Regional Civil Society Engagement Mechanism (RCEM)

Regional Civil Society Engagement Mechanism (RCEM) for the SDG / Agenda 2030 process of the European and North American region

Institutionalization of participation of CSOs in all stages of follow up and review of the SDG at UN ECE – Economic Commission for Europe – regional level

Recognizing the importance and value of civil society contribution and its role in the implementation, monitoring, evaluation and review of the Agenda 2030, Member States have agreed that sustainable development requires participation of all sectors of society and to institutionalize civil society organizations’ participation in the process of implementation, follow up and review  of the Agenda 2030. Besides, CSOs have the diversity of expertise which can improve policy making, advocacy and awareness raising towards addressing the development needs of citizens.

The global level is only effective if regional and national processes are set up. Civil society and regional CSOs’ participation is formalized through the UN ECE RCEM. This work requires adequate partnership between CSOs from the region and UN ECE bodies to ensure that CSOs are well engaged in discussions and involved in UN ECE task force and working group work to be able to express their positions at global or regional levels.

Member States in the UNGA resolution 67/290 called upon major groups and other stakeholders to report on their contribution to the implementation of the Agenda. UN ECE regional RCEM will assist in coordination and preparation of such regional and/or sub-regional reports and support the review process within the region.

ECE-RCEM is a civil society platform aimed to enable stronger cross constituency coordination and ensure that voices of all these constituencies in each sub-region of UN ECE are heard in intergovernmental processes at regional and global level. The platform is initiated, owned and driven by the CSOs. It has been set up under the auspices of UN-ECE and seeks to engage with UN agencies and Member States on Agenda 2030 as well as other development related issues/processes. Its modality mirrors that of the Major Groups and Other Stakeholders mechanism that supports civil society input into the follow-up and review process of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and High Level Political Forum process. As an open, inclusive, and flexible mechanism, RCEM is designed to reach the broadest number of CSOs in the region and works with 14 constituencies and 5 sub-regions in ECE.

Goals and objectives of engagement (for States, UN, CSOs):

1. Committed to promote inclusive, just and democratic societies, to ensure the full realization of all human rights, to ensure full realization of women’s rights and gender equality, to tackle inequalities, ensure the realignment of our production and consumption models with our planetary boundaries and intergenerational responsibilities
2. Linking global with regional, sub-regional, national and local agenda in Agenda 2030 processes in the region
3. Increase of regional, sub-regional and national knowledge and ownership of the Agenda 2030
4. Increase effective implementation of Agenda 2030 in our countries and communities by strengthening multi-stakeholder approach, while ensuring meaningful CSO participation
5. Increase of accountability, monitoring and evaluation by all stakeholders on the implementation and upscaling of Agenda 2030
6. Institutionalization of civil society organizations’ participation in the process of planning, implementation, follow up and review  of Agenda 2030 in the region and sub-regions
   1. Enhance partnership between national and local CSOs representing different constituencies in the region and sub-region with the regional, sub-regional, national, local CSOs and grassroot organisations with UN bodies and agencies, private sector, and governments
   2. Ensure that voices of all sub-regions and constituencies of UN ECE are heard in intergovernmental processes at regional and global levels
   3. Increase effectiveness of civil society contribution and its role in the planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and review of the Agenda 2030

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