As the world enters the final five-year stretch toward the 2030 deadline, only 17% of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets are on track. Amid growing crises and constrained multilateralism, top-down models of development are proving insufficient. The new Forus report "Unlocking the Power of Localization and Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships to Rescue the SDGs", showcases how localization is a strategic imperative that offers the best chance to close the implementation gap. 

Drawing on 15+ real-world case studies from across 20 countries , the report shows how local leadership, civil society action and equitable partnerships  are accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It presents both enabling conditions and systemic obstacles to localization—offering evidence-based recommendations to policymakers, donors, and development actors. Its core message is clear: achieving the SDGs is only possible if power, resources, and accountability are rooted at the local level. 

65% of SDG targets depend on local action —Yet Local Actors Remain Undervalued and Underfunded 

According to the 2024 UN-habitat and UCLG global review of voluntary local reviews (VLRs), 65% of SDG targets can only be achieved with the active involvement of local and regional government . From essential services like education and sanitation to climate resilience and food security, implementation must happen where people live, work and organise. 

The data speaks for itself. More than 300 cities and municipalities have published VLRs as of July 2024, a massive increase from just two which were recorded in 2018. In Latin America and Africa, VLR momentum is growing fast-with 17 counties in Kenya and 15 districts in Uganda joining the movement. These reviews are not just symbolic: in Suva, Fiji, the VLR directly informed the city's 10 year development plan and influenced fiscal allocations for the post COVID recovery. 

But local efforts often lack the resources and mandates to drive structural change. Despite the global policy consensus on localization, direct funding to local civil society organizations still represents just 1.7% of bilateral ODA. Without reforms to funding modalities and long-term political commitment, localization risks remaining an unfunded mandate. 

Civil society: A Driving Force Behind Localized SDG Solutions 

This report: “Unlocking the Power of Localization and Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships to Rescue the SDGs” showcases the foundational role of civil society organizations (CSOs) in turning localization from concept to action. In Zambia for example, the Zambia Council for Social Development (ZCSD) trained municipal officials and conducted citizen audits to improve budget transparency. In Nepal, youth co-led VLRs identified education gaps and disaster risks – input that directly shaped municipal development plans.  

“Children identified challenges – like poor education quality and disaster preparedness – and proposed powerful, actionable solutions.”  
 
Civil society is also a data innovator. In the Philippines, the ZeP2030 Initiative Co created local poverty indicators with community partners, filling critical gaps in disaggregated data  and  guiding SDG-aligned funding decisions.  

These cases illustrate how local CSOs not only implement SDG-related programs but also strengthen accountability, data systems, and public participation. 

Civil society is often the connective tissue between national plans and community needs—yet a shrinking enabling environment for civil society, disinformation, and legal barriers continue to undermine this potential. Protecting and enabling civil society must be at the heart of any serious localization strategy. 

Systemic Reform Is Needed to Scale What Works 

The report identifies several systemic enablers of effective localization that must be institutionalized to sustain impact:  

• Multilevel governance that bridges national strategies to local priorities 

• Inclusive partnerships and governance models where marginalised voices co-create policy 

• Flexible, direct financing, and capacity strengthening for local governments and CSOs 

• Robust, localized data ecosystems with disaggregated and community generated indicators 

• Digital tools that democratise participation, facilitate real-time participation and policy feedback 

“Localization is far more than a technical adjustment or a donor-driven project shift. It represents a fundamental rebalancing of power.” Sarah Strack, Forus Director explains.  

Many of these ingredients exist—but remain fragmented or fragile. What’s needed now is a more intentional, joined-up approach to embed them within national development systems and donor frameworks. 

From policy lag to policy leadership 

Localization is gaining policy traction. In 2024, 85% of countries submitting voluntary national reviews (VNRs) reported efforts to institutionalise SDG localization – up from 75% the previous year. But as the new Forus report notes, these efforts are not always systematic, inclusive, or adequately resourced.  UN DESA cautions that this shift towards localisation remains fragile without deeper institutional innovation and sustained political will.  

National governments must go beyond pilot projects and policy references. Institutionalizing localization means investing in capacities, creating spaces for bottom-up dialogue, and integrating VLRs into national accountability cycles. In countries like India and Nepal, integration of local SDG indicators into national dashboards has improved coherence. Yet in many contexts, a shrinking enabling environment, limited access to Internet and political centralization continue to stifle local initiative. 

It is time to mean it: A Strategic, Inclusive, and Necessary Shift 

The slogan “leaving no one behind" rings hollow without local leadership. Failing to localize SDG implementation—with the funding, data, and civic space it requires—will all but guarantee that we miss the mark towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and to respond to the growing global polycrisis. Localization is not a peripheral concern-it is the most practical and political pathway to achieving the SDGs. As this report makes clear, where civil society and local governments are empowered, progress happens. The challenge now is to scale what works and create the systemic conditions that allow community-driven development to flourish. 

With just five years left, localization must be institutionalised, funded and protected. Anything less is not just a missed opportunity - it is a failure of global responsibility. 

Download the full report here.