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G20 2023 Action Plan on Accelerating Progress on the SDGs
Varanesi Development Ministerial Meeting
Varansi, Uttar Pradesh, India, June 12, 2023
[pdf]
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development encompasses the world's shared aspirations for its people, planet, and prosperity to be achieved by 2030 through collaborative and sustained partnerships and peace. Together with the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development (AAAA), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), the 2030 Agenda guides global ambitions for realizing a better world for all while leaving no one behind.
Since the adoption of the 2016 G20 Action Plan on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, G20 Leaders have consistently recognized the key role of the G20 in contributing to implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The G20's commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been regularly reaffirmed and reviewed by the Action Plan's annual updates and has been further complemented by additional deliverables responding to needs, lessons, opportunities and challenges that have emerged during implementation.
Under the theme of 'One Earth-One Family-One Future' the Indian G20 Presidency comes at the midpoint of implementation of the 2030 Agenda and offers a unique opportunity for reflecting on the progress and impact, and guiding the future direction of the G20 to accelerate implementation of the 2030 Agenda, ahead of the comprehensive review of the state of the SDGs and leading up to the 2023 SDG Summit that is going to take place under the auspices of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2023.
Unfortunately, three years into what we hoped would be the 'decade of action' for achievement of the SDGs, with reversal of years of progress on SDGs, we still face the challenge of recovery. The challenges and crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, biodiversity loss, desertification and land degradation, environmental degradation and pollution, learning crisis, economic slowdown, rising debt vulnerability, growing poverty and inequality including gender inequality, food insecurity and malnutrition, step back in access to health, energy insecurity and volatility in energy markets, global supply chain disruptions, and disasters, are threatening the long-term livelihoods and wellbeing of millions thereby hindering progress in achieving the SDGs by 2030. In particular, developing countries, including LDCs and SIDS, have been disproportionately affected by these crises and challenges. These interlinked and overlapping crises have demonstrated the need for stepping up efforts, maximizing synergies and minimizing trade-offs as we make progress on the internationally agreed agendas and various transitions they entail.
The G20's comparative advantage lies in its convening power and its collective ability to adopt and support initiatives at the highest global level, including those that involve macro-economic framework, and to create the global enabling environment, that will help achieve the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs. There is unprecedented urgency for the G20 to take coordinated, swift and tangible actions using all available policy tools to accelerate achievement of the SDGs, while taking into account national circumstances, and needs. Upholding and building on the 2016 Action Plan, its associated deliverables, and its subsequent updates, the 2023 Action Plan aims to promote collective actions for transformative transitions in order to accelerate progress on the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs, and for achieving inclusive and sustainable development for all.
The 2023 Action Plan will be focusing on actions in the areas that would have transformative impact on accelerating progress towards achievement of all SDGs – including digital transformation; gender equality and empowerment of women; and implementing sustainable, inclusive and just transitions globally, while leaving no one behind. This approach would help address challenges faced especially by developing countries, including bottlenecks in financing for development and will feed into the Presidency's goal of discussions on G20 Green Development Pact as a Leaders' deliverable aimed to foster strong collective actions for powering sustainable development, climate and environment actions in an interconnected manner around the world. This 2023 Action Plan is a multi-year living document which will also accelerate achievement of all SDGs in all regions by promoting collaboration among G20 workstreams, where appropriate, and by enhancing international partnerships with all developing countries, the UN and other relevant International Organisations, and International Financial Institutions (IFIs) including Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). The Development Working Group (DWG), as a coordinating body and policy resource for G20 actions towards developing countries and cross-cutting issues of sustainable development, will steer the implementation of the 2016 and the current 2023 Action Plan.
We recall the 2016 G20 Action Plan on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and reaffirm its High-Level Principles (HLPs), and associated deliverables and its subsequent updates, that guided G20's collective and concrete efforts towards effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda, in all three dimensions of sustainable development, in a balanced, inclusive and integrated manner. New needs, lessons, opportunities and challenges have emerged requiring renewed commitment to step up G20's and global efforts towards accelerating progress on the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. In this context, building on and complementing the 2016 HLPs, the following HLPs will guide the G20's work and actions to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs:
Reaffirming our commitment to the centrality and universality of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its SDGs and putting sustainable development at the centre of the international cooperation agenda and leave no one behind. Also reaffirm our commitment to the AAAA, the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, the CBD and the KMGBF, the UNCCD, as well as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and agreeing to build on and complement the HLPs of the 2016 G20 Action Plan on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly through ramping up cooperation with, and supporting developing countries including LDCs and SIDS, to achieve sustainable development.
Recognizing that the current multiple crises and challenges have eroded hard-won developmental gains and hampered progress towards the SDGs, where developing countries, including LDCs and SIDS have been affected disproportionately, the G20 commits to take timely, collective and concrete actions through an integrated approach to accelerate progress towards achieving the 2030 Agenda and all the SDGs, leaving no one behind. The G20 should continue to support and promote the creation of an enabling environment for sustainable development for all countries, especially for developing countries and for the provision of Global Public Goods.
Acknowledging the integrated, universal and indivisible nature of the SDGs, the G20 commits to promote collective, concrete and transformative actions on digital transformation; gender equality and empowerment of women; and implementation of sustainable, inclusive and just transitions globally while leaving no one behind. These would foster sustainable development and inclusive and sustainable growth, including through transfer of technology on voluntary and mutually agreed terms, and in line with WTO rules, technology deployment, promoting access to finance from all sources, adequate means towards implementation of SDGs as envisaged specifically in the 2030 Agenda and the AAAA and capacity building support to developing countries. Recognising the economic and social impact of reversal or stagnation of progress of SDGs, the G20 should take concrete and collective actions to reduce inequalities by promoting international and domestic support for decent work and job creation, quality education and universal social protection that particularly supports women, children, youth, persons with disabilities, and people in vulnerable situations. Further, the G20 should take actions to enhance gender equality and bridge the gender gap through equal access to safe food, and adequate nutrition and healthy diets through sustainable and resilient agriculture and inclusive food systems (following up from the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit), affordable energy access, quality education, capacity building and skilling, and ensure the full, equal, meaningful and effective participation and leadership of women in decision making at all levels.
Committing to making poverty alleviation a key priority in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, and strengthening international cooperation in this regard, with a focus on catalysing accelerated progress for poverty eradication, gender equality including empowerment of all women and girls in diverse situations and conditions[1], and universal health coverage, pandemic preparedness and strengthening the health systems, decent work, inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning, access to safe and adequate nutrition and healthy diets, and energy for all, through G20 concrete and collective actions addressing structural vulnerabilities and imbalances, especially those faced by developing countries, and building a shared understanding of the multidimensional nature of vulnerability in partnership with the UN system.
Advancing and strengthening international cooperation on disaster risk reduction and preparedness, anticipatory action, rapid response and early recovery activities, and building community-level resilience through effective policy coordination, investment, and innovative solutions such as the implementation of adaptive social protection to reduce disaster risk, strengthening prevention, data sharing, early warning, and building resilience of vulnerable countries, especially LDCs and SIDs, and building on G20 efforts including those reflected in the G20 Roadmap for Stronger Recovery and Resilience. We commit to averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including via strengthening policy strategies and governance of comprehensive risk management including disaster risk reduction, displacement and non-economic losses. We welcome the establishment of the G20 Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction during the Indian Presidency.
