Basic Info

Please review before submit

Nominee Information

Institutional Information

Member State Brazil
Institution Name Regional Forums Secretariat
Institution Type Public Agency
Administrative Level Regional
Name of initiative Regional Forums
Projects Operational Years 3
Website of Institution http://www.forunsregionais.mg.gov.br/

Question 1: About the Initiative

Is this a public sector initiative? Yes

Question 2: Categories

Is the initiative relevant to one of the UNPSA categories? Making institutions inclusive and ensuring participation in decision-making
UNPSACriteria
2017.2.1 Introduces an idea, policy, practice or structure that is distinctively new, innovative and unique in the context of a given country or region Enhance the formal and informal participation of all individuals and groups in public decision-making processes or policies, approaches and measures related to public services and other aspects impacting on their lives. Institutionalize and/or strengthen participatory decision-making and consultation processes at the national and local level
2017.2.10 Promotes Participation through New Institutional Mechanisms
2017.2.2 Strengthen the capacity of national or local governments and public institutions responsible for overseeing or delivering public services to engage people in preparing and implementing decisions, especially the poor and vulnerable people
2017.2.3 Promote a professional, merit based and well equipped civil service to ensure continuous and consistent institutional performance for an effective public services delivery
2017.2.4 Promulgates new or strengthens existing legislation, policy, regulation or measure to fight discrimination, exclusion and exploitation, and to extend access to public services and developmental opportunities, assets and resources for all, including women and girls, and the poorest and most vulnerable.
2017.2.6 Implements new processes and institutional mechanisms to channel the demands and views of people and enables governments – policy makers and public officials – to better interact with the public, particularly individual people, and allows people, for instance, to better express their needs, participate in and influence policy-making; comment on policy implementation; provide feedback on government services (on and off-line services); and file complaints.
2017.2.7 Clearly supports inclusion, participation and engagement of all people, irrespective of sex, age, race or ethnicity, including through focusing on specific groups of the population and especially those in vulnerable situations, so that after the effective implementation of the initiative, all or some of these groups can participate more fully in society and in decision-making.
2017.2.8 Institutes, nationally and/or locally, multi-stakeholder engagement processes.
2017.2.9 Enhances responsiveness of government to the demands and needs of citizens and ensures the inclusion of the views of concerned sections of the community in public affairs.

Question 3: Sustainable Development Goals

Is the initiative relevant to any of the 17 SDG(s)? Yes
If you answered yes above, please specify which SDG is the most relevant to the initiative. (hold Ctrl to select multiple)
Goal 1: No Poverty
Goal 2: Zero Hunger
Goal 3: Good Health
Goal 4: Quality Education
Goal 5: Gender Equality
Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities
Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Goal 13: Climate Action
Goal 15: Life on Land
Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals
Which target(s) within the SDGs specified above is the initiative relevant to? (hold Ctrl to select multiple)
.
1.1 By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day
1.2 By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions
1.4 By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology and financial services, including microfinance
1.5 By 2030, build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters
1.a Ensure significant mobilization of resources from a variety of sources, including through enhanced development cooperation, in order to provide adequate and predictable means for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, to implement programmes and policies to end poverty in all its dimensions
1.b Create sound policy frameworks at the national, regional and international levels, based on pro-poor and gender-sensitive development strategies, to support accelerated investment in poverty eradication actions
2.1 By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round
2.3 By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers, including through secure and equal access to land, other productive resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets and opportunities for value addition and non-farm employment
2.4 By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality
2.5 By 2020, maintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants and farmed and domesticated animals and their related wild species, including through soundly managed and diversified seed and plant banks at the national, regional and international levels, and promote access to and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, as internationally agreed
2.a Increase investment, including through enhanced international cooperation, in rural infrastructure, agricultural research and extension services, technology development and plant and livestock gene banks in order to enhance agricultural productive capacity in developing countries, in particular least developed countries
3.1 By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births
3.2 By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births
3.3 By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases
3.4 By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being
3.5 Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol
3.6 By 2020, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents
3.8 Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all
3.9 By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination
3.b Support the research and development of vaccines and medicines for the communicable and non-communicable diseases that primarily affect developing countries, provide access to affordable essential medicines and vaccines, in accordance with the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, which affirms the right of developing countries to use to the full the provisions in the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights regarding flexibilities to protect public health, and, in particular, provide access to medicines for all
3.c Substantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries, especially in least developed countries and small island developing States
3.d Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks
4.1 By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes
4.3 By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university
4.4 By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship
4.5 By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations
4.6 By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy
4.7 By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development
4.a Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all
4.b By 2020, substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and African countries, for enrolment in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, technical, engineering and scientific programmes, in developed countries and other developing countries
4.c By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States
5.1 End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere
5.2 Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation
5.3 Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation
5.5 Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life
5.a Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance and natural resources, in accordance with national laws
5.b Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women
5.c Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels
6.1 By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all
6.2 By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations
6.3 By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally
6.4 By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity
6.6 By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes
6.a By 2030, expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies
6.b Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management
7.1 By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services
7.2 By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix
7.a By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology
7.b By 2030, expand infrastructure and upgrade technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services for all in developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and landlocked developing countries, in accordance with their respective programmes of support
8.2 Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors
8.3 Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services
8.4 Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production, with developed countries taking the lead
8.5 By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value
8.6 By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training
8.7 Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms
8.8 Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment
8.9 By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products
8.10 Strengthen the capacity of domestic financial institutions to encourage and expand access to banking, insurance and financial services for all
9.1 Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and trans-border infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all
9.2 Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries
9.3 Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets
9.4 By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities
9.5 Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending
9.b Support domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commodities
9.c Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020
10.2 By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status
10.3 Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard
10.4 Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality
10.7 Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies
11.1 By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums
11.2 By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons
11.3 By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries
11.4 Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage
11.5 By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations
11.6 By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management
11.7 By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities
11.a Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning
11.b By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, holistic disaster risk management at all levels
11.c Support least developed countries, including through financial and technical assistance, in building sustainable and resilient buildings utilizing local materials
12.1 Implement the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns, all countries taking action, with developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development and capabilities of developing countries
12.2 By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources
12.3 By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses
12.5 By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse
12.6 Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle
12.7 Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities
12.8 By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature
12.a Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production
12.b Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products
13.1 Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries
13.2 Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning
13.3 Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning
13.b Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities
15.1 By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements
15.2 By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally
15.3 By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world
15.5 Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species
15.7 Take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products
15.9 By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts
15.a Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems
15.b Mobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest management and provide adequate incentives to developing countries to advance such management, including for conservation and reforestation
15.c Enhance global support for efforts to combat poaching and trafficking of protected species, including by increasing the capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunities
16.1 Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere
16.2 End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children
16.3 Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all
16.4 By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crime
16.5 Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms
16.6 Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels
16.7 Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels
16.8 Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in the institutions of global governance
16.9 By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration
16.10 Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements
16.b Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development
17.6 Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge-sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism
17.7 Promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favourable terms, including on concessional and preferential terms, as mutually agreed
17.9 Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the Sustainable Development Goals, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation
17.13 Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and policy coherence
17.14 Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development
17.15 Respect each country’s policy space and leadership to establish and implement policies for poverty eradication and sustainable development
17.16 Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in all countries, in particular developing countries
17.17 Encourage and promote effective public, publicprivate and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships
17.18 By 2020, enhance capacity-building support to developing countries, including for least developed countries and small island developing States, to increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts
17.19 By 2030, build on existing initiatives to develop measurements of progress on sustainable development that complement gross domestic product, and support statistical capacity-building in developing countries

