Engage city and state government to bring theory into practice

Posted on August 31, 2021 by Lillian Holmes

Authoring Organizations:	Pacific Institute
Consulting Organizations:	Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
Universal:	No
Applicable Phases:	Prepare
Last Updated	Apr 24, 2024

Overview

While the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a global ambition, their implementation is carried out in communities. Project implementation often depends on robust engagement of municipalities. As one project strategy, consider engaging municipalities to help monitor and track implementation of the SDG targets.

Benefits

• Often, municipalities need outside support to achieve the SDGs. External partners such as international NGOs, companies, and national agencies may be well-positioned to provide that support.
• Such advocacy projects align goals for diverse stakeholders, creating meaningful project outcomes.

Guidance

• Before implementing more direct project interventions, consider that baseline monitoring may be out of reach for some municipalities. Provide support with monitoring and tracking implementation of the SDGs.
• Recognize municipalities that are performing well, while providing education and support for those who need it.

Example

Aegea is a private sanitation company and the leader of the Water Platform of the Global Compact Network Brazil (UNGC Brazil). In partnership with UNGC Brazil, Water.org, the Nature Conservancy Brazil (TNC), WWF-Brazil, and the National Water and Sanitation Agency (ANA), Aegea launched an advocacy project in 2021 to support the monitoring of SDG 6 in the Brazilian states. In addition to supporting monitoring, the project raises awareness of the need for universalization of sanitation by engaging municipalities and public sanitation agencies in the states. The project seeks to achieve alignment between private sanitation companies, municipal governments, and others. The project is needed in part because of the challenge of engaging private sanitation companies in water stewardship – many private sanitation companies in Brazil are accustomed to considering water impact only within their own operations. This advocacy project seeks to engage private sanitation companies in multi-stakeholder actions to support the SDGs.

The project will follow several stages, including a workshop held for each state in Brazil, discussing the scenario of access to regional water and sanitation and what is necessary to move forward with the universalization of sanitation. Brazilian states will be monitored through indicators defined by experts, based on SDG 6 and New Framework Basic Sanitation Legal. At the end, the progress of each of the states in achieving SDG 6 will be considered. The project will conclude with the “Advancement Award of Universal Sanitation,” where the 10 states that have advanced the most in the pledge will be recognized.