TheState Great Hural (Parliament) of Mongolia in collaboration with theInter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) have successfully co-organized the SecondRegional Seminar for the Asia-Pacific Region Parliaments on Achieving the SDGsin Ulaanbaatar on May 27-28, 2019.

TheSecond Regional Seminar was concluded by adopting the Outcome document, whereDeputy Speaker of the State Great Hural of Mongolia Mr.L.Enkh-Amgalan and theIPU President Ms. Gabriela Cuevas Baron have delivered closing remarks.

Closingremarks by Ms. Gabriela Cuevas Baron, IPU President

Ulaanbaatar, 28 May 2019

Mr. Deputy Speaker,

Honorable colleagues,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

We come at the closing of theRegional Seminar on the SDGs for Asia-Pacific Parliaments. I am pleased that wehad very lively debates all the way.

It was indeed two days of intensework on fundamental issues.

Development, gender equality, socialequity, good governance, climate change and health are all issues on which weall, as parliamentarians have strong views and a strong commitment. It was verynice for me to see your commitment and I hope that you will be able tomainstream these issues into your work when you go back home.

I invite you now to move from wordsto action, let’s walk the talk! I know most of you are strongly engaged in yourrespective parliaments and countries on the SDGs. I invite you to step up theefforts.

How? 

First and foremost, you have justadopted a very good and action-oriented outcome document which I very much hopewill help you and your colleagues in your future work on the SDGs.

I would like to highlight thefollowing actions that I think are key to advancing the work on SDGs:

•           First,take the lead in your parliament on the SDGs. Ask how the parliament includesthe SDGs in its work and if the approach is effective. Advocate for the use ofthe IPU/UNDP Self-Assessment Toolkit.

•           Second,be the champion for those left behind, a defender of their rights in the media,in parliament and in your constituency.

•           Third,call for and take part in the review of your country’s legal framework to emptyit from any discriminatory legal provision. Removing barriers is key toachieving sustainable development for all.

•           Fourth,include a gender equality perspective in all your work – on any topic. Ask thequestion, how this will impact women and men differently?

•           Fifth,use your oversight power, hold government to account on development plans, lawsand policies, on budgets, on programmes and projects.

•           Andfinally, create coalition, stir action and be the force of change andtransformation among multiple stakeholders for sustainable development.

As you make plans to carry out a SDGself-assessment in your parliament, I can assure you of IPU’s readiness tostand by you in this effort.

Last but not least, let us worktogether. Each and everyone of us becomes stronger with the cooperation withothers. Work together in your region and let us work together at the globallevel through the IPU.

I look forward to this and to moreparliamentary cooperation and action for the SDGs.