Rwanda’s approach to implement the SDGs

Global Contribution to SDGs

Rwanda was selected to pilot SDGS on Governance and Rule of Law in recognition of its experience in measuring governance indicators using Rwanda Governance Scorecards (RGS): “The report shows the role of human and institutional capacities and effective institutions and systems in delivering on MDGs and recommendations on integrating Capacity development in SDGs”

Rwanda hosts the Africa Sustainable Development Goals Center which drive innovation and research towards achievement of the SDGs in Africa.

SDGs Domestication

Ø  The National MDG Progress Report and Domestication Roadmap for SDGs was submitted to the Cabinet;

Ø  National institute of Statistics in Rwanda (NISR) made some preliminary assessment of SDGs indicators in Rwanda’s context;

Ø  MINECOFIN with the support from One UN: Translated the SDGs into Kinyarwanda and Distribution was done to the National Dialogue Council (Umushyikirano) participants;

Ø  Initial Gap Analysis study to assess the level of domestication of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the existing National Development Plans was commissioned. The outcome of the gap analysis is expected to inform the formulation of a detailed plan to domesticate and prioritize the new elements brought by the SDGs.

Gap Analysis

Ø  In total, 14 Sector Strategic Plans were primarily consulted in the assessment process of the level of integration of the 160 SDG indicators from the 17 Goals

Ø  EDPRS-2 and Vision 2020 were also consulted for some other macro-level indicators that were not observed in the Sector Strategic Plans.

Three levels of integration were identified and assessed:

1.      Fully reflected SDG indicators that provide the same meaning and measurement as the national indicators and hence do not require further adjustment.

2.      Partially reflected SDG indicators that are partially captured in the national development plans in terms of formulation, disaggregation and measurement unit and content

3.      Not reflected SDG indicators are indicators that are not at all integrated in any of the national development plans.

  

Key findings so Far

The findings show that out of 160 SDG indicators assessed:

v  38 (27%) are fully reflected

v  51 (36%) are partially reflected

v  51 (36%) are not reflected

v  20 globally monitored or N/A are not reflected in the national development frameworks

SDGs Communication and Coordination Framework for Rwanda

Effective National Coordination framework:

v  Development Partners Coordination Group: to facilitate high level dialogue on National Priorities and implementation mechanisms with partners on SDGs and EDPRS

v  Sector Working Groups (SWGs): established in 2008 bringing together civil society, donors, private sector and the government to discuss, design and monitor sector specific strategies.

v  Joint Action Development Forum (JADF): established in 2007 to serve as a consultative forum for District Development Stakeholders (CSOs, NGOs, Development Partners, Private and Public Sectors and Local Government).

Examples of Home Grown Initiatives

Governance	Social	Economic	Political
Governance Month for accountability & Transparency	Girinka (One Cow per Poor Family)	Umuganda (Community Works)	Umushyikirano (National Dialogue)
Abunzi (Mediation Committees)	Ubudehe (Participatory socioeconomic development mechanism)	Imihigo (Performance Contracts)	Umwiherero (National Leadership Retreat)
Access to Justice Bureaus (MAJ)	One Laptop Per Child	Agaciro Development Fund	Governance Month
	9 and 12 years Basic Education	Land use consolidation	Itorero/ Ingando (National Academy for Civic Education)
	Universal medical insurance	Crop intensification program	Army week

Rwanda SDGs Localization Approach

Role	Organ	Function
Oversight and Accountability	Senate and Parliament	Oversight of the progress, endorsing plans and budgets, demanding accountability
Strategic Orientation	Cabinet	Approval of financing and implementation plans, strategic guidance
Strategic Monitoring	Leadership Retreat Umushyikirano/National Dialogue	Annual Monitoring and Accountability
Technical Advisor	DPCG	Technical Advice and support to implementation
National Technical Coordination	MINECOFIN	Integrating SDGs in plans and budgets, Monitoring and evaluating progress,
Sector Coordination	Ministerial Clusters	Addressing Cross Sectoral issues
Technical Consultations	Sector Working Groups	Forum for engaging all stakeholders, monitoring sector level
Districts coordination	District Councils, Districts Joint Action Development Forums (JADFs)	Forum for engaging all stakeholders, monitoring District level
	Community Outreach through UMUGANDA and Districts administrative organs e. g. Sectors, Cells, Villages	Citizen Participation and engagement forums

Way Forward

Ø  Rwanda has a strong comparative advantage for SDGs domestication: Leadership and Political will

Ø  SDGs cannot be implemented in isolation, they require inputs from all sectors to achieve the global and ambitious plan;

Ø  There is need for capacity to deliver on the 2030 Agenda;

 Roadmap

For effective implementation of the SDGs, there is a need:

v Further Gap Analysis

ü  To share the results from this Initial Gap Analysis (Phase1) through sector level consultations for ownership and adjusting SWG M&E matrices through Forward looking JSR - May/June 2016(Done)

ü  To conduct a more detailed analysis of Policy gaps (Phase 2) based on the final set of approved SGD indicators –May 2016 (Done)

ü  Updating of National Sustainable Development Strategies (NSDS) indicator framework; including plans for developing relevant baselines - May to June 2016 (Done)

v  Communication

ü  National Launch (TBD by Cabinet) (Done)

ü  Sensitization of Political Parties Forum - March 2016 (Done)

ü  Elaborating Full Communication Strategy - May 2016 (Done)

ü  To establish an overall Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for the SDG (SDG Africa Center)- Jan to June 2016 (Done)

ü  Other activities: Sensitization of Parliamentarians and District Councils, development of simplified localized communication tools

v  Full Integration of SDGs

ü  In elaboration of EDPRS 3 and Vision 2050 (2016 - 2017) (on track)

ü  To be integrated into new SSPs and DDPs (2016 - 2017) (on track)