OGP, SDGs and the Mexican National Action Plan

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The 70th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) was a historic milestone for the international community, 193 member states agreed to adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This Agenda will set the course for the next 15 years through its 17 Sustainable Development GoalsOGP countries are experimenting with open government innovations to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 16+ which includes peaceful, just and inclusive societies... (SDGs) that aim to tackle some of the most pressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality, educationAccountability within the public education system is key to improving outcomes and attainment, and accountability is nearly impossible without transparent policies and opportunities for participation ... and the promotion of accountable institutions, among others. Its effective implementation represents a huge endeavour, that is why the Open Government PartnershipThe Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on improving government transparency, ensuring opportunities for citizen participation in public matters, and strengthen... More (OGP), is the ideal platform that helps countries advance SDGs through several instruments:

• High level political commitments. The Steering Committee member countries promoted a joint declaration that fosters the use of the principles of open government and Goal 16 as enablers of the 2030 Agenda. So far, 50 countries and more than 90 civil society organizations have endorsed the declaration.
• Open Government Guide. It focuses on giving member countries a detailed guide on how an open government approach can help member countries to spur progress across the 17 goals through their National Action Plans (NAPs).
• SDG’s task force. Several countries and CSOs have partnered in order to identify and promote strategic activities to advance the 2030 Agenda within the OGP framework in the upcoming years.
• Peer Learning. OGP member countries should exchange best practices that will help to advance this agenda.

Mexico’s Third NAP process

México is in the process of developing its Third NAP that will directly align its commitments to specific SDGs. This NAP will follow an innovative process based on transforming each commitmentOGP commitments are promises for reform co-created by governments and civil society and submitted as part of an action plan. Commitments typically include a description of the problem, concrete action... into a specific policy outcomes that will address a national challenge to be achieved through a two phase process: First, identifying a long term policy objective that will be achieved in a 14 year period (2030). Then, through the NAP commitments we will implement a specific set of activities that will advance this policy objective in a two year period. This process will give each commitment transcendence over the traditional OGP two year time frame, making sure that the long term goal is advanced through subsequent NAPs in a 15 year time period.

OGP provides a unique framework for countries to develop concrete action plans in order to advance towards more open and inclusive societies. If we understand that open governments are instrumental for sustainable development, then we can make sure that the policies being developed towards more sustainable cities, genderOGP participating governments are bringing gender perspectives to popular policy areas, ensuring diversity in participatory processes, and specifically targeting gender gaps in policies to address gov... equality, access to water, or universal education, are policies developed and implemented with the citizens that are to be impacted by them, with transparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the pub... More and accountability measures at their core.

The recent publication of the indicators that will be used to measure progress in the completionImplementers must follow through on their commitments for them to achieve impact. For each commitment, OGP’s Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) evaluates the degree to which the activities outlin... of the SDGs is a great opportunity for OGP member countries. From now on, each NAPs is a chance to advance a specific policy plan that will help achieve SDGs. The urgency for this Agenda is unquestionable, as is the need to acknowledge that governments, individuals, civil society and multilateral organizations are indivisible partners if our efforts towards sustainable development are to be met.

The next 14 years ahead of us set an ambitious course toward a better and more inclusive world that requires all of us to work together and co-create new and innovative ways to respond to long standing challenges. The principles of open government can be tools that enable us to take those ideas into action, making sure we leave no one behind in our work towards more open, inclusive and sustainable societies.