United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA)

1. In the past year, has the governing body of your organization taken any decisions to advance sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and ensure that no one is left behind? If yes, please briefly mention these decisions taken by your governing body in 2024 and provide the respective symbols. 

Building on the momentum built by the 2023 SDG Summit and its groundbreaking Political Declaration to help Member States to put the 2030 Agenda back on track, UN DESA adopted a Departmental Plan of Action 2024. It focuses on accelerating SDG progress with urgency, providing countries in special situations with tailored support, and delivering evidence-based policy analysis.

Among the several action areas outlined in the action plan, UN DESA sought to accelerate action on the SDGs and strengthening multilateralism, by providing meaningful support to crucial intergovernmental processes in 2024, including the Summit of the Future, to address critical challenges in global governance, reaffirm existing commitments to the SDGs and the UN Charter, and rebuild trust in a multilateral system that can improve people’s lives.

In addition, UN DESA also sought to address poverty, inequality, and leave no one behind in the recovery from the confluence of crises. To this end, the Department aimed to deploy increasingly disaggregated data to highlight inequalities and gaps in SDG implementation, provide support to Member States on various Our Common Agenda proposals to advance social development and strengthen trust in public institutions, including through preparations for the Second World Summit for Social Development in 2025.  

2. During 2024, what actions have your entities taken to improve coordination among UN system entities across policy and normative activities as well as with ECOSOC subsidiary bodies with a view to increase impact and accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda? Please provide any relevant links.  

UN DESA, as the convenor of the Executive Committee on Economic and Social Affairs (ECESA), organized an ECESA-plus meeting with an overarching objective to coordinate and align efforts among 54 member entities from the UN system to follow up on key milestone events in 2024 (e.g., fourth SIDS Conference) and prepare for major events in 2025 (e.g., third UN Ocean Conference, fourth Financing for Development Conference, second World Social Summit) in support of accelerating implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

UN DESA also continued to support ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies in support of the 2030 Agenda through its Secretarial role. At the ECOSOC Coordination Segment, Member States called for reinvigoration of multilateralism to achieve the 2030 Agenda and build momentum towards the Summit of the Future. The ECOSOC Operational Activities for Development Segment called for enhancing the effectiveness and coherence of the UN development system (UNDS) to achieve the SDGs, reviewed progress and provided guidance on QCPR implementation and UNDS repositioning. The Department also continued to support the ECOSOC Commissions, Committees and Advisory Bodies in support of the SDGs, and led the organization of special meetings of ECOSOC on AI for the SDGs, international tax cooperation and the future of work.

3. In the past year, has your organization organized any intergovernmentally mandated conferences, forums or events that contributed to the achievement of the SDGs, or has been in the process of planning and organizing any such mandated events to be held next year? 

In 2024, UN DESA supported the organization of multiple intergovernmentally mandated conferences, forums and events in support of the SDGs, as well as supported the planning and preparation of the forthcoming mandated events in 2025, including (but not limited to) the following major events:   

4. In the past year, has your organization published or planned to publish any analytical work, guidance or reference materials, or toolkits to guide and support the implementation of SDGs at national, regional and global levels? Please select up to three to highlight, especially those that address interlinkages among the SDGs.  

In 2024, UN DESA published various reports and analytical products to guide and support the implementation of SDGs at national, regional and global levels, including (but not limited to) the following major publications:   

5. The United Nations has defined six key transitions, or transformative entry points, that can have catalytic and multiplier effects across the SDGs and which have been guiding the UN development system work since the 2023 SDG Summit. In the past year, how has your organization contributed to these transformative actions and how various actors are being rallied behind them to mobilize further leadership and investment to bring progress to scale? Please provide any relevant links. (max 200 words under each transition)

In 2024, UN DESA supported Member States and other key stakeholders to mobilize transformative actions across the six areas, including (but not limited to) the following:  

1) Food systems

• UN DESA is empowering communities to address poverty, environmental degradation, and food security challenges through innovation. In Fiji, UN DESA collaborated with national partners to showcase the transformative potential of “Juncao”, a type of grass that can be used in mushroom production, as feed for animals, as windbreaks, and to minimize soil erosion.  
• UN DESA, in collaboration with International Organisation of Employers, World Business Council of Sustainable Development and UN Global Compact, organized the 2024 SDG Global Business Forum with special emphasis on corporate governance aspects of food systems transformation, along with other issues such as just transition, poverty eradication and the future of work.
• UN DESA has been supporting the work of the ECOSOC Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti (AHAGH) to follow closely the crisis in Haiti, including through its working group on supporting Haiti to meet the needs of crisis-affected populations and to build a more productive and resilient food system (WG2).

