2020 High Level Political Forum

The 2020 High Level Political Forum (HLPF) will take place from 7 to 16 July. The event, which typically takes place at UN Headquarters in New York City, will now take place in an entirely virtual format, with some official sessions being live-streamed here and other unofficial or side events taking place as webinars on Zoom, WebEx and other videoconferencing platforms.

We are writing this note to alert you to some specific sessions and side events that may help you bring your voice to the global conversation and bring the global into your work at a regional, national or local level.

Below you’ll find a list of various events with some short analysis highlighting their importance and potential value for your work. I hope you find this update useful. As you may know, ahead of the HLPF Global Policy Watch released UN Monitor #17 titled, “2020 HLPF, one decade to go: tinkering or transformation?”. This year the HLPF is focusing on “transformative pathways” to achieve the SDGs, a conversation which holds implications for SDG implementation at the national level.

Throughout the HLPF,  Global Policy Watch and Social Watch will monitor and report on a wide range of official and unofficial events so keep an eye out for updates through our twitter (@gpolicywatch) and our Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SocialWatch/. 

If you have any questions feel free to reach out to the Global Policy Watch team via email. You can reach Elena at elenamarmo@globalpolicy.org or Carter at carterboyd@globalpolicy.org.  You can also message us through Twitter and Facebook. 

You can find the full programme for the HLPF here if you are interested: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/hlpf/2020#programme and a simplified PDF version here.

Tuesday 7 July 2020

14:00-16:00PM EDT - Building back better after COVID-19 and acting where we will have the greatest impact on the SDGs.

These official HLPF sessions will discuss protecting and advancing human wellbeing and ending poverty and ending hunger and achieving food security, in the context of COVID-19. As this is an official session, it will be live-streamed on http://webtv.un.org/

Wednesday 8 July 2020

9:00-10:30AM EDT - Accelerating action through digital technologies: strengthening digital skills and capacities for human beings.

The 2030 Agenda and UN are increasingly welcoming the proliferation of digital technologies. However, more work needs to be done to prevent digital technology from deepening inequalities and to hold private sector tech companies accountable.  You can find more information on the event and registration details here.

12:00-13:30PM EDT - Accelerated actions and transformative pathways to eradicate poverty and end hunger, leaving no one behind.

Registration is not required, more info available here, event will be live-streamed at http://webtv.un.org/.

14:00-16:00PM EDT - Building back better after COVID-19 and acting where we will have the greatest impact on the SDGs.

These official HLPF sessions will discuss protecting the planet and building resilience and sustaining efforts to ensure access to sustainable energy. As this is an official session, it will be live-streamed on http://webtv.un.org/

Thursday 9 July 2020

9:00-10:30AM EDT - Bolstering local action to control the pandemic and accelerate implementation.

This session on the official HLPF agenda will explore the linkages between national-level activities and the global 2030 Agenda. As this is an official session, it will be live-streamed on http://webtv.un.org/

12:00-13:30PM EDT - “SDG national evaluations drive accelerated action for Sustainable development”

This side event will explore how evaluation at the national level informs an ability to measure SDG progress and inform the SDGs globally. More information is available online here and it appears the session will be live-streamed on http://webtv.un.org/

Friday 10 July 2020

9:00AM-10:30AM EDT - Sustainable and Just economies lesson learned from the Covid-19 pandemic

This side event will explore sustainable and just economic policies with a focus on labor and women’s rights. More information and registration details can be found online here. 

Monday 13 July 2020

8:00AM-9:00AM EDT – National Reports on the 2030 Agenda: What do they (not) reveal?

This side event will feature Global Policy Forum’s Barbara Adams and Social Watch’s Roberto Bissio. This will be a great event/forum to discuss national shadow reporting on the SDGs. Register for the event here.

Tuesday 14 July 2020

8:00-9:00AM EDT - “Partnering with indigenous peoples: leveraging their knowledge to achieve the SDGs by 2030 while recognizing the challenge to address the outbreak of Covid-19

Co-organized by Member States (Canada, Finland, others TBC), Indigenous Peoples Major Group for Sustainable Development, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), and the President of FILAC and Chair of the Steering Committee of Indigenous Peoples’ Forum at IFAD, this event will explore the role of indigenous groups in achieving the SDGs. You can find more information on the event and registration details here.

9:00-10:00AM EDT – Ministerial Segment of the HLPF.

At this session, ministers from governments will make high-level speeches on the 2030 Agenda. This is a good opportunity to see what your representatives may be saying at the global level, does their rhetoric match action at the national level? As this is an official session, it will be live-streamed on http://webtv.un.org/

Wednesday 15 July 2020

8:00-9;00AM EDT - “Covid-19, inequality and climate emergency. The day after: more agenda 2030 than ever”

This event, sponsored by Costa Rica and Spain will explore how addressing inequality and climate change are interlinked and together can offer the “transformation” needed to achieve the SDGs. This event will explore the role of the welfare state and firm action on climate change. More information can be found here and the event will be live-streamed on http://webtv.un.org/

8:00-9;00AM EDT - “Power shift: Gender equality from the ground up! Launch of global report on the status of gender equality (SDG5) through the lens of community-based data with lessons learned and key demands from feminist organisations around the world”

More information can be found online here.

9:00-10:00AM EDT – Lessons from the Regions

At this session, part of the ministerial segment of the HLPF, we will see presentations from the various regions. The various Regional For a on Sustainable Development in your respective regions present an opportunity for holding governments accountable and participating in discussions regarding the regional dimension of the 2030 Agenda. As this is an official session, it will be live-streamed on http://webtv.un.org/

Friday 17 July 2020

9:00-12:30PM EDT – Ministerial Segment

At this official session of the HLPF, there will be several important discussions regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the SDGs including: Introduction of SG reports on the theme of HLPF and ECOSOC and on long term impact of current trends on SDGs Report of the Committee on Development Policy; Multilateralism after COVID 19: what kind of UN do we need at the 75th anniversary?; and Where are we heading? Visions and scenarios for the future of the SDGs following the COVID-19 crisis. At the closing, ministers will adopt a Ministerial Declaration including commitments to action on SDGs. As this is an official session, it will be live-streamed on http://webtv.un.org/