The UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) is the primary intergovernmental body responsible for reviewing global progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It meets annually under the auspices of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and every four years at the level of heads of state under the General Assembly. The HLPF provides a structured, inclusive space where governments, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector come together to assess what is and is not working in the global SDG agenda. The sections below unpack who participates, how the review process works, and what that means for research and technology organizations.
Who participates in the UN High-Level Political Forum?
The HLPF is open to all UN Member States as well as a broad range of non-state actors. Governments form the core of the forum, presenting national progress reports and engaging in peer dialogue. Beyond governments, the HLPF formally accredits major groups, including civil society organizations, academic institutions, the private sector, and intergovernmental agencies, all of whom can contribute to discussions and side events.
In practice, participation is wide-ranging. UN specialized agencies such as UNESCO, UNDP, and UNEP provide thematic analysis and technical input. Regional commissions present aggregated data on SDG trends across their geographies. Science and technology networks, including research and technology organizations, increasingly engage through the Technology Facilitation Mechanism and the Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs (STI Forum), which is formally linked to the HLPF process.
This breadth of participation is one of the forum’s defining features. It means that SDG tracking is not solely a governmental exercise but a multi-actor process that draws on expertise from across sectors and regions.
How does the HLPF review progress on the SDGs?
The HLPF reviews SDG progress through an annual thematic cycle, a rotating set of goal-specific deep dives, and Voluntary National Reviews submitted by individual countries. Each year, the forum focuses on a specific overarching theme and examines a subset of the 17 SDGs in depth, allowing for concentrated analysis rather than trying to cover everything at once.
The review process draws on several inputs. The UN Secretary-General publishes an annual SDG Progress Report, which synthesizes global data across all goals. The High-Level Segment of ECOSOC hears ministerial-level statements, and negotiated political declarations are adopted to signal collective commitments. The STI Forum, held just before the HLPF each year, feeds science and technology perspectives directly into the policy discussions.
The cycle is designed to ensure that every goal receives focused attention over a four-year period, while the broader political forum maintains a continuous overview. In 2026, the HLPF continues to operate with heightened urgency given the midpoint assessment of the 2030 Agenda, with member states expected to accelerate action across all 17 goals.
What are Voluntary National Reviews and how do they work?
Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) are self-assessment reports submitted by UN Member States to the HLPF, describing their national progress on the SDGs. They are voluntary in the sense that no country is compelled to submit one, but participation has grown steadily since the process began in 2016, with many countries submitting multiple reviews over the years.
A VNR typically covers a government’s institutional framework for implementing the SDGs, progress across the goals most relevant to national priorities, challenges encountered, and plans for accelerating delivery. Countries present their VNR during the HLPF’s high-level segment and engage in a structured dialogue with other member states and stakeholders.
The VNR process has a few notable characteristics worth understanding:
- National ownership: Each government designs its own review methodology, which allows for contextual relevance but also means comparability across countries is limited.
- Stakeholder inclusion: Best-practice VNRs involve consultation with civil society, research institutions, and the private sector during preparation, not just at the point of presentation.
- No enforcement mechanism: VNRs are accountability tools based on transparency and peer learning rather than binding compliance.
- Iterative learning: Countries that submit multiple VNRs can demonstrate progress over time and show how their national SDG architecture has evolved.
For research and technology organizations, VNRs represent a practical entry point into national SDG governance, particularly when governments invite stakeholder input during the drafting phase.
What data and indicators does the HLPF use to measure SDG progress?
The HLPF relies primarily on the global SDG indicator framework, a set of 231 unique indicators developed by the Inter-Agency and Expert Group on SDG Indicators (IAEG-SDGs) and adopted by the UN Statistical Commission. Each of the 169 SDG targets has at least one associated indicator, and national statistical offices are responsible for collecting and reporting the underlying data.
The quality and availability of data vary considerably across regions and income levels. Indicators are classified into three tiers based on data availability and methodological maturity. Tier I indicators have established methodology and widely available data. Tier II indicators have methodology but limited data. Tier III indicators still require methodology development. This tiering system reflects a real challenge: for many goals, particularly in lower-income countries, the data infrastructure to track progress simply does not yet exist at the required resolution.