Emphasizing the interlinkages between implementation of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, the CBD and the KMGBF with the view of realizing the 2050 Vision of "Living in harmony with Nature", the UNCCD, and the AAAA and the need for maximising synergies and minimising trade-offs in pursuing the sustainable development agenda and addressing the interconnected challenges such as pandemics, disasters, food insecurity and malnutrition, extreme poverty, gender inequality, the learning crisis, and climate change, biodiversity loss, desertification and land degradation, environmental degradation and pollution, through an integrated and balanced approach, while taking into account national circumstances of developing countries and enhancing international cooperation and partnerships to mobilise adequate financing from all sources, innovative solutions and technologies, technology dissemination and capacity building.
Promoting individual and collective actions for strategic and targeted policies for equitable, strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive economic growth to fuel progress towards the SDGs including, by addressing the bottlenecks in financing, especially for developing countries, through international efforts and continuing to improve mobilisation of finance from all sources, with international public finance, including Official Development Assistance (ODA), to catalyse additional resource mobilisation, and scaling up of long-term, affordable, accessible, sustainable, and inclusive financing, as well as concessional financing including through use of innovative financing mechanisms such as blended finance and de-risking instruments. The G20 calls upon the developed countries to fully deliver on their respective ODA commitments that complements and encourages development financing from all other sources including domestic and private sources. G20 reaffirms the importance of promoting development finance respecting the applicable finance related principles, while noting the importance of transparency and mutual accountability. The G20 will also promote individual and collective actions for pursuing strategic and targeted national policies and support. The G20 will continue its work to drive sustainable investments in sustainable development taking into account national development plans including through work of G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group (SFWG).
Recognizing the key role of IFIs, including the MDBs for providing and mobilizing development financing, knowledge support, and for catalysing private investment and supporting the work of International Financial Architecture Working Group (IFA-WG) on the need for the MDBs to evolve given the scope and complexity of global challenges and the resultant increase in demand on their lending resources, knowledge support, and for catalysing private investments, while maintaining their focus on poverty reduction and all the SDGs. In this regard, also recognizing the need for scaling up accessible financing for climate, nature and biodiversity.
Recognising sustainable, resilient, safe, accessible, affordable, inclusive and quality infrastructure and infrastructure investments as a key driver of economic prosperity and a solid basis for strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth and sustainable development, and human wellbeing, and in line with G20 Principles for Quality Infrastructure Investment and the G20 Guidelines on Quality Infrastructure for Regional Connectivity. While working with different G20 workstreams, including the Infrastructure Working Group and IFA WG, we would promote collective actions for encouraging IFIs, including MDBs, and Development Financial Institutions (DFIs) to support developing countries to scale-up and accelerate infrastructure investment including through mobilising public and private investments, providing knowledge and capacity building support and facilitating last mile connectivity.
Committing to help developing countries better integrate into the global industrial, value and supply chains, and accelerate the industrialization and modernization process. Recognizing that transforming production capacities, promoting implementation of sustainable, inclusive and just transitions globally while leaving no one behind, and encouraging sustainable consumption and production, requires strong international and national enabling environments, the G20 stresses the need to urgently promote collective actions to support inclusive growth and sustainable development models that take into account priorities, needs, vulnerabilities and different national circumstances of developing countries. Such models, while taking into account different levels of national development and capacities of developing countries, would tackle inequalities and be driven by innovation and sustainable industrialization, which enhances decent work, employment opportunities and income generation. It is vital to respect each country's policy space and leadership to implement policies for poverty eradication and sustainable development, while remaining consistent with relevant international rules and commitments. The G20 also recognizes the role of local and regional governments, and other local actors, in a whole of society approach, to achieve the SDGs.
The need for revitalized multilateralism to adequately address contemporary global challenges of the 21st Century, and to make global governance more representative, effective, transparent and accountable has been voiced at multiple fora. Stressing that achievement of the SDGs needs to be accelerated across all countries, including through provision of Global Public Goods, and any spillovers in this process need to be carefully addressed. Further, the G20 would make efforts to tailor its contribution to the 2030 Agenda taking into account the multi-dimensionality and non-linearity of the development process.
Ensure enhanced representation and voice of developing countries in decision-making in global international economic and financial institutions in order to deliver more effective, credible, accountable and legitimate institutions. We will demonstrate leadership and take collective actions to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and accelerate the achievement of the SDGs by 2030 and address developmental challenges by reinvigorating a more inclusive multilateralism and reform aimed at implementing the 2030 Agenda.
Promoting demand-driven and country-owned development cooperation models that are scalable and tailored to local conditions in developing countries by strengthening institutional and local capacities of relevant stakeholders, promoting knowledge sharing, enhancing access to affordable financing, and facilitating transfer of technology on voluntary and mutually agreed terms and in line with WTO rules for accelerating achievement of the SDGs. We will continue to strengthen G20 efforts including through supporting the work of relevant G20 workstreams and reiterate our commitment to step up our efforts to implement the Common Framework for Debt Treatment beyond the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) in a predictable, timely, orderly and coordinated manner.
Enhancing G20 cooperation, coordination and partnerships with the United Nations, IFIs including the MDBs, non-G20 developing countries and across the G20 tracks to contribute to addressing the cross-cutting challenges being faced in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The G20 will aim to contribute to the United Nations Summit of the Future, HLPF, SDG Summit and other relevant processes.
Mobilisation of affordable, adequate and accessible financing from all sources and implementation of AAAA remain major challenges for implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and progress has not been shared evenly within and among countries, leading to further deepening of existing inequalities and increase in poverty. Enhanced access to adequate finance from all sources is critical for countries to catalyse the transformative transitions which are necessary for accelerating progress on the SDGs. Resources mobilization and alignment should be in line with the country's development agenda, priorities and global and other challenges.
Recent shocks have reversed or delayed progress on the achievement of the SDGs particularly for developing countries, amidst a highly challenging environment in which global sustainable development prospects continue to face challenges such as increasing poverty and inequalities, unemployment, increased pressure on access to food, energy, finance, elevated inflation, tightening financial conditions, high indebtedness, disruptions in supply chains, rising inequalities, and impact of climate change and loss of biodiversity etc. The global macroeconomic outlook remains highly uncertain and particularly bleak for many developing countries, including LDCs and SIDS, that are also facing growing debt service burdens and tight fiscal constraints. If left unaddressed, the finance divide will translate into a lasting sustainable development divide.
The success of the 2030 Agenda, the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, CBD and KMGBF, and UNCCD will depend on our collective ability to mobilise resources, and the effectiveness of existing international and national institutions and those we build for the different agendas to reinforce and complement each other, as appropriate. In this regard strong, decisive, inclusive and collective action by the G20 is required to build momentum for ongoing domestic and international efforts to mobilise and scale up financing for sustainable development. Building on G20 endeavours, we commit to enhance our efforts including by supporting the work of relevant working groups (WGs) in the Finance Track, in particular the SFWG, International Financial Architecture Working Group (IFAWG) through the following:
Recognize, and support efforts of the Finance Track, particularly the IFAWG, to urgently address the debt vulnerabilities in low and middle-income countries and to achieve sustainable, resilient, inclusive and equitable economic growth while maintaining macroeconomic as well as financial stability.
Reaffirm the need to assist developing countries, including LDCs and SIDS in attaining long-term debt sustainability including through coordination amongst all stakeholders.
Take note of ongoing discussions at the UN on the proposal for SDG stimulus and their conclusion in a timely manner, to massively scale up affordable long-term financing for development and expand contingency financing for countries in need. Take note of ongoing and future discussions and look forward to the fourth UN international conference on financing for development.
As recognised in the 2030 Agenda and AAAA, we recommit to broadening and strengthening the voice and participation of developing countries in international economic decision-making, norm-setting and global economic governance. In this regard, taking immediate measures to scale up efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda and the AAAA, including through development cooperation, investments, financing from all sources in the SDGs, and supporting the work of IFAWG on reforming the international financial architecture, enhancing macroeconomic policy cooperation and implementing actions to accelerate sustainable development, particularly in support of developing countries.
