2023 VLR-VSR Days

Co-organized by UCLG, UN-Habitat and UNDESA.

Welcome to the VLR-VSR Days webpage!

Join us! The second edition of the VLR-VSR Days, to be held on 13, 17 and 18 July 2023 in the framework of the High-Level Political Forum, is coorganized by UCLG, UN-Habitat and UNDESA. Its main aim is to harness the potential of the VLR and VSR processes to bolster SDG localization across the globe. Bringing together LRGs, their associations, national governments, international organizations and other partners, the Days will address the challenge to ensure that the vision and commitments written in the reports are transformed into tangible, innovative and inclusive actions to accelerate the attainment of the SDGs.

At the mid-way point towards 2030, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are in danger, with only about 12% on track; close to half off track and some 30% with no movement or a regression below the 2015 baseline. Some governments at both the national and the local level have taken the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as the roadmap that will guide the strategies to accelerate recovery and foster resilience against current and future shocks. The achievement of the SDGs depends undeniably on local action and leadership: and LRGs, through the localization of the SDGs, have broadly demonstrated their willingness to play a critical role in this joint effort. However, efforts need to be redoubled through innovation and strong partnerships if we are to achieve the 17 goals by the end of the decade, and Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) and Voluntary Subnational Reviews (VSRs) are critical processes to that aim.

In this context, the 2023 HLPF will crucially steer our efforts towards the achievement of the SDGs at all levels, and create the momentum before the SDG Summit in September. In the framework of this event, and building on their solid partnership and longstanding collaboration for SDG localization, UCLG, UN-Habitat and UNDESA will co-organize the VLR-VSR Days for the second time.

VLRs and VSRs as tools to accelerate the implementation and foster ownership of the SDGs

VLRs and VSRs provide opportunities for multilevel governance and dialogue around gaps of decentralization and service delivery, but also to address upcoming challenges of the territories, such as complex emergencies, and to support policy shifts. VLRs and VSRs are indeed increasingly acknowledged as key accelerators of SDG localization: they use evidence they are able to measure, and which at the same time is meaningful for long term planning and strategies, going even beyond the SDGs, as well as for innovation and enhanced service provision to all populations. Under the motto of leaving no one behind, VLRs and VSRs are increasingly used as processes that change the way LRGs and LGAs relate to their populations and involve them in policy making, enhancing their participation and co-creation strategies. 

Indeed, VLRs and VSRs are becoming the processes of choice by and for cities, provinces, regions and local government associations, contributing to demonstrating the centrality of the mandate of local and regional governments in delivering on national priorities and advancing sustainable development. More than 200 VLRs in 43 countries and 37 VSRs in 35 countries have been produced since 2018. This has allowed gathering information from more than 170,000 local governments, representing more than 1.4 billion inhabitants.  

The VLR-VSR Days: objective and debates

This second edition of the VLR-VSR Days aims to harness the potential of the VLR and VSR processes to bolster SDG localization across the globe. It will discuss the new generation of VLRs and VSRs, as well as the already appreciable impact of those VLRs and VSRs produced over a year ago as processes going beyond monitoring and reporting. It will also address the challenge of ensuring that the vision and commitments written in the reports are transformed into tangible, innovative and inclusive actions to accelerate the attainment of the SDGs. Key topics will include multilevel governance, planning, data and monitoring, and stakeholder engagement, and the focus will be placed on those innovations and successes that are replicable to other territories.

Given the main and crucial role that local governments and associations play in the achievement of SDG 11 on sustainable cities and communities, the 2nd edition of the VLR-VSR days will be framed under this Global Goal. Indeed, targets as relevant for local and regional governments as housing, transport, inclusive and participatory planning, resilience and climate action will be the critical focus of the high-level discussions, linked to other relevant SDGs under review such as SDG 6 on water and sanitation, 7 on energy, 9 on infrastructure and, as every year, 17 on partnerships. 

Agenda

The 2nd edition of the VLR-VSR Days will be held under the 2023 HLPF (10-19 July). The official launch will take place on 13 July in person in New York (Millennium Hilton One UN Hotel). The VLR-VSR Days will take place on 17 and 18 July exclusively online.

With this mindset, the VLR-VSR Days will be composed of the following sessions:

📅 Launch (13 July, 16h30-17h45 EDT): Official high-level launch in New York

📅 Session 1 (17 July, 13h30-15h CEST): Opening + Multilevel governance for SDG localization: Connecting VLRs, VSRs and VNRs

📅 Session 2 (17 July, 15h15-16h45 CEST): Voluntary Subnational Reviews: Innovative modalities to accelerate local and regional governments involvement

📅 Session 3 (18 July, 13h30-15h CEST): Data innovation for reporting and planning

📅 Session 4 and closing (18 July, 15h15-17h15 CEST): VLR and VSR cocreation from the bottom-up: Stakeholder engagement and citizen knowledges

Looking forward to seeing you all in these exciting exchanges!

Still got questions? Contact a.calvete@uclg.org from the UCLG World Secretariat and marta.rodomasriera@un.org from UN-Habitat for more information.

Twitter links:

▶️ twitter.com/uclg_org

▶️ twitter.com/unhabitat

▶️ twitter.com/UNDESA

Web links:

▶️ https://powerofwe.uclg.org/

▶️ https://unhabitat.org/

▶️ https://www.un.org/en/desa