Question 4: Implementation Date

Has the initiative been implemented for two or more years Yes
Please provide date of implemenation (dd/MM/yyyy) 10 Jun 2015

Question 5: Partners

Has the United Nations or any UN agencies been involved in this initiative? No
Which UN agency was involved? (hold Ctrl to select multiple)
The Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization
Please provide details

Question 6: Supporting documentation

Will you be able to provide supporting documentation for your initiative? Yes

Question 7: UNPSA Awards

Has the initiative already won a UNPS Award? No

Question 8: Other Awards

Has the initiative won other Public Service Awards? No

Question 9: How did you learn about UNPSA?

How did you learn about UNPSA? UN website in Brazil.

Question 10: Validation Consent

I give consent to contact relevant persons and entities to inquire about the initiative for validation purpose. No

Question 1: About the Initiative

Is this a public sector initiative? Yes

Question 2: Categories

Is the initiative relevant to one of the UNPSA categories? Making institutions inclusive and ensuring participation in decision-making
UNPSACriteria
2017.2.1 Introduces an idea, policy, practice or structure that is distinctively new, innovative and unique in the context of a given country or region Enhance the formal and informal participation of all individuals and groups in public decision-making processes or policies, approaches and measures related to public services and other aspects impacting on their lives. Institutionalize and/or strengthen participatory decision-making and consultation processes at the national and local level
2017.2.10 Promotes Participation through New Institutional Mechanisms
2017.2.2 Strengthen the capacity of national or local governments and public institutions responsible for overseeing or delivering public services to engage people in preparing and implementing decisions, especially the poor and vulnerable people
2017.2.3 Promote a professional, merit based and well equipped civil service to ensure continuous and consistent institutional performance for an effective public services delivery
2017.2.4 Promulgates new or strengthens existing legislation, policy, regulation or measure to fight discrimination, exclusion and exploitation, and to extend access to public services and developmental opportunities, assets and resources for all, including women and girls, and the poorest and most vulnerable.
2017.2.6 Implements new processes and institutional mechanisms to channel the demands and views of people and enables governments – policy makers and public officials – to better interact with the public, particularly individual people, and allows people, for instance, to better express their needs, participate in and influence policy-making; comment on policy implementation; provide feedback on government services (on and off-line services); and file complaints.
2017.2.7 Clearly supports inclusion, participation and engagement of all people, irrespective of sex, age, race or ethnicity, including through focusing on specific groups of the population and especially those in vulnerable situations, so that after the effective implementation of the initiative, all or some of these groups can participate more fully in society and in decision-making.
2017.2.8 Institutes, nationally and/or locally, multi-stakeholder engagement processes.
2017.2.9 Enhances responsiveness of government to the demands and needs of citizens and ensures the inclusion of the views of concerned sections of the community in public affairs.

