangladesh, Coalition of Youth Organizations in Bangladesh (CYOB), Bangladesh Youth Health Action Network (BYHAN).
