The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted in 2015 represents an urgent call for action. The Agenda consists of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which are a set of 17 goals and 169 targets that were defined and developed through an unprecedented dialogue among UN Member States, local authorities, civil society, the private sector, and other
stakeholders.

The 2030 Agenda calls for effective collaboration between relevant actors, knowledge, resources, skills and partnerships at both national and local level, in order to implement all of the 17 SDGs. Realization of the 2030 Agenda requires a participatory and inclusive approach at all levels, irrespective of gender, age, disability status and geographical locations. Localizing the SDGs is a crucial process for translating the global targets of the SDGs into the realities on the ground, and for individuals and communities to participate in the achievement of the SDGs and take ownership of the goals as their own and have a voice for their priorities, as well as to hold governments accountable for their commitment to the 2030 Agenda. Without effective Localization processes with inclusive civic participation, top-down development policies may conflict with local priorities and fail to accommodate the specific development context at the local level