Beyond the global framework, the HLPF also draws on thematic reports from UN agencies, regional assessments, and science-based inputs from bodies like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). The STI Forum contributes innovation-focused analysis that complements the statistical picture with qualitative insights on what technologies and approaches are showing results.
What are the main criticisms of the HLPF’s SDG tracking approach?
The HLPF faces several well-documented criticisms that relate to both its structural design and practical limitations. Understanding these critiques is important for any organization seeking to engage meaningfully with the process rather than treating it as a purely ceremonial exercise.
The most common concerns include:
- Voluntary and non-binding nature: Because VNRs are self-reported and no enforcement mechanism exists, there is limited accountability for governments that fall short of their stated commitments.
- Data gaps: Significant portions of the SDG indicator framework lack reliable, timely data, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, making it difficult to draw accurate global conclusions.
- Depth versus breadth tension: Reviewing only a subset of goals each year means that some goals go without focused scrutiny for extended periods, reducing the urgency of action on those targets.
- Inclusivity in practice: While the HLPF formally accredits non-state actors, meaningful participation requires resources, language access, and institutional capacity that many smaller organizations lack.
- Political declarations without follow-through: The forum produces negotiated texts that often reflect the lowest common denominator of political agreement rather than ambitious, science-based commitments.
These criticisms do not invalidate the HLPF as a mechanism. They do, however, highlight why complementary accountability structures at the national and regional level matter, and why the quality of stakeholder input from research institutions and technical bodies is so important to the process.
How can research and technology organizations engage with the HLPF?
Research and technology organizations can engage with the HLPF through several formal and informal pathways, ranging from contributing to national VNR processes to participating in the STI Forum and submitting written inputs to thematic reviews. The key is identifying the entry points that align with an organization’s expertise and strategic priorities.
Practical engagement routes include:
- Contributing to national VNRs: RTOs can reach out to their national focal points for the SDGs, typically housed in planning or foreign affairs ministries, to participate in the stakeholder consultation process during VNR preparation.
- Engaging through the STI Forum: The Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs meets annually in May, immediately before the HLPF, and explicitly invites science and technology actors to present solutions, research findings, and innovation case studies.
- Submitting written inputs: The HLPF secretariat accepts written contributions from accredited major groups and other stakeholders, providing a channel for RTOs to place their research on the formal record.
- Joining thematic coalitions: Many SDG-focused coalitions and networks aggregate the voices of research institutions, increasing visibility and influence within the HLPF process.
- Partnering with UN agencies: Collaborating with agencies like UNDP, UNESCO, or UNIDO on SDG-related programs can create indirect pathways into HLPF discussions.
Effective engagement requires both technical credibility and the organizational capacity to navigate international policy processes, which can be a significant barrier for RTOs that are primarily focused on domestic research mandates.
How WAITRO supports RTOs in engaging with global SDG processes
Connecting to global mechanisms like the HLPF requires more than good research. It demands strategic positioning, cross-border networks, and the institutional skills to translate technical work into policy-relevant contributions. That is exactly where we can help.
Through our work with research and technology organizations worldwide, we support SDG engagement in concrete ways:
- Building institutional capacity: Our Capacity Development Program strengthens the strategic planning, communication, and project coordination skills that RTOs need to participate effectively in international forums like the HLPF.
- Facilitating cross-border partnerships: Our global network of 135 Full Members and 45 Associate Members creates direct pathways to organizations already engaged in national VNR processes and STI Forum activities.
- Connecting science to policy: We help members position their research within the SDG framework, making it easier to contribute meaningfully to thematic reviews and political declarations.
- Amplifying impact: By bringing RTOs together under a shared platform, we increase the collective visibility of the research and technology community within global SDG governance.
If your organization wants to move from awareness of the HLPF to active participation in shaping the global SDG agenda, join WAITRO and connect with a network built for exactly that purpose.
