United Nations and Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) Collaboration on Sustainable Development Goals Implementation: An Analysis of Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs)
Principal Investigator:
Bok Gyo Jeong
Abstract:
This study examines the characteristics of inter-sectoral and inter-organizational collaboration between the United Nations and NGOs in the implementation process of the Sustainable Development Goals. Through the examination of 54 VNR reports from 2018 to 2019, the research identifies and categorizes the stakeholders involved and their respective actions. It examines the code-concurrence between the actor and interaction types. The findings offer insight into the partnership dynamics of transnational actors in the global public policy domain and their collaborative incentives.
Description of Research:
This study starts with the puzzle of why and how two significantly different actors—the United Nations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)—collaborate in the global policy arena despite their differences in scale and operational sectors. To resolve this puzzle, the study examines the characteristics of inter-sectoral and inter-organizational collaboration between the United Nations and NGOs in the implementation process of the Sustainable Development Goals.
It leverages Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) as a lens to explore stakeholder engagement and collaborative practices within national and transnational administrative processes that pertain to SDG implementation. VNRs serve as a self-assessment mechanism for SDGs, instituted by the UN’s High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) and overseen by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
Through the examination of 54 VNR reports from 2018 to 2019, the research identifies and categorizes the stakeholders involved and their respective actions. Utilizing ATLAS.ti software, it examines the code-concurrence between the actor and interaction types. The findings offer insight into the partnership dynamics of transnational actors in the global public policy domain and the and their collaborative incentives. Additionally, the study provides actionable policy and management strategies to effectively engage multiple stakeholders in advancing the global policy agenda of the SDGs.