The voluntary national review (VNR) process is a self-reporting mechanism through which countries voluntarily assess and share their progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Countries present their VNR reports at the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), typically held each July in New York. The process is designed to encourage transparency, peer learning, and accountability without imposing legal obligations. Below, we answer the most common questions about how the VNR process works and who it involves.
Who participates in the voluntary national review process?
UN member states are the primary participants in the voluntary national review process. Any country can choose to present a VNR at the HLPF, and many do so more than once over the course of the SDG timeline running to 2030. Participation is open to all 193 UN member states, and by 2026 the vast majority will have submitted at least one review.
Beyond national governments, the VNR process actively encourages input from a wide range of stakeholders. Civil society organizations, academic institutions, the private sector, local governments, and marginalized communities are all invited to contribute data, perspectives, and recommendations during the preparation phase. This multi-stakeholder approach is central to the spirit of the SDGs, which recognize that achieving the goals requires coordinated effort across society. In practice, the depth of stakeholder engagement varies considerably from country to country, depending on national governance structures and political will.
What does a voluntary national review report include?
A VNR report is a structured national assessment of SDG progress that typically covers policy frameworks, implementation actions, data on key indicators, challenges encountered, and priorities going forward. Most reports follow voluntary common reporting guidelines issued by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), though countries retain significant flexibility in how they present their findings.
Standard components found across most VNR reports include:
- An overview of the national sustainable development context and policy environment
- Progress updates on specific SDGs and their associated targets
- Data and statistics drawn from national statistical systems
- Descriptions of institutional mechanisms for SDG coordination
- Accounts of stakeholder engagement and participation processes
- Identification of gaps, obstacles, and areas requiring additional support
- Means of implementation, including finance, technology transfer, and capacity building
Reports range from concise summaries to comprehensive multi-hundred-page documents. The quality and depth of evidence presented often reflects the strength of a country’s national statistical capacity and the resources available for the review process.
How does the VNR process work step by step?
The VNR process follows a preparation, presentation, and follow-up cycle that typically spans twelve to eighteen months from the decision to participate through to the final published report. Countries notify the UN Secretary-General of their intention to present, usually well in advance of the HLPF session.
The key stages of the process are:
- Decision and notification: The government formally commits to conducting a VNR and informs the UN Secretariat.
- Coordination setup: A lead ministry or inter-ministerial body is designated to coordinate the review process.
- Stakeholder consultation: National consultations are conducted with civil society, the private sector, academia, and other groups to gather input.
- Data collection and analysis: National statistical offices and relevant agencies compile data on SDG indicators.
- Report drafting: The findings are synthesized into a draft report, often with multiple rounds of review and revision.
- Presentation at the HLPF: A national delegation presents the VNR at the UN High-Level Political Forum, usually in a dedicated national presentation slot.
- Publication and follow-up: The final report is published on the UN SDG Knowledge Platform, and governments are encouraged to use the findings to inform domestic policy.
The HLPF Secretariat and DESA provide technical guidance and capacity support to countries throughout this process, particularly for those presenting for the first time.
What’s the difference between a VNR and mandatory UN reporting?
The key distinction is that a VNR is entirely voluntary and self-directed, while mandatory UN reporting is legally required under specific international treaties or conventions. Countries choose whether to conduct a VNR, set their own scope, and face no formal consequences for non-participation or for presenting incomplete findings.
Mandatory reporting mechanisms, such as those under the Convention on the Rights of the Child or the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, require state parties to submit periodic reports to treaty bodies. Those bodies then review the reports and issue binding or quasi-binding recommendations. The VNR process has no equivalent oversight body and produces no formal recommendations with legal weight.
This distinction matters in practice. Because VNRs are self-reported and voluntary, they can be more candid about domestic challenges without triggering formal compliance procedures. However, the lack of external verification also means that the accuracy and completeness of VNR reports depend heavily on the integrity of the reporting country’s own processes. Critics of the VNR mechanism sometimes point to this gap as a limitation of the broader SDG accountability architecture.
How can research and technology organizations contribute to VNRs?
Research and technology organizations (RTOs) can contribute to the VNR process by supplying evidence, data, and technical expertise that strengthen the quality and credibility of national SDG assessments. RTOs sit at the intersection of applied science and policy, making them well-positioned to translate research findings into actionable insights for governments preparing their reviews.
Practical ways RTOs can engage with the VNR process include:
- Participating in national stakeholder consultations and submitting written inputs
- Providing data and analysis on SDG-relevant indicators, particularly in areas like clean energy, health technology, food systems, and industrial innovation
- Conducting independent assessments or shadow reports that complement official government narratives
- Advising on science-policy interfaces and technology transfer mechanisms mentioned in VNR reports
- Collaborating with national statistical offices to improve data quality on technology and innovation indicators
- Using VNR findings to identify national research priorities and potential funding opportunities
RTOs that engage consistently with the VNR cycle can also use the process to build visibility with government stakeholders and position themselves as trusted advisors in national SDG implementation.
Where can you find published VNR reports and data?
Published VNR reports are available on the UN SDG Knowledge Platform, which is maintained by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The platform hosts all reports submitted since the VNR process began in 2016 and allows users to filter by country, year, and SDG theme.
Additional sources for VNR data and analysis include:
- UN DESA VNR database: The primary repository at sdgs.un.org/reviews, containing full-text reports and supplementary materials
- OECD SDG insights: The OECD publishes analyses comparing VNR findings across member and partner countries
- Regional UN commissions: Bodies such as ESCAP, ECLAC, and ECA compile regional VNR syntheses and hold their own regional forums
- Civil society shadow reports: Many NGOs and research institutions publish independent assessments alongside official VNRs
- National government websites: Countries often publish their VNR reports and related consultation materials through their planning or foreign affairs ministries
For RTOs looking to benchmark their country’s SDG performance or identify collaboration opportunities, reviewing multiple VNR cycles from a single country can reveal how priorities and data quality evolve over time.
How WAITRO supports RTOs in SDG engagement and VNR processes
We at WAITRO understand that engaging meaningfully with national and international SDG processes requires more than good intentions. It requires institutional capacity, strategic communication skills, and the ability to translate research into policy-relevant evidence. That is precisely what we help our members build.
Through our work with the global RTO community, we support members in strengthening their role in SDG-related processes like the VNR in several concrete ways:
- Capacity development: Our Capacity Development Program equips member organizations with the project coordination, strategic planning, and communication skills needed to engage effectively with government stakeholders and contribute substantively to national reviews.
- Thematic expertise: We help members deepen their knowledge in areas directly relevant to the SDGs, including AI, digital transformation, and sustainability, enabling them to provide credible technical input to VNR processes.
- Global network access: With 135 Full Members and 45 Associate Members worldwide, we connect RTOs across regions so they can share experiences, co-develop evidence, and amplify their collective voice in international forums.
- Knowledge sharing: We facilitate the exchange of best practices on how RTOs in different countries have successfully contributed to VNR consultations and national SDG strategies.
If your organization wants to increase its impact in national and global SDG processes, we invite you to explore WAITRO membership and get in touch with our team to find out how we can support your goals.