2) Energy access and affordability

• UN DESA organized a Global Stocktaking on SDG 7, which brought together governments, the UN system, and civil society including youth organizations, to accelerate implementation of SDG 7 by 2030 and beyond. The outcome was a call to action urging all stakeholders to step up action towards universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services by 2030; accelerate global energy transitions and actions towards net zero emission energy systems; scale up finance and investment for developing countries; ensure that no one is left behind; and follow up on the UN Decade of Sustainable Energy for All, including through a UN conference on energy. The Global Stocktaking was convened in collaboration with UN-Energy to mark the completion of the UN Decade, in April 2024. UN DESA conducted regional and thematic consultations in preparation of the Stocktaking, meeting experts and collecting written inputs from Member States through an online survey.

3) Digital connectivity

• In the 2024 UN E-Government Survey, UN DESA evaluated e-government services at both national and local levels to help governments identify strengths and areas of improvement. A key component of the Survey is the “Local Online Service Index” (LOSI) methodology, which aims to enhance e-government services by assessing local government portals.
• UN DESA helped countries to combat digital divides through a series of online national and local e-government toolkits. The national toolkit offers a strategic planning roadmap, while the local toolkit provides detailed guidance for local authorities to create user-friendly online platforms that promote citizen-centric services.
• [Forthcoming] UN DESA is supporting the preparation of the 19th Internet Governance Forum, to be held on 15-19 December in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. One of the focus themes of the Forum is “advancing human rights and inclusion in the digital age”, which will discuss how to empower all people and drive genuine inclusion of all communities in shaping its development. This includes efforts to connect and empower all populations, in particular marginalised communities and vulnerable groups to reap the benefits that the Internet has to offer, and ensure that the same rights they enjoy offline also apply online.  

4) Education

• Recognizing the key role of higher education in achieving sustainable development, UN DESA continued to co-chair the Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI), a partnership between the UN and the higher education community, including UN University, UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education and the Sulitest Association. The 2024 HESI Global Forum at the HLPF, under the theme “The Future of Higher Education for Sustainable Development”, served as a preparatory platform for initiatives to be advocated or launched at the Summit of the Future.

5) Jobs and social protection

• UN DESA supported the organization of the ECOSOC Special Meeting on the Future of Work, which highlighted the need to accelerate action towards creating decent jobs as a crucial response to addressing poverty and deepening inequalities. Under the theme “Towards a productive, inclusive, and sustainable global society,” particular attention was paid to supporting vulnerable groups in the labour market through improved access to social protection programmes and urging international cooperation to ensure policies keep pace with rapid market changes.
• UN DESA supported the 62nd Session of the Commission for Social Development, which emphasized the need for context-specific policies, strengthened national statistical capacities, and robust social protection systems to accelerate poverty eradication.  
• Recognizing the pivotal role of micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in creating decent jobs and driving the global economy, UN DESA partnered with the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office and Country Team to deliver comprehensive training to local entrepreneurs in February 2024 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. These workshops equipped participants with enhanced entrepreneurial and digitalization skills, enabling them to tap into regional markets like the Africa Continental Free Trade Area.

6) Climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution

• 2024 edition of the Global Report on Climate and SDG Synergies was launched by UN DESA and UNFCCC during the HLPF. Prepared by the Expert Group on Climate and SDG Synergy, it provides a roadmap for policymakers to realize synergistic climate and SDG actions on the ground. UN DESA and UNFCCC also organized the fifth Global Conference on Synergizing the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement.
• UN DESA is leading the analytical work to help prepare the 2025 UN Ocean Conference, involving extensive consultations with Member States, UN system representatives and other stakeholders.
• Together with UN-Water, the Department developed the first-ever UN system-wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation in consultation with Member States.
• UN DESA supported the organization of the 19th session of the UN Forum on Forests, which culminated in a high-level segment declaration and an omnibus resolution calling for actions across 10 key areas of the International Arrangement on Forests.

6. Please provide strategies (policies, guidance, plan) and/or collective actions taken to implement the 2024 Ministerial Declaration of the Economic and Social Council and the high-level political forum on sustainable development convened under the auspices of the Council. Please note any challenges foreseen and provide any relevant links. 

UN DESA has been diligently following up on the Ministerial Declaration of the high-level segment of the 2024 session of the Economic and Social Council and the 2024 high-level political forum on sustainable development (HLPF) convened under the auspices of the Council through its three key pillars of work – intergovernmental support, analytical work and capacity building – in support of advancing the SDGs, including the Goals in focus of the 2024 HLPF. The Department prepares the informal note of the Secretariat, as mandated by GA resolution 75/290A, as a follow up to the implementation of the 2024 Ministerial Declaration as well as to further inform discussions at the 2025 ECOSOC Coordination Segment. The Department is also providing substantive support to Member States to prepare and present Voluntary National Reviews at the 2025 HLPF.  

Looking forward, DESA aims to leverage the major UN Conferences in 2025, including the fourth International Conference on Financing for Development and the second World Summit for Social Development, to further accelerate the overall implementation of the 2030 Agenda. This includes reforming the international financial architecture and promoting inclusive and effective international tax cooperation, as well as promoting inclusive, comprehensive social protection that leaves no one behind, especially in support of countries in special situations and those in vulnerable situations – youth, older persons, Indigenous Peoples and persons with disabilities.  

