Regional Civil Society Engagement Mechanism (RCEM) presents the program for the:
Civil Society Pre-Meeting to UNECE Regional Forum on Sustainable Development
20-21st March 2019, Geneva
Palais De Nations and GICCA
Goals and objectives
- Engage civil society stakeholders from across the UNECE region in the implementation and monitoring of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
- Strengthen Civil Society cooperation and their role in United Nations processes on the SDGs, including the HLPF, the UN General Assembly and related processes
- Discuss and provide recommendations for improved implementation, monitoring and accountability processes and mechanisms; including on reporting models, VNRs, the Regional Forum and HLPF
- Sharing good practices and case studies
- Increase visibility of the Regional Civil society Engagement Mechanism (RCEM)
- Development joint advocacy messages from civil society / RCEM and strengthen RCEM
Key expected outputs of the event
- Shared lessons on progress at national level of Agenda2030 and the role of Civil Society
- Recommendations on Agenda2030 monitoring and accountability including on reporting models; VNR
- Agreed statements and positions to the official RFSD including focus and peer learning sessions
- Joint advocacy messages for better implementation of the Agenda 2030
- Recommendations to strengthen the role of civil society
- Mapping inter-linkages with related processes in UNECE region
- Follow up action for RCEM
- Civil Society speaker(s) for the official RFSD ‘connecting the dots’ session
PRELIMINARY AGENDA
| Time | |
| Wednesday 20th March 2019
Where: Room XII, Palais des Nations, Geneva |
|
| 9:00-10:00 | Registration and networking |
| 10:00-10:30
|
Opening by co-moderators
Plenary opening, introduction of the agenda, Forum objectives, and introduction of new facilitating committee, constituency groups and participants ( Opening address Olga Algayerova, executive secretary, UNECE Civil society address |
| 10:30-11:30 | Introduction to the 5 SDGs under review, SDG17 as well as crosscutting inter-linkages
· SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all · SDG 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all · SDG 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries · SDG 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts · SDG 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels · SDG17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development |
| 11:30-12:20 | WORK GROUPS on thematic SDGs to prepare input to the Peer Learning Round Tables during the RFSD
Key points for opening statement from all groups · What do we want to contribute to the discussion session · What are the crosscutting dimensions that we want to bring in |
| 12:20-13:00 | INTRODUCTIONS by UN agencies and convention secretariats
· AARHUS convention – update on implementation within Agenda 2030 · Human Rights processes and their link to the 2030 Agenda · 1325 Women and Peace process · UNFPA monitoring framework · UNFCCC – PA & GAP |
| 13:00-14:00 | Lunch break
|
| 14:00-14:30 | HLPF Review including improving accountability mechanisms in countries
· Recommendations for improving the HLPF process, accountability processes and mechanisms including on reporting models, VNRs, Regional official forums · Lessons from positive cases of accountability, institutionalization of CSOs’ participation · Update on PPPs and on regional inputs to reviewing SDG · Capture key points for the opening statement |
| 14:30- 15:00 | Status of Voluntary National Reviews from CSOs of VNR countries
Fifty-one countries will conduct Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) for HLPF 2019 of which 11 countries from our region: First time VNRs · Bosnia and Herzegovina, · Croatia · Iceland, · Kazakhstan · Liechtenstein, · Serbia, · Turkmenistan, · UK · Moldova Second time VNRs · Azerbaijan · France |
| 15:00-16:00 | WORKING GROUPS on VNRs – improving the VNR processes
· VNR countries EECCA (Russian speaking) · VNR countries EU (English speaking) Key points for opening statement from all groups · What do we want to contribute to the discussion session · What are the crosscutting dimensions that we want to bring in |
| 16:00-17:00 | WORKING GROUPS Inputs to the session on CONNECTING THE DOTS
Key points for opening statement from all groups · What do we want to contribute to the discussion session · What are the crosscutting dimensions that we want to bring in |
| 17:00-17:30 | FEEDBACK SESSION: Key points from the working groups for CSO statement |
| Evening: Informal get-together | |
| Thursday 21st March 2019
Where: Geneva International Conference Centre |
|
| 9:30-10:00 | RECAP of Day 1 |
| 10:00-11:30 | DISCUSSION: Agenda 2030- Challenges and Perspectives
· Indicator frameworks: Agenda 2030 indicator process · UNGA 74th session · UNEA4, Beijing+25;, Financing for Development process · Regional CSO engagement mechanism, how can we strengthen our role in the HLPF process. How can we make this space more strategic |
| 11:30-12:30 | RCEM CSO engagement mechanism
· Introduction and TOR · Current status: governing body · Mobilise sub-regional representatives and other stakeholder groups · Short presentations by working groups · Way forward |
| 12:30-13:00 | Closing session – GROUP PHOTO |
Link to official website UNECE 21-22 March program RFSD:
https://www.unece.org/sustainable-development/rfsd2019.html
