Building Back Better: Sustainable Development Diplomacy in the Pandemic Era

This report critically examines the nature of the distinction between traditional inter-state diplomacy and sustainable development diplomacy. It then sets out the institutional changes which are necessary for the achievement of sustainable development diplomacy. Multi-stakeholder partnerships have been identified as a key means of implementation for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Given the increasing centrality of the United States (US)–China relationship in global development cooperation, understanding the modalities of their engagement may provide useful insights into how partnerships may be cultivated and deepened to realise the SDGs. The Covid-19 pandemic and climate change have demonstrated the interconnection of the world, as well as the interconnection of challenges of the world. Sustainable development diplomacy is needed now more than ever to prioritise development strategies of different states and work on common shared challenges. Sustainable development diplomacy can only work when different actors recognise the value of the common goals and are willing to make an effort to accomplish them. Global sustainable development diplomacy requires a stronger policy agenda and greater cohesion. This report explores the idea of sustainable development diplomacy and, through two sectoral case studies, explores the nature, function, and rationale for interactive engagement. The form and structure of multi-actor relationships are a response to complex, trans-border political, social, economic, and environmental challenges which require a more nuanced and varied management approach than narrowly defined state-led development. However, the power dynamics, the modalities, and experiences of engagement that underpin these dynamic relationships, remain understudied, especially with regard to their impact on sustainable development.

Action Steps and Strategies Taken by Older Persons to Prevent and Mitigate Effects of Climate Change

While the vulnerability of older persons to climate change is recognized by many scholars, there has been less attention to contributions older adults make to the fight against climate change, and their motivations to engage in that fight. Motivations include concern for the environment they will leave to their descendants. Contributions include freed up time, and skills gained in personal or work history to educate others on the issues and to organize and advocate for policy change. This presentation will highlight several national and international organizations of older people devoted to educating community groups, monitoring water quality and changes in wildlife habitats, and testifying before legislative bodies in campaigns for increased environmental regulation. Some of these organizations are intergenerational, providing additional benefits in cross-generational social exchange. Such activities are in line with SDGs 13 (action on climate change), 11 (sustainable cities), 12 (sustainable consumption) and 17 (expanding multi-stakeholder partnerships).

Feedback Loops and Facilitation: Catalyzing Transformational Multi-Stakeholder Refugee Response Partnerships

Global policies such as the recent ‘Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework’ call for a profound transformation in refugee response. To this end, collaboration with non-traditional humanitarian actors, particularly the private sector has been advocated. The application of new multi-stakeholder partnerships that transcend traditional dyadic relationships have been commended by practitioners for their ability to create stable services and markets in refugee camps. However, the adaptation of multi-stakeholder partnership models to the novelties of refugee response and the dynamics among partners in these complex arrangements requires more attention. This paper explores how the creation and development of multi-stakeholder partnerships can maximize the transformational potential of collaboration for refugee response, ensure the stakeholder diversity needed to provide basic services on a stable basis, and provide a facilitation function that supports the partnership. Using an action-case methodology, the focus of the article is on the Alianza Shire, Spain’s first multi-stakeholder partnership for humanitarian action, which was established to provide energy to refugee camps and host communities in refugee camps in northern Ethiopia. Our findings suggest that i) the active participation of aid agencies in the co-creation process of a multi-stakeholder partnership may increase the transformational potential of refugee response, ii) feedback loops and the consolidation of internal learning are essential practices for the effective management of complex multi-stakeholder partnerships, and iii) the facilitator plays a critical and underexplored role in refugee response collaborative arrangements. In addition, sustainability-oriented university centers may possess a particular capacity for nurturing the transformational potential of multi-stakeholder refugee response partnerships by generating ‘safe spaces’ that foster trust-building, providing a cross-sector ‘translation’ service, and affording the legitimacy and expert knowledge required to conduct learning processes. We believe that the theoretical and practical implications of our research may contribute to the effective fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals, specially, SDG7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG17 (Partnership for the Goals).

Partisipasi Forum Anak Banyumas dalam Mewujudkan Kabupaten Layak Anak di Kabupaten Banyumas Ditinjau dari Perspektif Multi Stakeholder Partnerships