Call for scaling up adequate, affordable and long-term financing from all sources for developing countries, including LDCs and SIDS, for achievement of the SDGs. We note with concern that access to concessional financing is reduced as countries' income grow, and that countries may not be able to access sufficient affordable financing from other sources to meet their needs. Recognise the work of IFAWG on evolving the MDBs, including strengthening their financial capacity. This may include, among others, efforts to strengthen the MDBs including by optimizing existing balance sheets through implementing applicable recommendations of the G20 Independent Review of MDBs' Capital Adequacy Framework within each MDB's governance frameworks while safeguarding MDBs' long term financial stability, robust credit ratings and preferred creditor status. We also recognize the need for MDBs to evolve given the scope and complexity of transboundary challenges and resultant increase in demand on their lending resources, knowledge support, and for catalysing private investments and look forward to receiving the report, including recommendations, of the G20 Expert Group on Strengthening Multilateral Development Banks set up by the Indian Presidency.
Strengthen partnerships with international and regional organisations, including IFIs, MDBs, and regional development banks and take note of other recommendations such as in the UN SDG Stimulus Plan and Bridgetown Initiative where appropriate, and the upcoming Paris Summit for a New Global Financing Pact, to enable access to long-term sustainable finance. We look forward to the Report on the Bottlenecks to access SDG finance for developing countries by the OECD.
Recognize that many countries still fall short of attaining their respective Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitments and reiterate the importance of fulfilment of respective ODA commitments in a timely manner.
Recall and further urge developed countries to fully deliver on the goal of jointly mobilising USD 100 billion per year urgently by 2020 and through to 2025 in the context of meaningful mitigation action and transparency on implementation. Further recall the Glasgow Climate Pact urging developed countries to at least double their collective provision of climate finance for adaptation to developing countries from 2019 levels by 2025, in the context of achieving a balance between mitigation and adaptation in the provision of scaled-up financial resources, recalling Article 9, paragraph 4, of the Paris Agreement. Also support continued deliberations on an ambitious new collective quantified goal of climate finance from a floor of USD 100 billion per year taking into account the needs and priorities of developing countries, that helps in fulfilling the objective of the UNFCCC and implementation of the Paris Agreement.
Address the financing gap for achieving the SDGs in line with the framework provided by the AAAA, by mobilising finance from variety of sources – public and private, domestic and international, including alternative sources of finance.
Encourage exploring and implementing innovative inclusive financing mechanisms such as blended finance, de-risking instruments and green bonds in developing countries, including LDCs and SIDS, that can effectively catalyse additional resource mobilisation and complement financing instruments including ODA. In this regard, support already established financing approaches including those to be considered by SFWG which was established under the Italian Presidency with the goal of scaling up sustainable finance that supports the objectives of the 2030 Agenda and goals of the Paris Agreement. In this regard, we recall all relevant G20 deliverables including the G20 Sustainable Finance Roadmap, G20 Principles to scale-up Blended Finance in developing countries, including LDCs and SIDS and G20 High-level principles on scaling up sustainability-related financial instruments in developing countries.
Encourage international support to developing countries in taking policy measures and required capacity building for creating an enabling environment to augment financing and investment for achieving the SDGs, in accordance with national circumstances and complement the work of SFWG in this area.
Scale up the technical assistance and capacity development in implementing Integrated National Financing Frameworks (INFFs), where appropriate, to strengthen financing for tackling the immediate crises and accelerating progress on the SDGs including through transformative transitions, in line with the G20 Framework of voluntary support for a greater uptake and operationalization of the INFFs for SDGs' Finance and COVID-19 Recovery in developing countries. Recognise efforts to implement the AAAA, including through planning, alignment and mobilisation of additional finance using various tools such as INFFs. These efforts need to be complemented by scaling up of financing for developing countries to address the huge SDG financing gap. We will strengthen our efforts to report our data to the TOSSD framework as one of the voluntary statistical frameworks to measure the progress in achieving the 2030 agenda, as well as look forward to growth in the number of TOSSD reporting countries and organizations.
Promote greater synergies across G20 working groups to support the efforts for strengthening the international financial system including of IFIs, for implementing the 2030 agenda.
Strong collective actions by the G20 for SDGs are required to provide support to developing countries by creating enabling environments at all levels and by all actors, and help them to realise their full development potential. The integrated nature of the SDGs, which is becoming increasingly evident in the face of multifaceted challenges, makes it imperative to ensure coordination and alignment across several policy areas as well as to take transformative actions that create multiplier effects to the achievement of the SDGs. In particular, collective actions for digital transformation, implementing sustainable, inclusive and just transitions globally while leaving no one behind, and achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls in diverse situations and conditions who have been most vulnerable to the reversal in progress towards the SDGs, will enable achievement of SDGs by 2030 that integrates growth – social, environmental, economic and green development objectives while addressing today's developmental challenges towards sustainable development. The focus of the 2023 Action Plan is, therefore, on the following key transformative transition areas:
Digital Transformation
Implementing Sustainable, Inclusive and Just Transitions globally, while leaving no one behind
Sustainable Development through Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women
Every G20 Presidency beginning with that of China (2016) and followed by Germany (2017), Argentina (2018), Japan (2019), Saudi Arabia (2020), Italy (2021), and Indonesia (2022) have underscored that the development and deployment of digital technologies could result in transformations that are a force for inclusive, resilient and sustainable growth and can contribute significantly to reducing poverty and inequality and achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda. Digital technologies can drive progress in the SDGs by enhancing connections and communication in transferring ideas, opportunities, and information; contributing to information analysis, optimizing procedures, processes and resource productivity; and augmenting human abilities and automate systems while ensuring that human autonomy, ethical principles in line with national legislations; and with fundamental freedoms and where a human-centric approach remain at the centre in automated systems and decision-making. With majority of the SDG targets directly influenced by digital technologies, we the members of the G20:
Acknowledge that digital technologies have profoundly transformed societies through the promotion of innovation, enhanced productivity by enabling data collection and analysis and deepened engagement among stakeholders and offers unprecedented opportunities to accelerate the realization of the 2030 Agenda and the achievement its SDGs to advance shared prosperity.
Recognize that harmful gender stereotypes and social norms create barriers that contribute to setbacks in gender equality and women's empowerment and limit the opportunities for all women and girls in diverse situations and conditions as well as those in vulnerable situations from accessing information and communications technologies and the internet and realizing their full human potential; from being equipped with the knowledge, awareness and skills for their social and economic empowerment; and from having a safe online experience at an affordable cost especially in developing countries. Further, acknowledge that a gender-responsive approach should be taken in the design, development, deployment, and use of digital technologies.
Emphasise the need to bridge digital divides, using a multidimensional approach including a gender perspective that places emphasis on (i) connectivity, stability, accessibility, and affordability of technology and services; (ii) access to content in local languages and taking into account the needs of persons with disabilities and / or those with low-level of digital literacy and skills; (iii) education, vocational training and capacity-building; and (iv) recognizing, eliminating and mitigating against anticipated and unanticipated potential harms and risks from increased digitalization including through the adoption of safety-by-design approaches in the development and deployment of digital tools and technologies for sustainable development that are in line with respective domestic laws and legislations and where applicable in alignment with the G20 Digital Economy Working Group's work on approaches to data governance, security, and regulations.
Underline the need to work towards ensuring that no-one is left behind in the digital transformation including in digital economy, by encouraging all relevant stakeholders to promote equal and affordable access to digital skills, particularly to those in disadvantaged and vulnerable situations, and mainstream a gender responsive perspective into the conceptualization, development and implementation of digital technologies and related policies, including through efforts to close the gender digital divide.
