Flagship 5 - Transforming Governance and Development Systems Worldwide Through Sdg Cities

The world needs a change. A change in the way development is planned and pursued. A change in our governance frameworks and economic systems. A change in how public institutions interact with local communities and respond to their needs.

The world needs a change so that no family will lack access to water, housing, and basic services, no child will drop out of school, no girl will feel unsafe walking back home alone, and no one will be forced to leave their homes due to the lack of opportunities.

This change is driven by the sustainable planning and management of our cities as the arena where societies interact, economies flourish, and the environment is protected – or destroyed.

SDG Localization is the integrated approach – the “glue” – connecting all these dimensions. UN-Habitat understands SDG Localization as a paradigm shift to transform our governance and development systems based on the principles of partnership, inclusion, and multilevel governance, placing the quality of life of local communities at the center. The Agency’s vision is to transform the lives of one billion people by promoting localization processes in at least 1000 cities and 50 countries.

Guided by this vision, UN-Habitat is working with countries worldwide to establish SDG Localization Frameworks and to advance the SDG Cities Global Initiative. SDG Cities guides UN-Habitat’s work at the city level through a comprehensive approach linking data to decision-making and implementation, including financing for development.

In order to boost partnerships and mutual learning while harnessing the potential of city innovations, UN-Habitat will launch during this session the SDG Cities Global Community – UN-Habitat’s network of cities working to adopt the SDG Cities approach as a blueprint for their development path.

Key Objectives
• To present and discuss UN-Habitat’s vision and all-encompassing approach to SDG Localization as a paradigm shift to transform governance and development systems at all levels.
• To present progress on the SDG Cities Global Initiative and the creation of SDG Localization Country Frameworks
• To present UN-Habitat’s portfolio on SDG Localization and discuss opportunities for cooperation with partners and stakeholders
• To officially launch and mobilize partners toward the SDG Cities Global Community