UN Transcripts — https://transcripts.un.org/es/asset/k1b/k1bcqomjan
(Part 2) SDG 16 Conference 2026 — 17 June 2026
Language: en
Automatically generated transcript — may contain errors. Not an official United Nations record.

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IDLO · Director-General · Jen Beagle [0:03]:

So, I started off without even a sound. So, I was saying good afternoon. Colleagues will still be joining, but I want to start because we have a limited time. I'm Jen Beagle, Director-General of IDLO, and I welcome you very warmly to the second panel of our conference on peace, justice, and effective institutions, the transformative impact of SDG 16.

16.

And for those of you who were with us this morning, we heard earlier in the Stocktaking Session the stark reality of where we stand on SDG 16. And, you know, we know that the gap between ambition and implementation is quite wide. But today, this afternoon, we are shifting the focus from challenges to solutions, so from assessment to impact. And it's been mentioned by several speakers that SDG 16 is an essential enabler for the 2030 Agenda, so this panel is really to show rather than to tell. It will explore how successful interventions in peace, justice, and effective institutions can drive change across the social, economic, and environmental pillars of sustainable development. So IDLO focuses on helping our partners to develop targeted rule of law solutions to address their most pressing challenges and to advance their priorities. And depending on the needs and the context, we engage at every level, driving change from laws and policies and institutional capacity to community-level support. I just wanted to give you a couple of examples of what that means in practice. So, for example, in the Sahel, we work in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to improve communities' access to justice and particularly their trust in criminal justice institutions. So we pair immediate operational support with reforms in the systems to address weak accountability, prolonged pre-trial detention, and the improper treatment of detainees. And in Niger, for example, justice sector reforms have reduced pre-trial detention, which in some cases had lasted as long as 16 years, to under 1 year for more than 70% of detainees. And in Uganda, our work to strengthen survivor-centric approaches to gender-based violence has helped lift conviction rates from 20% to 70% in just the last few years. And in Kenya, by making justice fast, affordable, and local, small claims courts have transformed access to justice for small businesses and informal traders, many of them led by women. And in 2025, these courts resolved over 150,000 cases, achieving a 98% clearance rate, with most cases resolved in less than 8 weeks, and releasing back into the economy several billion Kenyan shillings that would have been tied up in litigation. And together, these results represent conflicts averted, development accelerated and lives transformed. And they also help to rebuild the most precious and the most fragile asset any society has: public trust. Because people judge institutions by the solutions they deliver in everyday life. And as I said earlier today, results are the most powerful currency of trust. And while at a time of global crises, It is easy to lose sight of positive shifts. There are many such examples, and I am very pleased to introduce a panel of distinguished speakers who are leading transformations driven by SDG 16 in very different contexts and from very different perspectives.

They are: Mr.

Jesus Crispin Remulla, the Ombudsman of the Republic of the Philippines; Mr. Simon Kruivonas, Director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine; Ms. Leonie Mutoni, Coordinator of the African Centre of Excellence for Access to Justice; Mr. Martin Chungong, Secretary-General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union; Ms. Claudia Fuentes Julio, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights and Head of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in New York; and Mr. Arturo Herrera Gutiérrez, Global Director for Governance at the World Bank. So I welcome all of you here today and very much look forward to hearing their views. I'm asking our panelists to limit their interventions to a maximum of 5 minutes so we do have time for some interactive dialogue. So I'm first pleased to welcome our first speaker, Mr. Jesus Crispin Remulla, the Ombudsman of the Philippines, and he has a very distinguished career in law and the public service, having previously served as Secretary of Justice and bringing extensive experience in justice reform, governance, and institutional strengthening. And for us in IDLO, the Philippines is one of our founding member parties, and we have a long-standing partnership with key justice institutions. So, Ombudsman Romula, in many countries today, we see a growing lack of public trust in institutions, Your Office plays a vital role in addressing this challenge through its mandate to promote integrity, combat corruption, and strengthen accountability. Could you share with us how the work of your Office has helped to improve integrity in the public sector, and how this has translated into better services and greater trust among citizens?


Philippines · Ombudsman · Jesus Crispin Remulla [5:32]:

Thank you.

Thank you, Madame Moderator. Let me begin by thanking the organizers Thank you, Mr. President, for bringing us together for this very important discussion. The topic before us today is about institutions, but ultimately institutions are about people. Because at the end of the day, the true measure of justice is not found only in our laws, our procedures, or our offices. It is measured by whether ordinary citizens feel that government works for them. In the Philippines, our experience has taught us a very important lesson. Corruption is not only a legal problem, it is a developmental problem— a development problem. It is an economic problem and, more importantly, a problem of trust. When corruption weakens institutions, people lose confidence. Investors hesitate. Communities suffer. Public resources that should create opportunities are wasted. That is why our approach at the Office of the Ombudsman is very clear. Accountability must be certain, but reform must also be systemic. We cannot investigate our way out of corruption alone. Of course, those who abuse public office must be held accountable. This is our constitutional duty. But we will continue to perform that duty without fear or favor. But if we truly want lasting change, we must also ask the more difficult questions: Why did corruption happen? Where did the system fail? And how do we make sure it does not happen again? This means looking beyond individuals and examining the systems that allow corruption to grow: weak controls, unclear processes, lack of transparency, and gaps in accountability. That's why we are strengthening prevention together with enforcement. We are reviewing our internal systems. We are improving processes. We are advancing digital transformation. And we are strengthening partnerships across government and with international institutions. Before coming here to New York, I wrote a letter to the Chief Justice, of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, requesting the inclusion of the Office of the Ombudsman in their Justice Sector Coordinating Council. This reflects a very simple principle: the fight against corruption cannot operate in isolation. Corruption cases move through an entire justice ecosystem, from investigation, prosecution, adjudication, and ultimately the delivery of justice. If one part of that system is weak, the entire system is affected. By strengthening coordination among justice institutions, while fully respecting the independence of each institution, we can build a more integrated, cohesive, and effective approach to uphold the rule of law and deliver accountability. Because justice is not the work of one institution alone. It is the responsibility of the entire system. Our objective is simple: to make integrity easier and corruption harder. That is why SDG 16 is so important. Sometimes peace, justice, and strong institutions are viewed as separate development goals, but in reality, SDG 16 is the foundation that allows every other goal to succeed. You cannot have effective health systems without accountable institutions. You cannot build sustainable infrastructure without transparency. You cannot create inclusive economic growth without trust. And you cannot achieve lasting development if people no longer believe in the institutions created to serve them. Today, the Philippines is facing significant governance challenges, including complex investigations involving public infrastructure projects. These are difficult moments for any country. But I believe that moments of challenge can become moments of reform. When weaknesses are exposed, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to correct them. Because the goal is not simply to push— or not simply to punish the mistakes of yesterday, the greater responsibility is to build better institutions for tomorrow. As we move closer to 2030, the governments— governments must move faster. We need less discussion about why integrity matters and more concrete action on how integrity can be delivered. The work is not easy because institutional reform never is. But if we want citizens to trust government, Government must first prove that it deserves the trust. That is the commitment we bring from the Philippines to pursue accountability and to strengthen institutions and to ensure that the public service remains exactly what it should be, a service to the public. Thank you.


IDLO · Director-General · Jen Beagle [10:54]:

Thank you very much, Ombudsman Ramula. I think you have put it down very clearly. Moments of challenge can be moments of reform. And I'm going to give the floor now to our next speaker, Mr. Szymon Krivonys, who is the Director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine. He is a lawyer and public administration expert with a distinguished career spanning anti-corruption enforcement, governance reform, legal advisory services, and institutional leadership. And since 2015, IDLO has been pleased to partner with NABU and other key institutions to promote integrity in Ukraine's public sector. And we're extremely pleased to have him with us today. We know that Ukrainian institutions continue to operate under extraordinary pressure and that NABU itself continues to play a critical role in safeguarding the credibility of anti-corruption efforts. So, Mr. Krivonos, why has anti-corruption remained a priority for Ukraine even during wartime, and how have NABU and other anti-corruption institutions worked to build and maintain public trust under such challenging circumstances?


Ukraine · Director, National Anti-Corruption Bureau · Szymon Krivonos [12:03]:

Madam Moderator, thank you for the floor, and it's an honor to be on this panel. When the full-scale invasion began, many expected Ukraine to put the fight against corruption on pause. The logic seemed obvious: when a country is fighting for survival, everything else can wait. The opposite happened, and I want to explain why, because I am convinced that it is the Ukrainians' major contribution to today's discussion. We talk a lot about the rule of law, about institutions, and about following laws. But before any law, there is something deeper—a social contract. First, society agrees among itself on what kind of state it wants to see, what values it's ready to defend, and for what purpose it is ready to unite. Only then do laws and institutions appear to bring this common will to life. In many countries, the fight against corruption is a government program, just one of the directions of reform. In Ukraine, it has become part of the social contract itself. Ukrainians see the fight against corruption not just as a matter of justice. They see it as a matter of the state's survival and its future. For us, anti-corruption is not just about good governance. It's about nation-building. That is why the war did not weaken the public demand to government accountability. It strengthened it. The reason is simple. When a country is at war, every resource has a price. Measured insecurity. Every stolen dollar, every stolen hryvnia in defense procurement is undelivered equipment. Undelivered equipment means lost lives. During the war, corruption stops being an economic problem and becomes a direct threat to national security. Our institutions answered this demand. Despite the war, despite air attacks and missile attacks, strikes of infrastructure and the and colleagues on the front line, NABU and our partners continued investigation at the highest level. We investigated members of parliament, ministers, judges, heads of state enterprises, and representatives of various political forces. No position proved to be too high. Can you imagine that a few days before, the former head of Supreme Court who had been detained red-handed in the bribery case, he has sentenced 5 years— 5 years in the prison. Our institutions— and here I want to speak directly. You read a lot of news about corruption investigations in Ukraine. Some conclude it means that Ukraine is corrupt country. I suggest reading it in exact opposite way. You don't need— you don't see the similar investigation coming from authoritarian states. And not because there is no corruption there. Independent investigation, open court trials, and verdicts against top officials— this is what a country that is successfully overcoming corruption looks like. The new news you see is evidence of work, not evidence of failure. What made this possible? One word: our independence. Our experience shows that communication campaigns cannot create the trust. It only emerges when citizens see that institutions can act without political interference. NABU, the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor Office, and the High Anti-Corruption Court will build as a system of checks and balances, independent of each other and the political power. It is the institutional architecture that allowed the anti-corruption system to work during the hardest moments of the war. This also has an international dimension. Effective and independent anti-corruption bodies act as a validator of trust of our partners. So what is Ukraine's lesson for this audience? Democracy and accountability are not peacetime luxuries. They are strategic assets during the war. Strong institutions are not built after a crisis passes. They prove their true value when the crisis is at its peak. Thank you very much. Thank you.


IDLO · Director-General · Jen Beagle [16:20]:

Thank you very much. I'm sure it's inspiring to hear of achievements under such very difficult conditions, but I really like strong institutions, our strategic assets. Thank you so much. It's my pleasure to introduce Léonie Mutoni, coordinator of the African Center of Excellence for Access to Justice and director of programs at the Legal Aid Forum in Rwanda. She has extensive experience in legal aid, community-based justice, and people-centered justice reforms across Africa, and she plays a key role in bridging community-level justice needs with national policies and localizing the 2030 Agenda. Adilu is proud to have played a part in the establishment of the African Center of Excellence for Access to Justice, which emerged from the 2017 Continental Conference in Kigali. And we're also pleased to work closely with Ms. Muthoni and with many of you here today in the Global Working Group on Customary and Informal Justice and SDG 16+, which is coordinated by IDLO. So, Ms. Muthoni, how can legal empowerment and community-based dispute resolution mechanisms dramatically scale up access to justice and benefit local communities? And what recommendations does civil society have to share? Thank you. Over to you.


