2024 SDG16 Conference | Public Institutions

SDG16 High-Level Conference 2024

The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the International Development Law Organization and the Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations co-organized the “SDG 16 High-Level Conference 2024 – Peace, justice and inclusive societies for Sustainable Development”, held on Monday, 6 May 2024 at the Trusteeship Council Chamber, United Nations Headquarters, New York.

The High-Level Conference came at a time when peace, justice and inclusive, effective, and accountable institutions were more needed than ever, and served as high-level platform to assess and promote SDG 16 as a key enabler of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals. Serving as the Official SDG 16 Review Conference in preparation of the 2024 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, the Conference assessed progress and challenges related to SDG 16 and highlighted the catalytic effect that progress on SDG 16 can have on addressing intersecting crises facing the world and achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The Conference brought together representatives of governments, international organizations, civil society, academia and youth. Building on the outcomes of previous editions, the Conference fostered the sharing of experiences and insights and helped to identify good practices that can support the acceleration of progress towards SDG 16 in support of the transition to a more sustainable future, and further promote its key role as enabler of all the other Sustainable Development Goals. The outcomes of the Conference provided inputs and support to the in-depth review of SDG 16 at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in July 2024 and also informed the process towards the Summit of the Future in September 2024.

UN Web TV recordings:

Morning sessions (10:30 - 13:00): SDG 16 Conference (Part I) | UN Web TV

Afternoon sessions (15:00 - 18:00): SDG 16 Conference (Part II) | UN Web TV

Background

Since 2019, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN/DESA) and the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) have collaborated to organize four editions of the global conference on SDG 16, with financial support from the Government of Italy.

The first Conference, titled “Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies: SDG 16 implementation and the path towards leaving no one behind”, was held in Rome in 2019 to inform the first review of SDG 16 at the High-level Political Forum (HLPF) in 2019.

The second conference took place virtually in April 2021, with the theme “Transforming Governance for a more Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Future: SDG 16 as the roadmap to respond to COVID-19 and build back better”.

The third Conference was organized in Rome in a hybrid format from 21 to 22 April 2022, with the theme “People-centred governance in a post-pandemic world”. Around 80 persons attended the Conference in person and more than 900 people followed the discussions online.

A fourth edition of the Conference was held in 2023. The Conference, titled “SDG 16 as a compass for navigating intersecting crises”, featured more than 100 speakers. About 220 participants attended in person, and more than 400 participants followed the conference online. Participants came from 130 different countries, covering all regions.

The SDG 16 Conferences have provided a global platform for all SDG 16 stakeholders – including governments, civil society, the UN system, academia, and intergovernmental organizations – to address the transformative contribution SDG 16 can make in accelerating progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The outcomes of the Conferences have informed reviews of progress at HLPF.

There is high interest in the SDG16+ Community in continuing to regularly take stock of trends, challenges and opportunities in the various dimensions of SDG 16, including its role as a key enabler for SDG implementation.

Documentation

Concept note

Agenda

Program with guiding questions

SDG 16 Conference 2024 Final Report

Key messages

Rome Civil Society Declaration on SDG16+

SDG 16 library

Pictures of the Conference

Speakers

Special addresses by:

H. E. Mr. Sergio Mattarella
President of the Republic of Italy

H. E. Ms. Paula Narváez
President,
United Nations Economic and Social Council

Ms. Amina J. Mohammed
Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations

Mr. Orlando Aguirre Gómez
President of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Republic of Costa Rica

Ms. Maria Isabel Aninat Sahli
Dean of Faculty of Law, Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, Chile
Vice Chair of the Board of Advisors, International IDEA

Ms. Jan Beagle
Director-General,
International Development Law Organization

Mr. Abdul Tejan Cole
Executive Director,
African Center of Excellence-Access to Justice (Ace-AJ)

Mr. Michael Collins
Executive Director Americas,
Institute for Economics & Peace

H. E. Amb. Pedro Comissário Afonso
Permanent Representative of the Republic of Mozambique to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for May 2024

Mr. Helder Da Costa
General Secretary,
g7+ Secretariat

Mr. Oscar Escobar
Former Mayor of Palmira,
Colombia 2020-2023

H. E. Amb. Sarah Safyn Fyneah
Permanent Representative of Liberia to the United Nations

Mr. Blair Glencorse
Co-CEO, Accountability Lab and Civil Society Co-Chair,
Open Government Partnership Steering Committee

Mr. Luke Goh
Permanent Secretary for Law and Second Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs,
Singapore

Amb. Gianluca Greco
Deputy Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations

Ms. Shannon N. Green
Assistant to the Administrator of the Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance (DRG)
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

Ms. Patricia Kameri-Mbote
Director, Law Division,
United Nations Environment Programme

Ms. June Kunugi
Director, Public Partnerships Division,
United Nations Children’s Fund

Ms. Elizabeth (Liz) Hume
Executive Director,
Alliance for Peacebuilding and Co-chair, Transparency, Accountability & Participation (TAP) Network / Civil Society Platform for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (CSPPS)

Mr. Li Junhua
Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs,
Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA)

Ms. Charlotte Le Faucheur
Program Associate, Cordaid and Civil Society Platform for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (CSPPS)

Ms. Najat Maalla M’jid
Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Violence against Children

Ms. Luísa Franco Machado
Young Leader for the SDG

Amb. Maurizio Massari
Permanent Representative of Italy
to the United Nations

Ms. Ulrika Modéer
Assistant Administrator, Director of the Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy,
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP-BERA)

Ms. Claudia del Rosario Palencia Morales
Vice Minister,
Ministry of Governance, Guatemala

Ms. Ana Patricia Muñoz
Executive Director,
International Budget Partnership

Ms. Gwendolyn Myers
Founder and Executive Director,
Messengers of Peace (MOP)

Mr. John Romano
Director,
Transparency, Accountability & Participation (TAP) Network

Mr. Martin Seychell
Deputy Director General,
Directorate General for International Partnerships, European Commission

Mr. Mandeep Tiwana
Chief Officer,
Evidence and Engagement, CIVICUS

Mr. Peter van Sluijs
Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention Expert and Coordinator,
Civil Society Platform for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (CSPPS)

Statements

President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council Closing Remarks

Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Opening Remarks

Under-Secretary-General, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs Opening Remarks

Under-Secretary-General, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs Closing Remarks

Director-General, International Development Law Organization Opening Remarks

Director-General, International Development Law Organization Closing Remarks

President of the Republic of Italy Opening Remarks

Previous SDG16 Conferences

2023 SDG16 Conference

Conference website

Conference report (English, French)