Voluntary Local Reviews as Drivers for SDG Localisation and Sustainable Human Development

ABSTRACT If the transformative potential of the Agenda 2030 is to be realised, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have to be fully embraced at the local level. Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) have recently emerged as a powerful tool to localise the SDGs, representing an innovation by and for the cities to advance progress on their local priorities in a participatory, inclusive and transparent manner. Through the capability lens, this paper briefly analyses recent experiences of a range of VLRs, by focusing on four issues. First, VLRs strengthen the innovation of data and measurement frameworks at the local level; second, through participation and inclusion of communities and minorities, VLRs foster transparency and accountability, hence contributing towards (re)building the social contract; third, VLR processes have been widely anchored to the design of new long-term strategic plans for sustainable human development; and, fourth, VLRs contribute to overcome institutional fragmentation and foster multilevel policy coherence towards the SDGs. Our policy insights and recommendations intend contributing to laying the foundation for the next generation of local reviews in line with the core elements of the Capability Approach and the sustainable human development paradigm.