Reiterate the importance of promoting digital literacy and digital skills in all forms of education and life-long learning to bridge the digital divide including the gender digital divide and promote empowerment, including boosting the employability of women and young people and fostering the inclusion of older persons, persons with disabilities, and persons in disadvantaged and vulnerable situations in our societies.
Strive, among others, for a socio-ecological and gender-responsive digital transformation that focuses on people's needs and rights including protection of personal data especially for children, that will help shape digitalization in a sustainable manner while supporting technical solutions that are based on users' freely given, specific, and informed consent.
Availability and accessibility of high-quality data, new and emerging technologies including among others Big Data, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, and new analytical approaches when integrated with traditional sources of data and applied responsibly and ethically and in accordance with relevant applicable legal frameworks, can enable more agile, efficient and evidence-based decision-making and can better measure progress and impediments to progress and advance achievement of the SDGs in a way that is both inclusive and fair and leaves no one behind.
Effective collation and analysis of data sets on specific development issues can not only allow governments, international organisations, academics, businesses, private sector and civil society organizations to understand the severity and impact of a particular development issue, but also mobilize their leadership, agency, entrepreneurial and innovative skills to improve policy making and public interventions as well as create transformative solutions that are grounded in evidence to track and accelerate development, improve social protection, and provide insights on existing social and development policies and programmes that require adjustment.
Recognizing the benefits of harnessing Data for Development (D4D), the G20 members advocate for strengthening D4D ecosystems globally, particularly in developing countries to maximize their potential for the achievement of the SDGs while respecting their development and policy priorities and in this regard agree to the following D4D principles –
1.1. Strengthen data-informed approaches to advancing progress on the SDGs that foster innovation through effective and responsible use ofnew and other emerging technologies including but not limited to Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (BDAI), Machine Learning (ML) while facilitating data providers, managers and users to work towards building dynamic, robust and inclusive engagements that can help advance multi-stakeholder engagement and cross-sectoral collaboration.
1.2. Catalyse evidence-based policy making to address development challenges in the areas of, inter alia, eradication of poverty, social protection, healthcare services, quality education, food security and nutrition, agriculture, industry, environment, urban development, infrastructure, migration, disaster risk reduction, financial inclusion and help in accelerating progress on the SDGs through data insights that can result in efficient resource allocation, improving service delivery, monitoring progress, evaluating impacts, improving accountability and empowering individuals.
2.1. Enhance the availability of high-quality, accessible, timely, reliable, disaggregated, and intersectional data as applicable in respective national contexts to ensure that no one is left behind, as well as address biases due to lack of representational data on women, youth and persons in vulnerable situations in data sets and AI applications based on such data sets, by strengthening data-related capacities at the local, national, regional and international levels.
2.2. Support efforts to promote the responsible use of AI, including remedies and processes to report discrimination and to correct automated decision-making based on human errors and biases, as well as biased data, thus providing for transparency and accountability of AI approaches, quality controls as well feedback mechanisms with human oversight in line with relevant national laws and provisions.
2.3. Address key issues pertaining to availability and accessibility of high-quality data for development purposes and promote safeguard measures such as privacy protection, personal data protection, intellectual property protection and security in accordance with relevant applicable legal frameworks and taking into account legitimate public policy objectives.
2.4. Recognize, minimize, and mitigate the potential environmental impact of investments in data infrastructure primarily at country level as a result of land use, energy usage, GHG emissions, water utilization, deforestation, habitat loss etc., by applying circular economy approaches to the design, development, deployment and use of appliances and infrastructure needed for the production, processing, transmission and storage of relevant data recognizing the importance of applying resource efficiency and other relevant approaches.
3.1. Seek to reduce the digital divides, including the gender digital divide and growing data divide between and within developed and particularly in developing countries by encouraging amongst others the development of skilled, competent and inclusive talent pools in developing countries, especially of women, girls and young people as well as those living in vulnerable situations, by providing education and training programmes that complement existing education pathways.
3.2. Incorporation of data and data-related content into the wider variety of curriculum from statistics to economics, social sciences, biology, math, applied science, engineering, and robotics, and at every level including middle and high-school curriculum.
3.3. Developing resources and materials that are accessible to persons with disabilities and people with different levels of data literacy.
3.4. Promoting policies that advance and prioritise diversity and inclusion in data ecosystem participation.
3.5. Promoting voluntary international financial, institutional and technical support and cooperation to enable the readiness of developing countries to engage with and benefit from data insights and enhancing their participation in international dialogues on data-related issues and the broader digital economy.
3.6. Recognizing the need to create an enabling, inclusive, open, fair and non-discriminatory digital economy that fosters D4D and encourages the application of new technologies for resilient, sustainable and inclusive growth and development.
4.1. Recognize the importance of supporting developing countries through capacity building programs to assist them to harness existing and new data sources to produce insights to bring about real development impact and pave the way for them to enhance their participation in the global digital economy including in activities relating to cross border data flow and data free flow with trust including through international cooperation partnerships including North-South, South-South and Triangular cooperation and with the support of civil society and private sector in accordance with the relevant applicable national legal frameworks.
5.1. Foster predictable, targeted, and sustainable savings and investments for D4D initiatives, including by encouraging integrated national financing frameworks, inclusive innovative financing mechanisms such as blended finance, and strengthening international development cooperation partnerships including North-South, South-South and Triangular cooperation.
5.2. Extend technological assistance, where required, on voluntary and mutually agreed terms and in line with WTO rules to develop and strengthen D4D capabilities in developing countries in the areas of production, collection, processing, analysis and use of anonymised data and harnessing of data-driven insights across SDG-relevant sectors at the local, national, regional and global levels.
6.1. Promote inclusive use of data for development, including through the use of coherent and responsible data governance frameworks that guide the reuse and sharing of data, in both the public and private sectors along with appropriate safeguards in line with national legislations keeping human safety, individual empowerment and well-being, privacy and dignity at their core.
6.2. Support, where available and applicable, citizen-generated data alongside official data sources such as those from national statistical systems, to facilitate inclusive and accountable decision making and ensure that no one is left behind in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the achievement of its SDGs.
6.3. Commit to a gender-responsive perspective taking into consideration women from disadvantaged backgrounds into the conceptualisation and implementation of D4D to prevent discrimination and stereotyping that can lead to gender inequality.
6.4. Support home-grown D4D capacity ecosystems which can play a key role in facilitating innovation and enterprise as well as promote trust and confidence in digital transformation and accelerating progress on SDGs.
6.5. Advance accessible data and content for persons with disabilities.
7.1. Encourage increased collaboration and, multi-level multistakeholder partnerships, to facilitate sharing of best practices and case studies on D4D-related policies and solutions and address issues pertaining to capacity building, financing and technology for harnessing data especially for developing countries.
7.2. In this regard, the G20 welcomes India's decision to launch a voluntary "Data for Development Capacity Building Initiative" for providing capacity building training for policy-makers, officials and other relevant stakeholders from developing countries to take forward the actions elaborated in the work of the Development Working Group on the G20 Principles on D4D. We welcome other such existing D4D initiatives and encourage G20 members to consider launching other such voluntary D4D initiatives which are oriented towards the specific data-related needs of the developing countries and foster their ownership in joint initiatives and activities with the aim of creating a network of advocates for D4D.
