On December 14, the UN General Assembly unanimously approved a Resolution on enhancing the role of parliaments in accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The adoption of the resolution was proposed by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev during the 75th session of the UN General Assembly in 2020.

The resolution highlights the important role of parliaments in re-committing to unity, solidarity and multilateral cooperation to support an inclusive, resilient and lasting recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and accelerate action for sustainable development while leaving no one behind.

The General Assembly calls on states to support and engage parliaments in SDG follow-up and review processes, especially in the preparation of voluntary national reviews, and to assist them in securing and strengthening national ownership and accountability.

The main attention is paid to ensuring gender equality, which should be a central element of efforts to accelerate progress toward achieving the SDGs by promoting the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in legislative bodies and parliamentary processes.

The important role and contribution of youth in the successful implementation of the 2030 Agenda, and the need for ensuring the full, equal and meaningful participation of youth in parliamentary processes is recognized.

The document was co-authored by 80 states from all continents of the world, including all countries of Central Asia, as well as Austria, Algeria, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Belgium, Germany, Egypt, Spain, Indonesia, Italy, Qatar, China, Colombia, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Finland, France, Sweden, Japan, and others.

The resolution was warmly welcomed by UN structures and other international organizations. It is emphasized that the resolution will become a unique guide for parliamentarians, mobilizing their efforts in the accelerated implementation of the SDGs.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union considers this document an important step in preparing for the SDG Summit, which will be held in September 2023 as part of the High Level General Debate of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly.

UzA