Coordinator, African Centre of Excellence for Access to Justice · Léonie Mutoni [17:37]:

Thank you very much, Madame Moderator. So we have been talking a lot about institutions today, and I just want to pivot a little bit to what is the reality for communities on the ground. And often when we talk about access to justice, we tend to imagine the formal system. We think courts, we think judges, lawyers, prosecutors, but when you look at where where people actually go when they have a legal problem, the picture is very different. The reality on the ground, and research has consistently backed this up, is that most people's search for justice in Africa, in Asia, in Latin America, and other parts of the world, the search does not begin in a courtroom. They seek assistance from the paralegals in their village, from community elders, from local mediators and other customary and informal structures because these structures are accessible, they are affordable, and they are trusted. And they also play a critical role in community legal empowerment. And I want us to understand in this room that when we talk about legal empowerment, it's not some abstract concept. It is really about giving ordinary people the skills, the knowledge, and the support they need to understand, use, and shape the laws that affect their lives. And you might wonder, how does this actually work? And so first and foremost, it educates. A community paralegal will tell people what the law says and what it means for them, that their land cannot be taken away without due process, that a detained person has to appear before a judge in a certain amount of time, that a woman has inheritance rights, that there is a legal aid office where they can get support. And for millions of people, this is information that they have never had access to, not necessarily because it's hidden, but because nobody has brought it to them in a way that they can understand and use. And of course, you cannot claim a right that you do not know. Second is that legal empowerment approaches meet people where they are. A court is in a city, a paralegal is in your village. [LAUGHTER] A court will speak the language of the law. A loca mediata will speak your language literally. So community-based dispute resolution mechanisms are accessible geographically, culturally, and linguistically. And of course, they reach people that the formal justice system often overlooks. Think about internally displaced persons. Think about undocumented migrants. Think about women in contexts where appearing before male authorities is not an option. And third, legal empowerment approaches, they save time and they save money. For example, a land dispute in a formal court can take years to resolve, but a community-based paralegal can resolve this within days and that land will immediately be back in use. And of course, we know that these mechanisms, they don't cost money. You don't have to pay court fees, you don't have to pay transports to go to a city far away to find a legal aid service provider, and there's no wages lost because you have had to take time off work. And these are the reasons that most people never, or are discouraged to pursue justice. And community-based dispute resolution mechanisms, they remove these barriers entirely. And I would like to stress that these mechanisms actually complement the formal justice system. Because we know that courts are overwhelmed, correctional detention facilities are overcrowded, judges are stretched thin, and these community-based actors, they are resolving disputes long before they have to reach the formal court system. If I can give an example from the Legal Aid Forum, just last year our paralegals handled 8,000 cases. These are disputes that never had to reach the court. And so when it comes to recommendations from civil society organizations, we now all know that yesterday in this very building, we launched the 2026 civil society declaration on SDG 16. And in it, we make the case that justice should be financed as the public good that it is. The evidence is there, the frameworks are there. What has been missing is the political will to fund them. And for example, the Justice Financing Framework, which is commissioned by the Justice Action Coalition and drew lessons from the health sector, they show us what it actually would cost to deliver universal community-centered justice. And it turns out it's $35 per person in lower-income countries. Just think about that, $35. This is less than primary healthcare, This is less than primary education, which we have both agreed that as a global community, they are worth the investment. We have trained the teachers, we have trained the nurses, we have built the infrastructure. We have not done this for justice. We need to ask ourselves why, and we need to fix it now. Thank you.


IDLO · Director-General · Jen Beagle [23:03]:

Thank you very much. I'm turning now to Mr. Martin Chungong, the Secretary-General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. I think he needs no introduction. He has 4 decades of distinguished experience in parliamentary development, democratic governance, and conflict resolution, and he's been a champion for strengthening parliaments as central actors in sustainable development, inclusive governance, and peacebuilding. And I will say he has also been a very dynamic chair of the International Gender Champions. And I must say, on a personal note, as a longstanding friend and partner, I'm especially glad to welcome him to this SDG16 Conference in the last month of his mandate. So, the Inter-Parliamentary Union has consistently highlighted the central role of parliaments in advancing democratic oversight, inclusive governance, and the promotion of gender equality as key enablers of sustainable development. So, Secretary-General Chung Kwon, how can parliaments use their legislative and oversight powers more effectively to advance good governance, gender equality, and progress on the 2030 Agenda more broadly. Thank you.


IPU · Secretary-General · Martin Chungong [24:09]:

Thank you very much, Jan, for inviting me to this conference. I'm always very pleased to be part of this conversation and to bring the voice of Parliament to the table. You did mention a moment ago the legislative and oversight role of Parliament, but I would like for us to look at the role of parliaments in an integrated fashion. We need to bring in the budgetary role that parliaments play and also, generally, the representational role of parliament. So for us, this is a package and you asked how can we make parliaments more effective in this area. First of all, I think that we need to look at their role as a package. We also need to be more strategic when we're talking about the SDGs. We also have to see that parliaments are also taking action in an evidence-based fashion. And of course, I think we have all said here that what matters is not what is being done, but what is being achieved— impact. And so, if you let me, I will just mention 4 ways in which We think that parliaments can, and I should say must, play a more effective role in accelerating progress on the SDGs. First of all, they need to look at their legal frameworks and see how these frameworks can identify and address loopholes in the implementation of the SDGs, look at how these legal frameworks are streamlined and complementary and set out priorities that are aimed at achieving the SDGs. I think this is very important, including in the area of promoting gender equality. Of course, we are all agreed that laws are unquestionable, laws are necessary, they are very powerful, but they need to serve effective legal frameworks that trigger action, effective action.


Speaker 9 [26:15]:

Thank you.


IPU · Secretary-General · Martin Chungong [26:15]:

For me, it is important, for instance, when we're talking about gender equality, that legal frameworks be able to address discriminations in the law and see how these discriminations can be addressed effectively through fixing targets like the IPU does when it comes to women's empowerment and objectives that work towards equality. Number 2, we want to make sure that oversight is systematic. That is, each time Parliament is examining a piece of legislation, they should be looking at this legislation through the lens of the SDGs. Quite often, we examine the SDGs in silos, but I think that we are now agreed that we should be looking at the SDGs as an interconnected package. Yes. The parliaments, parliamentarians have to look at the bills and see whether the bills are achieving the immediate objectives or how these bills are helping to achieve the SDGs as a whole. Who is benefiting from the actions of parliaments? Who are those that stand the risk of being left behind? All of this we think we should be taken into account. Let me just point and say maybe self-promotion here. The IPU has published a toolkit for parliamentarians on SDG-informed scrutiny, meaning that parliaments are being encouraged to examine their laws through the SDG lens. We do have— I think, Jan, you did say— that we should mention good practice in Lesotho. Lesotho is applying this toolkit in order to review its legislation when it comes to climate change, when it comes to sexual and reproductive health and rights. We also are seeing Namibia following suit. There are parliaments that are working to ensure that they use their legislative and oversight powers through the SDG lens. Then, let me go back, go to the budget. I did mention that it is important that we review, we view the role of parliaments when it comes to budget oversight. There, we should also— we know SDGs are being funded to a large extent out of the public purse, and so parliaments have a role to play in ensuring that the funds are being used in a very effective manner, that policy commitments are being implemented rather than resources being wasted on issues that are not aligned with the SDGs, for instance. We need to push parliaments, and I think that's what we're doing, to ask the right questions. Who is benefiting from public spending? What are the resources reaching the people for whom they are intended? Are women and men Young and old affected differently? These questions need to be answered if we want to be very effective. We need to be seen to be following the money, seeing where the money is being spent and whether the money is being spent wisely. Lastly, the fourth, for me, way is for us to continue to help parliaments to make oversight more evidence-based and results-oriented. As we have said here, it is not the action itself that counts, it is the impact, it is the results that have been achieved by the action. And so we do push governments to look at their policies and see whether their policies are actually contributing to reducing inequalities, whether their actions are improving upon access to justice, just like Leonie mentioned a moment ago, and whether the actions are promoting good governance and public trust, public trust which I think is very crucial. We see, if we look at the practicalities of this, we want to promote parliaments that hold regular hearings on the SDGs. We need to promote strong parliamentary committees We need to encourage parliaments to work in strategic partnerships, especially with institutions such as the Supreme Audit Institutions that have the potential to improve upon good governance, accountability, and transparency. But there are other bodies such as National Human Rights Commissions, Women's Commissions that parliaments need to be working together with. If I can conclude, Jan, I— I would Yes. say that the common thread here is simple. Legislation and oversight are most effective when they are informed by evidence, guided by the SDGs, and focused on outcomes. We have now entered the final stretch towards 2030. We think Parliament should be more robust in seizing the opportunity, using the powers that accrue to them, not simply to pass laws and scrutinize governments, but to accelerate progress towards more inclusive, accountable, and effective governance. Thank you.


IDLO · Director-General · Jen Beagle [31:51]:

Thank you very, very much. I'm now turning to Ms. Claudia Fuentes Julio, the Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights and the head of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights here in New York. She's a seasoned diplomat and a former permanent representative of Chile to the UN in Geneva, and bringing deep expertise in human rights, multilateral diplomacy, transitional justice, and I would say the links between human rights and sustainable development. And IDEALO is pleased to enjoy a strong and long-standing partnership with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. We're very pleased to welcome you, as Chief Fuentes Julio, to this conference in the first month of your mandate. So human rights and the rule of law are mutually reinforcing, and at a moment when both are under strain, your perspective could not be more timely. So what do you see as a link between human rights and the 2030 Agenda, and what are some important ways in which we can address the backsliding and regain the momentum on peace, justice, and human rights? Thank you.


OHCHR · ASG for Human Rights · Claudia Fuentes Julio [32:53]:

Thank you so much, Madam Chair. It's always a pleasure to work with IDLO, and to have a partnership, of course. Distinguished friends, colleagues, it is a pleasure to join you and share my reflections on the Agenda 2030. Peace, justice, and effective institutions are not only goals in themselves; they are what make all other development progress possible. This is why this is my favorite SDG. SDG 16. Allow me to begin with a simple point: institutions matter most when they deliver for people. Not when laws exist on paper, but when people can access justice, participate meaningfully, and trust that institutions work for them. This is where human rights come in. Human rights are not separate from the Agenda 2030. They are its foundation and its direction. They provide a compass for governments, empower people to shape decisions, and ensure accountability for results. As the High Commissioner normally says, human rights are the golden thread of the 2030 Agenda. But this thread is fraying. We see rising inequalities, pressure on civic space, and declining trust in institutions. Thank you. Human rights are underfunded, undermined, and under attack. We see global backsliding on women's rights and shrinking civic space. The latest data available from my office, OCHR Human Rights Count website, which was in fact released today, so this is really the latest development, is alarming. One human rights defender, journalist, or trade unionist is is killed killed or disappeared every 10 hours. Nearly every 5th person globally says they experienced discrimination in the past year. Yet we also see powerful movements for dignity, equality, and justice. We see people and institutions taking action in cities, communities, classrooms, and places of worship. There is a growing demand for justice Dignity and participation. We need to invest in institutions that systematically uphold equality, dignity, and justice for all, in stronger accountability and human rights data, in amplifying and listening to marginalized voices. And we need solidarity across causes, regions, and institutions. In this context, I wish to highlight the Global Alliance for Human Rights launched by the High Commissioner for Human Rights last week, which seeks to accelerate, accelerate and amplify critical human rights work and engagement undertaken around the world on human rights and its decision-making policy and leadership. Experience shows that the most effective reforms are those that can close the gap between rights on paper and rights in practice. Strong institutions can help advance all SDGs and corresponding human rights, including economic, social and cultural rights and the rights to development. For example, in Timor-Leste, investment in human rights and anti-corruption training reached more than 500 civil servants and strengthened institutional culture and public service delivery. In Georgia, the UN supported the Office of the Public Defender to develop human rights analysis and public policy recommendations on the right to water, which informed the work of the Parliament, which we just spoke about, and local authorities, helping translate commitments into concrete progress. In Liberia, our office, in partnership with Peacebuilding Fund, has contributed directly to the realization of SDG 16. Through seed funding by the Peacebuilding Fund, a dedicated OHCHR country presence was established during the transition following the crackdown of the UN Mission in Liberia, enabled human rights advisory services, strengthening national human rights institutions and the rule of law. And together, another example, Costa Rica. In a joint initiative with Costa Rican judiciary during the pro tempore presidency of the Central American Caribbean Judicial Council, OHE's chart helped to strengthen understanding of the role of the judiciary in addressing organized crimes through the lens of SDG 16. Thank you. These examples demonstrate that SDG 16 is an enabling goal. When institutions are accountable, inclusive, and transparent, policies are more effective, resources are better used, and people are more willing to engage. Without this, progress in health, education, climate action, or equality cannot be sustained. Excellencies and colleagues, if we are serious about accelerating the 2030 Agenda, We must invest in institutions that are fair, accountable, and truly responsible to people's rights. This is not only a governance issue, it's a development imperative. Because peace, justice, and sustainable development are not separate goals, they reinforce one another, and they're all dependent on human rights. Thank you.


