04
Methodology and process of preparation of the report This report is based on first-hand information collected by networks of local and regional governments (LRGs) and the analysis of the Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) and the VNR summaries (Main Messages) submitted by national governments to the HLPF in both 2016 and 2017.7 The structure of the report translates the VNR guidelines – first issued as an annex to the UN Secretary General’s report on follow-up and review of the SDGs at the global level – into a blueprint for LRGs to use when reporting about the localization of the Goals. The report’s guidelines were accompanied by a questionnaire on the involvement and engagement of LRGs. The questionnaire was circulated through the UCLG network in all regions, and focused specifically on the involvement of LRGs in: a) the drafting of the VNR by the national government; b) enhanced national dialogue, initiatives and programmes on the implementation of the SDGs and the monitoring of this process; and c) in the development of LRG-driven initiatives at the local level, related or aiming to the implementation of the global goals. UCLG has received responses from LRGs and LRG associations from 30 countries worldwide, mostly part of the 65 countries that have reported (or committed to do so) to the HLPF in 2016 and 2017, and has also collected relevant information from international networks (see Table 3 on page 21 below). The aim of this exercise was to provide as large and comprehensive an overview as possible of the involvement of LRGs in the implementation process and, at the same time, verify and complement the information provided by national governments through the data, knowledge and experiences reported directly by sub-national levels. This task was especially useful in those cases in which VNRs mentioned local and regional governments and their participation in the process (see Figure 1), so as to include the perspective of LRGs and assess whether and to what extent the commitment to localize the SDGs and the process of implementation was ultimately fulfilled. Except when clearly stated otherwise, all the information presented in this report is extracted from the VNRs, Main Messages or the LRG reports submitted directly to UCLG. Most questionnaires were answered by officials within local government associations – often from technical departments and/or mobilizing experts (e.g., responses from the South African Local Governments Association, SALGA) – or in consultation with partners such as NGOs (e.g., Argentina and Brazil) or international agencies (e.g., UNDP in Costa Rica). In a few cases in which local government associations were asked by their national governments to present a report as part of the VNR drafting process, the associations have also shared with UCLG these documents or a working summary (e.g., Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden). In other cases (e.g., Ecuador), the associations have also consulted national institutions and agencies that have contributed directly to the national reporting process.
7 This report was finalized on July 6, 2017. To this date, 22 VNRs had been published for the 2016 HLPF, and 28 for the 2017 HLPF, alongside 14 Main Messages summing up the key contents of yet unpublished VNRs. Two countries – Guatemala and Italy – had not submitted any document.
19