Emerging and persistent challenges have disproportionately affected developing countries, including LDCs and SIDS, leaving them with limited resources and capacities to achieve the SDGs. As countries pursue sustainable development, continued international and national efforts and support are needed for poverty reduction, economic growth, social inclusion, promoting inclusive, equitable and quality education, lifelong learning and quality employment especially in rural areas and for women and youth, reducing global inequality, and the implementation of sustainable, inclusive and just transitions globally, while leaving no one behind in multiple sectors of the economy, including sustainable and resilient agriculture and food systems, energy, and decent work, which also contribute to green and blue economy/ocean-based economy. Taking climate, biodiversity and environmental actions, compels developing countries to make efforts to address growth and socio-economic development challenges and opportunities while transitioning towards a sustainable future, at the same time. International efforts are needed to manage the transitions to a sustainable future more effectively, proactively and in a just manner so that no one is left behind. These efforts must take into account specific needs, structural vulnerabilities, national circumstances and priorities, being in sync with and complementary to national development strategies, and taking into account rising inequalities and barriers and focussing on creating opportunities for those most impacted by the transition process, while leaving no one behind.
Mindful of our leadership role, we reaffirm our steadfast commitments, in pursuit of the objective of UNFCCC, to tackle climate change by strengthening the full and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement and its temperature goal, reflecting equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities in light of different national circumstances. Noting the IPCC assessments that the impact of climate change will be much lower at a temperature increase of 1.5°C compared with 2°C, we resolve to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C. This will require meaningful and effective actions and commitment by all countries, taking into account different approaches, through the development of clear national pathways that align long-term ambition with short and medium-term goals, and with international cooperation and support, including finance and technology, and sustainable and responsible consumption and production as critical enablers, in the context of sustainable development. Further, our collective efforts for tackling climate change, biodiversity loss, combatting desertification and land degradation, pollution, need to be undertaken in line with other urgent priorities such as health, reduction of poverty and inequalities, providing quality education, WASH, decent jobs, economic growth, disaster risk reduction, sustainable and resilient agriculture and inclusive food systems, food security and nutrition including food loss and waste reduction, and circular economy approaches to support transitions towards sustainable development pathways. For low-carbon/low-GHG emission and sustainable, efficient and climate resilient development strategies to be viable, stronger enabling environments and international architecture are needed for coherence and integration across climate, environment, biodiversity and SDGs actions that complement the national efforts, including through targeted public and private investment.
Transitions towards low carbon/low GHG emissions and climate resilient pathways available to developing countries can entail short-term costs, trade-offs, risk premiums, as well as socio-economic costs which may be difficult to bear and require effective solutions to minimise their adverse impacts. At the same time, these transitions also present longer term economic opportunities for sustainable growth. Enabling environments at all levels and by all actors, including at international level, need to be strengthened in order to ensure that all countries especially developing countries' transition to a sustainable future are orderly and in-line with the 2030 Agenda. The development, adoption, and diffusion of technology, financing, capacity building, and other resources need to be scaled up alongside mitigation ambition for such transitions. The concerns regarding their unavailability, inaccessibility, or relative unaffordability need to be addressed.
We underline our commitment to promoting sustainable, inclusive, and just transitions globally. These transitions are taking place in a global context to achieve global net zero GHG emissions/carbon neutrality by or around mid-century and would need efforts to ensure no one is left behind. Likewise, such transitions should ensure energy security, access and affordability, sustainable economic development and prosperity, competitiveness, and environmental conservation and protection all at the same time.
International cooperation including North-South, South-South and Triangular cooperation, and collective and national efforts need to be strengthened to create and enhance such an enabling environment and support international systems to be proactive, adaptive, and responsive, to the needs and priorities of all countries, especially developing countries taking into account national circumstances. These efforts need to be in line with various international commitments and agreements such as the AAAA, the UNFCCC, the Paris Agreement, the COP 15 CBD and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework as well as the 2030 Agenda. Some of these multilateral agreements recognize the importance of global solidarity and cooperation when implementing them. In this regard, we emphasize the need for multilateralism and cooperation as key to the implementation of these agreements.
We will demonstrate leadership and take collective actions to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and accelerate the achievement of the SDGs by 2030 and address developmental challenges by reinvigorating a more inclusive multilateralism and reform aimed at implementing the 2030 Agenda. This could enhance international cooperation and enable an international architecture to be fit for implementing sustainable, inclusive and just transitions globally, while leaving no one behind and supports the developing countries, including LDCs and SIDS in managing their transitions, while revitalising global partnerships for sustainable development.
The interconnectedness of economic, digital, social, environmental and developmental aspects relating to implementation of sustainable, inclusive and just transitions globally, while leaving no one behind, would benefit from continuing facilitation of new and existing forms of inclusive international partnerships. Such partnerships should further promote institutional frameworks, enabling clean, sustainable, just, affordable and inclusive energy transitions, enhanced access to finance, education, training and skilling, technology, and capacity building. We will respect each country's policy space and leadership to implement policies for poverty eradication and sustainable development, while remaining consistent with relevant international rules and commitments.
Capacity building
Harmonizing approaches to capacity building at international and national levels and strengthening institutional arrangements can enable harnessing the benefits of sustainable, just and inclusive transitions, while taking into account national circumstances. Strengthening institutional capacity and long-term policy support is required for planning and implementation of the various transitions in developing countries, and achieving global net zero GHG emissions/carbon neutrality by or around mid-century, taking note of different approaches and the time frames.
Support mapping of activities regarding climate-related technologies and coordinating existing programs and networks to assist developing countries in the innovation process.
Strengthen global and national efforts for accessible and affordable quality education for all, skilling, upskilling and reskilling of workers, policy support, capacity building, knowledge sharing, better coordination between the public and private sectors, skills councils and training systems, and specific measures to address the gender disparities in labour markets in the sustainable economy.
Recognising that proactive socio-economic policy support, including adaptive and robust national social protection systems, is critical for addressing hardships caused by the transformation of ecologically unsustainable sectors and ensuring that no one is left behind, by closing gaps in social protection coverage. For meeting food security and nutrition needs, it is crucial to ensure that social protection systems are designed in a gender responsive manner. In case of energy sectors, ensuring energy security, market stability and accessible, reliable and affordable, sustainable and clean energy through a variety of low carbon/low GHG emissions solutions are important concerns and such efforts should be in coordination with development and industrial policies for consistent economic development.
DWG will endeavour to cooperate with Environment & Climate Sustainability WG (ECSWG), Energy Transition WG (ETWG), Employment WG (EWG) and some of the working groups of the Finance Track including SFWG to ensure better coordination on building capacities as well as strengthening of international efforts to mobilize and improve access to financing for developing countries.
Technology
Scale up international efforts for technology transfer on voluntary and mutually agreed terms and in line with WTO rules, deployment and diffusion of technologies related to environmental pollution reduction, conservation and sustainable use for biodiversity, and technologies that avoid, abate and remove GHG/carbon emissions and enhance adaptation action to address climate change, including by bringing down their costs, as well as to disseminate and support greater uptake of green skills and other relevant skills in supporting developing countries to realise sustainable, inclusive and just transitions globally, while leaving no one behind.
Encourage development, deployment and dissemination of technologies for creation of new decent quality jobs, inclusive value chains and providing competitive inputs for production processes, including through circular economy approaches, while addressing its impacts on loss of employment.
Policy coherence and coordination
Catalyse institutional initiatives to enable and accelerate low-carbon/low GHG and climate resilient development pathways in developing countries, building on existing frameworks for transitions, including the G20 Transition Finance Framework, and UN Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions[2]. Promote innovative approaches towards sustainable development pathways to find new ways to deliver on the basic needs of all people, while addressing the climate and environmental challenges.
