CSO Consultations for the SDG16 Conference

SDG16+ and the 2030 Agenda

A central part of this engagement is CSPPS’s participation in the SDG16 Conference, an international forum bringing together governments, the United Nations, civil society and other partners to assess progress towards peaceful, just and inclusive societies and identify priorities for accelerating the implementation of SDG16+.

Alongside the Conference, CSPPS works with the Transparency, Accountability & Participation (TAP) Network and civil society partners from around the world on the Civil Society Declaration on SDG16+: a collective advocacy document that brings civil society priorities and recommendations directly into global discussions on peace, justice, civic space, human rights and accountable institutions.

Bringing civil society perspectives into global discussions

The Civil Society Declaration is grounded in the experiences and priorities of civil society organisations working at local, national, regional and international levels.

The process began in 2019, when civil society organisations came together ahead of the SDG16 Conference to develop a common set of messages, recommendations and commitments on SDG16+. The resulting Rome Civil Society Declaration called for accelerated action and stronger partnerships to advance peace, justice, accountable institutions and inclusive societies.

Since then, successive Civil Society Declarations have responded to changes in the global context and identified areas where greater political commitment and action are needed to advance SDG16+ and the wider 2030 Agenda.

At the heart of this process are civil society consultations. Civil society organisations, networks, activists and practitioners from different regions are invited to share their experiences, priorities and concrete recommendations. These contributions help identify the most pressing challenges facing civil society and inform the recommendations ultimately brought to governments, the United Nations, donors and other international stakeholders.

In this way, the Declaration is not simply an advocacy document: it is the outcome of a participatory process designed to create a collective civil society position on the state and future of SDG16+.

2026: Rebuilding Trust in a Time of Crisis

The latest edition, the 2026 Civil Society Declaration on SDG16+, Rebuilding Trust in a Time of Crisis: Taking a STAND for SDG16+, was developed by CSPPS and the TAP Network with contributions from 225 civil society organisations.

The Declaration responds to a global context increasingly characterised by interconnected political, economic, climate and governance crises. Against this backdrop, it positions SDG16+ not only as an outcome of sustainable development, but as an enabler of the entire 2030 Agenda and a framework for rebuilding trust, strengthening governance and sustaining international cooperation.

The Declaration is structured around five interconnected priorities:

• Strengthening civic space, democracy and civil society;
• Transforming financing systems towards economic justice;
• Advancing people-centred justice and the rule of law;
• Nurturing peace through conflict, violence and atrocity prevention; and
• Defending human rights, fundamental freedoms and inclusion.

Across these priorities, the Declaration introduces the STAND principles as a framework for translating commitments into action. Each section combines an assessment of the current challenges with concrete and actionable recommendations directed towards Member States, donors, the United Nations system and civil society.

A central message of the 2026 Declaration is that progress towards the 2030 Agenda requires more than commitments by states. The multilateral system must also create the political, financial and institutional conditions necessary for civil society and local actors to participate meaningfully in shaping and implementing solutions at all levels.

The Declaration was officially launched on 17 June 2026 at United Nations Headquarters in New York, during the 2026 SDG16 Conference, by a joint delegation from CSPPS and the TAP Network. It has since received the endorsement of more than 400 civil society organisations.

Civil society organisations can also add their voice to the latest collective call for action by endorsing the 2026 Civil Society Declaration on SDG16+.

Endorse the 2026 Civil Society Declaration here!