Adoption of the HLPF Political Declaration

A Political Declaration of the Sustainable Development Goals Summit was formally adopted during the Opening session of the UNGA, which committed to a “decade of action and delivery for sustainable development.” While the declaration commits to accelerating action, it was drafted before the July HLPF and therefore was restricted from effectively taking up July discussions on key 2030 goals -- including on peace (SDG16), climate (SDG11), and inequalities (SDG10). Due to support from member state allies, the declaration does address gender equality. However, it does not address key priorities continually raised by the feminist movement, including unpaid care work, sexual and reproductive health and rights, LGBTQI communities, disarmament, and women human rights defenders and peacebuilders. 

As WILPF’s coalition, the Women’s Major group has affirmed: a rights-based approach to the SDGs is not an option, but an obligation. Public private partnerships should not be advanced unless they are accountable through a legally binding corporate accountability mechanism. Social protection rather than austerity is required. Consistent ex-ante, and post gender, human rights, and environment impact assessments should be taken on all economic and other policies. 

Moving forward, the international community must increase their vision and take more risks to address systemic barriers and leave no one behind. We need a power shift for feminist peace and development justice, including distributive justice, economic justice, environmental justice, gender justice, and social accountability.

Read the political declaration and WILPF's analysis of the SDG Summit.