Major Groups and Other Stakeholders
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Major Groups and other Stakeholders (MGoS) is a framework created by the United Nations to organise the participation of non-state actors in intergovernmental processes pertaining to sustainable development.[1]
MGoS divides stakeholders into a set of recognised constituencies and stakeholder groups that select their own representatives and speak on behalf of the stakeholder constituency or group in relevant intergovernmental meetings.[2][3]
The framework was mandated by Section III of Agenda 21, the action programme adopted at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development at Rio de Janeiro, which identified the nine original "major groups".[4]
The nine original major groups are children and youth, women, indigenous peoples, non-governmental organizations, local authorities, workers and trade unions, business and industry, the scientific and technological community, and farmers.[5]
Following the negotiations of the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, commonly known as Rio+20, the United Nations began using the longer formulation "major groups and other stakeholders" in order to accommodate constituencies that had emerged since 1992, which included volunteer groups, migrants, and older persons.[6]
The General Assembly subsequently designated private philanthropic organisations, educational and academic entities, persons with disabilities and volunteer groups alongside the original nine.[7][8]
The framework now governs the access of non-state actors at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the body responsible for global follow-up and review of the Sustainable Development Goals, and a comparable arrangement of stakeholder groups and constituencies is operated at the United Nations Environment Programme and at several of the United Nations regional commissions.[9][10]
Scholars have described MGoS as the principal means by which non-state stakeholder participation was facilitated in the global follow-up and review of the Sustainable Development Goals.[11]
Terminology
The United Nations uses the term "Major Groups" for the nine categories named in Agenda 21 and "major groups and other relevant stakeholders" for the wider set of major groups and other stakeholder groups recognised after 2012. The abbreviation MGoS is also commonly used.[12]
The framework operates independently of consultative status for non-governmental organisations with the Economic and Social Council, which is mandated by Council resolution 1996/31.[13]
Constituencies
| Constituency | Category | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Children and Youth | Major Group | Agenda 21, Chapter 25 |
| Women | Major Group | Agenda 21, Chapter 24 |
| Indigenous Peoples | Major Group | Agenda 21, Chapter 26 |
| Non-Governmental Organizations | Major Group | Agenda 21, Chapter 27 |
| Local Authorities | Major Group | Agenda 21, Chapter 28 |
| Workers and Trade Unions | Major Group | Agenda 21, Chapter 29 |
| Business and Industry | Major Group | Agenda 21, Chapter 30 |
| Scientific and Technological Community | Major Group | Agenda 21, Chapter 31 |
| Farmers | Major Group | Agenda 21, Chapter 32 |
| Persons with Disabilities Stakeholder Group | Other stakeholder | Resolution 67/290, paragraph 16 |
| Education and Academia Stakeholder Group | Other stakeholder | Resolution 67/290, paragraph 16 |
| Volunteers Stakeholder Group | Other stakeholder | Resolution 67/290, paragraph 16 |
| Stakeholder Group on Ageing | Other stakeholder | Recognised in practice after 2012 |
| LGBTI Stakeholder Group | Other stakeholder | Recognised in practice after 2012 |
| People of African Descent Stakeholder Group | Other stakeholder | Recognised in practice after 2012 |
| Stakeholder Group for Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent | Other stakeholder | Recognised in practice after 2012 |
| Civil Society Financing for Development Group | Thematic mechanism | Financing for Development process |
| Sendai Stakeholder Engagement Mechanism | Thematic mechanism | Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction |
| Together 2030 | Thematic mechanism | Implementation of the 2030 Agenda |
| Africa Regional Mechanism | Regional mechanism | Africa |
| Asia Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism | Regional mechanism | Asia and the Pacific |
| ECE Regional Civil Society Engagement Mechanism | Regional mechanism | Economic Commission for Europe region |
Governance
Paragraph 16 of resolution 67/290 invited stakeholders to establish coordination mechanisms voluntarily and autonomously. In response, participating constituencies formed the Major Groups and other Stakeholders Coordination Mechanism.[7][15]
Organising partners, who serve as the elected executive heads of each respective constituency or stakeholder group, constitute the mechanism. From such participating organising partners, two or three co-chairs of the mechanism are elected for a term of two years, renewable once.[2][16]
See also
- Agenda 21
- High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development
- Commission on Sustainable Development
- United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth
- Sustainable Development Goals
- Consultative status
- Multistakeholder governance
- United Nations Environment Assembly
References
- ↑
"Major Groups and other Stakeholders". High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, United Nations. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- Elder, Mark; Grünewald, Susanne (2025). "Insights from Agenda 21 for enhancing the implementation of the SDGs and shaping the Post-2030 sustainable development agenda". Earth System Governance. 25. Bibcode:2025ESGov..2500262E. doi:10.1016/j.esg.2025.100262. Unknown parameter
|article-number=ignored (help) - Morrow, Karen (2010). "Sustainable Development, Major Groups and Stakeholder Dialogue: Lessons from the UN". In French, Duncan. Global Justice and Sustainable Development. Leiden: Brill Nijhoff. pp. 89–107. doi:10.1163/9789004188228_006. ISBN 978-90-04-18822-8. Search this book on
- Hemmati, Minu (2002). Multi-stakeholder Processes for Governance and Sustainability: Beyond Deadlock and Conflict. London: Earthscan. ISBN 978-1-85383-870-5. Search this book on
- Elder, Mark; Grünewald, Susanne (2025). "Insights from Agenda 21 for enhancing the implementation of the SDGs and shaping the Post-2030 sustainable development agenda". Earth System Governance. 25. Bibcode:2025ESGov..2500262E. doi:10.1016/j.esg.2025.100262. Unknown parameter
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Terms of Reference: Major Groups and other Stakeholders Coordination Mechanism" (PDF). United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- ↑
Knappe, Henrike; Schmidt, Oscar (2021). "Making Representations: The SDG Process and Major Groups' Images of the Future". Global Environmental Politics. 21 (2): 23–43. Bibcode:2021GlEnP..21...23K. doi:10.1162/glep_a_00599.