Support collective actions, including on development finance, strengthening enabling environments through policy frameworks and policy coherence tools to address synergies and spillovers, capacity building (education, training, and skilling, knowledge sharing), digital innovation, information and communication technology (networks and platforms), effective approaches to SDG localisation which aim to jointly realise climate, environment and biodiversity goals and the SDGs in a more coherent and integrated manner.
Tackling climate change challenges, biodiversity loss and poverty are inter-related policy objectives that require mutually reinforcing policy choices accompanied by complementary actions from diverse set of multiple stakeholders with their individual comparative advantages, whose collective efforts must act with a multiplier effect.
In order to better respond to the identified focus areas, the G20 encourages international organizations to conduct studies to analyse the gaps, opportunities, and synergies in following an integrated and collective approach to these transitions so as to facilitate more conducive institutional and policy frameworks at all levels. This would ensure that our global transition efforts will maximise synergies and minimize trade-offs as we make progress on internationally agreed agendas and various transitions they entail. In this regard, we request the UN system and other relevant IOs[3] to prepare a report in a phased manner with an interim report by September and final report by end of November 2023 on studying the policy coherence across the climate, environment and biodiversity and sustainable development agenda, with a special focus on fostering synergies in our collective responses regarding the overlapping issues and opportunities relating to these transitions and the ways in which robust policies, especially the domestic policies and enabling environments can support ambition across these agendas.
Integrating multilateral approaches across the sustainable development, environment and climate agendas
Strengthen international efforts to accelerate transitions in different country contexts through a holistic and integrated approach to sustainable development and addressing climate change, environmental and developmental challenges, that help in implementation of sustainable, inclusive and just transitions globally, while leaving no one behind, taking into account national circumstances and capabilities.
Strengthen partnerships with international organizations, MDBs and the UN System with the aim of enabling transformation in financial architecture to make it fit for purpose for achieving the 2030 Agenda as well as climate goals.
As relevant, work with other G20 Working Groups including SFWG, IFA-WG, ECSWG, ETWG, and EWG to coordinate efforts on the cross-cutting nature of these transitions, to support G20 efforts for implementing sustainable, inclusive and just transitions globally, while leaving no one behind, and for effective implementation of the G20 Action Plan on accelerating progress on the SDGs. In this regard, we will also coordinate with relevant International Organisations for accelerating G20's efforts in achievement of the 2030 Agenda.
The G20 reaffirms that gender equality is of fundamental importance, and recognizes the need for creating an enabling environment that promotes, inter alia, justice, gender equality, and fundamental freedoms for the advancement and empowerment of women and girls for achieving sustainable and inclusive growth, and that investing in the development of all women and girls, in diverse situations and conditions[4], has a multiplier effect and will make a crucial contribution to implementing the 2030 Agenda, achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and delivering on the promise of "Leaving No One Behind".
We recognize women's central and irrefutable role in the sustainable development agenda for ending poverty, hunger, and malnutrition; promoting prosperity, sustainable and inclusive growth; building peaceful, just, and inclusive societies; and protecting the planet and natural resources.
We note with concern and are fully aware that gender discrimination, sexual and gender-based violence, lack of supportive policy interventions and structural support, pre-defined harmful social biases, negative social norms, discriminatory laws or lack of enforcement of relevant laws, under-representation in leadership positions, as well as lack of access to and control over resources in many countries are still holding women back from reaching their full potential. We call for a paradigm shift in the role of women by recognizing all women in diverse situations and conditions as active members of society and positive agents of change to ensure women's full, equal, effective, and meaningful participation as decision makers for addressing global challenges effectively, decisively, and inclusively, and lead development planning and implementation.
We believe and emphasize that without the heightened commitment of the global community, gender equality and women's empowerment will remain an unrealized goal.
We reiterate our commitment to implementing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome documents of its review conferences and support for continuing progress on the "Brisbane '25 by 25' Target", Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi), G20 Private Sector Alliance for the Empowerment and Progression of Women's Economic Representation (G20 EMPOWER), the G20 Initiative for Rural Youth Employment, W20 engagement group and the G20 Ministerial Conference on Women's Empowerment and building on the results of the G20 #eSkills4Girls initiative.
To this extent, the G20 resolves to take actions that are in line with the SDGs, particularly SDG 5, including through the following four thematic areas:
I. Economic and Social Empowerment
Support investment in women and girls' education to help ensure their equal access to affordable, inclusive, equitable, safe and quality education from early childhood through higher education to lifelong learning—including foundational skills' training, vocational education, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education, digital literacy and financial literacy—to help them develop basic literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional skills that are essential to make progress in school and attain higher order skills.
Remove structural and financial barriers that currently prevent women and girls from accessing quality education and from realizing their full potential and provide gender-responsive social protection, including adaptive social protection measures, in line with domestic laws and regulations, particularly in developing countries, including LDCs and SIDS.
Reduce gender gaps in the socio-economic sphere by mainstreaming a gender-responsive approach across all workstreams, educational and vocational trainings (including skilling, reskilling, and upskilling) and employment policies and programmes, to advance opportunities for equal pay, decent work and high-quality jobs across all sectors, in urban, semi-urban and rural areas, especially for persons in vulnerable situations, including Indigenous communities.
Strive to ensure that gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls must be an integral part of job strategies for sustainable and inclusive development.
Work towards providing all women and girls in diverse situations and conditions, and persons in vulnerable situations, including persons with disabilities, safe and equal access to public infrastructure, including public transportation, and public spaces.
Strive to enforce, review and update policies and legislations for encouraging, enabling, and safeguarding women in the workplace, with particular attention to addressing and eliminating sexual and gender-based violence, including sexual harassment in the world of work across the formal and informal economy for all types of employment (full time, part-time and seasonal), in line with domestic laws and regulations.
Promote investment in the availability and accessibility to affordable care infrastructure, including those for children, older people and persons with disabilities to address unequal distribution of unpaid care and domestic work to promote the participation of women in education and employment.
Recognize, reduce, and redistribute unpaid care responsibilities by putting in place, measures such as gender-responsive social protection, including adaptive social protection measures to fairly compensate time and efforts of those with caring responsibilities; and ensure that care workers enjoy effective protection against all forms of abuse, harassment and violence, and have collective representation, including via representative unions, taking into account different national contexts and circumstances.
Endeavour to provide capacity building and skills training for care professionals, including those in vulnerable situations, to enhance the quality of care, to provide decent work and wages, and extend gender-responsive social protection, including adaptive approaches to social protection for care workers within public systems.
Promote universal health coverage with primary healthcare as a cornerstone to promote gender equality and women's empowerment by addressing the social, economic, and cultural factors that contribute to health inequities and barriers to accessing health services.
Promote women's financial inclusion by integrating women, particularly women entrepreneurs, and MSMEs owned and led by women into the formal financial system; and by strengthening their access to low-cost, convenient, need-based, and sustainable finance, including through digital finance and other tailored financial services, such as microfinance.
Support enterprises, including MSMEs, owned and led by women, in urban, semi-urban and rural areas, in collaboration with the private sector by facilitating access to markets, including global value chains, to increase the visibility of their business offerings, offering business advisory services, expanding business support and networks, as well as, strive to increase public procurement from such enterprises in accordance with relevant national policies and circumstances.
Increase full, equal, effective and meaningful participation and leadership of all women and girls in diverse situations and conditions, in all decision- and policy-making processes through appropriate initiatives for capacity building, education, skilling, mentorship, and measures to ensure the safety and accessibility of women, as well as persons in vulnerable situations and persons with disabilities, stepping into leadership roles.
