Events

This workshop was intended for government officials engaged in coordinating and preparing voluntary national reviews (VNRs) in countries conducting review at the July 2026 High-Level Political Forum on sustainable development (HLPF). The workshop facilitated practical exchange of experiences and knowledge among countries, as well as explored specific issues and challenges related to the VNR preparations.

To ensure a meaningful assessment of progress on the SDGs, reliable data and statistics are a crucial foundation for evidence-based VNRs and SDG reporting. Since adoption of the 2030 Agenda, countries have made significant strides in enhancing their monitoring frameworks for the SDGs, leading to improved inclusion of data and progress assessments in VNRs and overall SDG reporting. However, countries repeatedly point to the challenges of limited evidence, highlighting problems of data availability, data disaggregation, data collection as well as various human and financial constraints for SDG monitoring overall. These challenges have been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises, such as conflict and climate change. As a result, the breadth of analysis accessible for the VNRs and SDG reporting is impacted. To help address these challenges, countries are improving data integration, exploring data innovation, alternative and non-traditional data sources and enhancing coordination across government for better SDG reporting and information for VNRs. The workshop intends to provided guidance and facilitated exchanges of best practices on how to prepare evidence-based VNRs.

The workshop was organized by UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) from 16 -18 December 2025, in Rome, Italy. The workshop was held in person, with limited options for remote participation.