What is SDG Localization?
SDG Localization is the paradigm shift to transform our governance and development systems to enhance governments' delivery capacities to enhance our communities' quality of life.
Localization means collaboration among all stakeholders and coordination across sectors and spheres of governance. It is a two-way process where the local meets the national and the global, and vice-versa.
SDG localization and UN-Habitat
UN-Habitat has been at the forefront of SDG Localization since the endorsement of the 2030 Agenda. Building on its operational capacities and technical leadership, the Agency developed the most integrated approach to localizing the SDGs in the UN system anchored on the SDG Cities initiative and Multilevel Governance for the SDGs. UN-Habitat's global footprint on SDG localization exceeds 20 countries, while, at the global level, the Agency has been mandated to lead the two key UN mechanisms on SDG Localization: the Local2030 Coalition and the UN Secretary General's Advisory Group on Local and Regional Governments.
UN-Habitat's vision is clear and ambitious: we aim to impact and transform the lives of at least one billion people by promoting SDG Localization processes in at least 1000 cities and 50 countries.
To do so, UN-Habitat works at three levels:
- Local level. Supporting cities and local governments through the SDG Cities Initiative to strengthen their data systems, planning processes, and implementation capacities.
- National level. Accompanying national governments to develop SDG Localization Frameworks as a blueprint to orient policy development through localization lenses.
- Global level. Facilitating local and national governments' engagement in the SDG Cities Global Community as well as the main UN and intergovernmental for a linked to SDGs
Mechanisms and Processes
UN-Habitat leads, coordinates or directly supports some of the key UN and international mechanisms and processes events linked to SDG localization and local and regional governments:
- The United Nations Advisory Committee on Local Authorities (UNACLA) was established by the Governing Council Resolution 17/18 of 1999 as an advisory body that would serve the purpose of strengthening the dialogue of the UN System with local authorities in the implementation of the Habitat Agenda.
- Our Common Agenda report was accompanied by the establishment of the Advisory Committee of Local and Regional Authorities, facilitated by the UN Task Force on the Future of Cities, in 2020.
- The Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments (GTF) convenes the World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments.
- In the outcome document of the G20 Development Work Group, the Italian Presidency prioritized SDG Localization and intermediary cities as key focus of work.
Conferences and events
UN-Habitat organizes, engages and facilitates the participation of local representatives and stakeholders in international and UN-led events:
- World Urban Forum (WUF): Held every two years and convened by UN-Habitat, is a high level, open and inclusive platform for addressing the challenges of sustainable urbanization. The 11th edition of the World Urban Forum was attended by over 1,645 local and regional government representatives, including 105 mayors.
- High-Level Political Forum (HLPF): It is the central United Nations platform for the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the global level. UN-Habitat engages during the HLPF, bringing local and regional governments at the forefront, for the last years, UN-Habitat and its partners have co-organized the Local and Regional Governments Forum (LRGF) as well as the VLR-VSR Days.
- Regional Forums for Sustainable Development (RFSD): Convened annually in the five regions of the world by the respective UN Regional Commissions, they are the key platforms at the regional level for policy debate, exchange of good practices and peer learning on SDG implementation.
Local 2030 Coalition
The Local2030 Coalition is the UN System-wide platform and network for supporting and accelerating the localization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We bring together the UN-System, local and regional governments and their associations, national governments, businesses, community-based organizations, and other local actors to mobilize, empower and support local stakeholders in advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
A convening space to support partners in developing ideas and sharing tools and approaches to advance the 2030 Agenda everywhere.
UN-Habitat is the permanent Local2030 Coalition Co-chair and leader of its Secretariat, together with UNDP, the first rotational Co-chair for 2022-2023.
Shipra Narang Suri
Chief, Urban Practices Branch, UN-Habitat
Martino Miraglia
Coordinator, SDG Localization and Local Government and SDG Cities Flagship
Pietro Ceppi
Associate Expert, SDG Localization and Local Governments
Robert Ndugwa
Head Global Urban Observatory, UPA
Claudia Garcia Zaragoza
Partnerships and Project Officer
Telman Maharramov
Partnerships and Programme Officer
Marta Rodó Masriera
Advocacy and Knowledge Management
Gaia Neal Aggarwal
Communication and Project Management
Xiaoqing Wang
Program Coordinator for Asia Pacific- Consultant
Nikita Sehmi
Program Coordinator for Africa- Consultant
Lucia Graf-Rojo
Partnership and Programme Managment Associate
Daniel Githira
Research and Capacity Building
Caroline Kienast-Von Einem
Data Strategy and Methodology
Sophie Lena Heuser
Urban Planning and Project Support
Joanna Muya
Project Management and Partnerships
Nicolás Tamayo Medina
Programme development for Latin America
Beza Desta
Communication and Knowledge Management
Derrick Achesa
Capacity Building and Toolkit Development Intern
Theodoros Kalitsas
Advocacy and Knowledge Management Intern
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. UN-Habitat is the focal point for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system.
