The High Level Political Forum (HLPF) takes place every year. It is the main United Nations (UN) space to discuss sustainable development. That might sound distant, like a space not made for you but governments, UN organisations, charities, civil society actors and businesses will be making decisions that affect your life; from progress on gender equality to the future of employment and the fight against climate change.
That’s why you should be there!
This year participants will debate where we stand in light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. And for the first time ever, due to lockdowns, hundreds of these events, debates and participatory sessions will be open to the public. So you can listen in, speak up, hold our leaders to account and influence them to commit to changes that will improve your lives.
🗣 Have your say. 📺 Listen in. 🍿Watch & Chat.
Every year we support a group of young activists to attend the HLPF, to represent young people’s views and to hold decision-makers to account. This year we want you to join us. Together we can make ourselves heard. Our Youth Accountability Advocates and our Youth Power Panel are here to talk you through the schedule, show you how you can get involved and let you know what they’ll be trying to achieve at the summit. So let us guide you through your first UN summit from Thursday 9th July to Friday 17th July!
🗣 Building Back better (with the Youth Power Panel)
Wednesday 15th July @ 5pm (UTC). Pre-register using this link🔗
If you go to nothing else, come join our amazing Youth Power panel for this highly interactive debate. This is your chance to meet with other young people to discuss how COVID19 has impacted your life and your community. We want to hear from you about what you think needs to be done to ensure the pandemic doesn’t set us back on our quest for an equitable, prosperous and sustainable future.
The session will focus on issues around inequalities, gender and climate action, and will include questions and videos submissions – curated prior to the session – from activists around the world.
📺 Working towards economic inclusion in the decade of action. Youth-Led Talk Show.
Thursday 9 July @ 12pm (UTC). Pre-register using this link 🔗.
Approximately 1/5 young people worldwide are not engaged in education, employment or training (NEET). Economic exclusion of youth has far reaching consequences on societies and individuals. Organised by young people from different countries, this side-event wants to open the discussion. Join the youth-led virtual talk show to find out more about what action can and should be taken to ensure economic opportunity for all.
I’m excited to join this event because I want to be part of the conversation of how young people can be included in the financing of the goals to catalyse a decade of action.”
Faith Kaoma, Youth campaigns senior manager
📺 Achieving the SDGs in an era of COVID 19.
Thursday 9th July @ 9pm (UTC). Pre-register using this 🔗
The current pandemic of the COVID19 has presented a new set of challenges for the global community that exacerbates existing inequalities. Collaboration and solidarity is a strong tool for ensuring no one is left behind. Join our Youth Power panelist Rosario Díaz Garavito, The Millennials Movement, the UN Major Group of Children and Youth and others for this panel discussion.
📺 Protecting civic space during the COVID-19 pandemic
Friday 10 July @ 12pm (UTC). Pre-register using this 🔗.
Civic space has been dwindling but the COVID19 pandemic has illustrated how important the actions of civil society can be in building a more just and sustainable world. If you have been involved in supporting your community, through mutual aid or community education, then you have been realising the power of civic spaces.
This dynamic webinar will bring together civil society representatives, UN bodies, national human rights institutions, and State representatives to discuss how civic spaces can be protected and supported by leveraging international commitments to Sustainable Development Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).
World Leaders – policy makers – will once again attend the HLPF this year. I am charging all youth leaders to make judicious use of the opportunity to attend and press demand on policy makers to fulfil their Global Goal promises by recovering better and building back better.”
Abideen Olasupo, Youth Power Panel Member
📺 Small Island Developing States
Friday 10 July 2020 @ 7pm (UTC). Just tune in to UN TV.
COVID-19 poses a particular risk to the health and economic wellbeing of people living in Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Low income levels, high levels of pre-existing health conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity, and dependency on a floundering global economy, make these populations more vulnerable. Many SIDS are likely to experience recession, from falling tourism revenue, volatility in commodity prices and difficulties with pre-existing debts.
This Global Dialogue will help generate ideas, suggestions and recommendations on how to build partnerships to improve lives in SIDS and make sure we continue to build towards the promises of the Sustainable Development Goals.