Question 3: Sustainable Development Goals

Is the initiative relevant to any of the 17 SDG(s)? Yes
If you answered yes above, please specify which SDG is the most relevant to the initiative. (hold Ctrl to select multiple)
Goal 1: No Poverty
Goal 2: Zero Hunger
Goal 3: Good Health
Goal 4: Quality Education
Goal 5: Gender Equality
Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities
Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Goal 13: Climate Action
Goal 15: Life on Land
Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals
Which target(s) within the SDGs specified above is the initiative relevant to? (hold Ctrl to select multiple)
.
1.1 By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day
1.2 By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions
1.4 By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology and financial services, including microfinance
1.5 By 2030, build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters
1.a Ensure significant mobilization of resources from a variety of sources, including through enhanced development cooperation, in order to provide adequate and predictable means for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, to implement programmes and policies to end poverty in all its dimensions
1.b Create sound policy frameworks at the national, regional and international levels, based on pro-poor and gender-sensitive development strategies, to support accelerated investment in poverty eradication actions
2.1 By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round
2.3 By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers, including through secure and equal access to land, other productive resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets and opportunities for value addition and non-farm employment
2.4 By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality
2.5 By 2020, maintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants and farmed and domesticated animals and their related wild species, including through soundly managed and diversified seed and plant banks at the national, regional and international levels, and promote access to and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, as internationally agreed
2.a Increase investment, including through enhanced international cooperation, in rural infrastructure, agricultural research and extension services, technology development and plant and livestock gene banks in order to enhance agricultural productive capacity in developing countries, in particular least developed countries
3.1 By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births
3.2 By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births
3.3 By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases
3.4 By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being
3.5 Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol
3.6 By 2020, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents
3.8 Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all
3.9 By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination
3.b Support the research and development of vaccines and medicines for the communicable and non-communicable diseases that primarily affect developing countries, provide access to affordable essential medicines and vaccines, in accordance with the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, which affirms the right of developing countries to use to the full the provisions in the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights regarding flexibilities to protect public health, and, in particular, provide access to medicines for all
3.c Substantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries, especially in least developed countries and small island developing States
3.d Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks
4.1 By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes
4.3 By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university
4.4 By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship
4.5 By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations
4.6 By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy
4.7 By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development
4.a Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all
4.b By 2020, substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and African countries, for enrolment in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, technical, engineering and scientific programmes, in developed countries and other developing countries
4.c By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States
5.1 End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere
5.2 Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation
5.3 Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation
5.5 Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life
5.a Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance and natural resources, in accordance with national laws
5.b Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women
5.c Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels
6.1 By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all
6.2 By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations
6.3 By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally
6.4 By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity
6.6 By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes
6.a By 2030, expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies
6.b Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management
7.1 By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services
7.2 By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix
7.a By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology
7.b By 2030, expand infrastructure and upgrade technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services for all in developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and landlocked developing countries, in accordance with their respective programmes of support
8.2 Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors
8.3 Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services
8.4 Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production, with developed countries taking the lead
8.5 By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value
8.6 By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training
8.7 Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms
8.8 Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment
8.9 By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products
8.10 Strengthen the capacity of domestic financial institutions to encourage and expand access to banking, insurance and financial services for all
9.1 Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and trans-border infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all
9.2 Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries
9.3 Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets
9.4 By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities
9.5 Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending
9.b Support domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commodities
9.c Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020
10.2 By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status
10.3 Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard
10.4 Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality
10.7 Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies
11.1 By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums
11.2 By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons
11.3 By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries
11.4 Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage
11.5 By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations
11.6 By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management
11.7 By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities
11.a Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning
11.b By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, holistic disaster risk management at all levels
11.c Support least developed countries, including through financial and technical assistance, in building sustainable and resilient buildings utilizing local materials
12.1 Implement the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns, all countries taking action, with developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development and capabilities of developing countries
12.2 By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources
12.3 By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses
12.5 By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse
12.6 Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle
12.7 Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities
12.8 By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature
12.a Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production
12.b Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products
13.1 Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries
13.2 Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning
13.3 Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning
13.b Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities
15.1 By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements
15.2 By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally
15.3 By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world
15.5 Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species
15.7 Take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products
15.9 By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts
15.a Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems
15.b Mobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest management and provide adequate incentives to developing countries to advance such management, including for conservation and reforestation
15.c Enhance global support for efforts to combat poaching and trafficking of protected species, including by increasing the capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunities
16.1 Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere
16.2 End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children
16.3 Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all
16.4 By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crime
16.5 Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms
16.6 Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels
16.7 Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels
16.8 Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in the institutions of global governance
16.9 By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration
16.10 Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements
16.b Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development
17.6 Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge-sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism
17.7 Promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favourable terms, including on concessional and preferential terms, as mutually agreed
17.9 Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the Sustainable Development Goals, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation
17.13 Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and policy coherence
17.14 Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development
17.15 Respect each country’s policy space and leadership to establish and implement policies for poverty eradication and sustainable development
17.16 Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in all countries, in particular developing countries
17.17 Encourage and promote effective public, publicprivate and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships
17.18 By 2020, enhance capacity-building support to developing countries, including for least developed countries and small island developing States, to increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts
17.19 By 2030, build on existing initiatives to develop measurements of progress on sustainable development that complement gross domestic product, and support statistical capacity-building in developing countries

Question 4: Implementation Date

Has the initiative been implemented for two or more years Yes
Please provide date of implemenation (dd/MM/yyyy) 10 Jun 2015

Question 5: Partners

Has the United Nations or any UN agencies been involved in this initiative? No
Which UN agency was involved? (hold Ctrl to select multiple)
The Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization
Please provide details

Question 6: Supporting documentation

Will you be able to provide supporting documentation for your initiative? Yes

Question 7: UNPSA Awards

Has the initiative already won a UNPS Award? No

Question 8: Other Awards

Has the initiative won other Public Service Awards? No

Question 9: How did you learn about UNPSA?

How did you learn about UNPSA? UN website in Brazil.