IDLO · Director-General · Jen Beagle [38:19]:

[FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Thank you very much. Our final speaker is Mr. Arturo Herrera Gutiérrez, the Global Director for Governance at the World Bank. He's a distinguished economist and the former Minister of Finance of Mexico and brings extensive experience in public sector reform, public financial management, and governance from both the practitioner and the multilateral perspective. IDLO is very pleased to have partnered with the World Bank on multiple initiatives, including through the Global Partnership on Justice and the Rule of Law and participation in the World Bank's Fragility Forum earlier this month. Mr. Guterres, the World Bank's governance work consistently underscores that strong institutions and effective rule of law and anti-corruption mechanisms are closely linked to improved development outcomes and citizen trust. What roles do good governance and the rule of law play in advancing the World Bank's mission of a world free of poverty on a livable planet? Can you share with us some examples of how investments in SDG 16 generate broader multiplier effects across sectors? Thank you.


WB · Global Director for Governance · Arturo Herrera Gutiérrez [39:33]:

Thank you, thank you, Jen. I'm really, really happy to be here. I'm going to use my 5 minutes I promise to speak no more than 5 minutes, dividing my comments in 3 brief sections. The first one is, what does it mean to talk about strengthening governance and public institutions in the current context, which is a context very different than when SDGs were adopted in 2015? The second one is, what is novel about the World Bank approach to governance and institutional issues? and third, very quickly, to provide some examples about it. I mean, after SDGs were signed, the world has gone through multiple crises— COVID, the most recently the conflict in the Middle East, which increased the price of oil and increase of interest rates, etc. And all of them have shrinked the fiscal space. Countries require more resources around the world, But this is not only a technical issue, it's not only a fiscal issue, it's not about how to find the right tax rates and the proper budget allocations. It's also an issue about trust and it's an issue about the social contract. At its basics, fiscal configurations in a country are an agreement about what people are willing to pay about and what kind of services are received from the state. So trust is critical on this matter. The second issue, which is different, is that it is becoming more and more important to reactivate the economy and to create jobs for everybody. The World Bank released a Global Economic Prospects last week, and it estimated that mainly to the conflict in the Middle East, the global economy is gonna shrink by 0.4%. So 0.4% seems to be a little bit, but 0.4% in the global context means half a trillion dollar. That's equivalent to the size of the Colombian economy. That's a little bit more than all the resources the government needs to allocate on a yearly basis to fight climate change. So, So what are we trying to do to face these issues? One thing that we have recognized, and many people have pointed to that over today, is the need to anchor public institutions and governance reforms on evidence. So let me tell you what are we gonna do it, and I'm gonna use a recent example of what we have been doing to illustrate it. A couple of months ago, we launched a report about public workforce performance. So that means trying to understand how many people work for governments and how to make them work better. There are two interesting features coming from that report. The first one is just basic statistics, which we didn't know before that. How many people work for governments? If you have— if you are curious about it, it's 400 million people. That's 4.5% of all the population in the world. That's 11%. Of all the people who have a job in the world. Given that governments are predominantly hiring people in the formal market, that means that a large percentage of the formal jobs, particularly in fragile, conflict, and violent settings, are in the government, up to 60% in sub-Saharan Africa. But also, we are finding things that we find also in the private sector. For example,— a gender wage disparity between male and female, but tends to be smaller than in the private sector. Now, that's an example of this new approach of bringing numbers to our reforms. Let me very quickly refer to those reforms that we have been working recently. When it comes to justice, and that's a topic very close to your heart, Jean, We have a new approach which analyzes along three very specific dimensions how governments are doing, and it's about access, efficiency, and quality. That provides very specific maps about how to implement reforms. We have implemented this already in South Sudan, in Ethiopia, and we are currently on the assessment part in Paraguay and Dominican Republic. But one area in which we really have very high hopes, it's on the new developments on the anti-corruption front. And this is relatively innovative because it was not too long ago when someone would ask at the World Bank, "What do we do about and to fight corruption?" They would say, "Accountability and transparency." But that's not enough. Corruption happens through very specific channels, so we need very specific measures. So we have developed a battery of tools working on anti-money laundering, strengthening supreme auditing institutions, access to transparency, but very important, a pillar based on what we call GovTech, which has been showing very promising. Let me give you quickly, and with that I will finish, an example of how does it work. Now, when a country which is using this approach try to identify potential uses, potential events of corruption, start to crossing different databases. For example, it crosses a database of procurement with a database of social benefits and find out that the owner of a company which is bidding for a contract for $200 million is at the same time the recipient of an anti-poverty program. So very likely that means that this is a straw person, or crosses that information with public registry and find out that that company, it was created just a month before. So with this kind of approach based on evidence and on information, we are now in a position to try to tackle those issues in a much, much precise way. Thank you.


IDLO · Director-General · Jen Beagle [45:46]:

Thank you, thank you so much. I think that has been a fascinating panel. I'm going to open for— I have quite a lot of people who have asked to speak, and I'm sorry that not everyone will be able to because I do want to give just a minute or two to each of the panellists at the end just for a last thought. So I'm going to ask, please, if delegates could please limit to 2 minutes, and I'm going to start with the representative of Croatia, please. You have the floor. Hvala.


Croatia · Vice-Chair, Peacebuilding Commission [46:21]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. And let me begin by congratulating our hosts for convening this conference for the 7th consecutive year. It remains a vital space for advancing SDG 16, without which progress on all other goals is impossible. As an active member of the Peacebuilding Commission and its current vice chair, we see a clear pattern across regions. The most effective reforms are people-centered, prevention-oriented, and rooted in national ownership. Evidence is consistent. Reforms work when they combine independent justice institutions, digital services, and community-level legal empowerment. Anti-corruption efforts deliver most when they link transparent public finance, open data, and strong oversight bodies that safeguard reforms beyond political cycles. Investing in SDG 16 is a multiplier. Peaceful and inclusive societies create the conditions for development, and countries with stronger governance show higher SDG performance, greater resilience, and faster crisis response. With only 4 years to 2030, SDG 16 must accelerate delivery across the agenda, especially the SDG 16 and the review at the 2026 HLPF. Advancing SDG 16 drives progress on poverty, education, gender equality, climate resilience, peaceful societies, and partnerships. Croatia, which ranked 19th globally in SDG implementation, focuses on 5 priorities under SDG 16. First, judicial reform, shorter court proceedings, digital transformation, and stronger judicial indemen— independence. Second, effective public administration. The third, corruption prevention. Fourth, civil society and volunteering. And the fifth, national coordination. Finally, partnerships are essential. Progress on SDG 16 depends on cooperation among governments, the UN, the international financial institutions, civil society, academia, and the private sector. As we approach UN80, we must reaffirm that justice, integrity, and effective institutions are not technical sectors. They are foundation of a peaceful, resilient, and sustainable future for all. I thank you.


IDLO · Director-General · Jen Beagle [48:37]:

I thank you very much, and for keeping to the time. Now, very pleased to give the floor to the Ambassador of Morocco. You have the floor, sir.


Morocco · Chair, Peacebuilding Commission [48:51]:

Thank you very much, Madam Moderator, distinguished panelists, Excellencies. At the outset, Morocco extends its sincere appreciation to the government and Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations, UN DESA, and the International Development Law Organization, IDLO, for convening the 2026 Conference on SDG 16. I also thank the panelists for their valuable insight and thought-provoking contributions. This conference is crucial opportunity to follow up on key multilateral frameworks, notably the Pact for the Future and the Doha Political Declaration on Social Development, both which underscore the urgent needs to advance SDG 16. From Morocco's perspective, protecting and promoting human rights, investing in peace, justice, and strong institutions is not a sectoral choice. It is backbone of our development model. Our justice reforms, the empowerment of independent institutions such as the National Human Rights Council and strengthened anti-discrimination legislation have expanded civic space and improved access to justice. In this context, the national initiative for Human Rights, INDH, is considered as a space for constructive social dialogue and citizen participation, allowing social inclusion and the anchoring of the feeling of responsibility, of recognition, and of dignity. Colleagues, as Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, I have the firm conviction that prevention of conflict is both possible and essential, and that prevention becomes real only when it is done via nationally owned action, national institutions resilience, and public trust. It is precisely in this space that Sustainable Development Goal 16 finds its most natural and powerful expression. Peace is not merely the silence that follows conflict. It is the patient construction of institutions that are just, accountable, and inclusive, institutions in which every citizen can recognize their rights, exercise their voices, and claim genuine stake in future of their nation. In conclusion, and with only 4 years remaining until 2030, Morocco believes that— Thank you. SDG 16 must serve as a catalyst for the entire 2030 Agenda. Three lessons stand out. First, institutional reforms must go hand in hand with social and economic policies that address inequalities and reinforce social integration. Two, independent institutions, parliamentarians, and civil society are indispensable partners in translating commitments into tangible results for citizens. Three, achieving SDG 16 requires stronger international cooperation through experience sharing, capacity building, and greater alignment between financing and governance reforms. Finally, building trust remains at the heart of our collective efforts. Trust between citizens and institutions, trust among communities, and trust among nations is indispensable for peace, social cohesion, and sustainable development. I thank you very much.


IDLO · Director-General · Jen Beagle [52:54]:

Thank you very much. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Turkmenistan.


Turkmenistan [53:02]:

Thank you, Mr. Moderator. At the outset, Turkmenistan express our sincere appreciation to the Permanent Mission of Italy, UN DESA, and IDLO for organizing this important conference and for the continued efforts to advance the implementation of SDG 16. For Turkmenistan, peace, justice, and effective institutions are not only development objectives in themselves, they indispensable foundations for achieving all SDGs. Guided by its policy of permanent neutrality, Turkmenistan consistently promotes dialogue, preventive diplomacy, and confidence-building as practical tools for strengthening peace and creating favorable conditions for sustainable development. Our experience demonstrates that peace is a prerequisite for economic growth, social progress, and environmental sustainability. Thank you. In this regard, Turkmenistan attaches particular importance to the role of preventive diplomacy. Through close cooperation with the United Nations Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, our region has developed valuable mechanisms for dialogue and cooperation that contribute to stability and sustainable development. We also believe that effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions are essential for implementing national development strategies and ensuring that the benefits of growth reach all segments of society. Strong institutions build public trust, improve governance, and enhance resilience to emerging challenges. The recently adopted General Assembly resolution on the role of the policy of neutrality in the maintenance and strengthening of international peace Security and Sustainable Development reaffirms the importance of dialogue, mediation, and peaceful cooperation as key instruments for advancing both peace and development. As we approach 2030, we must recognize that progress on SDG 16 accelerates progress across the entire Agenda. By investing in peace, justice, effective institutions, and international cooperation, we create the conditions necessary for achieving sustainable development for all. Turkmenistan remains committed to working with all partners to promote a culture of peace, trust, and dialogue, and to support collective efforts aimed at realizing the objectives of the 2030 Agenda. I thank you.


