The National Planning Commission’s Sustainable Development Goals Platform
In 2015, Nepal, as a member of the UN, signed the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda agreed by the Members of the United Nations in September 2015. The Agenda sets out 17 ambitious goals that define globally sustainable development priorities and aspirations for 2030 and seek to mobilize global efforts around a common set of goals and targets.
The National Planning Commission’s National SDG platform is intended to enable tracking of Nepal’s progress towards achieving the SDGs by 2030 and other national development plans. The platform provides information about the Government of Nepal’s efforts in terms of planning, implementation, and monitoring in relation to the SDGs. Furthermore, the platform serves as an online data and repository to support timely data collection and to monitor the implementation of SDGs.
The Sustainable Development Agenda 2030
On September 25th 2015, 193 countries adopted a set of 17 goals to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new sustainable development agenda. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved over the next 15 years. On 1 January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at a historic UN Summit — officially came into force. Over the next fifteen years, with these new Goals that universally apply to all, countries will mobilize efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind.
The SDGs, also known as Global Goals, build on the success of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and aim to go further to end all forms of poverty. The new Goals are unique in that they call for action by all countries, poor, rich and middle-income to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. They recognize that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and addresses a range of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities while tackling climate change and environmental protection.
Nepal, as a member of the UN, is committed to the SDGs and was one of the signatories of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda agreed by the Members of the United Nations in September 2015.
Nepal’s National Sustainable Development Goals Framework
While the SDGs are not legally binding, governments are expected to take ownership and establish national frameworks for the achievement of the 17 Goals. The Government of Nepal’s National Planning Commission (NPC) prepared the first SDG country report in 2015, detailing and taking stock of its current development context and establishing the baseline for the SDGs. This made Nepal the first country in the world to publish its SDG country report and symbolizes Nepal’s commitment and readiness to execute the SDGs. Based on the report, the NPC has been working to align its national monitoring and evaluation framework including its periodic plans with the SDG and its targets. The current (14th) periodic plan (2016/17-2018/19), and other sectoral plans, policies and their targets are being aligned with SDGs. specific SDGs codes are assigned for all national programs in the national budget.
Three high-level committees have been formed to help implement SDGs i.e. a Steering Committee chaired by the Prime Minister; a Coordination Committee chaired by the Vice Chairman of the NPC and nine thematic committees are headed by NPC Members. These nine committees focus on Economic Development; Industrial Development; Urban Development; Social Development; Employment Management; Agriculture Climate and Environment; Physical Infrastructure; Energy Development; Peace, Justice, and Inclusive Institutions. The membership of the coordination and working committees is broadly representative of the public and private sectors, as well as civil society and development partners.
Furthermore, Nepal has been among a select group of countries that have agreed to voluntary submit its review of its progress towards the SDG ad on July 28, 2017 presented its Voluntary National Review (VNR) regarding the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, under the auspices of the United National Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in New York.
Countries have the primary responsibility for follow-up and review of the progress made in implementing the Goals, which will require quality, accessible and timely data collection. The National Planning Commission’s National SDG platform is intended to enable tracking of Nepal’s progress towards achieving the SDGs by 2030 and other national development plans. The platform provides information about the Government of Nepal’s efforts in terms of planning, implementation, and monitoring in relation to the SDGs. Furthermore, the platform serves as an online data and repository to support timely data collection and to monitor the implementation of SDGs.
Download National SDG Framework
Nepal’s Progress Towards the SDGs
The overarching goal of the SDGs of leaving no one behind fits well with the inclusive political order that Nepal has been building with the new Constitution (2015), which aspires to create a prosperous, egalitarian and pluralistic society, and serves as the overarching guide to all development policies, plans, and programs.
Nepal's social and political progress has been highly progressive:
Building on the gains so far, the challenge for Nepal is to swiftly complete the unfinished agenda of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and embrace a much more ambitious aspiration of fulfilling the SDGs. Furthermore, Nepal expects to become a vibrant middle-income country by 2030. However, the country is resource constrained, and it needs to forge a diverse alliance for SDGs among government, business and civil society to end poverty and create a life of dignity and opportunity for all in Nepal.