Recognize that women's rights organizations and grassroots initiatives play a crucial role in advocating for and advancing policies, laws and institutions that ensure gender equality and women's empowerment for sustainable development, including mainstreaming of social norms and practices that further gender equality, and acknowledge that their work is impeded by a lack of resources and there is a pressing need to facilitate access to resources for women's rights organisations to enable them to contribute positively to development efforts in all areas, taking into account different national contexts and circumstances.
Share country best practices and experiences on gender-responsive budgeting and auditing mechanisms for gender mainstreaming.
II. Bridging the Digital Divide
Foster collection and use of evidence-based disaggregated data as applicable in respective national contexts and circumstances to ensure that no one is left behind.
Promote regulatory policy frameworks that encourage women to actively participate in the formulation of national digital strategies that aim to close the gender digital access, adoption, and usage gaps.
Increase the participation of all women, as well as persons in vulnerable situations, in the technology sector, and collaboration with women technology experts as well as with women's rights organizations to ensure accessible, inclusive and gender-responsive design of digital products and services and safe online spaces.
Improve affordability of digital technologies, including internet connectivity, to enable full participation of women and girls in the digital world.
Strengthen international collaboration to bridge the gender digital divide and promote equal and fair access to digital literacy including digital financial literacy and digital skills training, for every woman and girl, including older women, persons with disabilities, and those in vulnerable situations.
Address harmful gender norms and stereotypes at home through gender-responsive parenting; in educational institutions and education curricula through gender-responsive teacher training; and in occupational fields by providing sensitization training on gender equality to employers and employees.
Encourage and support greater enrolment of all women and girls, including those with disabilities and persons in vulnerable situations, in STEM fields, with a particular focus on increasing their active participation and employment in fields that use digital and emerging technologies, like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, for promoting exchange of best practices, offering role models and using "champions" to encourage this change.
Accelerate initiatives such as targeted hiring which lay emphasis on job descriptions that are gender-neutral and inclusive, remove unconscious bias in interview processes, and offer an objective analysis of the remuneration structure to remove pay disparities; mentorship plans which can support women to be high performing in STEM workforce, attain leadership positions and, in turn, become role models and inspire other women employees and future aspirants; and specific back-to-work initiatives that can enable increased participation of women across all sectors, particularly in STEM roles.
Promote public-private partnerships in skilling programmes, including upskilling and re-skilling initiatives, to bridge the existing and widening digital divide.
Support an inclusive, safe and secure, and interoperable digital public infrastructure that contributes to gender equality and helps build a trustworthy, robust, inclusive, accessible and sustainable digital financial system that meets the unique needs of all women and girls in diverse situations and conditions, including persons in vulnerable situations.
Recognise the importance of formulating gender-responsive policies to create an enabling, inclusive, open, fair, and non-discriminatory digital economy for promoting businesses, including MSMEs, which are owned and led by women.
Recognise, adopt and promote strategies to prevent gender stereotypes, harmful behaviours, negative social norms and unequal power relations, which drive all forms of discrimination, violence, sexual harassment and abuse against women and girls in digital contexts, including cyberbullying and cyberstalking; and strive to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls in public and private spaces, online and offline, through multisectoral and coordinated approaches and appropriate measures.
Create conditions for safe, equitable and inclusive digital learning environment, to complement in-person education, for all women and girls, including those who have missed out on education to promote lifelong learning, by investing in education systems and supporting infrastructure including school infrastructure, and the distribution of inclusive, free, safe, and accessible digital public learning resources.
III. Environmental and Climate Action
Mainstream gender-responsive approaches in the development and, where appropriate, in the implementation of relevant national policies, plans, strategies and actions on environment, climate, biodiversity, natural resources, pollution and disaster risk reduction, such as National Adaptation Plans, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans, and Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategies, taking into account different national contexts and circumstances.
Support and increase women's participation, partnership, leadership and decision-making in climate change mitigation and adaptation, disaster risk reduction strategies including preparedness policies and plans, land and natural resource management and governance, as well as halting and reversing biodiversity loss and tackling environmental degradation and pollution.
Encourage a gender-responsive approach in the designing of (a) climate change, mitigation, and adaptation strategies; (b) disaster-risk-reduction strategies and early warning systems; (c) building infrastructure; (d) social protection measures, including adaptive social protection measures; and (e) training programmes on disaster preparedness, risk reduction and response mechanisms, handling of mitigation technology, and leading evacuation efforts.
Acknowledge the disproportionate impact of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution on all women and girls in diverse situations and conditions, and in this context, call for the collection and use of disaggregated data, as applicable in respective national contexts and circumstances, to ensure that no one is left behind.
Empower all women and girls in diverse situations and conditions, including those with disabilities, in local communities to be champions of and meaningfully participate, contribute, and lead the sustainable management and conservation of biodiversity and other environment protection aspects as well as disaster risk reduction.
Facilitate the creation and promotion of multi-stakeholder and multi-level forums led by women to support grassroots women's rights organizations, as applicable in respective national contexts and circumstances, and empower them to lead climate- and environment-related initiatives.
Promote women's entrepreneurship, business growth, and employment opportunities in all sectors of the economy through vocational education, capacity building, mentoring and access to concessional financing programmes, and foster the development and adoption of digital financial services that help with climate change mitigation and adaptation, and enhance environmental conservation and protection.
Support quality foundational, technical, and vocational education, including education for sustainable development and training programmes, for all women and girls in diverse situations and conditions, to acquire the knowledge and skills that can strengthen their resilience and adaptive capacities in order to attain high-quality jobs in the sustainable economy.
Support gender-responsive and climate- and environment-resilient solutions, including water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) solutions, to build resilience to climate change as well as climate shocks and stresses, and ensure disaster risk reduction, for empowering and ensuring the inherent dignity of all women and girls in diverse situations and conditions, including persons with disabilities and persons in vulnerable situations.
IV. Women's food security and nutrition
Recognize the vital role of women in sustainable and resilient agriculture and food systems, particularly in developing countries, and promote policy interventions that encourage women's engagement in the development and use of appropriate, climate-resilient agricultural technologies and other innovative approaches, including climate-sensitive, agro-ecological and other innovative approaches, for promoting diversified food systems that make nutritious food and healthy diets more accessible and affordable, enhancing local and traditional crop varieties, including those adapted to local environmental conditions, and maximizing economic impact.
Empower women, including smallholder and family farmers, to achieve sustainable development, particularly to eliminate hunger and malnutrition, contribute to climate change mitigation and adaption, conserve biodiversity, improve soil health, and sustainably transform agriculture and food systems through the sustainable cultivation of resilient crops with high nutritional value, such as millets, quinoa, sorghum, and other traditional crops, including rice and wheat.
Encourage reforms to give all women and girls in diverse situations and conditions, 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 respective domestic laws and regulations.
Support the role of women organisations and networks in agriculture, including through technical assistance and resources, and close gender gaps in access to agricultural inputs.
Encourage investments in sustainable and resilient agriculture and food systems, such as technological innovation in agriculture and inclusive supply chains for women farmers and other producers, to promote and enable equal and meaningful participation of women in agriculture and food systems including in off-farm economic opportunities and access to the marketplace and value chains, and to ensure decent income for their work. In this regard, we reiterate our support for a rules-based, non-discriminatory, open, fair, inclusive, equitable, multilateral agriculture trading system with the WTO at its core.
Promote well-conceived school meal programmes that offer safe and adequate nutrition and healthy diets which can (i) advance nutrition education and develop better eating habits, (ii) further gender equality in education by increasing enrolment and retention of girls in school which would enable them to perform better and improve their adult job prospects, and (iii) provide local smallholder farmers, particularly women, with a predictable outlet for their products, leading to stable incomes, and higher investments and productivity.