7. What collective efforts is your entity undertaking to support countries in accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially in the areas of Goal 3 (Good health and well-being), Goal 5 (Gender equality), Goal 8 (Decent work and economic growth), Goal 14 (Life below water) and Goal 17 (Partnerships), which will go under in-depth review at the HLPF in 2025? Please note any achievements, challenges and gaps and provide any relevant links. 

UN DESA has been actively working to support countries in accelerating the achievement of the SDGs in focus for the HLPF in 2025, including (but not limited to) the following:

Goal 3 (Good health and well-being)

• During the fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4), UN DESA supported the organization of a multi-stakeholder interactive dialogue, focusing on the need to invest in human capital to address health crisis in SIDS and build the potential of youth in SIDS.
• UN DESA provided technical support to Titchfield Group on Ageing-related Statistics and Age-disaggregated data, particularly the preparation and launch of the Titchfield Group report entitled "Improving the visibility of older people in global statistics." The Group examined data for indicators spanning policy priorities for older persons, including health and care.  

Goal 5 (Gender equality)

• UN DESA and UN Women jointly published Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The Gender Snapshot 2024. While data presented in the report show that some progress has been made worldwide on gender equality and women’s and girls’ empowerment, none of the indicators and sub-indicators of SDG 5 has been met. The report includes a set of recommendations to eliminate gender disparities across all the Goals, including legal reforms, and outlines six key investment paths that policymakers must prioritize to ensure the full and equal participation of women and girls in every aspect of society.
• UN DESA assisted several countries to identify and address gender gaps in public administration. Capacity-development modules were developed in partnership with Bhutan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mauritius, and Senegal, which were based on national and international reviews of practice to promote women leadership in public administration. Peer review workshops were held in Thailand and Mauritius in April and June 2024, involving countries from Africa and Asia-Pacific, including SIDS. These sessions promoted a community of practice to enhance gender-responsive strategies. In June 2024, a global workshop in the Republic of Korea further shared insights and lessons from these gender equality action plans.

Goal 8 (Decent work and economic growth)

• Produced in partnership with UNCTAD and the five UN Regional Commissions, the flagship World Economic Situation and Prospects 2024 report presented recommendations to foster stronger and more effective global cooperation to reinvigorate the multilateral trading system, reform development finance, address debt challenges, and scale up climate financing. Its mid-year update further provided recommendations to harness the potential of critical mineral resources for a renewable transition to boost economic growth and achieve the SDGs, while avoiding a renewed “resource curse” through sound national policies and effective implementation capacities, supported by an enabling international environment and stronger international cooperation.
• The Inter-agency Task Force on Financing for Development, chaired by UN DESA Under-Secretary-General Li Junhua, calls for the need to urgently close financing gaps through an investment push, close policy and architecture gaps to make the international financial architecture (IFA) fit for purpose in a crisis-prone world, and close credibility gaps, translating rhetoric into action to rebuild trust in multilateralism.

Goal 14 (Life below water)

• UN DESA leverages interlinkages among the SDGs and promotes synergies between different intergovernmental processes to help safeguard our ocean. UN DESA supported Member States in their call for a third Ocean Conference in 2025 to galvanize global ocean action and build on the outcomes of the previous two Ocean Conferences, the SDG Summit, the fourth International Conference on SIDS, the Summit of the Future, and recent climate and biodiversity COPs.
• UN DESA has been engaging actively with governments and stakeholders to ensure previous voluntary commitments and pledges are translated into tangible results towards SDG 14. For example, the Department organized a workshop in Incheon, Republic of Korea, in October 2023, bringing together past hosts of the UN Ocean Conference with the co-hosts of the 2025 Conference, France and Costa Rica, along with voluntary commitment holders and the Communities of Ocean Action, to exchange best practices and key challenges.

Goal 17 (Partnerships)

• As the Secretariat for the ECOSOC Partnership Forum, UN DESA supported the Forum in demonstrating how innovative partnerships could be scaled up to drive the implementation of SDGs. It featured a set of SDG Action Segments organized by key partners from the UN system working in collaboration with Member States and other stakeholders.
• The 2030 Agenda Partnership Accelerator Initiative led by the Department continued to support effective multi-stakeholder partnerships for the SDGs, offering training and advisory services for stronger collaboration across sectors.  
• UN DESA also further strengthened partnerships in support of SIDS development priorities, by organizing the SIDS Partnership Symposium, in collaboration with ESCAP. The symposium gathered insights from SIDS stakeholders to enhance partnerships on key SIDS priorities, and foster peer learning for effective collaborations.  
• UN DESA collaborated with International Organisation of Employers, World Business Council of Sustainable Development, and UN Global Compact to organize the annual SDG Global Business Forum to the special events programme of the HLPF in July.  

If your organization has been part of any initiatives or multi-stakeholder partnerships in the past year that support these goals, please copy the below table to fill out for each initiative/partnership.  

UN DESA has engaged in various initiatives/multi-stakeholder partnerships in 2024, including (but not limited to) the following: