New York — The United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) convened from 14-23 July 2025 under the theme "Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda". This year, the Forum conducted in-depth reviews of five Sustainable Development Goals: Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), Goal 5 (Gender Equality), Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), Goal 14 (Life Below Water), and Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
The Forum underlined the importance of strengthening the national ownership of the SDGs by integrating them into the country’s development plans, budgets, and policies, to form the foundation of how governments serve their people.
Decent work and inclusive growth are recognized as critical accelerators of the 2030 Agenda. As highlighted in the thematic review, achieving SDG 8 requires addressing persistent informality, high youth unemployment, and insufficient social protection coverage. The thematic review of SDG 8 aimed to explore how it can serve as a transformative lever across the 2030 Agenda, linking goals on poverty eradication, gender equality, education, social protection, climate action, and sustainable consumption and production. The Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions was repeatedly cited at HLPF as a tangible mechanism to translate these linkages into action. By fostering integrated policy and financing solutions, the GA supports countries in aligning employment, social protection and just transitions with National strategies and SDGs.
The HLPF Ministerial Declaration recognizes the Global Accelerator
The Ministerial Declaration adopted at the conclusion of the HLPF formally acknowledges the Global Accelerator as a key initiative in advancing the 2030 Agenda:
“We take note with appreciation of the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions and encourage all countries to consider supporting its implementation.”
The Global Accelerator features prominently at the Forum, in official and side events:
The Global Accelerator's importance in advancing SDG 8 was also underscored during the Ministerial Opening session on 21 July at the High-Level Segment of the Economic and Social Council, where UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged governments to translate momentum into transformation:
“Now is the time to turn that momentum into transformation with rights-based policies, accountability and real financing into programmes that support inclusion and equality for women and girls. On decent work, the global economy is leaving billions behind. Over 2 billion people are in informal jobs, and youth unemployment is stubbornly high.
But we have tools to change this. The Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection is helping countries invest in social protection initiatives, skills training, and the creation of sustainable livelihoods—including in growing industries like clean energy.”
The Secretary-General’s remarks echoed one of the key messages of the Forum: that achieving SDG 8 is pivotal for delivering on the 2030 Agenda and that the Global Accelerator is a practical, country-led mechanism to actualize this by linking employment, social protection, and just transitions with broader national development strategies.
For more information on the event, click here.
The official session “SDG 8 and interlinkages with other SDGs – Decent work and economic growth” underscored the centrality of decent jobs and social protection in advancing the 2030 Agenda. The session highlighted the findings of the UN Expert Group Meeting on SDG 8, organized by UN DESA and the ILO on 6–7 February 2025, and showcased the Global Accelerator as a key mechanism to help countries tackle informality, reduce youth unemployment, and close the financing gaps that hinder progress on decent work. During the interactive discussion, a number of Member States and stakeholders, including Denmark, Malawi, the Philippines, Spain, and the Major Group of Children and Youth, emphasized the importance of the Global Accelerator as a practical platform for advancing integrated solutions and achieving the decent jobs and sustainable growth Goal.
Watch the official HLPF session on the SDG 8 Thematic Review here.
Pathfinder Countries Share Insights on Integrating Employment, Social Protection, and Just Transitions
As part of the SDGs in Practice special event series at the HLPF, the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions took centre stage during a dedicated session held on 18 July. Titled “Accelerating SDG 8: Investing in Decent Jobs and Just Transitions Through the Global Accelerator,” the event highlighted the initiative’s role in fast-tracking progress on SDG 8 through integrated policy and financing solutions, as well as through targeted technical support.
In his opening remarks, Mr Sangheon Lee, Director of Employment Policy, Job Creation and Livelihoods of the International Labour Organization (ILO), emphasized the Accelerator’s systemic approach:
“The Accelerator is not a new project. It’s a country-led platform. A coalition. A mechanism for aligning public and multilateral investments around a shared mission: decent jobs and social protection for all.”
The session featured a dynamic exchange of experiences among pathfinder countries, coupled with a technical deep dive into the tools and diagnostics developed by the Accelerator’s Technical Support Facility (TSF). Mr Maliki, Deputy Minister at Indonesia’s Ministry of National Development Planning (BAPPENAS), and Ms Carmela I. Torres, Undersecretary at the Philippines’ Department of Labour and Employment, shared insights from their Voluntary National Reviews. They illustrated how the Accelerator is helping to integrate employment, social protection, and just transitions into national development strategies.
Ms Hopolang Phororo, UN Resident Coordinator in Namibia, further elaborated on the initiative’s impact, underscoring that meaningful progress is achievable when these interconnected issues are addressed together.
To support countries in navigating these transitions, the TSF has developed a series of technical tools—including Macroeconomic Diagnostics and Employment and Social Protection Expenditure Reviews—which were presented during the session. These tools are designed to help tailor policies and financing models to national contexts, reinforcing the Accelerator’s commitment to country-led, evidence-based reform.
Looking ahead
Building on the momentum generated at HLPF 2025, the Global Accelerator will continue to support countries in finalizing their national roadmaps, mobilizing financing, and expanding partnerships. Upcoming milestones, including the implementation of the Compromiso de Sevilla through the Sevilla Platform for Action, as well as the Second World Summit for Social Development, will be key moments to showcase progress, deepen political support, and accelerate the impact of the GA in advancing decent jobs and social protection as drivers of sustainable development.