UN-Habitat works with partners to build inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities and communities. UN-Habitat promotes urbanization as a positive transformative force for people and communities, reducing inequality, discrimination and poverty.
UN-Habitat works in over 90 countries to promote transformative change in cities and human settlements through knowledge, policy advice, technical assistance and collaborative action.
UN-Habitat's strategic plan 2020-2023 adopts a more strategic and integrated approach to solving the challenges and opportunities of twenty-first century cities and other human settlements. UN-Habitat's mission embodies the four main roles of the organization, which can be summarized as: think, do, share, and partner.
THINK
UN-Habitat's normative work, including ground-breaking research and capacity-building, sets standards, proposes norms and principles, shares good practice, monitors global progress and supports formulation of policies related to sustainable cities and human settlements.
DO
UN-Habitat's operational work takes various forms of technical assistance, drawing on its unique expertise in sustainable urbanization and crisis response. UN-Habitat implements projects to provide value-added and tailored support to countries.
SHARE
Through advocacy, communication and outreach, UN-Habitat mobilizes public, political and financial support and collaborative action to inspire qualitative change in national development plans, policy frameworks, development practice and investment choices for sustainable urban development at the local, national and global level.
PARTNER
Local and regional governments (LRGs) lead territories and local communities' development paths; they deliver essential public services and act as catalysts for transformative change.
Local and regional governments (LRGs) lead territories and local communities' development paths; they deliver essential public services and act as catalysts for transformative change.
LRGs are the tier of governance working closer to its local communities. Through inclusive and participatory processes in decision and policymaking, LRGs are playing a key role in rebuilding people's trust in governments – one of the key pillars identified by the UN Secretary-General in Our Common Agenda for creating a new social contract.
LRGs need to be equipped with the necessary legal, technical, and financial capacities to deliver on their mandate. Local governments that have the capabilities to invest in capacity building, institutional efficiency, infrastructure, and partnerships with civil society, can guarantee a continued, inclusive, and quality delivery of services to their users.
UN-Habitat's work with the local governments constituency at the local, regional, and global levels, raising its voice, supporting its priorities, and creating spaces for LRGs to be part of international and UN-led processes. To do so, UN-Habitat works closely with the global and national association of LRGs, and specifically coordinated international engagement with Global Task Force of Local and Regional Governments (GTF)
UN-Habitat coordinates or directly contributes to processes and mechanisms facilitating the UN engagement with the local and regional governments constituency:
- • Our Common Agenda report was accompanied by the establishment of the Advisory Committee of Local and Regional Authorities, facilitated by the UN Task Force on the Future of Cities, in 2020. It is the only existing channel of interaction between the UN System and the local government constituency that has been formally approved by a UN Resolution, and it is chaired by UN-Habitat
- • With the Support of UN-Habitat, The Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments (GTF) convenes the World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments, the joint voice of local and regional leaders from around the world. The New Urban Agenda identifies the World Assembly to play a key role as the political voice of local and regional governments in the follow-up and review of the New Urban Agenda
- • The United Nations Advisory Committee of Local Authorities (UNACLA) was established by the Governing Council Resolution 17/18 of 1999 as an advisory body that would serve the purpose of strengthening the dialogue of the UN System with local authorities in the implementation of the Habitat Agenda.
- • The president of the General Assembly's created the Advisory Committee on Sustainable Urbanization.
In addition to the mechanism below. UN-Habitat works hand in hand with the local and regional governments constituency to facilitate LRGs participation and engagement in the key international conferences and event:
During the High-level Political Forum for Sustainable Development (HLPF) an official session on localization is organized, while VLRs are gaining more space into national reviews and related HLPF sessions. The 2022 Ministerial Declaration, explicitly acknowledged the need to empower local and regional governments to ensure ownership and localization of the SDGs.
What is more, under the framework of the HLPF, the Local and Regional Governments Forum convened by the Global Taskforce and supported by UN-Habitat is organized.
The 11th session of the World Urban Forum was attended by over 1,645 local and regional government representatives, including 105 mayors.
In this context, UN-Habitat organized the SDG Localization Track. Its aim was to provide a shared roadmap of events to review and discuss progress and solutions towards the local implementation of the SDGs. The SDG Localization Track was composed of 13 events, including high-level and partner-led technical sessions.
Last but not least, UN-Habitat works with LRGs in the context of the Local 2030 Coalition, facilitating both the involvement of LRGs in the high-level processes of the Coalition as well as the connection between UN Country Teams and LRG partners at the country level.