Question 10: Validation Consent

I give consent to contact relevant persons and entities to inquire about the initiative for validation purpose. No

Question 1: About the Initiative

Is this a public sector initiative? Yes

Question 2: Categories

Is the initiative relevant to one of the UNPSA categories? Making institutions inclusive and ensuring participation in decision-making
UNPSACriteria
2017.2.1 Introduces an idea, policy, practice or structure that is distinctively new, innovative and unique in the context of a given country or region Enhance the formal and informal participation of all individuals and groups in public decision-making processes or policies, approaches and measures related to public services and other aspects impacting on their lives. Institutionalize and/or strengthen participatory decision-making and consultation processes at the national and local level
2017.2.10 Promotes Participation through New Institutional Mechanisms
2017.2.2 Strengthen the capacity of national or local governments and public institutions responsible for overseeing or delivering public services to engage people in preparing and implementing decisions, especially the poor and vulnerable people
2017.2.3 Promote a professional, merit based and well equipped civil service to ensure continuous and consistent institutional performance for an effective public services delivery
2017.2.4 Promulgates new or strengthens existing legislation, policy, regulation or measure to fight discrimination, exclusion and exploitation, and to extend access to public services and developmental opportunities, assets and resources for all, including women and girls, and the poorest and most vulnerable.
2017.2.6 Implements new processes and institutional mechanisms to channel the demands and views of people and enables governments – policy makers and public officials – to better interact with the public, particularly individual people, and allows people, for instance, to better express their needs, participate in and influence policy-making; comment on policy implementation; provide feedback on government services (on and off-line services); and file complaints.
2017.2.7 Clearly supports inclusion, participation and engagement of all people, irrespective of sex, age, race or ethnicity, including through focusing on specific groups of the population and especially those in vulnerable situations, so that after the effective implementation of the initiative, all or some of these groups can participate more fully in society and in decision-making.
2017.2.8 Institutes, nationally and/or locally, multi-stakeholder engagement processes.
2017.2.9 Enhances responsiveness of government to the demands and needs of citizens and ensures the inclusion of the views of concerned sections of the community in public affairs.

Question 3: Implementation Date

Has the initiative been implemented for two or more years Yes
Please provide date of implemenation (dd/MM/yyyy) 10 Jun 2015

Question 4: Partners/Stakeholders

Has the United Nations or any UN agencies been involved in this initiative? No
Which UN agency was involved? (hold Ctrl to select multiple)
The Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization
Please provide details

Question 5: Required Supplemental Documents

Will you be able to provide supporting documentation for your initiative? Yes

Question 6: UNPSA Awards

Has the initiative already won a UNPS Award? No

Question 7: Other Awards

Has the initiative won other Public Service Awards? No

Question 8: Sustainable Development Goals

Is the initiative relevant to any of the 17 SDG(s)? Yes
If you answered yes above, please specify which SDG is the most relevant to the initiative. (hold Ctrl to select multiple)
Goal 1: No Poverty
Goal 2: Zero Hunger
Goal 3: Good Health
Goal 4: Quality Education
Goal 5: Gender Equality
Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities
Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Goal 13: Climate Action
Goal 15: Life on Land
Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals
Which target(s) within the SDGs specified above is the initiative relevant to? (hold Ctrl to select multiple)
.
1.1 By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day
1.2 By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions
1.4 By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology and financial services, including microfinance
1.5 By 2030, build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters
1.a Ensure significant mobilization of resources from a variety of sources, including through enhanced development cooperation, in order to provide adequate and predictable means for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, to implement programmes and policies to end poverty in all its dimensions
1.b Create sound policy frameworks at the national, regional and international levels, based on pro-poor and gender-sensitive development strategies, to support accelerated investment in poverty eradication actions
2.1 By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round
2.3 By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers, including through secure and equal access to land, other productive resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets and opportunities for value addition and non-farm employment
2.4 By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality
2.5 By 2020, maintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants and farmed and domesticated animals and their related wild species, including through soundly managed and diversified seed and plant banks at the national, regional and international levels, and promote access to and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, as internationally agreed
2.a Increase investment, including through enhanced international cooperation, in rural infrastructure, agricultural research and extension services, technology development and plant and livestock gene banks in order to enhance agricultural productive capacity in developing countries, in particular least developed countries
3.1 By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births
3.2 By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births
3.3 By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases
3.4 By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being
3.5 Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol
3.6 By 2020, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents
3.8 Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all
3.9 By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination
3.b Support the research and development of vaccines and medicines for the communicable and non-communicable diseases that primarily affect developing countries, provide access to affordable essential medicines and vaccines, in accordance with the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, which affirms the right of developing countries to use to the full the provisions in the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights regarding flexibilities to protect public health, and, in particular, provide access to medicines for all
3.c Substantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries, especially in least developed countries and small island developing States
3.d Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks
4.1 By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes
4.3 By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university
4.4 By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship
4.5 By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations
4.6 By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy
4.7 By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development
4.a Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all
4.b By 2020, substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and African countries, for enrolment in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, technical, engineering and scientific programmes, in developed countries and other developing countries
4.c By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States
5.1 End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere
5.2 Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation
5.3 Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation
5.5 Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life
5.a Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance and natural resources, in accordance with national laws
5.b Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women
5.c Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels
6.1 By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all
6.2 By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations
6.3 By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally
6.4 By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity
6.6 By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes
6.a By 2030, expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies
6.b Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management
7.1 By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services
7.2 By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix
7.a By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology
7.b By 2030, expand infrastructure and upgrade technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services for all in developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and landlocked developing countries, in accordance with their respective programmes of support
8.2 Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors
8.3 Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services
8.4 Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production, with developed countries taking the lead
8.5 By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value
8.6 By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training
8.7 Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms
8.8 Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment
8.9 By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products
8.10 Strengthen the capacity of domestic financial institutions to encourage and expand access to banking, insurance and financial services for all
9.1 Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and trans-border infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all
9.2 Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries
9.3 Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets
9.4 By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities
9.5 Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending
9.b Support domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commodities
9.c Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020
10.2 By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status
10.3 Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard
10.4 Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality
10.7 Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies
11.1 By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums
11.2 By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons
11.3 By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries
11.4 Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage
11.5 By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations
11.6 By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management
11.7 By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities
11.a Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning
11.b By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, holistic disaster risk management at all levels
11.c Support least developed countries, including through financial and technical assistance, in building sustainable and resilient buildings utilizing local materials
12.1 Implement the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns, all countries taking action, with developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development and capabilities of developing countries
12.2 By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources
12.3 By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses
12.5 By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse
12.6 Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle
12.7 Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities
12.8 By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature
12.a Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production
12.b Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products
13.1 Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries
13.2 Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning
13.3 Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning
13.b Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities
15.1 By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements
15.2 By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally
15.3 By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world
15.5 Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species
15.7 Take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products
15.9 By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts
15.a Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems
15.b Mobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest management and provide adequate incentives to developing countries to advance such management, including for conservation and reforestation
15.c Enhance global support for efforts to combat poaching and trafficking of protected species, including by increasing the capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunities
16.1 Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere
16.2 End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children
16.3 Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all
16.4 By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crime
16.5 Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms
16.6 Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels
16.7 Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels
16.8 Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in the institutions of global governance
16.9 By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration
16.10 Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements
16.b Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development
17.6 Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge-sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism
17.7 Promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favourable terms, including on concessional and preferential terms, as mutually agreed
17.9 Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the Sustainable Development Goals, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation
17.13 Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and policy coherence
17.14 Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development
17.15 Respect each country’s policy space and leadership to establish and implement policies for poverty eradication and sustainable development
17.16 Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in all countries, in particular developing countries
17.17 Encourage and promote effective public, publicprivate and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships
17.18 By 2020, enhance capacity-building support to developing countries, including for least developed countries and small island developing States, to increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts
17.19 By 2030, build on existing initiatives to develop measurements of progress on sustainable development that complement gross domestic product, and support statistical capacity-building in developing countries

