A-Z Site Index
Menu
  1. HLPF
  2. High-Level Political Forum 2020
  3. Introduction

Introduction

In accordance with General Assembly Resolution 67/290, the HLPF is open to the major groups, other relevant stakeholders and entities having received a standing invitation to participate as observers in the General Assembly, building on arrangements and practices observed by the Commission on Sustainable Development.

While retaining the intergovernmental character of the forum, the representatives of the major groups and other relevant stakeholders shall be allowed:

  1. To attend all official meetings of the forum;
  2. To have access to all official information and documents;
  3. To intervene in official meetings;
  4. To submit documents and present written and oral contributions;
  5. To make recommendations;
  6. To organize side events and round tables, in cooperation with Member States and the Secretariat

General Assembly Resolution 67/290 encourages major groups and other stakeholders ‘to autonomously establish and maintain effective coordination mechanisms’ for participation in the HLPF.

The major groups were first identified in Agenda 21 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro. These major groups and some additional stakeholder groups were identified in General Assembly Resolution 66/288 ‘The future we want’, as well as in some of the subsequent UNGA Resolutions namely, 67/290, 70/1, 70/299 and 72/305.

It is important to note that some stakeholder groups have developed to mirror other post-2015 development agreements. While not all of the major groups and other stakeholders that form the Coordination Mechanism are identified by United Nations agreed outcomes, they hold equal status within the terms of reference of the Steering Group of the major groups and other stakeholders coordination mechanism.

Contact information can be found below if you want to join one of the major groups and other stakeholders:

Business and Industry Major Group Person with Disabilities Stakeholder Group
Major Group for Children and Youth Volunteers Stakeholders Group
Farmers Major Group Stakeholder Group on Ageing
Indigenous Peoples Major Group Education and Academia Stakeholder Group
Local Authorities Major Group Asia Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism
Non-Governmental Organization Major Group Civil Society Financing for Development Group
Scientific and Technological Community Major Group Sendai Group (Stakeholder Engagement Mechanism)
Women’s Major Group Together 2030
Workers and Trade Unions Major Group LGBTI Stakeholder Group

A Steering Group was established by the organising partners of the major groups and other stakeholders. The Steering Group is responsible for facilitating the participation of the major groups and other stakeholders at the HLPF. The major groups and other stakeholders, as well as its Steering Group, are independent of the United Nations. The Terms of reference for the major groups and other stakeholders coordination mechanism can be found here.

General information about the major groups and other stakeholders here. To receive updates from the UN DESA you can join the major groups and other stakeholders coordination mechanism mailing list by completing the survey on the HLPF website here.