IDLO · Director-General · Jen Beagle [55:33]:

I thank you. I can just take two more, and I ask people if they could please I will keep to the time. So the next speaker is the distinguished representative of Algeria, to be followed by the representative of the Netherlands on behalf of the Justice Action Coalition. You have the floor.


Algeria [55:50]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. First, we would like to express our sincere thanks to Italy and organizers for convening this timely and important conference dedicated to SDG 16. Madam Chair, our commitment to the 2030 Agenda and the Pact for the Future stems from an urgent need for peace, strong institutions, and respect for the rules we have agreed upon, including the right to development. In this context, Algeria is convinced that peace, justice, and good governance are key pillars of development. Therefore, steady progress is being made towards consolidating peace and security, modernizing justice, fighting against corruption, enhancing digitalization, and strengthening participation by all. As a result of these efforts, Algeria is ranked among the top performing countries in North Africa for the population's sense of security and safety in 2025, exceeding the Global Safety Index average of 73%. It also maintained its position among the top ranking in Africa in the 2025 Human Development Index for high human development. Madam Chair, peace is not merely the absence of conflict, but a necessity for progress and prosperity. Justice is not only about law, but also about commitment to human rights and social justice. A just world is within our reach if we act together. I thank you.


IDLO · Director-General · Jen Beagle [57:22]:

I thank you very much. I give the floor to distinguished representative of the Netherlands on behalf of the Justice Action Coalition.


Netherlands (Kingdom of the) · Justice Action Coalition [57:29]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Justice Action Coalition, a multi-stakeholder cross-regional partnership of countries and organizations committed to advancing equal access to justice for all under SDG 16.3 and beyond. Madam Chair, this conference takes place at a moment of compounding challenges. Deepening inequalities, eroding trust in institutions, protracted conflicts, and democratic backsliding. Among these challenges, justice remains a powerful, underleveraged tool for prevention, accountability, stability, and social cohesion. Billions of people around the world lack meaningful access to justice. Unresolved legal problems drive poverty, fuel grievances, and erode trust between people and the state on which peaceful and inclusive societies depend. The theme of this conference, Driving Transformation and Coordinated Action, captures precisely what the Justice Action Coalition was built to do. In our new phase, we are intensifying efforts efforts to translate global ambition into tangible results. That is scaling justice solutions that work, closing implementation gaps, building quality evidence across demographics, and expanding frontline justice financing. Access to justice is a cornerstone of prevention. When justice systems address people's needs early, ensure accountability before grievances escalate into violence or instability, they protect developmental gains, strengthen resilience, and restore trust within, within communities and between them and the states. These are foundational conditions for strong democracies. Madam Chair, people's legal problems do not exist in a vacuum. Transformation requires coordination. Nationally, this means connecting justice actors with health, education, housing, and labor sectors, because justice problems and their solutions cut across institutional boundaries. We must design services around people's lived experiences rather than institutional convenience. Regionally, the coalition is strengthening its work in coordination with the African Alliance for People-Centered Justice and Ibero-American Alliance for Access to Justice to pilot innovative tools such as the Justice Financing Framework, helping governments identify sustainable funding sources, set clear priorities, and ensure resources reach the people who need them most. In this spirit, Madam Chair, we call on all partners to undertake 4 actions. One, advance people-centered justice reforms that respond to the legal needs of those individuals most often left behind, ensuring they receive the full respect and protection of their human rights. Two, strengthen data and evidence on justice outcomes so that policy is driven By people's needs rather than institutional assumptions. 3, mobilize justice financing by applying the justice financing framework as appropriate to national context and priorities. And 4, and last, integrate access to justice into prevention and peacebuilding frameworks. Madam Chair, to sum it up, there can be No sustainable peace and development without justice. Thank you.


IDLO · Director-General · Jen Beagle [1:01:36]:

Thank you very much. I'm going now, in our last minutes, to turn back to our panel and ask each of them for a final thought. I'm sorry, I have to limit you really just to 1.5, 2 minutes each, otherwise we'll be into the next panel, but I just would like to give everyone a chance for a final thought, and I'm going to start with you, Martin.


IPU · Secretary-General · Martin Chungong [1:02:00]:

I just want to make a couple of points. One, I think that what we need now is commitment. I think that the various institutions that are represented in this room today and out there that are called upon to contribute to the implementation of the SDGs do have the power to make that contribution. What we need to do is to muster commitment. I speak from the parliamentary vantage point and I know that this is a major challenge that we're facing. Secondly, we often assume that these institutions are effective in and of themselves. I think that many of them are struggling. We need to accompany them, provide the capacity, help them forge the partnerships that can make them more effective. So, and that is— it brings me to the last point about partnerships. We have to make sure that all these institutions are working together and not just working in silos. And we at the IPU are promoting the ecosystems approach, which means that parliaments don't function in a vacuum, they work with other partners in a galaxy that contributes to effectiveness. Thank you.


IDLO · Director-General · Jen Beagle [1:03:25]:

Thank you very much. Claudia.


OHCHR · ASG for Human Rights · Claudia Fuentes Julio [1:03:28]:

Yes, thank you so much. Maybe one important takeaway of this very rich discussion is once again that peace, justice, inclusion, and sustainable development are not separate objectives, They reinforce one another and depend on integrated approaches grounded always in human rights. And I would like to also add, because many of the permanent representatives also point to this, the importance of the rule of law and access to justice. Once again, justice systems that are accessible, timely, people-centered help reduce exclusion, strengthen social cohesion, and create conditions for sustainable development. When people can resolve disputes, secure documentation, protect land rights, or challenge discriminations, outcomes improve not only for SDG 16, but also for poverty reduction, education, health, gender equality, and social inclusion.


IDLO · Director-General · Jen Beagle [1:04:32]:

Thank you. Mr. Carbonez.


Ukraine · Director, National Anti-Corruption Bureau · Szymon Krivonos [1:04:34]:

Your 3 key takeaways that I would like you to bring from— to bring home from Ukraine is the fight against corruption as a foundation of the modern social contract. In Ukraine, it stands above any single law or government program because society demands it. The second, Ukraine is not a corrupt country. It is a country that is successfully fighting corruption, and we can share our experience with our partners also. And assured effective and independent anti-corruption bodies are tools for building trust between Ukraine and our international partners. And strong institutions are not built after crisis passes. They prove their worth, their value when the crisis is at its peak. Thank you.


IDLO · Director-General · Jen Beagle [1:05:26]:

Thank you very much. Mr. Ramula.


Philippines · Ombudsman · Jesus Crispin Remulla [1:05:28]:

For those of us working in accountability institutions, our mission is not only to find out what went wrong. Our greater mission is to help build systems that can do what is right. Because the ultimate success of anti-corruption work is not measured only by the number of cases filed or convictions secured. It is measured by whether we help create a government that works better for its people. As we approach 2030, let us remember that SGD16 is not just about building stronger institutions, it's about rebuilding the relationship between governments and its citizens. Thank you.


IDLO · Director-General · Jen Beagle [1:06:08]:

Thank you. Alione.


Coordinator, African Centre of Excellence for Access to Justice · Léonie Mutoni [1:06:11]:

Thank you very much. I would like to close by highlighting two recommendations from the Civil Society Declaration that we've been talking about. To governments, recognize community-based and informal justice mechanisms in your national laws and policies. Martin made a good point earlier saying that legal frameworks are the foundation of enabling environments. So recognize these mechanisms and allocate domestic budgets, not just donor funding. And to the donors, the research is there, the organizations doing the work are there, The frameworks are there. Fund them, and not on short-term project cycles, but through the kind of multi-year flexible core funding that actually allows for scale learning and sustainability. And I want to say that justice has always been underfunded, which has made no sense because it is the bedrock for rule of law and democracy and everything we've been talking about. But over the past few years and last year, especially, we have seen funding go significantly down for key actors like grassroots justice organizations and legal aid providers, and multiple of them have had to close their organizations. Those who didn't close had to scale back significantly on operations and the critical work that they're doing. So there really is no better time than now to recommit to meaningfully supporting this work, because the mechanisms I mentioned earlier, they are cost-effective, they are scalable, but they still require funding. This is why we're asking you all today to stand with civil society and stand up for SDG 16. Thank you.


Speaker 35 [1:07:55]:

Thank you.


IDLO · Director-General · Jen Beagle [1:07:56]:

Arturo.


WB · Global Director for Governance · Arturo Herrera Gutiérrez [1:07:58]:

Let me conclude by sharing an observation and a concern. Almost everywhere I have been, I'm listening similar observations like the ones I hear today, talking about governance and strengthening institution, and that's a necessary catalyst if in order to advance the SDG agenda. But almost immediately, I also listen in observations and comments around the following. So how does a reform for better governance or better institutions looks like. I think this is really where the challenge is. We don't need to convince people that governance is necessary. We need to convince people that there are effective reforms based on data and evidence that could be implemented.


IDLO · Director-General · Jen Beagle [1:08:50]:

Well, thank you. Thank you to really everyone in the room. I'm sorry for those of you who didn't have a chance to speak in the very short time that we had. I want to thank all of the panelists Everyone will have their own takeaways, obviously, and I'm not going to try to summarize this rich discussion. I just would want maybe to give a few of the main takeaways that I had. Clearly, everybody agrees SDG 16 is a multiplier, it is transformative, but I hear that we need to be more strategic, that what matters is results and impact, and particularly at the local level, and that we really need action and results to build trust. There are many great experiences around to share and that we can— that we can learn from, and what we see that works is people-centred, evidence-based, grounded in human rights, clearly integrated approaches, and approaches that bring together multiple partners, whether it's whole of society— whole of government, across the board. Gender equality and empowerment of women undoubtedly are key, and also recognizing customary and informal systems. And I think we have heard also that none of this is only about peacetime, that strong institutions and anti-corruption efforts are a strategic asset, a strategic work, including in times of conflict. Perhaps I would like to end with a couple of the points that really struck with me, and one of them is clearly what Martin said about follow the money, because I think that all of us know, as Leonie just said, that keeping the rule of law, access to justice, these issues high on agendas is not just a matter of political will, although that's incredibly important, it's also a matter of financing and it's Obviously, at a time when there are a lot of priorities and there are shrinking budgets, this is not always on the top of people's agenda, and I think it's really important that we look at this, and as Leonie has said, particularly also at the grassroots level. I think that the issue of building systems that do what is right, I think that is a really nice way to end. So, I'd like really just to echo— Thank you. What our civil society friends have said, stand for SDG 16, and the time is now. So, thank you all very much.


Speaker 39 [1:11:23]:

Thank you.


Moderator [1:15:35]:

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to request you to— kindly request you to find your seats so that we can start the last and very exciting panel Of the day.


Speaker 41 [1:16:04]:

Okay.


Moderator [1:16:11]:

There's a lot going on. But, okay. Dear colleagues, Distinguished delegates, it is my pleasure to welcome you to this third panel of the SDG16 Conference of 2026. This panel titled Partnerships and Collective Action to Build Peaceful, Just, and Inclusive Societies. The exchanges that we've heard throughout the day have emphasized how coordinated whole-of-society approaches are required to build peaceful, just, and inclusive societies, and that progress on SDG 16 cannot be achieved by governments alone, but will rather depend on the active engagement of all relevant actors, including academia, private sector, civil society, local communities. Partnerships and collaborative approaches are essential for tackling the complex global challenges that the world is facing by mobilizing knowledge, resources, and innovation. So in this context, this panel will explore how multi-stakeholder cooperation, innovative partnerships, and coordinated action can accelerate progress on SDG 16, strengthen institutions, and foster social cohesion while ensuring that no one is left behind. So specifically, we will explore 3 key questions. What are examples of innovative partnerships that have proven effective in strengthening the rule of law, improving access to public services, increasing access to justice and fostering social cohesion? The second, how can participation, inclusion, and whole-of-society approaches be strengthened through multi-stakeholder actions on SDG 16? And the third question, how can partnerships be strengthened and resources mobilized to scale up collective action and accelerate progress on SDG 16 seen in the remaining few years to 2030. To delve into these issues, we have with us a distinguished panel representing different regions, different levels of governance, and sectors of society, from national governments to local authorities to academia to civil society, young leaders. Each of the speakers on the panel possesses unique experiences and insights on how partnerships and collective action can advance SDG 16 and help build peaceful, just, and inclusive societies. So, just some small housekeeping note before I invite the panellists to share their experiences with us. So, each of the panellists will get about 5 minutes for an initial— Thank you. Intervention. When we've heard from all of them, I'll open the floor for statements and questions from the audience. In the interest of time, I'd like to first of all— well, actually, in the interest of having a good exchange, let me encourage all of you to participate in the discussion, but in the interest of time, let me also encourage you to be succinct and focused in your interventions. I would like to be able to return to the panel and give each of the panellists a minute or two to respond to what we've heard from the audience before we close at 5:30. So without further ado, I am very pleased to introduce our first panellist, Mr. Ibrahima Baldé. Thank you. Coordinator, Program for Supporting the Modernization of the Administration, Ministry of Public Service, from Senegal. Thank you so much for being with us today. I would like to ask you, Mr. Balde, what recent measures has Senegal undertaken to modernize public administration and strengthen institutional effectiveness, including through civil service reform? Digital Transformation and Results-Based Governance. Mr. Baldev, with that, you have the floor.


