Name: Common reporting guidelines for voluntary national reviews


Reference: Proposal for voluntary common reporting guidelines for voluntary national reviews at the high-level political forum (Arabic) (Chinese) (French) (Russian) (Spanish)


Need to Act?

On the past VNR reports, see the Synthesis of VNRs 2016 and Synthesis of VNRs 2017. The Handbook for Preparation of VNRs includes several examples of chapters or statements from the past VNRs that are compliant with the common reporting guidelines.


If you have no role in the Voluntary national reviews (VNRs) of your country, consider the #crg4VSR - Common reporting guidelines for Voluntary Stakeholder Reports which can be used by all stakeholders and includes tips for sharing your report such that others with an interest in it can easily discover it.


Description

Voluntary national reviews (VNRs) of implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the Level Political Forum (HLPF) are the cornerstone of the follow-up and review framework of the 2030 Agenda. They culminate in a country report to and presentation at the HLPF. They are most productive when they involve an inclusive and thorough review process, when they produce tangible lessons and solutions, and when they are followed by action and collaboration that drives SDG implementation.

Common reporting guidelines seek to support member states in conducting VNRs. They were initially prepared by the Secretary-General in December 2015.1 They have been updated in December 20172 to reflect lessons learned during the two years that have followed. They provide a framework for certain common elements within reports while allowing for flexibility so countries can adapt to their own circumstances.

In the 2030 Agenda, Member States decided that the high-level political forum on sustainable development, when it meets under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council, shall carry out regular voluntary reviews. As stipulated in #asd84 - The HLPF shall carry out regular reviews, in line with Resolution 67/290 of the Agenda, those reviews will include developed and developing countries as well as relevant United Nations entities and other stakeholders, including civil society and the private sector. They shall be State-led, involving ministerial and other relevant high-level participants. They shall provide a platform for partnerships, including through the participation of major groups and other relevant stakeholders. In paragraph #asd84 of the Agenda, Member States are also encouraged to conduct regular and inclusive reviews of progress at the national and subnational levels which are country-led and country-driven. Voluntary national reviews at the high-level political forum will likely build on such reviews.

In paragraph 74 of the 2030 Agenda (#asd74), Member States identified a number of principles to guide the follow-up and review process at all levels. In preparing the voluntary national reviews, it is important that these principles be taken into account.

The following components are suggested as a way to help countries to frame the preparations for voluntary national reviews at the high-level political forum, bearing in mind that each country will decide on the scope of their review and the format in which they want to present their findings.

The expectation is that each country being reviewed may present a focused report to the high-level political forum and make brief presentations during its meeting.

Structure and content of a report for the HLPF

Countries are encouraged to structure the report along the following lines, which will promote consistency and comparability. Doing so will also help inform the process of review and generate reflections on implementation.


Availability

Check the Handbook for Preparation of VNRs: Draft Unedited Version(January 2018).


Call to Action - #ACT4SDGs

(if improvements to the actant are required and possible)