Monitoring the SDGs: Digital and social technologies to ensure citizen participation, inclusiveness and transparency

Abstract

MotivationThe article shows that the measurement of SDG attainment remains vague and incomplete and argues that participation‐based and inclusive monitoring must be an integral part of managing the SDG implementation process.PurposeCountries are supposed to review their progress of SDG implementation every four years, but the method of reviewing is left open. In addition, and even more urgent is the need to improve on the inadequate definition of monitoring methods that countries are supposed to deploy.Approach and methodsThe article reviews the various options currently available to conduct the four‐year review and the methods of on‐going SDG monitoring.FindingsThe analysis shows that the SDG monitoring methods have not yet been defined, leaving stakeholders (governments, business and civil society) without appropriate guidance.Policy implicationsThe authors propose two types of monitoring: micro‐monitoring and macro‐monitoring, both of which are necessary to ensure effective and efficient monitoring in achieving process accountability, institutional learning, and innovation.

Localizing the Sustainable Development Goals: The case of Tanzania

“…Even if the report is to some extent dated, the lack of adaptation to cater for the SDGs at different ministries and administrative levels was confirmed in our interviews (Dodoma, personal communication, January 2019). The lack of mechanisms related to SDG monitoring and reporting appears to be a worldwide problem, particularly as concerns the independence from politics of monitoring systems at national, regional and sub‐national levels (Saner et al, 2020).…”

“…The shift of political leadership in Tanzania in November 2015 provides a good example of the role of national level politics for legitimacy, responsibility and accountability in relation to localization of the SDGs. Tanzania is a low-income country ranked number 123 in terms of likelihood of realizing the SDGs in the SDG Index and Dashboard (Sachs et al, 2018). It has a long history of international development co-operation with many external actors involved in different stages of policy-making.…”

Using citizen science data to monitor the Sustainable Development Goals: a bottom-up analysis

“…Against the backdrop of these shortcomings, a burgeoning scholarship is proposing to complement the official statistics used for SDG reporting with unofficial and alternative sources of data (MacFeely and Nastav 2019;Saner et al 2019;Winkler and Satterthwaite 2017). One such source is 'citizen science data' (CSD).…”

The Female Financial Inclusion and the Sustainable Development in MENA Countries

“…Littig and Grießler, (2005) consider that social sustainability is difficult to achieve because the social dimension seems complicated. The dynamics in the social system could not be easily estimated in comparison with environmental and economic systems where flows and cycles can be easily observed, (Saner, Yiu, Nguyen, 2019). Everest-Phillips (2014), shows that social sustainability is not limited to meet the needs of the current population.…”