Senegal · Coordinator, Program for Supporting the Modernization of the Administration · Ibrahima Baldé [1:20:59]:

Merci beaucoup.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. With your permission, I would like to speak French, and I would like to start by Thanking this august gathering via the organizers, you, sir, the Permanent Mission of Italy, Ilo Nuendesa, for the invitation to share with you Senegal's experience on the SDGs. I will start by saying quite simply, Madam, that The reform of the administration for the provision of public services to the people is not a new subject in Senegal, as is the case everywhere. I think it's important to state from the outset, as we take stock of things, even if there have been many high ambitions since independence, today our results are not satisfactory. And starting then from that observation, we see that our people want more justice, more equity, better living conditions in a safe environment. And this is the catalyzing aim of the SDGs, as many people have been saying since this morning. I think all the SDGs can be brought together knowing that peace and justice are sought by our societies and guarantee any form of development or a better standards of living. So we wish to contribute and expand our modernization in Senegal. There are three very important elements to this end so that we can ensure that modernization is effective effective so that people realize what's been done. First of all, we have to have a basis, a basis for government for the country. That means inclusive governance based on consultation, bringing people together, accelerating the availability of legal texts which are intended to bring about lasting reforms. And so that we have this solid basis, there has to be a relationship with law that is one of confidence, that stands back from electoral deadlines and ensures accessibility. And lastly, we have to look at people and look at our targets demographically and looking at needs, young people, that is women, and ensure that we have specific approaches which are attuned to our ends. So if we have this basis, we can look at strategy. When it comes to the second point of actions to be done, because we don't have immense means, we have to prioritize a rapid response. How can we do this? First of all, based We are basing ourselves on administration, finance, and justice. These three pillars make it possible for everyone to consider that the government's ambitions may strike home. There are new technologies, digital inclusion for better access, greater safety, and something that works for people in rural environments away from towns. Ensure that human resources are professionalized because today the greatest challenge is to realize how those working for the state really are aiming for a mindset for quality and how can we involve our people so that they can make their contribution to these ends. Then lastly, the country is organizing around a method made of increased coordination and greater digitalization. We need coordination with a delegation of missions to services, to the private sector, and to civil society, a coordination that sticks to international law and ensures effectiveness, transparency. As we look at the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda, people working in the public sector have to be— Yes. Responsible for what they do. We have to improve matters and ensure that it's possible to replicate things for the benefit of our community. Madam, so that we really can modernize things effectively, so that resources can provide a systemic transformation for our people, we need a strong basis, a government based on law and the respect of our legal texts. We need an agenda. Strengthened effectively and inclusively by new technologies. We need high quality and indeed quantity when it comes to human resources with high performance. We need to involve the private sector, civil society, and we need also to involve international bodies. Thank you.


Moderator [1:26:25]:

Thank you very much, Mr. Balder, for sharing very relevant for sharing your experiences and also for setting a good example when it comes to keeping to time.


Speaker 45 [1:26:35]:

Thank you.


Moderator [1:26:35]:

So with that, I am now very pleased to introduce our second panelist, Ms. Geraldine Fraser-Molekete, former Chancellor of the Nelson Mandela University of South Africa. Thank you so much for being with us today, and I would like to ask you whether you could share some examples of how partnerships partnerships between governments, universities, civil society, and communities have helped forge more ethical, accountable, and inclusive public institutions in line with SDG 16. So, Ms. Fraser-Molekete, you have the floor.


Former Chancellor · Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi [1:27:11]:

Thank you very much, and good afternoon, everyone. Yesterday, we marked 50 years since The June 16 uprising in South Africa. Half a century ago, young Africans paid the ultimate price to demand justice, inclusion, and the dismantling of an oppressive system. Their legacy reminds us of a profound historical truth: institutional accountability is rarely gifted from the top; it is forged from the ground up. Action 7 of the Pact for the Future commits us to building peaceful, just and inclusive societies. But as the legacy of Soweto proves, this cannot be achieved through top-down, state-centric models alone. It demands us to bridge SDGs SDG 4 and SDG 16. We cannot build strong, accountable institutions without civic capacity and critical consciousness generated by equitable education. Ethical public institutions are built through a deliberate four-pillar model of partnerships. Governments hold the mandate to execute Universities anchor the partnership with independent evidence. Civil society acts as a watchdog, driving accountability, and communities, especially our youth and women who have historically anchored our peace processes, provide the lived reality to ensure solutions work on the ground. But we are attempting to build these institutions in a multipolar reality, a world where global powers increasingly use capital as geopolitical leverage. To survive this, we must radically redefine how our partnerships operate and how we protect the research that guides them. So tactical program and systems learning, in terms of that, multistakeholder cooperation must move away from tokenism. We cannot invite civil society simply to validate a policy after it is written. True partnerships mean co-creation. We've seen tactical progress of this when all four pillars operate in reality. And at the Nelson Mandela University and its pioneering hubs of convergence, these are not traditional civil ivory tower research centers. They are active spaces where the university partners directly with local government alongside grassroots grassroots organizations, citizens, and women's networks. A critical pillar of this is the African Youth Hub. We understood that the true whole of society inclusion requires centering those who actually drive structural change. The hub intentionally positions young people and grassroots women leaders— Hello. Not as passive subjects of academic research, but as architects of accountability. And through these hubs, we practice systems learning, a continuous dynamic feedback loop where SDG 4 and 16 intersect. We don't just generate reports, we host difficult conversations. Thank you. We put municipal managers, young citizen auditors, and women leaders in the same room to confront the hard truth without political theatre. Critically, the university ensures data sovereignty. In an era of rapid digitalisation, the university provides the technological infrastructure harnessing open-source AI and civic tech to process massive amounts of grassroots data. So onto the threat of weaponized funding. We cannot talk about co-creation or maintaining these vital spaces for systems learning without talking about the institutions we rely on to provide the crucial evidence. To be completely honest, universities are not sterile, neutral observers. They are battlegrounds of political and financial pressure. We must define the fundamental difference between accountability and coercion. And accountability ensures that the grant achieves its develop— its stated developmental or scientific purpose. I've heard the bell. I want to make one point. Okay. So if you want a glaring example of this, we do not need to look at authoritarian regimes. We only need to look at the crisis at Columbia University in recent times. In an attempt to suppress campus protests and dictate political alignment, the federal government abruptly cancelled $400 million in federal research grants. Let me be clear about what was cancelled: funding for Alzheimer's prevention, cancer research, and maternal-fetal health. This vital scientific work was—


Speaker 48 [1:33:29]:

Altaaste.


Former Chancellor · Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi [1:33:30]:

To force Colombia into political settlement. If funding can be switched off the moment a university's research contradicts a donor's geopolitical alignment, that university is not a sovereign institution, it's a proxy. I do have recommendations, but I'll mention that in the 2 minutes enclosure. Thank you.


Moderator [1:33:57]:

Thank you. Thank you very much, Ms. Fraser-Moleketi, for that intervention. So with that, I'd like to turn to our third panellist, Ms. Margaret Williams, who is the Associate Director, SDG 16+ Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies.

Ms.

Williams, thank you so much for being with us today. And I would like you to ask you whether you could please share some global lessons, some evidence on effective SDG 16 partnerships that integrate justice, inclusion, peace, and institution building across sectors and levels of governance. Ms. Williams, over to you.


SDG 16+ Pathfinders · Associate Director · Margaret Williams [1:34:43]:

Thank you so much, Madam Chair, and to the organizers. And to everyone in the room. It really is an honor to be here. It means a lot. And particularly to be here on this panel that's focused on the power of innovative, adaptive, and people-centered partnerships, that's how I interpret it. A particularly critical topic in this time for SDG 16. So we've— I don't want to belabor it. We've already discussed this today, but perhaps it does bear— it's worth mentioning one more time the degree to which the world continues to be hit by a convergence of crises and megatrends. As norms erode, as was so eloquently just highlighted, And the global order of things rapidly shifts and reorganizes with centers of power moving and changing, the rise of regionalization and a greater focus on localization with 70% of the global population predicted to live in cities by 2050. These shifts in geopolitical, economic, and technological landscapes are placing enormous and growing strains on governance systems to deliver. At the heart of navigating both these crises— navigating crises, managing this change, and perhaps even ultimately landing better is SDG 16 and partnerships. In speaking specifically to this panel, allow me to provide a few examples the subject of this plan. Allow me to provide a few examples from my own organization. But just before, allow me to also pay tribute and give a quick shout out to the SDG 16+ Group and my colleagues, all of which are sitting right there in a row in front of me. So, Pathfinders, as I think many of us know, is itself a cross-regional member-state-led and multi-stakeholder action platform committed to advancing SG 16. By definition, we are partnerships-based. We work with a number of actors at all levels of governance, often leaning into the strength of others in pursuit of common cause. And while our organigram might take a second to wrap your head around, if you ever so choose to see it, it is actually precisely between and within these dotted lines that partnerships are formed and that innovation, adaptability, and delivery can be baked in. So, a few more specifics on what these actually may look like. We already heard earlier today from the Justice Action Coalition, but this is one of the coalitions that's kind of part of the larger Pathfinders Network. We are its secretariat. And the way it is structured is important. Its board incorporates member states, international organizations, civil society, and at all levels of governance, which represents a tested architecture for integrating innovation on the rule of law, people-centered justice, and institution building into a single coalition. The further pairing of the Justice Action Coalition with something called the Global Alliance on Inequality, one focused on people-centered justice, the other on structural inequalities, reflects an emerging partnership model that treats these as inseparable dimensions of the same governance challenges, requiring coordination rather than parallel action. At the regional level, the Ibero-American Alliance— the African Alliance for People-Centered Justice and the Gender Equality Network for Small Arms Control demonstrates how regional coalitions can bridge global commitments to regional, national, and local realities. And I should also say that These are coalitions, these are networks, many of those in the room today, and including our hosts, IDLO is part of some of these, and so, and that's part of the beauty and the power behind them. And I, am I already blinking? Okay. Then very quickly, I will, I would also like to mention the Peace in Our Cities Network, precisely because it works as a city-to-city peer —learning network focused on violence reduction. So these are all examples of partnerships. But then when you look at cities themselves, they— many of the cities that we work with have something called offices for violence prevention, and they deliberately focus on cross-sectoral partnerships among government, law enforcement, civil society, and private sector actors to sustain violence reduction efforts beyond political cycles. What these types of partnerships speak to is perhaps both the value of multi-stakeholder collaboration, integration, cooperation, but also shifting governance structures. Oh, it's okay. I'm going to take my cue from her down there, one more minute. And this is important because these shifting governance structures are ones that need to also be met, that partnerships reflect, and that need to be met by the wider,— by the wider approach that we take to both challenges and opportunities. This speaks to multilevel governance as well as to hybrid governance. And in an era of disruption, what may be most urgent are systems that are resilient, equitable, and solvent. Governance grounded in peace, justice, inclusive institutions capable of managing today's crises, preparing for tomorrow's, capable of bridging silos across the UN pillars for results, and capable of delivering impact that durably improves people's lives. SEG16 is often called the canary in the coal mine, a barometer of institutional health, social trust, and national resilience. But it's also how you sustain progress, how you make development stick, how you catalyze inclusive growth, you de-risk public and private investment, and you bridge the peace-development nexus. So critical in this area, particularly in this era of UN reform with its impact on country teams and the need to do more with less. How can we be more resilient, anticipatory, and adaptive, such that we can not only respond to, but perhaps even leverage systemic shocks and change? Partnerships allow that to happen. Partnerships— Thank you. Are what make the whole greater than the sum of its parts. There are a lot of milestones ahead of us. I mean, next week is Peacebuilding Week, then it's HLPF. We're in a period of leadership transition at the UN. Next year, the SDG Summit, the year after that, the 2028 Pact for the Future review, and we're in a moment of UN80. But this— all of these massive shifts also really do present an opportunity, an opportunity for us to realize the power of SDG 16 beyond rhetoric and as anchored in national development plans and inclusive of various levels of governments and various partners. So, earlier today, we all stood for SDG 16. And for me, that was actually one of the most powerful moments I've ever had in this room. Thank you. I would assume that we would all stand for partnerships. Both of those things are what are required to meet the moment today and tomorrow. And I thank you for your attention and for the privilege of being a part of this community.


