Dr Denison Jayasooria, from Malaysia, member of ASEC / RIPESS Asia is the co-chair of the Malaysia CSO-SDG Alliance, being an informal grouping of CSOs in development, human rights, environment and think tanks – including Social & Solidarity Economy organizations. This group has come together since Oct 2015 to focus joint effort on SDGs. This alliance among other is undertaking a mapping of what CSO are doing based on SDG goals and targets

In February 2016 the CSO-SDG Alliance submitted a statement to the Malaysian Government presenting “the views of civil society leaders on the future path of the development agenda that Malaysia should adopt and implement towards 2030”.

As said in the document, “the call here is for balanced development to ensure “no one will be left behind”. It is based on a holistic development paradigm which provides equal focus on people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership. Therefore socio-economic development, human rights and environment are all essential dimensions of sustainable development”.

Since then, CSOs have now been incorporated into the formal mechanism of the government for SDG implementation at the National steering committee, cluster working group and in the 17 taskforces established.

CSO representatives at the national sdg steering committee with the Chair, the EPU DG

Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria documented the steps that the CSOs are following since 2015 and also describes the related challenges, in the following Case Study. This Malaysian process is a good example of how CSO’s (including SSE organisations) can participate, in a multi-stakeholder approach, for implementing the SDG’s.

As Dr Jayasooria says, “this is positive and has long term implications. In due time we can measure the quality of the engagement and the impact of it. But the start is a good one.”