Question 9: Validation Consent

Do you have any objections to us inquiring about the initiative for validation purposes? No

How did you know about UNPSA?

How did you know about UNPSA? UN website in Brazil.

Nomination form

Questions/Answers

Question 1

Please provide a brief summary of the initiative including the problems/challenges it addressed and the solutions that the initiative introduced (300 words maximum)
A history of policies built on the ideal of the “minimal state” left the social and economic indicators of Minas Gerais in a dire situation. Characterized by centralized and authoritarian tendencies, the government was unable to face the problems that affected its people and fight the rising inequality. Faced with these problems, the current administration drew a government plan that would align Minas Gerais with the profound changes that overtook Brazil in recent years, with a special focus on sustainable economic growth and the reduction of Brazil’s historic social inequality. In order to create this change, the new administration implemented a decentralized and participatory policy, based on the premise “listen to govern”, with the establishment of the Development Territories and the Regional Forums. The Development Territories are the new territorial division of the state, based on local particularities. Its aim is to reduce regional inequalities, turning the territories into centers to promote local development, with complete government services and infrastructure, capable of attracting investments. Complimenting this decentralization, the government sought to become closer to the territories, and expanding social participation practices was fundamental. In practical terms, the Regional Forums created new participatory spaces, especially through the organization of territorial events, such as conferences, public hearings, and the creation of work groups. These groups created in each territory were named Executive Collegiates, are coordinated by a territorial Executive Secretary and is comprised of citizens, mayors, city counsellors, and members of the state government and the state legislature. This structure allowed for the consolidation of the Development Territories, the territorial-based management and execution of policies, and the expansion of social participation in the state. The increased participation consequently influenced planning and budgeting processes in Minas Gerais.
a. What are the overall objectives of the initiative?
Please describe the overall objectives of the initiative (200 words maximum)
In a state like Minas Gerais, characterized by its large territory and its marked diversity, participatory policies are a necessary element for achieving excellence in public management. Accordingly, the current Minas Gerais administration, through the decree n. 46.774 of June 9th 2015, established the Regional Government Forums, a policy sustained by two pillars: territorialization and social participation. The government divided the state in 17 Development Territories in order to provide the population of each area with a space for dialogue and debate. Through this, the government guarantees the presence of the people in the planning and construction of policies, transforming social participation in a state policy and a government action. Therefore, the general objectives of the policy are to promote civic engagement in every Development Territory; to legitimize the institutionalized public agendas of each territory in the government planning instruments; to build and formalize participatory bodies in the Development Territories; to promote transparency in government’s decisions and actions; to debate government agencies’ policy priorities, through their planning and budget instruments; and to stimulate participatory democracy, disseminating a territorial model and refining participatory mechanisms.
b. How does the initiative fit within the selected category?
Please describe how the initiative is linked to the criteria of the category (200 words maximum)
The Regional Forums are the first institutionalized broad social participation policy in the state of Minas Gerais. It aims to strengthen and articulate collective initiatives involving the state government and the population regarding the design, execution, monitoring and evaluation of policies. In order to achieve this, the government instituted the Executive Collegiates and the Executive Secretaries . The former is a group comprised of civil society representatives, mayors, city counsellors and state government representatives, whose main goal is to monitor government actions in accordance to what is promoted by the Regional Forums. The latter is a group of public servants based on each of the 17 Development Territories who are responsible for coordinating the Executive Collegiates and promote the communication between local stakeholders and the government core. Thus, the Executive Collegiate and the Executive Secretaries, essential players in the process promoted by the Regional Forums, are part of an innovative structure in the Government of Minas Gerais with the main purposes of promoting participatory decision making practices and monitoring government actions. This enhances the government’s ability to answer to the demands and needs of the people, and promotes participation through new institutional mechanisms.