Moderator [1:42:41]:

Thank you very much, Ms. Williams, for sharing those important reflections. Let's now hear from our next panelist, Mr. Enzo Romero, young leader for the SDGs, mechatronics engineer, bionic innovator, and founder of LAT Bionics in Peru. I would like to thank you for sharing the perspective of young leaders on this panel, and I would like to ask you what your experience has been in leveraging innovation and assistive technologies as pathways to inclusion, dignity, and equal participation. So, Mr. Romero, you have the floor for your 5 minutes.


Founder, LAT Bionics · Enzo Romero [1:43:20]:

Thank you so much. Turn on my mic. Is it on?


Speaker 54 [1:43:23]:

Yeah.


Founder, LAT Bionics · Enzo Romero [1:43:24]:

Yeah. Beautiful. So, thank you once again, Madam Chair. When I first received the invitation to be here, I have to be honest, it was not immediately easy for me to connect the word peace or SDG 16 with my own work. My work is in prosthetics, in upper limb amputations, in assistive technology, in engineering, design, and rehabilitation. So at first I asked myself, "What is the direct relationship between peace and a prosthetic hand?" And then a news article I had read months ago came back to my mind. It was published by Euronews, and it said that one of the consequences of war and conflict is injuries that lead to the loss of limbs. Yes. Limbs. It also reported that Gaza now has the highest number of child amputees per capita anywhere in the world. The highest number of child amputees per capita anywhere in the world. Suddenly, the connection was no longer abstract. Peace is not only about the absence of war. Peace is also about the possibility of living with dignity after violence, after exclusion, after loss and after systems have failed to protect people. And for many people, especially people who have lost a limb, inclusions begin with the very concrete questions: Can I return to school? Can I work? Can I move through the city? Can I take care of myself? Can I participate in my community? Can I be seen not only as a victim or as a patient, but as a person with a future? That is where assistive technology becomes deeply connected to dignity. And for me, this is also personal. I was born without my right hand. So even before I became an engineer, before I entered a laboratory and before I founded Lab Bionics, I already understood something very basic: the world is not equally designed for all bodies.


Speaker 56 [1:45:17]:

Mm-hmm.


Founder, LAT Bionics · Enzo Romero [1:45:18]:

Growing up with a limb difference meant learning how to adapt every day Sometimes the challenges were practical: tying shoelaces, carrying objects, using tools, or finding my own way to do ordinary things. But often, the hardest barrier was not physical. The hardest barrier was the assumption that disability means "lean possibility"—less possibility. That experience shaped the way I understand innovation. Innovation is not only about creating something new. Innovation should also be about connecting exclusion. It should be about asking who has been left out, who cannot access existing solutions, and who is being forced to adapt to systems that were never designed to be them in mind. A lot, Bionics. I have met people who waited years for a prosthesis, not because they didn't need one, but because the available options were too expensive, too far away, or not adapted to their bodies. Their work, their income or their daily lives. And when a person finally receives a prosthesis that fits, the impact is not only technical. It can mean entering a job interview with more confidence. It can mean returning to work. It can mean holding an object, using public transport, cooking, studying or participating in family or community life with greater autonomy. A prosthesis is made of materials, mechanisms, sensors, and design decisions. But in real life, it is also connected to confidence, identity, and participation. At Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, my work as a researcher allows me to bring these questions into the laboratory. We work with 3D printing, artificial intelligence, electromyographic signals, personalized sockets, and validation protocols. But the goal is not to make technology look impressive. The real question is, does it work for people? Can it be affordable? Can it be manufactured locally? Can it be repaired? Can it be adapted to different bodies? Can it support real daily life activities? Can it be evaluated with evidence and not only with good intentions? Because innovation without access can reproduce inequality. A high-tech solution that only a few people can afford is not enough. A prototype that works in a laboratory but in non-someone's home is not enough. A device designed without listening to users is not enough. For me, assistive technology must be a pathway to equal participation. That means people with disabilities should not be included only as patients, beneficiaries, or inspirational stories. We must be included as users, designers, researchers, workers, and decision makers. This is why the connection with peace is so important. If conflict, violence, poverty and exclusion can produce disability, then justice must also include the systems that allow people with disabilities to live with dignity afterwards. Peace must include rehabilitation. Peace must include accessibility. Peace must include assistive technology. Peace must include the right to participate equally in society. And that participation cannot depend only where someone was born, how much money they have or whether a prosthesis is available in their country. The kind of innovation I believe in begins with listening. It is shaped by evidence. It is built with users, not only for users. It understands affordability as part of dignity. In the end, my work is not only about building better prosthetic hands. It is about building better conditions for life. Because every person should have the possibility to study, work, move, care for themselves, contribute to their community and make decisions about their own future. And when assistive technology helps make that possible, it becomes more than innovation. It becomes inclusion. It becomes dignity. And it becomes one of the many ways we can build peace.


Speaker 58 [1:49:08]:

Thank you so much.


Moderator [1:49:16]:

Thank you so much, Mr. Romero. For that. It is now my pleasure to introduce our final panelist today, Mr. Zia-Ur-Rehman, who is the Director and Secretary General of the Asia Development Alliance. I would like to thank you for sharing the perspective of civil society from SDG 16+ on this panel. My question to you is, given the trend of shrinking civic space and funding challenges for civil society today, that I think we've also heard about in previous panels. How can participation and meaningful inclusion of civil society in governance and SDG implementation be strengthened through action on SDG 16? So, Mr. O'Reman, you have the floor.


ADA · Director and Secretary General · Zia-Ur-Rehman [1:50:06]:

Thank you very much indeed for having me here. Since I represent Asia Development Alliance, which is the alliance of almost 33 national platforms and 12,000 grassroots-level civil society organizations, so my perspective would be based upon the aspirations of the community that I represent. And when I will be talking about the civic space and the challenges, I will give you some of the perspective which could be a little different. Today we live in a world where less than 20% population lives under the democracy. And like less than 20% of the world is enjoying rightful spaces and choices of life, whereas 80%, more than 80% do not have that. The reason is that we do not have this liberty of actually enjoying this facility and having a public discourse discourse on democracy, fundamental freedoms, and human rights in most of the global majority countries. And because of that, the civil society actually doesn't have that ability because of the lack of the civic spaces and lack of the civic infrastructure that we do not have— because of that, democratic challenges in our countries. And when I talk about civic infrastructure, it means the parliaments. In our previous session, we had this opportunity to listen from the President of the Interparliamentary Union, and he was talking about the importance of the parliament. The parliaments are really very important. When they are the true representatives of the people. Unfortunately, in most of our global majority countries and in some of the global northern countries, we see that the parliaments are under corporate capture, the judiciary is subservient to the executives, the media is compromised, and therefore, there is nobody to speak for the rights of the civil society, and we see that there's growing challenges for the civic rights and spaces in our countries. And that was why we face the challenges of, you know, raising voices for the rights of the people, and hence the civil society organizations having these quite stringent regulatory frameworks which are introduced by those parliaments. The national commissions on the human rights are not independent as, as it should be under the Paris Agreement, but most of the national human rights commissions, national commissions on the status of women, national commissions for the rights of children, they are are under-resourced. They lack the human resource and they also lack the financial support from the executives. And that was why they are not supporting the kind of discourse that civil society has been promoting for the rights of the people at large. So when we talk about the SDG 16, most of the SDG 16 targets are related to fundamental freedoms, human rights, inclusive societies, supporting the local agendas, but those targets are really not being accounted for because at the national level, what we see is that the indicators related to the SDG 16s are not being measured appropriately. This is quite unfortunate. Why they are not being measured appropriately, not only by the states but also by the civil society organizations. The states do not have that capacity and they actually do not want to measure those indicators because they lack the implementation. Over those indicators, but they don't allow civil society organizations because they want that— they think that the civil society is bringing a kind of challenge for the state authorities, highlighting the progress, which is not appropriate at all. So this is another challenge. In most of the countries, what we have seen is that the local governance is not active. And where there is a local government is not active, in fact, what happens is that the localization of the SDG 16, and particularly the indicators which are directly related to the communal rule of law and justice, they are not being implemented appropriately. So these are some of the challenges. When we see the financing, unfortunately we see that at the broader perspective, the ODA is being cut and we have noticed that very recently 24% of the bilateral funding is being cut in the very recent time and the— Thank you. 12.7% of the multilateral funding is being cut. And when it comes to the local civil society organizations, we see that most of the funding which is very much related to the human rights-based organizations, those who are working on rights-based agendas, the funding is not reaching to them. So that's why we actually have these challenges of implementing SDG 16 targets at the grassroots level. Thank you.


Moderator [1:56:51]:

Thank you, Mr. Rahman. It's terrible to have to shorten these very interesting interventions, but I would like to now thank all the panelists and— for this round. And open the floor for interventions from the audience. I have a list here of different member states and organizations that have asked for the floor. Again, since we are on the clock, I think I'm going to try to manage it so that we hear as many interventions as we can until we get to about quarter past 5, so that we have time to turn back to the panelists to ask each of them to respond or give additional reflections just for 1 or 2 minutes before we— before we wrap up. So to enable as many interventions as possible, I will stop there, and the first speaker that I have on my list is Venezuela. Is Venezuela here? Yes. If not, the next speaker on the list I have is the representative of Colombia, and after that, the representative of the European Union. So I'd like to invite the representative of Colombia to take the floor, if you are here.


Colombia [1:58:26]:

Muchas—


Moderator [1:58:26]:

Yes, sorry, please.


Colombia [1:58:28]:

Muchas gracias.

Thank you very much, Madam Thank you, Madam Moderator. And I'd like to also thank the distinguished panelists for having shared their experiences and thoughts with us. Colombia acknowledges that building peaceful, just, and inclusive societies as per SDG 16 requires endeavors that embrace the whole of society. No single actor can face or resolve the current challenges. We have increasing poverty, the climate crisis, and institutional change. Against this backdrop, Colombia, looking at SDG 16, views it as an enabler for the entire 2030 Agenda. Without peace and solid institutions, it's impossible to cut poverty, achieve economic growth, or social welfare. Therefore, Colombia has decidedly aimed at multi-actor cooperation. An example of these partnerships is The fact that my country participates in the platform B4G to move public and private partnerships, mobilize resources, ensure transparency, acknowledgement, and change institutions so that they can meet the global challenges such as climate change, energy transitions, et cetera. We believe that we need to— Thank you. Have exchange with different countries, as does our Foreign Ministry. We have 1,200 young people from various municipalities using sport as an instrument for peace and preventing violence and promoting SDG 16, providing opportunities for young people in areas where there is violence. We have to look at the possibility of recruitment and other— Negative influences. Your Excellency, we, looking at 2030, believe in this debate it is vital to strengthen participation in decision-making involving particularly young people and local communities. Then when it comes to public-private partnerships and international alliances, we need these to mobilize resources and we need rules based on cooperation, solidarity, inclusion. So we need an inclusive approach, a political commitment, and transformative partnerships. Colombia wishes to work in this direction to ensure that nobody is left behind.


