Through the Council for People’s Development and Governance’s PH Civil Society SDG Watch, ASCENT-Assert Socio-Economic Initiatives Network, Leyte Center for Development, Inc., Karapatan, Defend Panay Network, EcuVoice Philippines, WeGovern Institute, SAKA, Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation, Inc. – MISFI, and Altermidya held the People’s Review of SDG 16 forum entitled “Asserting People’s Right to Development and Governance Amid Shrinking Democratic Spaces”.
Human rights, peace, justice, and strong institutions are at stake ever since 2016. With the accelerated narrowing of civic spaces and increasing autocracy it is high time for critical CSOs to gauge where we currently are in terms of SDG 16 implementation in the country.