The Children's Forum is a forum for children's participation in development that bridges children's aspirations to the government. Child-friendly Cities/Districts aim to ensure the fulfillment of children's rights in a city/district. Both were formed by the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, so their existence is interrelated with each other. In Banyumas Regency both have been formed, so that with the presence of the Banyumas Children's Forum, participation can be analyzed as an effort to create a Child-friendly City in Banyumas Regency. This study aims to find out how the participation of the Banyumas Children's Forum in realizing Child-friendly City in Banyumas Regency is viewed from the perspective of multi-stakeholder partnerships using descriptive qualitative research methods. The selection of informants used was purposive sampling technique. Collecting data using interview, documentation and observation methods and data analysis methods using interactive analysis methods. The results showed that the Banyumas Children's Forum was formed by a Decree of the Banyumas Regent, fostered by the Banyumas Regent, and facilitated by the facilitators. However, the relationship between the facilitator and the Banyumas Children's Forum has not been closely intertwined because the task of the facilitator is conditional if the Children's Forum needs assistance. For the Child-friendly City program, it is the responsibility of all stakeholders, including the Banyumas Children's Forum which is included in the Banyumas Child-friendly City Task Force. The Banyumas Children's Forum is included in one of the institutional cluster indicators, which are responsible for realizing Child-friendly City. Therefore, to help realize a Child-friendly City, a Children's Forum has now been formed in 27 sub-districts throughout Banyumas, and it is being targeted to establish a Children's Forum in all villages. The activities of the Banyumas Children's Forum are monitored and evaluated directly by the Banyumas Regent as the supervisor and the Head of the Section for the Fulfillment of Children's Rights of the DPPKBP3A.

Partnership with stakeholders as innovative model of work-integrated learning for unemployed youths

PurposeThe unemployment rate among disadvantaged youths (aged 15–34 years) in large parts of Africa, Asia and Latin America has become a global concern. The concern in this article is that most WIL programmes could not facilitate a smooth WIL-to-work transition. The purpose of the article is to examine the roles of partner stakeholders in the features of an innovative WIL model influencing the labour market entry of the disadvantaged youths.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative approach was suitable for examining the features of an innovative WIL model. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from seven managers of different firms and institutions, and ten trainees to examine the roles of partner stakeholders in the features of an innovative WIL model influencing the labour market entry of disadvantaged youths.FindingsThe main findings reveal that local businesses and enterprises played important roles in participating in the design of the WIL curriculum, providing adequate mentorship for work experience and micro-placement to the trainees. Based on the findings, the author concludes that the partnership with stakeholders as an innovative WIL model contributed to the employability of disadvantaged youths through the acquisition of work experience and work-readiness.Practical implicationsThe implication of the findings is that the commitment of partner stakeholders ensures that WIL graduates continue to be employed. The commitment of partner stakeholders evident in this study is likely to continue creating better employment prospects for WIL graduates.Originality/valueThough stakeholder partnerships are common in WIL programmes and TVET, the innovativeness of this model lies in the features of WIL programmes, the roles and commitment of stakeholders including the outcomes of the partnerships.

SDGs mainstreaming at the local level: case studies from Japan

There has been increasing interest in local-level implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite the emergence of various initiatives undertaken by local governments, studies on the process of mainstreaming the 2030 Agenda within local contexts remain limited. This study is aimed at identifying possible approaches for supporting local governments in successfully mainstreaming the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. We developed an analytical framework covering key components for local-level mainstreaming of the SDGs based on our review of recent policy guidelines for implementing the SDGs and the policy integration and coherence literature. Subsequently, we applied this framework within case studies of two designated municipalities under the Japanese government’s “SDGs Future Cities” initiative aimed at localizing the SDGs. The analysis demonstrated how local governments could develop and apply key components of the SDGs mainstreaming process. Our findings suggest that the following approaches can facilitate local governments’ efforts to mainstream the SDGs: first, municipalities can foster local ownership to address the challenges they face. Second, existing policy resources can be linked with formal procedures. Third, multi-stakeholder partnerships can be developed. Fourth, vertical communication channels can be established with international and national-level organizations. Overall, the article contributes to a growing literature on SDGs implementation at the local level by identifying key components required for their mainstreaming, introducing perspectives derived from Japanese case studies.

Assessing national WaSH targets through a water governance lens: a case study of the Sanitation and Water for All partnership commitments

Dysfunctional water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH) systems are mainly determined by poor water governance, exacerbating inequalities and poverty. Multi-stakeholder partnerships provide an approach to more flexible and adaptive governance to explore these problems. In this article, national commitments made to improve WaSH, made through the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) partnership's Mutual Accountability Mechanism, are examined through qualitative content analysis and guided by the SMART framework to assess the current target-setting. The analysis reveals that there are differences in the participation of the different constituencies regarding the number of stakeholders participating and their performance for measurable and time-bound commitments. This applies especially to research and learning and the private sector. Countries have prioritized commitments related to policy and strategy, efficiency and enabling conditions; further research should understand the linkages of the SWA commitments with other priority-setting processes at the national level. In sum, the commitments leave room for improvement to specify approaches to water governance in more detail and the chance to support the creation of sustainable and resilient systems with more diversified commitments from a wider range of partners.