The guide should help the non-profit sector to understand the main gaps in achieving SDGs 16, as well as to identify the first requirements for the State to make progress on SDGs 16 by the end of 2030.
We introduce a methodology to track progress toward the SDG 16 targets. It is based both on the indicators proposed by the United Nations for all countries and on indicators more familiar to human rights and civil society groups and institutions that are used in routine human rights advocacy at the local, regional, national, and international levels. We paid particular attention to the indicators specific to countries such as Russia, where human rights standards are optional and non-binding.
The methodology suggests assessing the extent to which each of the targets is reflected in the current legislation; whether funding for measures and activities aimed at achieving each of the targets is allocated in the national and regional budgets; and whether the implementation progress is assessed at the national and regional level.
The chapters on SDG 16 Targets include:
- target descriptions and the internationally adopted system for assessing progress;
- additional indicators of target achievement from civil society;
- relevant recommendations from international treaty-based bodies.
The analysis facilitates an understanding of how we suggested the issues raised in the toolkit. We believe that addressing these subjects is integral to assess progress toward the SDG 16 targets. The points in question are arranged in a table. Each positive result is awarded one point. This allows us to analyze the target’s progress by comparing the results of the assessment over several years.
Despite all the challenges, the authors of this handbook hope that the concept of Sustainable Development Goals will be established in Russia, that the involvement of civil society in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda will increase, and that monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals through the lens of human rights will improve.