Recognize the critical role of nutrition-sensitive and gender-responsive social protection systems, including adaptive social protection measures, in ending hunger and malnutrition and in enhancing livelihoods, productivity and health in ways that can transform lives of all women and girls and address the barriers in accessing these systems.
Work with multilateral partners to mainstream gender-responsive nutritional interventions across sectors, such as health and sexual and reproductive health; agriculture and food systems; and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and education.
Strengthen the availability and use of disaggregated data as applicable in respective national contexts and circumstances on a voluntary basis, to ensure that no one is left behind, to facilitate better monitoring and evaluation of nutritional outcomes.
Support gender-responsive and age-sensitive nutrition, and food system interventions by leveraging innovative financing instruments to prevent and treat child wasting, which is the most immediate, visible, and life-threatening form of malnutrition, as well as child stunting which bears life-long disastrous consequences that contribute to the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition.
Address harmful social and cultural practices, especially those affecting intra-household food allocation, access to health, water, sanitation and hygiene products and services; and gender norms that negatively impact roles and responsibilities as well as control over resources and distribution of unpaid care work to ensure their personal health and well-being.
Improve access to safe and adequate nutrition and healthy diets, nutrition-sensitive social protection measures, including adaptive social protection measures, and formal childcare for all adolescent girls and women, including during pregnancy and breastfeeding, to combat the issues of malnutrition, undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and anaemia.
Promote women's full, equal and meaningful participation in decision making and leadership roles, and engagement with grassroots women's rights organizations to ensure quality implementation of gender-responsive policies and programmes, regular reviews, and real-time course correction for improving food security and nutritional outcomes, and to combat all forms of malnutrition such as stunting, wasting, obesity, micronutrient deficiencies and diet-related non-communicable diseases.
Bearing in mind multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination experienced by women and persons in vulnerable situations, in urban and rural areas; taking into account the various factors, such as race, age, language, ethnicity, culture, religion, disability, marital status, migrant status, Indigenous or socio-economic backgrounds; and the fact that gender inequality is structural—embedded across governance systems, public policy, social and economic life—the G20 calls for proactive action to develop and implement gender-responsive development policies. It urges conscious effort from governments, international organizations, institutions at all levels, and all individuals—including men and boys—to operationalize the action points stated above. This will assist in complete and effective integration of women as active agents of sustainable development to accelerate progress on the SDGs.
As G20 members, we commit ourselves to mainstreaming gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls in diverse situations and conditions across all workstreams in the G20 and beyond, among others, by employing a gender-responsive approach to our actions.
Recognizing the multi-dimensional and universal nature of the 2030 Agenda and the integrated nature of its SDGs, and the interdependence of the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development, the G20, in the 2016 Action Plan, committed to:
Ensuring and strengthening the coordination and policy coherence on the G20 work that contributes to sustainable development outcomes across all G20 workstreams.
Working across the relevant G20 working groups and streams in order to contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda by following up on collective actions through existing accountability processes and follow-up mechanisms.
In this regard, the G20 will work towards strengthening international coordination and international partnerships, where relevant stakeholders pursue shared vision and objectives, implement priorities and tackle hurdles to international development challenges as well as reach tangible outcomes, to ensure effective implementation of this 2023 Action Plan.
Future G20 Presidencies are encouraged to promote closer coordination between the Finance and Sherpa tracks on cross cutting issues. In this regard, we reiterate the call by Leaders in Rome Declaration for enhanced cooperation between Development and Finance Ministers.
Further, on common areas of interest between different WGs in the Sherpa track, from the working-level to the Leaders' level, the following suggestions are made regarding actions that could be taken by future Presidencies among others to further coordination amongst Sherpa track WGs under the guidance of Sherpas:
Participation of DWG Chairs or their representatives in meetings of relevant WGs to offer perspectives and gain insights on how the issues under discussion relate to the 2030 Agenda.
Hosting joint inter-sessional meetings of WGs as necessary with participation from other WGs, as appropriate.
Convening of Joint Task Forces, as necessary, for tracking G20 progress on cross-cutting priorities chosen by Presidencies and encouraging participation of experts.
The DWG will endeavour to cooperate with WGs of the Finance Track, including the SFWG, and IFA-WG, as well as the GPFI to strengthen policies and mobilise efforts towards facilitation of long-term, adequate and predictable financing from all sources in a predictable, adequate and timely manner to achieve the SDGs, including significantly increasing support for developing countries while ensuring that the work is complimentary in nature and there is no duplication of efforts across the various workstreams.
Engage in better cooperation and effective dialogue with the G20 Engagement Groups, notably by organising meetings with their representatives for better exchange and interaction on the relevant G20 priorities.
G20 actions especially those towards global crises and challenges continue to impact all countries, especially developing countries, in their ability to implement the 2030 Agenda and achieve the SDGs. In this context, we look forward to reviewing the ILO Scoping Note on 'Implementing Sustainable, Inclusive and Just Transitions globally, while leaving no one behind', the OECD-UNDP 'Stocktake Report on the G20 contribution to the 2030 Agenda Implementation in times of crises' for identifying key successes and gaps and take note of OECD-UNDP DWG Annual Workshop taking into account the importance of providing opportunities for all G20 Members to participate in its work.
G20 to work towards closer partnership with the UN system, and follow closely UN-led processes, including the HLPF and the 2023 SDG Summit, the Financing for Development Summit, the 2024 Summit of the Future, the UNFCCC COPs and the CBD COPs, as well as with other developing countries. In this regard, we recognise efforts of the Indian Presidency to consult other developing countries ahead of its G20 Presidency. We also commit to work with various stakeholders through fora such as Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation, the Nutrition for Growth Summit and we look forward to the outcomes and recommendations of the upcoming 2023 Global Sustainable Development Report. Building on the work of past Presidencies and for strengthening G20's contribution towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, G20 welcomes the Presidency's goal of discussions on G20 Green Development Pact as a Leaders' deliverable. We also commit to work towards the effective implementation of 2023 G20 Action Plan, G20 High-level principles on Lifestyles for Sustainable Development and 2023 New Delhi Update.
The G20 will deliver results according to the priorities listed in the 2016 Action Plan, its associated deliverables and subsequent updates, as well as in this 2023 Action Plan. In this regard, the DWG through its existing Modernized Accountability Framework will continue to prepare the Annual Updates and Comprehensive Accountability Reports.
The G20 acknowledges that the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs were agreed and adopted by all UN Member States and that the global follow-up and review process on the 2030 Agenda is a UN-led process. The G20 supports these UN processes and recognizes that the UN High Level Political Forum, as well as the quadrennial SDGs Summit, has a central role in the follow-up and review processes at the global level. G20 members will avoid duplicating individual reporting within the UN, in regard to their collective and national actions.
The G20 will strengthen coordination and partnership among the G20 working groups, where appropriate, and the G20 Engagement Groups and with developing countries and relevant stakeholders including international organizations and the UN system as well as civil society, to enhance global partnerships for sustainable development and ensure an effective implementation of all G20 commitments in support of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the achievement of its SDGs.
G20, through the DWG, will continue to ensure that a streamlined, coherent, and credible accountability and engagement mechanism is in place and is reviewed, as and when required, by consensus, to support the reporting on this 2023 Action Plan and the previous Action Plan of 2016.
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[1] Throughout this document women and girls may be read in conjunction with "irrespective of age, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status." ↩
[2] Also taking note of the ILO Guidelines for Just Transition 22 ↩
[3] ILO, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNIDO, OECD and other relevant IOs, as well as with inputs from the World Bank ↩
[4] Throughout this document women and girls may be read in conjunction with "irrespective of age, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status." ↩
Source: Official website of India's 2023 G20 Presidency
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