1. Talking points / Roberto Bissio – Social Watch
Intersessional Expert Meeting on the full enjoyment of human rights by all women and girls and the systematic mainstreaming of a gender perspective into the implementation of the 2030 Agenda
gender-perspective in the accountability mechanism for SDG implementation
a CSO’s point of view
Talking points / Roberto Bissio – Social Watch
Talking Notes by Roberto Bissio – SDG Accountability – Geneva May 3, 2018

2. Social Watch: A global citizens network for accountability
Talking Notes by Roberto Bissio – SDG Accountability – Geneva May 3, 2018

3. The 2030 Agenda is universal, comprehensive, human rights based and requires developed countries to take the lead
Talking Notes by Roberto Bissio – SDG Accountability – Geneva May 3, 2018

4. The “A-word” in the 2030 Agenda
45. We acknowledge also the essential role of national parliaments through their
enactment of legislation and adoption of budgets and their role in ensuring
accountability for the effective implementation of our commitments.
47. Our Governments have the primary responsibility for follow-up and review, at
the national, regional and global levels, in relation to the progress made in
implementing the Goals and targets over the coming 15 years. To support
accountability to our citizens, we will provide for systematic follow-up and review
at the various levels, as set out in this Agenda and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda.
The high-level political forum under the auspices of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council will have the central role in overseeing follow-up and review at the global level.
Data, monitoring and accountability
72. (...) A robust, voluntary, effective, participatory, transparent and integrated follow-up and review framework will make a vital contribution to implementation and will help countries to maximize and track progress in implementing this Agenda in order to ensure that no one is left behind.
73. Operating at the national, regional and global levels, it will promote accountability to our citizens, support effective international cooperation in achieving this Agenda and foster exchanges of best practices and mutual learning.
Talking Notes by Roberto Bissio – SDG Accountability – Geneva May 3, 2018

5. The big shift: from transformational to measurable
2014: The “leapfrogging” hype (Oxford: Intensive publicty or deception)
Talking Notes by Roberto Bissio – SDG Accountability – Geneva May 3, 2018

6. The big shift: from transformational to measurable
2018: The “diagnostic” hype
Talking Notes by Roberto Bissio – SDG Accountability – Geneva May 3, 2018

7. In summary:
“you will still be poor and discriminated, but we will know precisely how poor you are”
Talking Notes by Roberto Bissio – SDG Accountability – Geneva May 3, 2018

8. Parallel shift:
Emphasis has “shifted from the pressure to develop a global indicator framework to the need for capacity development.” *
* “The Ups and Downs of Tiers: Measuring SDG Progress,” by Barbara Adams and Karen Judd, published April 30, 2018 by Global Policy Watch (
Talking Notes by Roberto Bissio – SDG Accountability – Geneva May 3, 2018

9. Sustainability is missing
17.19 By 2030, build on existing initiatives to develop measurements of progress on sustainable development that complement gross domestic product, and support statistical capacity-building in developing countries
Dollar value of all resources made available to strengthen statistical capacity in developing countries
Proportion of countries that (a) have conducted at least one population and housing census in the last 10 years; and (b) have achieved 100 per cent birth registration and 80 per cent death registration
Talking Notes by Roberto Bissio – SDG Accountability – Geneva May 3, 2018

10. Counting the trees, missing the forest
The search for one indicator for each target eludes a comprehensive approach to the goals
Tier I indicators for Goal 10 (inequalities):
Proportion of members and voting rights of developing countries in international organizations
10.a.1 Proportion of tariff lines applied to imports from least developed countries and developing countries with zero-tariff
10.b.1 Total resource flows for development, by recipient and donor countries and type of flow (e.g. official development assistance, foreign direct investment and other flows)
Women loose the most if the inequalities goal is lost
Talking Notes by Roberto Bissio – SDG Accountability – Geneva May 3, 2018

11. MDGs and SDGs: more but not different indicators
There are 93 indicators in Tier I of the SDGs, of which 42 are either identical to or an elaboration of (e.g., disaggregated by sex, etc.) the already existing MDG indicators.
SDG 17, on implementation, has now nine additional indicators when compared with the MDGs, three of them measuring support to national statistics offices. But the MDGs assessed implementation with indicators for key policies that are not on the current list of the SDGs. For example, the measure of “untied” Official Development Assistance (ODA) has disappeared, and three indicators addressing basic trade concerns of developing countries (on tariffs for developing countries exports and agricultural subsidies of OECD countries) are also lost.
Similarly, the MDG 8 indicators for debt relief under HIPC have disappeared, even when those have all the characteristics required for Tier I and SDG Target 17.4 explicitly demands debt relief and debt restructuring, for which those indicators would be appropriate. Instead the only Tier I indicator for this target is a figure for debt service in relation to exports.
Talking Notes by Roberto Bissio – SDG Accountability – Geneva May 3, 2018

12. HLPF: The big opportunity
The VNRs are gaining traction:
In three years, 132 VNRs have been submitted, a show of political commitment
But: No real review, no adequate channels for CSO participation
Qualitative assessments – Human Rights approach
Talking Notes by Roberto Bissio – SDG Accountability – Geneva May 3, 2018

13. The way forward Rights of future generations – Rights to a future
Expansion of rights not of “development delivery”:
Example:
“Right to be cared” recognized in Uruguay and Costa Rica
“Personhood” of rivers recognized by courts
If corporations have “rights” why can't nature have them?
Rights of future generations – Rights to a future
Talking Notes by Roberto Bissio – SDG Accountability – Geneva May 3, 2018