Question 2

The initiative should improve people’s lives, notably by enhancing the contribution of public services to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the realization of the SDGs
a. Please explain how the initiative improves the delivery of public services (200 words maximum)
The Regional Forums bring the government and the people in each Development Territory closer. It promotes a clearer dialogue, facilitating the understanding of the people’s real needs and allowing the government to offer better services. An example is the Circuit of Actions and Services of the Regional Forums – a stage that took place in 2017. The Forums travelled over 6,000km with teams from over 40 other government agencies, companies and secretariats to offer more than 150 services to the population in each of the Development Territories. Over 50 thousand people, among mayors, city counsellors, civil society leaders and citizens in general attended the events. In these events, the government inaugurate public works chosen by the population, gave feedback on its policies, answered questions and offered services to citizens. There were also debates, workshops, talks, and family agriculture and craft fairs. List of the services: http://www.agenciaminas.mg.gov.br/ckeditor_assets/attachments/4069/foruns_regionais_-_balanco_2017.pdf. (Portuguese) As a plan for achieving a more equitable and sustainable prosperity through participatory democracy, the Regional Forums are a great partnership for the development of Minas Gerais. Through innovative and challenging participation models, the government places the citizen as the basis for the elaboration of state public policies, a premise of the Agenda 2030.

Question 3

The initiative must impact positively a group or groups of the population (i.e. children, women, elderly, people with disability, etc) and address a significant issue of public service delivery within the context of a given country or region.
a. Please explain how the initiative has addressed a significant issue related to the delivery of public services (200 words maximum)
As a policy built on intragovernmental cooperation and territorialization of government actions, the Regional Forums use social participation to identify local needs, and cross-sector cooperation to find solutions to those needs. An important issue related to the provision of public services in all of Brazil is the lack of access to communication of more isolated populations. These groups often do not have access to telephone or internet services. An example of this reality are the Quilombos, rural communities comprised of black slave descendants, who live on subsistence farming and have strong ties to their cultural heritage. The Regional Forums allowed the government to reach this isolated and historically neglected population to offer public services. Recently, the Government of Minas Gerais, through the coordination of the Regional Forums, implemented actions to improve the water and electricity supply, and the education at the Comunidade Quilombola de Pontinha (Pontinha Quilombola Community), in the Metropolitano Territory. The inauguration of a High school for young people and adults, for instance, is one of the historical demands that were met and help improve the quality of life of the community. More on the link below (Portuguese): http://www.forunsregionais.mg.gov.br/index.php/2017/12/06/foruns-regionais-viabilizam-acoes-de-abastecimento-de-agua-e-educacao-em-comunidade-quilombola/
b. Please explain how the initiative has impacted positively a group or groups of the population within the context of your country or region (200 words maximum)
Besides helping the quilombola communities, the actions of the Regional Forums have benefitted many other marginalized groups in the Brazilian population. In partnership with teams from the State Secretariat of Human Rights, Social Participation and Citizenship (SEDPAC), the Regional Forums promote initiatives to combat racism, sexual and domestic violence, and promote conflict mediation and solution. Many initiatives have been carried out such as talks, workshops, and guidance on how city halls and the population can access government services, “leaving no one behind”. The State Secretariat of Labour and Social Development (SEDESE) is another important partner that has mobilized over 200 public servants to participate in initiatives organized by the Regional Forums in the Development Territories. In 2017 alone, they carried out 41 workshops and talks attended by more than 2.4 thousand participants at Regional Forums events. During the workshops, representatives of social assistance entities, such as old age homes and shelters, received training and were able to present problems and discuss possible solutions. These initiatives are further described below: http://www.agenciaminas.mg.gov.br/noticia/circuito-dos-foruns-regionais-de-governo-promove-acoes-de-incentivo-ao-exercicio-da-cidadania-e-a-assistencia-social (Portuguese)

Question 4

The initiative must present an innovative idea, a distinctively new approach, or a unique policy or approach implemented in order to realize the SDGs in the context of a given country or region.
a. Please explain in which way the initiative is innovative in the context of your country or region (200 words maximum)
The Regional Forums are an innovative policy. For the first time, the government of Minas Gerais has established social participation as a strategic governance priority. As previous governments favored a managerial approach, social participation was relegated to a minor, strictly formal, role (PEREIRA, 2015, p 337). http://www.bibliotecadigital.ufmg.br/dspace/bitstream/handle/1843/BUBD9VJK6G/tese_mauro_cesar_da_silveira.pdf?sequence=1 ). (portuguese) In the aforementioned context, social participation activities were weak and narrow in scope, encompassing only discussions restricted to certain sectors. As an innovation, the Regional Forums implemented debates on broad cross-sector and territory wide issues. Thus increasing the efficiency of the state’s policies. That is, if previously the participatory meetings discussed education policy in Minas Gerais, now they discuss the education policy and its interface with social assistance policies, taking in account territorial singularities. Another innovation that’s currently being planned is to parameterize the thousands of demands collected in the meetings in each territory to the United Nations Sustainable Development Landmarks, like the SDGs, attached to the 2030 Agenda. This will be done through an online platform that will allow a more efficient monitoring of the territorial demands, and also allow the population, the state and municipal civil servants to visualize the implementation of these global goals in the Development Territories.

Question 4b

b. Please describe if the innovation is original or if it is an adaptation from other contexts (If it is known)? (200 words maximum)
The Regional Forums are an original policy developed by the Government of Minas Gerais, however its innovation is in its multifaceted build that incorporates aspects of other more traditional participatory mechanisms, such as policy councils and conferences. Policy councils are participatory institutions that allow the population to discuss the design, implementation and monitoring of policies regarding a specific theme. This type of discussion is part of the scope of the Regional Forums. In the ordinary meetings of the Executive Collegiate, policies are discussed, but in a cross-sector and territorial fashion, which is an advancement compared to the councils. Policy conferences, on the other hand, are larger scale public events that bring together innumerous stakeholders to discuss an agenda that will influence policies in the medium run. This model influenced the events of the Regional Forums undertaken in 2015, where 34 large events were held across the state. In this stage, 25.654 people participated in events that selected 12.689 problems and demands raised by the state’s population. These priorities influenced state policy decisions from 2016 onwards. We found other interesting participatory democracy initiatives internationally; however, these did not directly influence the implementation of the Regional Forums in Minas Gerais.