Moderator [2:01:06]:

I thank the representative of Colombia, and I have a slightly revised list in front of me, so I'll just reference the top of the next 4 speakers. So the next, I would like to invite the representative of Namibia, followed by the European Union, Congo, and Mexico. So I would like now to give the floor to the representative from Namibia, please.


Namibia [2:01:36]:

Thank you, Madam President. We align ourselves with the principles of the Pact for the Future. Which calls for a renewed multilateralism, inclusive governance, stronger institutions, and meaningful participation of all sectors of society in advancing sustainable development. As young democracy, founded on the principles of peace, human rights, and the rule of law, Namibia recognizes that achieving SDG 16 requires partnerships that bring together governments, civil society, youth, academia, the private sector, and international partners. In this regard, through the implementation of the SDGs, through our 6th National Development Plan, NDP 6, Namibia is strengthening accountable institutions, expanding digital public service, promoting citizen participation, and enhancing access to justice particularly for women, youth, and vulnerable communities. We have learned that effective partnerships are those that place people at the center, leveraging innovation and ensuring that communities are active participants rather than passive beneficiaries. A notable example is Namibia's collaboration with international partners, research institutions, and law enforcement agencies to combat environmental crime. The recent establishment of the Wood Identification and Screening Center, the first of its kind in Africa, demonstrates how science, technology, and multi-stakeholder cooperation can strengthen the rule of law, improve enforcement capacities, and combat illicit trafficking in wildlife and forest products. Looking ahead, Namibia believes that Accelerating progress on SDG 16 requires 3 priorities. 1, increasing the investment in institutional capacity and digital governance. 2, creating more opportunities for youth and civil society participation in decision-making. And 3, strengthening international cooperation and knowledge sharing to address transitional challenges, including corruption, organized crime, and environmental crimes. Finally, Namibia remains committed to working with all partners to build peaceful, just and inclusive societies, ensuring that the commitments of the Pact for the Future are translated into tangible benefits for the present and future generations. I thank you, Madam Chair.


Moderator [2:04:13]:

Thank you very much to the representative from Namibia. I now give the floor to the representative from the European Union.


EU [2:04:22]:

Thank you, Chair. Thank you, and thanks to the organizers and the panelists. The EU has been an unwavering advocate of SDG 16 and put multi-stakeholder coalitions at the center of its work on the goal, because we believe that to ensure that no one is left behind, genuine partnerships and collective action are required. The Team Europe Democracy initiative, in short, the TED, and in particular its working group on support to democratic forces and civic space, provides the framework that links concrete initiatives on the ground with broader democracy support by the EU and its member states by fostering joint analysis, shared priorities, and coordinated programming around SDG 16. Through TED, the EU and its member states, civil society, and democracy support organizations align their approaches and pool resources to scale up action on democracy worldwide. As we speak, actually, over 100 representatives from the EU member states and partner country organizations are meeting in Brussels to discuss cooperation on support to democratic governance at the TED annual event. Let me provide you with two concrete examples. First, the EU's human rights defenders mechanism, protectdefenders.eu, supported an average of 849 defenders per month in 2025 in more than 90 countries. 80% of assistance is implemented in high-risk or repressive contexts by consortium of specialized international and regional NGOs who bring together their expertise in legal aid, emergency relocation, psychosocial support, training and advocacy. Similarly, through the Initiative for Transitional Justice in Africa, the EU supports the African Union Commission, IGAD, governments such as Ethiopia, Lesotho, and The Gambia, and victim groups with implementing the AU Transitional Justice Policy. To complement such regional initiatives with global efforts, the EU further works with the ICC, OHCHR, and the Global Center for the Responsibility to Protect to close accountability gaps and support survivors. Thank you. These coalitions prove that cooperation and strong partnerships between a multitude of stakeholders who pool their mandates, resources, and expertise are crucial for delivering on SDG 16, including to create the enabling conditions for sustainable investment to achieve the SDGs, in line with the Global Gateway strategy, which is built on international partnerships. Thank you very much.


Moderator [2:06:29]:

Thank you very much to the representative of the EU. It's my pleasure to I would now give the floor to the representative of the Republic of Congo. Is the representative of the Republic of Congo in the room? You have the floor.


Congo [2:07:08]:

Merci, Madame.

Thank you, Madame Moderator. Thank you for giving us the floor. I didn't request the floor, actually. Thanks.


Moderator [2:07:25]:

Thank you, sir, for your honesty. Sorry about that. I had you on my list. That means that we can— I can give the floor to the representative of Mexico and follow after Mexico, I will give the— ask UNFPA to take the floor. Mexico, you have the floor.


Mexico [2:07:45]:

Hola, buenas tardes. Good afternoon and congratulations to the panel. Thank you very much for what they've shared with us this afternoon. And obviously from Mexico, we want to say that for us one of the most important partnerships is with our citizens. We need to work very closely with all our citizens, those men and women who are organized, but also with just everybody because it's very important when we talk of partnerships particularly within society, we need to be able to go beyond them. This means how can we adjust— have partnerships which go beyond dialogue and lead us to very specific situations. For example, today I would like to describe to you two experiences of citizen partnership and participation which have helped us to have stronger institutions. For example, an issue of public procurement. You are all aware that very often this is corrupt. We have a model with citizen witnesses, citizens and civil society organizations who take part in public procurement purchases. So this means that they can report very effectively any irregularity. So this means that all institutions get used to having witnesses in public procurement, but also our institutions are strengthened and we have a much closer relationship with them. Then we have another mechanism. As you are aware, in Mexico we have many important social programs, but we have a mechanism which is social, as it were, controllers or auditors. Programs are organized, and here we have those who ensure ensure that they deliver on time. They are, as it were, vigilantes who ensure that things work. They monitor matters with dialogue, channels of dialogue. They're not ambiguous models. These are real dialogues that have been ongoing now for more than 20 years in Mexico and have taught us a lesson that the most important partnership is with citizens and that these structured models provide us with an opportunity of having much stronger institutions. Thank you very much.


Moderator [2:10:16]:

Thank you very much to the representative from Mexico. I'll give the floor to—


Speaker 74 [2:10:25]:

sorry.


Moderator [2:10:30]:

So I would like— before I give the floor, to UNFPA. Let me check whether the representatives of Romania, Poland, and Costa Rica are still here and whether you would like to speak. Romania, Costa Rica, or Poland, please indicate if you would like the floor. I don't see either of those asking for the floor, so that means we will proceed with the list. Thank you. And I will give the floor to the representative of UNFPA, to be followed by Interpol. So UNFPA, you have the floor.


UNFPA [2:11:09]:

Thank you, Chair, and thank you to the Government of Italy, UNDESA, and IDLO for convening us. UNFPA contributes to SDG 16 by addressing the root causes of instability through demographic data, human rights, access to services, and youth empowerment. There can be no just institutions if people remain invisible. By partnering with governments and academia to generate high-quality disaggregated population data, we use data as a tool for equity, ensuring that marginalized groups, displaced populations, and adolescent girls are never left off the map. Accessing essential services is a matter of governance and rule of law. When women and youth in all their diversity, can safely access sexual and reproductive health services and find protection from gender-based violence, it does more than save lives. It rebuilds the social contract and fosters institutional trust. True progress requires championing the agency of young people. Bodily autonomy is the absolute precondition for their leadership. This is why ending female genital mutilation, for instance, matters for the realization of the SDG 16. Italy has been a steadfast champion and key supporter of the joint UNFPA-UNICEF program on ending female genital mutilation, helping to protect millions of girls. To turn all of this into measurable impact, we must focus on building inclusive intergenerational coalitions. UNFPA actively supports youth-led movements and networks expanding their decision-making spaces. This is why we continue to champion youth peace and security agenda. Today, emerging digital risks threaten peace and justice. Technology-facilitated gender-based violence affects nearly 60% of women globally, chilling public participation, yet less than half of the world is legally protected. Traditional justice, must adapt. In response, UNFPA, UNDP, and UNODC have launched the first UN-wide joint program on technology-facilitated gender-based violence, combining UNFPA's survivor-centered expertise across 150 countries with UNDP's digital governance leadership and UNODC's criminal justice mandate. We invite member states and partners to invest in the scalable mechanism to expand accountability. Thank you.


Moderator [2:13:44]:

Thank you very much to UNFPA. Okay. Sorry, just making sure that we cover the list. So in the interest of time, I'm going to ask Interpol to take the floor, but I'm going to close this for the speakers after that. I know there are other representatives here in the room who were expecting to speak, and I apologize that we will not be able to accommodate that, but I would like to invite you to submit your statements or messages to us, and we'll make sure that they're made available so that your message is not lost in this important discussion. So with that, let me give the floor to Interpol.


INTERPOL [2:14:37]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. Excellencies, distinguished delegates. At Interpol, our close collaboration with 196 member countries, in addition to our strong partnership with the United Nations, is our greatest asset. This global network is foundational to our work facilitating international police cooperation in support of the vision enshrined in SDG 16. However, our world continues to be plagued by complex criminal threats and interconnected crises. Crimes that transcend national borders are growing in prevalence. These cross-border threats demand coordinated solutions. Interpol is answering this call by providing operational and technical support to our member countries to promote the rule of law. Our secure global communication channels enable police to cooperate in real time on investigations. Our tailored capacity-building programs entrench proper procedures in law enforcement and strengthen national institutions. And our innovative policing tools, including criminal databases, global notices, and intelligence capabilities, support police to combat cross-cutting fields of transnational organized crime. For instance, Interpol Silver Notice, supported by Italy, is strengthening the global tracing of criminal assets with the ultimate goal of seizing, recovering, and returning those assets to communities affected by crime. Similarly, Project ICANN, funded by Italy and Germany, is supporting countries to investigate and disrupt mafia-type organizations, particularly 'ndrangheta. Thank you. Most importantly, our work is grounded in a firm commitment to the rule of law and human rights. We aim to not only provide technical support to member states but to do so in a transparent and accountable manner. Excellencies, the path to achieving SDG 16 is not walked alone. Interpol remains committed to acting as a bridge between law enforcement agencies worldwide, turning our collective vision of peace and strong institutions into a tangible reality. I thank you.


Moderator [2:16:46]:

I'd like to thank the representative of Interpol. And so we've had some quick diplomacy in the meantime. So I'm going to allow the next— the last 3 organizations that had asked for the floor to give your statements. I'd like to ask you to be succinct. I'll then, after that, hand back to the panel. You will get your 2 minutes each, and then we will close. The 3 organizations that we will have the pleasure now of hearing from is the Global Partnership for Education, and I also have on my list Alliance for Peacebuilding and the TAP Network. So, let's start with the Global Partnership for Education. You have the floor.


