Global implementation of SDG 6 monitoring – the 2017 baseline process

Global implementation of SDG 6 monitoring was initiated in early 2017 following a thorough process of developing, testing and evaluating methodologies for monitoring the indicators.

For 2017 there are two interrelated objectives, one which is short-term and one which is longer-term:

• The short-term objective is to generate a robust baseline for each global indicator in as many countries as possible, in time for the High Level Political Forum’s (HLPF) in-depth review of SDG 6 in July 2018.

To this end, each of the custodian agencies for the SDG 6 global indicators is reaching out broadly to Member States, to encourage and support them to monitor and provide data on the respective indicators.

• At the same time, the Integrated Monitoring Initiative for SDG 6 will engage intensively with a smaller number of countries, with the aim of building long-term institutional capacity for integrated monitoring that capitalises on the interlinked nature of the indicators and their potential for informing holistic policy- and decision-making.

This process will require a longer time frame and ongoing support to reach global coverage. For the 2017 baseline process, a first set of countries have been invited via an official letter from UN-Water to their Permanent Missions in Geneva, and to date 30 have confirmed their participation. Additional countries will be invited in years to come.

The process for 2017 and beyond is as follows:

• November 2016: Selected countries receive invitations to participate in the 2017 integrated baseline process from the Chair of UN-Water; countries respond if interested and designate an overall country focal point for SDG 6 monitoring
• December 2016-March 2017: A wider set of countries receive requests for data on SDG 6 global indicators from United Nations agencies responsible for each (i.e. ‘indicator custodian agencies’)
• March 2017: UN-Water convenes inception webinars for country focal points, to introduce them to SDG 6 monitoring and discuss how it can be implemented at the country level
• March-April 2017: In-country discussions on how to implement SDG monitoring, including the formation of technical teams for monitoring each indicator; technical teams read the Integrated Monitoring Guide for SDG 6 including the detailed step-by-step methodology for each indicator
• May-June 2017: Indicator custodian agencies convene technical webinars for country technical teams (one webinar per each indicator)
• March-September 2017: In-country implementation of SDG 6 monitoring; support is provided from UN-Water and indicator custodian agencies via online tutorials, helpdesks, regional meetings, and other forms of technical support; institutional support is provided to countries participating in the integrated monitoring process
• September 2017: Countries submit baseline data for SDG 6 indicators to the indicator custodian agencies; in close collaboration with countries, custodian agencies validate the data
• February 2018: Custodian agencies submit validated country data to the United Nations Statistics Division, for publication in the Sustainable Development Goals Report 2018 and the Global SDG Indicator Portal
• Spring 2018: Based on the baseline data, UN-Water publishes a synthesis report on progress towards SDG 6, focusing on interlinkages across the 2030 Agenda
• Summer 2018: High Level Political Forum includes an in-depth review of progress towards SDG 6, on the theme 'Transformation toward sustainable and resilient societies'