Question 4c

c. What resources (i.e. financial, human , material or other resources, etc) were used to implement the initiative? (200 words maximum)
During the implementation process, it was decided to share the management of the Regional Forums among three state secretariats (Government; Planning and Management; Human Rights, Social Participation and Citizenship), making the policy institutionally stronger (http://jornal.iof.mg.gov.br/xmlui/handle/123456789/145440 - portuguese). In this sense, the fact that three teams were created and assigned to execute the policy shows its relevance. In august 2016, due to the success and the need to increase the policy’s capabilities, the government created a specific secretariat (http://jornal.iof.mg.gov.br/xmlui/handle/123456789/169578 - portuguese) to execute it. This new structure is robust and adequate to the needs of such policy. The new secretariat is comprised of approximately 40 public servants that work in close contact with other 120 workers who execute the policy in their specific secretariats. With respect to financial resources, the policy’s budget for 2016 was approximately R$2,500,000.00. For 2018, the available budget is R$ 6,119,961.00. In 2019, the predicted budget is almost R$ 6,500,000.00 (http://planejamento.mg.gov.br/sites/default/files/documentos/planejamento-e-orcamento/plano-plurianual-de-acao-governamental-ppag/2volume2.pdf - portuguese). This speaks to the importance given by the government to the Regional Forums. Finally, the secretariat hired an NGO to help with the logistics and operation of the policy, increasing the human and financial resources invested in the Regional Forums (http://www.seedif.mg.gov.br/images/documentos/Termo%20de%20Parceria%20039%20de%202016.pdf - portuguese).

Question 5

The initiative should be adaptable to other contexts (e.g. other cities, countries or regions). There may already be evidence that it has inspired similar innovations in other public-sector institutions within a given country, region or at the global level.
a. Has the initiative been transferred to other contexts?
Yes
The Regional Forums have been replicated in municipalities around Minas Gerais. In the 2016 elections, for instance, some mayoral candidates based their campaign on the principle of “listening to govern”, inspired by the participatory process carried out by the Regional Forums across the state. When elected, the new mayors established regular meetings in different regions of their municipality, including the often forgotten rural areas, to discuss the problems and needs of each region. The mayors and their cabinets participate in these meetings, along with civil servants, city counsellors and the citizens of each region. In a global context, the Regional Forums were invited to present its participatory democracy experience, as a case of success, in important international conferences and agendas, as during the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III); the 1st Meeting of Regional Governments of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUL); and the 47th Summit of the Mercocities Network. There has also been important experience exchanges with the governments of Mexico City, Quito (Ecuador), Montevideo (Uruguay), the French region of Hauts-de-France; and the Euro-Latin-American Alliance for Decentralized International Cooperation (AL-LAs).

Question 6

The initiative should be able to be sustained over a significant period of time.
a. Please describe whether and how the initiative is sustainable (covering the social, economic and environmental aspects) (300 words maximum)
The Regional Forums consider sustainability one of its building blocks when promoting social participation, along with territorial planning and management of policies. By bringing government agents and recipients of public services together, the Regional Forums increase policy accuracy throughout its cycle of planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, thus bringing more efficiency to government’s actions. Furthermore, the adoption of a territorial outlook as a governing strategy, considering local social, economic, political and environmental needs, contributes to policy efficiency and increases the government’s capability to change the lives of those citizens in most need. The execution of government initiatives with a territorial focus is instrumental in raising the quality of life of the poorer populations of Minas Gerais. Likewise, the way that territorialization was constructed in the state – based on the concept of territory as the space where people build and materialize their roots, identity and culture – influences policy planning and implementation, adding sustainability to the process in its many spheres. In light of the processes mentioned above, the importance of sustainability to the Regional Forums as a policy and to the Government of Minas Gerais, in its strategy to improve the lives of the poorer population, is clear.
b. Please describe whether and how the initiative is sustainable in terms of durability in time (300 words maximum)
The Regional Forums is the highest profile policy and the main governance strategy of the Government of Minas Gerais. Its success as a policy is shown by the high participation of the population in the events and meetings carried out. Since 2015, over 100 thousand people have attended Fóruns Regionais’ events. Regarding its future, demonstrating the commitment to the policy by the state’s high management, the budget for the program has been approved by law until 2021, as shown in pages 391-392 of the government’s multiyear action plan (http://planejamento.mg.gov.br/sites/default/files/documentos/planejamento-e-orcamento/plano-plurianual-de-acao-governamental-ppag/2volume2.pdf - portuguese). Furthermore, in a similar trend observed in other democracies around the world, Brazil has been suffering with citizens’ distrust of politics and their consequent distancing from electoral and political processes in general. The Regional Forums, in stark contrast to this trend, work as spaces for real, meaningful interaction between the population, government agents, and political players, resulting in democratic processes of design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies in Minas Gerais. Likewise, Brazilian citizens are increasingly less tolerant to the distancing between politicians to the lives and problems of the average person. It is noticeable, then, that apart from the efficiency gain to government’s policies, the population’s demand for the continuation of the Regional Forums is a result of the increased accountability it brings to the government. Thus, in case of a government change in the 2018 elections, the political cost of ending the policy will be extremely high for the new administration, ensuring the policy’s perpetuation.

