Georgian Parliament Takes a Lead in Monitoring Sustainable Development Goals

The Parliament of Georgia has joined hands with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Government of Sweden and Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) to introduce effective tools for monitoring and implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The national Parliamentary Action for SDGs will focus on all available parliamentary mechanisms, such as law-making, budgeting, oversight and citizen engagement, and will be based on the Parliament’s self-assessment that will measure its capacities, gaps and opportunities in supporting Georgia to achieve its national goals.

To kick off the Parliamentary Action for SDGs, the Parliament of Georgia organized a workshop on 4 June 2018, bringing together members of parliament and representatives of government, civil society and the private sector.

The event was opened by Irakli Kobakhidze, Georgian Parliament Speaker; Munkhtuya Altangerel, UNDP Resident Representative a.i. in Georgia; and Molly Lien, Head of Development Cooperation at the Embassy of Sweden in Tbilisi.

“National parliaments are uniquely positioned to promote sustainable development, translate the goals into enforceable domestic laws and regulations, create synergies among the stakeholders, and hold governments accountable for the goals they subscribed to,” Munkhtuya Altangerel, UNDP Resident Representative a.i. in Georgia, said.

The two-day workshop will focus on a range of issues related to the nationalization and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. This includes coordination between the Parliament and Government, involvement of civil society, businesses and citizens, creation of relevant laws and policies, as well as the practical steps for making the progress to SDGs a transparent and open process.

The workshop participants will benefit from the experience of UNDP and Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) experts who will advise the Parliament on its self-assessment and the SDG Implementation and Monitoring Action Plan.

“The Parliament of Georgia has an excellent opportunity, as well as constitutional responsibility, to play a leading role in the achievement of the national SDGs, ensuring that all voices are being heard and no one is left behind,” Molly Lien, Head of Development Cooperation at the Embassy of Sweden in Tbilisi.

The discussions at the workshop concluded with the “fair of ideas” where the working groups presented their consideration and suggestions about the concrete priorities that will be reflected in the Parliamentary Action Plan of SDGs.

The workshop will be followed by the development of the Parliamentary Action Plan on SDG Implementation and Monitoring which will be completed by the end of 2018.