Week 11
Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting
In the previous lecture we learned about achieving the SDGs through planning and implementation at all levels of government with collaboration from civil societies, business, and partnerships. This week we will be looking at how the indicators and their targets form the basis of monitoring SDG implementation. We will look at how countries are doing this including evaluation indices and progress reporting.
You will recall the sustainable development goals include a list of 169 targets. In 2017, the UN General Assembly also approved the global indicator framework, a list of 232 indicators which are divided across the 17 goals and relate to their corresponding targets. Working together, the indicators and their targets form the foundation for monitoring the success of the SDGs.
The indicators are tools to help governments and institutions create implementation and monitoring strategies. They are appropriate for the local, regional, and national level to help establish priorities for governments and others working towards the SDGs. They function as a report card to evaluate programmes and policy progress and success. They are essential for showing Member State progress on achieving 2030 Agenda commitments, as individual countries are encouraged to adapt the global targets and indicators to national conditions, reflecting the priorities in their National Development Plans.
Let’s look at an example of how targets and indicators measure the success of an SDG
Remember – targets are something to be achieved that is measurable, while indicators show the measurement by which those targets can be judged or assessed.
We will use SDG #1 – End Poverty in all its forms everywhere, as our example.
SDG # 1 is supported by 7 targets and 12 indicators.
Target 1: By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than US$1.90 a day.
Indicator 1: Proportion of population below the international poverty line, by sex, age, employment status and geographical location (urban/rural).
The first target is to eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere by 2030. The indicator for this target is to assess the proportion of the population below the international poverty line (less than US$1.90 a day), by sex, age, employment status and geographical location (urban/rural).
Using this example, we can track the percentage of the global population living below the international poverty line. This data can be tracked over time and allows progress towards this goal to be reportable.[1]
In the example above, the target and corresponding indicator are for a global measurement, using the international poverty line. We mentioned SDG #1 has 7 targets. Target #2 measures poverty at the national level, see below.
SDG #1 Target 2:
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- by 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definiti