GPE [2:17:23]:

Thank you. Many thanks to the Permanent Mission of Italy, IDLO, and DESA for inviting GPE to speak today. The Global Partnership for Education, GPE, is committed to helping build peace, justice, and inclusive societies through partnerships and collective action to fully realize SDG 4. As indicated by its name, GPE is a partnership. It is also a fund. It has a multibillion-dollar grant portfolio that helps children in lower-income countries through funding, but also by bringing together ministries of education, ministries of finance, development partners, and civil society Society to strengthen and facilitate partnerships to ensure successful joint efforts that reduce fragmentation and align diversified financing behind country-led education priorities. GPE works to support governments to design and implement national strategies to advance inclusive education and ensure access to equitable, quality education for all girls and boys and children with disabilities. Excluding children with disabilities from education and training results in a loss of 1 to 7% of GDP. Limiting girls' education— the cost of limiting girls' education stands between $15 and $30 trillion in lost lifetime productivity and earnings. Conversely, inclusive education has a multiplier effect. GPE also works across the humanitarian, peace, and development nexus. It supports over 90 lower-income countries, many of whom works— experiencing crisis and conflict, because we know that it is essential to ensure continued access to education no matter what, and that quality learning helps tackle the drivers of violence, build resilience to extremism, and foster more cohesive, equal, and— and stable societies. GPE believes everything starts with domestic financing and a country-led approach, but to unlock sufficient resources, investments from donor governments and the private sector are essential. Essential. This belief is at the heart of GPE's current financing campaign, Multiply Possibilities, and we are proud that the governments of Italy and Nigeria are co-hosts of that campaign. Italy reaffirmed— Italy. Well, I'm sure Italy does as well, but GPE reaffirms its dedication to support the world's most marginalized and vulnerable children through funding and partnerships that can help realize access to inclusive quality education for girls and boys across the conflict, crisis, and development settings. I thank you.


Moderator [2:19:55]:

Thank you to the representative of GPE for that statement, and I would then like to invite Alliance for Peacebuilding to take the floor for your statement.


AfP [2:20:08]:

Yes, right here. Hi. Thank you so much for this discussion and for allowing me to give a brief intervention. I would just open by saying, you know, we're in a building whose founding vision was one of peacemaking, and I want to re-up the SDG 16 declaration that was published today. I know we talked about it earlier during the morning sessions. I would really encourage everybody in this room, everybody attending, to go through that document in detail. It is very practical. It is very detailed. It devotes more space to recommendations than analysis, which I really appreciate. And I want to just give kind of a very brief overview of the section focused on peacebuilding and conflict prevention. I think that we really need to re-up and focus on making sure that any foreign assistance budget from a member state or a government has a sizable portion devoted to peacebuilding and conflict prevention. I want to see peacebuilding positioned as a necessary investment for the success of any agenda. Earlier today, we heard remarks saying, 'Without trust, any other development goal is impossible.' But I ask, 'What about peace? What about without peace?' Peace especially needs to be treated as central to the entire 2030 Agenda, as a means of addressing underlying drivers of instability rather than just symptoms. And finally, I would say having women, peace, and security, the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda, be treated as central to peace and security and not just a tick-the-box or add-on exercise. Finally, we need to build connections between local organizations in different regions to promote cross-learning and solidarity. And so I would just call on the speakers and everybody here in this room to really seize this moment of opportunity. We have UN Peacebuilding Week next week. I appreciate all of the banners outside in the lobby. We have UN80 Initiative. We have an opportunity to make very practical reforms, to move beyond declarations and statements and really focus on getting resources and funding to the grassroots organizations who are working at the nexus of all the issues that have been outlined today. So I thank you very much. Thank you.


Moderator [2:22:21]:

Thank you to the Alliance for Peacebuilding for that message. And with that, I give the floor to the last speaker from the audience, and that is TAP Network. Are you— you have the floor.


TAP Network [2:22:39]:

Thank you all for your insights, both throughout the day today and also yesterday during the SDG 16 Civil Society Forum made possible by the Permanent Mission of Italy, IDLO, and Ioan Dessa. As we have heard, the compounding challenges the world is currently facing are inextricably interconnected, and therefore, solutions need to reflect the complex and tangible nature of these realities. The 5 interconnected priorities of the Civil Society Declaration highlighting the necessary steps to combat rising authoritarianism, growing mistrust in institutions, threats to media freedoms, the reduction in civil society space, and rollbacks on human rights commitments and their funding. The importance of highlighting organizations run by marginalized communities, especially women and girls, people with disabilities, indigenous populations, and youth-led movements, cannot be overstated, as these are the groups disproportionately impacted by rising conflicts, lack of access to justice, and the climate crisis. Thank you. That being said, including frontline rights defenders and peacebuilders in international dialogues and changemaking initiatives is not necessarily easy or convenient, but requires understanding of organizational needs and capacities and adjusting the expectations that civil society functions must fit and conform to complex and cumbersome processes and applications for participation. We're fortunate that this conference has provided us with the opportunity to bring so many members of civil society together with you all in meaningful dialogue, but I do want to acknowledge that many of our colleagues have not been able to participate due to exorbitant and prohibitive costs and issues accessing visas for travel. While they cannot be here with us today, they continue to do the vital work of implementing SDGs PG-16 in their contexts. And so for the question, I asked, how can governments and civil society institute dynamic approaches to civil society inclusion that are not simply rooted in checking boxes, but ensure that even as political and funding tides shift, possibilities for advancing human rights remain? Thank you.


Moderator [2:25:02]:

Thank you very much. To the TAP Network also for posing a question to our panelists, and thank you to all of those who intervened from the floor for sharing your insights and comments. So I'm now going to turn to the panel. I think I'll ask you to take the floor in the same order that we started with. I'm going to have to be even more strict and ask you to— Speak English. Then 2 minutes. We'll go a little bit over time, but I think we'll allow that. And so I will go directly to Mr. Balde. 2 minutes, closing reflections. You have the floor, sir.


Senegal · Coordinator, Program for Supporting the Modernization of the Administration · Ibrahima Baldé [2:25:45]:

Merci beaucoup.

Thank you very much, Chair. I haven't got a huge amount to add, but I would just like to congratulate this Assembly, and I'm reassured that in the sharing of ideas in the community, I did hear a lot of very interesting examples. Colombia on this total inclusion strategy and the idea of prioritizing the most vulnerable groups in how they define their solutions. I also heard from Mexico and what they were saying about citizen observers. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] And so partnership is the topic we're discussing, and we also need to think about partnerships with our own communities. So the idea of what our own directions that we're taking and what the own challenges that we face and what are our own opportunities, and we need to decide how to improve our legislations, not only according to some models that are relevant but inadapted, but we need to do that through our own thinking, our own creativity. Yes. And our own drive, because often technology only represents its own institutional ideas and that from— and not initiatives of our own citizens, and so that's what Senegal is committing to do in its systemic transition in our administration moving towards better performance. Thanks very much.


Moderator [2:27:10]:

Thank you very much, Ms. Saboglu. Let me give the floor to Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi.


Former Chancellor · Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi [2:27:19]:

Thank you very much. As we close this afternoon, we do so recognizing that we're not discussing SDG 16 in a vacuum. We're navigating a rapidly accelerating multipolar world. And this shift brings both profound opportunities for new global solidarities, as well as deep risks for renewed geopolitical competition. So in this multipolar reality, the principles of SDG 16, peace, justice, rule of law, and inclusive societies, It's no longer just a domestic checklist. They the ultimate guarantor, if one can call it that, of a nation's sovereignty and agency. When state institutions are weak, exclusionary, or lack the trust of the people, the society becomes vulnerable. And we see this across the globe, institutional fragility. Fractures become entry points for external actors to extract resources, fuel conflicts, or turn nations into proxy battlegrounds. Conversely, when government partners authentically with its civil society and its universities to build citizen-centered state institution, it builds an impenetrable— Sorry. Social contract. I hope that responds to the question that was raised as well. Thank you.


Moderator [2:29:05]:

Thank you so much for those reflections and answer. So I'd go now to give the floor to Ms. Margaret Williams for your closing reflections.


SDG 16+ Pathfinders · Associate Director · Margaret Williams [2:29:16]:

Thank you so much. Yes, thank you so much for all of the reflections from the floor. I would just I wanted to quickly pick up on a couple of them. From Colombia, your highlighting of the value of SDG 16 and meeting the moment, particularly on crises around climate and energy transitions, I think was quite on point and something that we, along with many, many others, have looked into also because of the peace development nexus kind of links within regulatory frameworks, how those show up at HLPF this year and VNRs, and also as a means of kind kind of even strengthening enabling environments for investment, etc. So it was really— thank you for those words and the words on inclusion. I also was really appreciative of what Namibia had said earlier on the need for inclusive innovation and what you said, Enzo, which was innovation without inclusion is inequality. That is a— Thank you.

That's a—

as I say, a key takeaway. So, I really appreciated that. And the notes from the point from Mexico on citizen accountability, which links to the Pact for the Future that were made, different initiatives from Europe in support of either Team Europe Democracy or the Gateway Initiative. This is such a clearly valuable space. So, one— 30-second last remark is to say thank you. Thank you to TAP and to CSPPS for yesterday's Civil Society Day interactive dialogue, the Stand Up for SDG 16 statement, incredible, as Nick said, incredibly powerful and concrete. And thank you to, I'm not gonna try to answer your question because I think Geraldine did a better job, would do a better job than I would. And massive thank you also to Italy, DESA and IDLO. This is clearly a space that people need and want, and it's coming at a critical time for all of us who care so much about the principles within SDG 16, the following actions, but also the state of multilateralism. So thank you.


Moderator [2:31:31]:

Thank you so much for Thank you for that. So let me now give the— for those very good reflections. Mayanna, I would like to give the floor to Mr. Enzo Romero for your closing 2 minutes. You have the floor.


Founder, LAT Bionics · Enzo Romero [2:31:51]:

Okay. So first of all, thank you for having me. Thank you for allowing me to travel from Lima, Peru to be here addressing countries and several organizations regarding to this topic is really close to my heart. I want to finish this with some sentences and a little bit of a statistic that I think is important for you to understand. According to WHO, 1 in 7 people around the world has some kind of disability. And the longer the humanity lifespan tends to get bigger, the bigger the necessity for assistive tech. You could imagine yourselves. To those of you who are wearing glasses right now, try to imagine doing your life the ways you do it without your glasses. That would be impossible. And probably someone would— might think that you are in sort of disability because you can't read properly, right? So assistive tech, it is important. To all country members, please double-check that your Persons with Disabilities National Acts are working the way they say they should work, allowing assistive tech devices for everyone. Mm-hmm. The slightest adjustment in your policy could represent the change of a lifetime to your citizens with disabilities. Thank you so much.


Moderator [2:33:06]:

Thank you so much for that message. And I now give the floor to Mr. Zia-Ur-Rehman, who is last but certainly not least.


ADA · Director and Secretary General · Zia-Ur-Rehman [2:33:16]:

Thank you. Thank you very much. In the current context of shrinking civic spaces, declining development financing, and weakening trust in the institutions, participation and meaningful inclusion of civil society must be strengthened through a renewed commitment to SDG 16+. The 2026 Civil Society Declaration on SDG 16 reminds us that peaceful, just, and inclusive societies cannot be achieved without those —working on the front lines: local peacebuilders, human rights defenders, grassroots organizations, legal aid providers, women leaders, youth groups, and communities affected by inequality and injustice. SDG 16+ provides a practical framework to move civil society participation from token consultations to structured, protected, and financed with continued, sustained, and meaningful engagement. This requires governments to protect civic space, review restrictive laws, ensure access to information, safeguard fundamental freedoms, and create formal mechanisms for civil society participation in SDG planning, budgeting, implementation,— and review processes. Meaningful inclusion also requires financing. Civil society cannot contribute effectively to SDG implementation without flexible, long-term, sustainable, and core support, especially for local grassroots, women-led, youth-led organizations. Donors and the governments must invest in civic space protection legal aid, digital security, organizational resilience, community-led monitoring, and independent civil society reporting. I thank you.


Moderator [2:35:19]:

Wonderful. Thank you very much for that message. And with that, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all the panelists once again for coming here and sharing your experience, your reflections, and your wisdom with us. And thanks again also to all those who shared from the floor. So with that, I think I would just like to close this session. Thank again the conference co-organizers for the opportunity to moderate this important discussion, for bringing us together today. Thank you. Again, the panelists and audience for your valuable contributions. So we will now close this panel and move to the closing session. So before I gavel— I don't know if we gavel in these meetings, but maybe we should, I have a gavel— before I gavel the panel and close it, I would just like to ask the moderator and Ms. Jan Pigo to come to the podium as we will get ready for the final session. So with that, thank you.


Speaker 96 [2:36:32]:

Thank you. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]