🗣 Youth-led dialogue on SDG Accountability in the time of COVID-19 and Beyond.
Monday 13 @ 12pm (UTC). Pre-register using this 🔗.
Do you believe that girls and young women should have say on the matters that affect them, whether they’re taken locally or internationally? So do we, and so do The Girls Advocacy Alliance, who are working to end gender-based violence and economic exclusion among adolescent girls across Asia and Africa. That’s why they are hosting this exciting virtual dialogue between youth activists and representatives from Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Uganda, Kenya and Liberia.
Join them to discuss the importance of investing in girls and young women as agents of change, and how to make sure young people are heard, when it comes to implementing and reviewing progress on the SDGs.
🍿 National Reviews (Facebook Watch Parties)
Various times. Follow our India or Zambia Facebook pages to find out more.
47 countries will carry out voluntary national reviews (VNRs). This means that government ministers and representatives will be reporting on how far they’ve come in delivering on their promises to you; about gender equality, economic opportunity, climate change and much more.
If you are from India or Zambia then we are inviting you to watch the review with us live on Facebook. We will help you to understand what the report means for you, and what you can do to influence and get involved in future action.
All the VNRs are live on UN TV.
📺 From Page to Action: Accountability for the Furthest Left Behind in COVID-19 & Beyond
Monday 13th July @ 11:45am (UTC). Just tune in to UN TV.
The Sustainable Development Goals committed hundreds of national governments to ensuring the availability of healthcare and services for everyone. Action is particularly focused around women, children and young people who are least likely to have access to health services. Progress has been made but complacency, lack of action and now COVID19 threatens to hold us back.
This session, hosted by the governments of Japan, South Africa and Georgia, will explore how communities can be empowered to hold decision-makers accountable for their promises. The event will be the official launch of the UN report into the impact of COVID19 on the health and healthcare access of women, children and young people.
My focus at the HLPF will be to understand and help others understand how COVID19 has affected the public health systems across the world and has pushed the agenda of Contraception among the youth, back by many years.”
Dharm Pravartak Mahendra, Youth Accountability Advocate from India
🗣 The Power of Partnerships
Monday 13th July @ 4pm (UTC). Pre-register using this 🔗.
This online discussion will explore how governments, UN agencies and civil society organisations have been successfully collaborating with young people to deliver their Voluntary National Reviews and to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals in policies and practice since 2015. It will be an opportunity to share important insights from Agenda 2030 processes that have meaningfully engaged youth, and reflect on some of the challenges and transferable recommendations for ensuring powerful cross sector and intergenerational partnerships to respond to COVID19 and build back a better world together.
I am excited to speak in this event because it offers a huge opportunity for young people to connect with decision makers and share ideas on how to build back better. The Global Goals are meant for us all, which is why it is crucial for us to come together to celebrate successes and track progress made to achieve them.”
Romeo Maduma, Restless Development Zimbabwe
Gender Data for Gender Equality
TUESDAY, 14 JULY 2020, 8am. Pre-register using this 🔗.
Come along and fight out more about how data can help us realise the Global Goals. This session will specifically explore how big data can be used to measure and improve gender-specific impacts of policies and programmes. Making visible the circumstances of women and men in their diversity is a foundation for more focused and effective action to achieve gender equality, realise human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, and secure a sustainable future for people and planet. Arranged by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), World Food Programme (WFP), and the International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA).
At a time when COVID19 continues to wreak health and economic havoc in the world, my focus as a young person at the HLPF will be to raise challenges faced by women and girls with regard to SRHR, particularly in accessing contraceptives and menstrual hygiene products.”
Shalini Shukla, Youth Accountability Advocate from India
🗣 HLPF 2020 Review
Friday 17th July @ 1pm, Pre register using this 🔗.
The day after the HLPF closes The International Institute for Sustainable Development will be hosting a panel discussion to explore how things went, and where we need to go next. There will also be a Question and Answer session with the panelists so you have a chance to raise your insights and reflections on the conference and the road ahead.