Question 7

The initiative should have gone through a formal evaluation, showing some evidence of impact on improving people’s lives.
a. Has the initiative been formally evaluated?
Yes
If yes, please describe how the initiative was evaluated? (200 words maximum)
Even though the policy has only existed for 3 years, it has been formally evaluated and it is constantly evaluated in an informal manner. The informal evaluations happen at each meeting of the Executive Collegiates. There, the members monitor, evaluate and debate the state’s core policies, which includes the Regional Forums themselves. In parallel, in the end of 2017 we carried out a series of meetings to evaluate formally the Regional Forums. Coordinated by the high management, the meetings happened on December 11th, 12th and 13th. Each day, a different group of stakeholders participated in focus groups. The goal was to produce collective qualitative evaluations, through group interactions and the sharing of individual perceptions regarding the successes and the flaws of the policy. On the first meeting, the Executive Secretaries participated; on the second, the participants were the focal points of each government agency, the people responsible for Regional Forums related issues in their respective organizations; on the last day, the Regional Forums team evaluated the process. In the end, the management compiled the results, creating a comprehensive evaluation of the policy.
b. Please describe the outcome of the evaluation of the impact of the initiative (200 words maximum)
The discussion of individual perceptions in a group resulted in a consensus that resulted in a consolidated evaluation for each group of stakeholder. The main successes of the policy according to the stakeholders were: the effective approximation between the many government agencies and the population; the presence of high management staff at the meetings in each territory; the cross-sector interaction between different government agencies and secretariats, as they worked together to find solutions to local problems; the improved grasp of local realities, especially related to territorial demands and priorities; the decentralization of government action; the elevation of social participation to a broad, formal and institutionalized policy; the recognition of territorial particularities, through the new territorial division; the improvement in communications between the government and the people, especially about its services, policies and agencies; the social mobilization of local population and community leaders. Among the policy’s shortcomings, the stakeholders pointed out the constant schedule changes during the organization of larger events; excessive shielding of the governor during events; the still low cross-sector integration between government agencies; logistical and mobilization problems for larger events; the low quality of some agencies’ answers to territorial demands; and the low number of demands effectively solved.
c. Please describe the indicators that were used (200 words maximum)
As the evaluation methodology used was a series of strictly qualitative focus-groups, there are no objective quantitative indicators. The percentage of demands solved couldn’t be used as indicator, as the policy’s objective isn’t strictly solve those demands, but create a channel for the population to communicate with and influence government planning. However, some numbers demonstrate the magnitude of the process, especially if compared to similar initiatives in Brazil or even previous experiences in Minas Gerais. In the 17 Development Territories, the Regional Forums had a total of 17,293 participants in its first stage; 8,361 in the second stage, when 12,689 demands were presented, debate and prioritized, resulting in what is called the Territorial Diagnosis; 638 demands answered in the first round of feedback meetings; 342 demands answered in the second round of feedback meetings; 492 people enrolled in the course offered by Legislature of Minas Gerais to the members of the Executive Collegiates; over 85 meetings with the Executive Collegiates; 19,279 participants in Circuit of Actions and Services of the Regional Forums in 2017 (http://www.agenciaminas.mg.gov.br/noticia/foruns-regionais-de-governo-movimentaram-interior-de-minas-gerais-em-2017). In short, we estimate that over 100 thousand people from more than 720 different municipalities have participated in Regional Forums meetings and events since 2015.

Question 8

The initiative must demonstrate that it has engaged various actors such as from other institutions, civil society, or the private sector, when possible.
a. The 2030 Development Agenda puts emphasis on collaboration, engagement, coordination, partnerships, and inclusion. Please describe what stakeholders were engaged in designing, implementing and evaluating the initiative. Please also highlight their roles and contributions (300 words maximum)
The design of the Regional Foruns and the motto “Listening to Govern” were based on the government program of the current administration. The government plan was built based on events held across the state and the collaboration of some of the foremost intellectuals in Brazil, such as professors, political pundits, and specialists from different fields. These ideals are a result of the contributions of representatives of social movements, unions, partners and general citizens. With this program’s electoral win and the beginning of a new administration, the implementation of these ideals was shared between the State Secretariat of Government; of Human Rights, Social Participation and Citizenship; and of Planning and Management. Thus, the work methodology was designed collectively, in a process that lasted over six months. From there, the effective execution of the policy relied on a fundamental partnership of diverse agencies and institutions of the state government that believed in the policy and included those ideals in their work routine. Since 2015, this process has involved all government agencies, institutions and companies, the Minas Gerais State Legislature, and Federal Government agents. From the civil society, participated organizations, groups, populations, traditional communities, class entities, social movements, federations and different associations from across the state. Finally, as pointed out previously, the policy evaluation process had a strong involvement of stakeholders. Since the Executive Collegiate meetings, when individual evaluations were debated and submitted to the coordination, all the way through the focus groups, the monitoring and evaluation process reflected the ideals that gave rise to the policy: social participation and decentralization, in order to achieve inclusion. These perspectives, which are closely aligned with the Agenda 2030 commitment to “leave no one behind”, corroborate with the government’s ideal of “listening to govern”, in a collaborative partnership to build a more resilient and sustainable state.

Question 9

a. Please describe the key lessons learned, and any view you have on how to further improve the initiative (200 words maximum)
After the evaluation meetings in the end of 2017, we reached many proposals to improve the policy, such as: (I) strengthening the cross-sector interaction between government agencies, especially in the territories; (II) deepening the use of the Territorial Diagnosis, territorial priorities elected during the events, as a subsidy for state planning and budgeting; (III) planning the policy for future years, keeping the necessary coherence with its history; (IV) consolidatiing the policy by offering stronger incentives to participation and setting clearer milestones; (V) increasing feedback transparency to people’s demands, highlighting advancements but also recognizing and explaining the shortcomings; (VI) empowering the Executive Secretaries as the state government’s representatives and coordinators of the “Regional Forums” in the territories; (VII) improving the organization of large events, increasing social participation and bringing the Governor closer to the people; (VIII) improving the internal flow of information and the communication of government actions.

Return to list

Please wait...