GCSPF @ HLPF 2020

The 2020 High Level Political Forum (HLPF) will take place from 7 to 16 July. The three-day ministerial meeting of the forum will take place from 14 to 16 July 2020.
The theme will be "Accelerated action and transformative pathways: realizing the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development".
The programme is here. 47 countries will carry out voluntary national reviews (VNRs) of their implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic virtual sessions will take place. You will find below a list of events by members of the Global Coalition.

Lessons from the global COVID-19 crisis and its impact on the SDGs

The COVID-19 pandemic will have a massive impact on the implementation of the SDGs and the fulfilment of human rights. The looming global recession will dramatically increase unemployment, poverty and hunger worldwide. Moreover, the crisis threatens to further deepen discrimination and inequalities. In many countries the macroeconomic situation had already deteriorated before the outbreak of the virus. A vicious circle of debt and austerity policies undermined socio-economic development in many countries.

Monday, 6 July 2020, 8:30-10:00am EDT - Read more and register here

Stakeholder Group on Ageing with Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities and UN DESA
COVID-19 has exposed and deepened inequalities, discrimination, ageism and shown the inadequacy of systems, programmes and policy actions to safeguard the wellbeing and dignity of older persons and persons with disabilities. The pandemic has increased the visibility of those most at risk and reinforced the need for inclusive public policies that address the rights of people of all ages, in line with the SDGs commitment to ‘leave no one behind’. This event will look at the COVID-19 experience to identify learnings and opportunities to build a more inclusive world and accelerate action for achieving the SDG for all.
7 July 2020, 12-1:30 EDT / 6-7:30PM CET Read more and register here.

Building on the UN Secretary-General's call to Prioritize Children’s Education, Food, Health and Safety amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, and the Group of Friends on Children and the SDGs acknowledgement that “children and young people are positive change agents with whom all stakeholders should partner to ease the lasting impact of COVID-19 and to achieve the 2030 Agenda,” the co-organizers will host an intergenerational dialogue between children and Member States to address: 1) Investing in and empowering children and youth as agents of change both in COVID-19 response and in the Decade of Action for the SDGs. 2) Strengthening inclusive, gender-responsive and child sensitive social and child protection policies and programmes to implement Agenda 2030 in light of COVID-19 realities.
This intergenerational dialogue is co-organized by UNICEF and the Child Focused Agencies which include Save the Children, ChildFund Alliance, Plan International, SOS Children’s Villages, and World Vision, in addition to the co-chairs of the Group of Friends of Children and the SDGs (Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Jamaica).
Wednesday 8 July 2020, 7:30 - 9 AM New York Read more and register here.

The COVID 19 pandemic rapidly escalated into a multidimensional crisis impacting the lives and minds of millions of people worldwide, reinforcing pre-existing systemic set of inequities and injustices, and resulting in increased levels of poverty, vulnerability and isolation for the most disadvantaged segments of the population.
For the Global North and South, today’s crisis represents an opportunity to rethink the world we want to see post Covid-19. How do we redefine - together with those directly impacted by poverty - what resilience means for societies in a changing climate? How can strong social protection systems guarantee that the poorest communities’ fundamental rights are realized? How can we ensure that new systems of solidarity and governance allow each member of society equal recognition and responsibility?
How do we achieve an equitable and just transition towards sustainable economies? By giving the floor to a variety of UN experts, researchers, and practitioners working in partnership with families living in poverty, this webinar aims at highlighting the urgency of the situation and proposing people-centred solutions favoring participation, solidarity, dignity and respect for the planet.
Wednesday 8 July 2020, 8 - 9 AM New York / 2-3 PM Geneva Read more and register here.

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought a crisis of unprecedented significance to people’s health, jobs and lives globally. Governments must take extraordinary and radical measures to overcome the emergency and to lay the groundwork for the recovery. A piecemeal approach clearly does not fit the purpose. On the contrary, systemic change based on interlinked and complementary policies at social, economic and environmental level is the way forward.
Covid-19 pandemic recovery requires that governments respond with specific measures for decent work and inclusive growth. These measures cannot happen without workers’ and employers’ organisations involvement and support. Resilience can only be built on social dialogue, which goes a long way in crafting equitable policies and to rebuilding a new social contract between governments, employers and workers.
International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
Monday 13 July 2020, 8 - 9 AM New York Time Read more and register here.

Since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, member states and civil society have reported on the progress made in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
In National Reports on the 2030 Agenda: What do they (not) reveal? The event will present the key findings of an overview content analysis of 2019 Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) by the Committee for Development Policy (CDP).
This event is co-hosted by the United Nations Committee for Development Policy (CDP), Social Watch International, Global Policy Forum and the Julien J. Studley Graduate Programs in International Affairs.
Monday, July 13, 2020, 8:00 am to 9:00 am (EDT). Read more and register here.

The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented public health crisis, which has touched all countries In the world, regardless of their development status.
However, the pandemic has also revealed the widening inequalities in society: people living in poverty are not only exposed to a much greater risk of infection, but also bear the disproportionate brunt of the negative economic and social consequences of the pandemic.
This event is organized by the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Franciscans International, the Global Initiative for Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, and the International Movement ATD Fourth World, with the support of the Permanent Missions of Belgium, Costa Rica, France, and Peru.
Monday, July 13th, 2020 - 15:00-16:30 CET Read more and register here.

WIEGO will host the Urban Thinkers Campus (UTC): Informal Workers & COVID-19: Impact and Vision for the Future. During this virtual event experts from WIEGO's Urban Policies Programme will provide detailed insights on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on urban informal workers while exploring creative policy and planning responses. The Urban Thinkers Campus is an initiative under the World Urban Campaign of UN-HABITAT.
The webinar will be in English with French and Spanish interpretation provided.

14 July 2020, 9 am - 11 am EDT (GMT-4) - Read more and register here