UN forum to spotlight SDGs on health, gender, oceans in 2025

A display at the United Nations Headquarters in New York illustrate the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

As the deadline for the 2030 Agenda looms, ministers, experts, and civil society actors from around the world will convene in New York next week for a high-level UN forum aimed at fast-tracking action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The 2025 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) follows two recent successful UN conferences focused on vital development issues: one in June in Nice, France, dedicated to ocean protection, and another held in Sevilla, Spain, centred on boosting financing for sustainable initiatives.

The Sevilla meeting ended with a strong call to action: to urgently address the massive $4 trillion annual shortfall in financing needed to achieve the SDGs. It also highlighted the pressing need for greater investment and deep reform of the global financial system.

Held under the auspices of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the forum will take place from 14 to 23 July at UN Headquarters in New York.

Five Key Highlights of This Year’s Forum:

1. Accelerating Action:

The HLPF is the UN’s main platform for tracking global progress on the SDGs. It meets annually to review countries’ efforts, share solutions, and promote faster action to meet the 2030 targets.

The 2025 forum will convene under the theme:

“Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its SDGs, leaving no one behind.”

With the 2030 deadline fast approaching, the forum will emphasise practical, data-driven strategies to close implementation gaps—particularly in the face of intersecting global crises, including climate change, inequality, and economic instability.

2. Five SDGs in Focus:

Each year, the HLPF conducts in-depth reviews of selected goals. In 2025, the spotlight will be on:

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

SDG 5: Gender Equality

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

SDG 14: Life Below Water

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

SDG 17, reviewed annually, stresses revitalising global partnerships and scaling up financing—echoing the recent commitments made in Sevilla.

3. Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs):

A hallmark of the HLPF is the Voluntary National Reviews—self-assessments by Member States on SDG progress. In 2025, dozens of countries will present their VNRs, highlighting successes and remaining challenges.

These reviews promote transparency, peer learning, and accountability while offering civil society a platform to engage with governments. Interactive VNR Labs will foster dialogue, innovation, and collaboration.

4. More Than Governments:

While the HLPF is an intergovernmental forum, it includes diverse voices: youth groups, local authorities, indigenous peoples, NGOs, academia, the private sector, and UN agencies.

A rich programme of side events, exhibitions, and roundtable discussions will reflect the 2030 Agenda’s spirit of inclusiveness.

5. The Final Countdown:

With only five years left, the 2025 HLPF is a critical inflection point.

More than just a check-in, it sets the tone for the 2027 SDG Summit, where global leaders will evaluate collective progress and plan the final push toward 2030.

What happens now—at this two-thirds mark—will determine whether the SDGs fulfil their global promise or become a missed opportunity.