GPPAC supports Local Voices at SDG16+ Forum Annual Showcase

GPPAC is attending this years SDG16+ Forum Annual Showcase , hosted in Dili, Timor-Leste. The World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) have organised this third edition of the annual forum, taking place between the 11th and 14th November. The previous forums,  Georgia in 2017 and Sierra Leone in 2018,  focused on discussing the best policies and practices needed to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs), specifically, SDG 16+ which promotes peace, justice and inclusion. 

This forum acts as a platform for peacebuilders, activists and policy-makers to share experiences, encouraging greater cooperation and investment towards the successful implementation of SDG16+. Creating a space for dialogue surrounding members local experiences with the SDG16+ agenda is a fundamental part of progressing towards this goal.

The concentration of this years forum is the local implementation of SDG 16+. A series of presentations and discussions will be used to share knowledge, showcase examples of progress and present new initiatives surrounding the implementation of SDG 16+.

These presentations include a session on “Access to Justice, Reconciliation and Gender”, co-presented by  Visaka Dharmadasa, GPPAC’s South Asia Gender expert.

Other highlights include the presentation by our Southeast Asia member Victoria “Mags” Maglana, human rights activist and columnist, on“Localizing SDG 16+: Media and Mobilization”. During this group session, she will discuss the link between local transitional justice, human rights and governance work.

Whilst the forum acts as a platform to discuss the successful implementation of SDG 16+, it also presents an opportunity for GPPAC to share their projects designed to aid and accelerate this process. These include: 

• SDG16+ Localisation Consortium (with TAP Network, Saferworld and CSPPS), which was developed to raise awareness about SDG16+ and to support its national implementation and accountability.

• SDG16 Toolkit, which provides guidelines to peacebuilding actors to engage on the implementation of SDGs and more specifically SDG16+  at a local, national and regional level.