Integrating Sustainable Development Goals into Policy Making
Purpose
Public servants at all levels play a vital role in advancing the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Public servants should integrate the principles of the 2030 Agenda and consider the SDGs when developing, implementing, and evaluating policies, programs, and initiatives.
Aligning work with the SDGs—assessing potential impacts and mitigating negative ones—can be challenging. However, even complex situations can be made more manageable by asking key questions during the planning and implementation stages.
Guiding questions to integrate the SDGs into policy making and implementation
- Does your policy proposal or existing policy or program help advance one or more of the 17 SDGs?
- Does your policy, program or initiative have potential negative impacts on other SDGs?
- Identify if there is a way to mitigate the adverse effects on other SDGs.
- Does your policy proposal or existing policy, program or strategy align with the Canada's cross-cutting objective to “Leave no one behind” as we move toward the SDGs?
- Identify if your initiative advances gender equality, diversity, and inclusion or seeks to address and close gaps, with particular emphasis on equity-denied groups, and individuals in vulnerable situations.
- Identify if your initiative helps to achieve positive results for seniors, women, Indigenous Peoples, newcomers, persons with disabilities, members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community and youth.
- Does your initiative contribute to Canada's cross-cutting objective of the 2030 Agenda to “Advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples” as we move toward the SDGs?
- Identify if your initiative includes a distinction-based approach to ensure that the unique cultures, rights and interests of First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities are recognized and implemented, or identify if you are partnering and collaborating with Indigenous Peoples to establish an initiative.
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