Berlin conference tackles civil society's role in advancing the 2030 Agenda
A recent conference in Berlin brought together experts to discuss civil society’s role in the 2030 Agenda. Participants examined challenges in multi-stakeholder processes and strategies to strengthen engagement. Key themes included land rights, human rights monitoring, and power imbalances in decision-making. The event began with Fritz Jung of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) outlining a new global programme. This initiative aims to support responsible land governance and bolster civil society. He emphasised that strengthening these groups remains a priority for German development policy.
Roman Herre from FIAN Germany called for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) monitoring to be grounded in human rights frameworks. He cited a case in Sierra Leone where land rights violations highlighted gaps in current approaches. Meanwhile, Masego Madzwamuse of the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) pointed to growing threats against local land rights. She proposed legal reforms and community-led strategies as solutions.
Layla Saad of the Rio+ Centre analysed flaws in participatory processes, using Brazil’s National Council on Food and Nutrition Security as an example. Caroline Kruckow from Bread for the World warned about the risks of excluding diverse civil society voices, particularly under repressive governments. Christian Graefen of GIZ added that fostering genuine dialogue between governments and activists in partner countries remains difficult.
Jeffery Huffines, UN Representative of CIVICUS, questioned how meaningful civil society involvement had been in the first voluntary national reviews for the High-level Political Forum (HLPF). Amelia Coj of Asociación de Desarrollo Integral Mitij Ixoq' stressed the importance of valuing people’s contributions and raising awareness about the SDGs. The conference also addressed power imbalances in multi-stakeholder platforms and the need to uphold social and economic rights. The discussions highlighted both obstacles and opportunities for civil society in shaping the 2030 Agenda. New programmes, legal protections, and inclusive monitoring systems were proposed as ways forward. Organisers noted that addressing power inequalities and ensuring meaningful participation will be critical in the coming years.
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