- Gabizon, Sascha (2016). "Women's movements' engagement in the SDGs: lessons learned from the Women's Major Group". Gender & Development. 24 (1): 99–110. doi:10.1080/13552074.2016.1145962.
- ↑
"Agenda 21, Chapter 23: Preamble (Section III, Strengthening the Role of Major Groups)". United Nations. 1992. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- "Agenda 21, Chapter 28: Local Authorities' Initiatives in Support of Agenda 21". United Nations. 1992. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- "Resolution 47/191: Institutional arrangements to follow up the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development". United Nations General Assembly. 22 December 1992. A/RES/47/191. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- "Economic and Social Council decision 1993/207: Establishment of the Commission on Sustainable Development" (PDF). United Nations Economic and Social Council. 12 February 1993. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- Willetts, Peter (1996). "From Stockholm to Rio and beyond: the impact of the environmental movement on the United Nations consultative arrangements for NGOs". Review of International Studies. 22 (1): 57–80. doi:10.1017/S0260210500118455.
- ↑
Sénit, Carole-Anne (2020). "Leaving no one behind? The influence of civil society participation on the Sustainable Development Goals". Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space. 38 (4): 693–712. Bibcode:2020EnPlC..38..693S. doi:10.1177/2399654419884330.
- "Major Group Categories". United Nations Environment Programme. 30 January 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- Kaasa, Stine Madland (2007). "The UN Commission on Sustainable Development: Which Mechanisms Explain Its Accomplishments?". Global Environmental Politics. 7 (3): 107–129. Bibcode:2007GlEnP...7..107K. doi:10.1162/glep.2007.7.3.107.
- ↑
"The Future We Want: Outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development" (PDF). United Nations. 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- "The Contested Legacy of Rio+20". SDG Knowledge Hub. International Institute for Sustainable Development. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- Leahy, Stephen (19 June 2012). "Rio's Roadmap Falls Flat, Civil Society Groups Say". Inter Press Service. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- Bäckstrand, Karin (2006). "Democratizing Global Environmental Governance? Stakeholder Democracy after the World Summit on Sustainable Development". European Journal of International Relations. 12 (4): 467–498. doi:10.1177/1354066106069321.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 9 July 2013: 67/290. Format and organizational aspects of the high-level political forum on sustainable development" (PDF). United Nations General Assembly. 9 July 2013. A/RES/67/290. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- ↑
"Resolution 70/299: Follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the global level". United Nations General Assembly. 29 July 2016. A/RES/70/299. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- "General Assembly Reviews of ECOSOC and the HLPF". United Nations Economic and Social Council. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- "After Heated Debate, General Assembly Reappoints UN High Commission for Human Rights, Adopts Drafts on Sustainable Development, Peace, International Law". Meetings Coverage and Press Releases. United Nations. 24 July 2026. GA/12773. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- ↑
"Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development". United Nations General Assembly. 25 September 2015. A/RES/70/1. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- Abbott, Kenneth W.; Bernstein, Steven (2015). "The High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development: Orchestration by Default and Design". Global Policy. 6 (3): 222–233. doi:10.1111/1758-5899.12199.
- Rowlands, Lyndal (3 August 2018). "Unanswered Questions: How Civil Society's Contributions to Sustainable Development are Undermined at the HLPF". SDG Knowledge Hub. International Institute for Sustainable Development. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- "Protecting civic space critical to SDGs success". CIVICUS Lens. 12 July 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- "High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2026: Summary". Earth Negotiations Bulletin. International Institute for Sustainable Development. July 2026. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- ↑
"Stakeholder engagement policy". United Nations Environment Programme. 26 April 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- "Major Groups Facilitating Committee (MGFC)". United Nations Environment Programme. 8 November 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- "Stakeholder Engagement Handbook". United Nations Environment Programme. 29 December 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- "Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum (GMGSF) at UNEA-6". Earth Negotiations Bulletin. International Institute for Sustainable Development. February 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- "What is the RCEM?". Asia Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- ↑
Richter, Jano; Sénit, Carole-Anne (2025). "Major Groups and other Stakeholders". In Biermann, Frank; Hickmann, Thomas; Kang, Yi hyun; Sénit, Carole-Anne; Sun, Yixian. Essential Concepts for Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals: An A–Z Guide. London: Routledge. pp. 86–87. doi:10.4324/9781003519560-68. ISBN 978-1-003-51956-0. Search this book on
- Hickmann, Thomas (2025). "High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF)". In Biermann, Frank; Hickmann, Thomas; Kang, Yi hyun; Sénit, Carole-Anne; Sun, Yixian. Essential Concepts for Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals: An A–Z Guide. London: Routledge. pp. 52–53. doi:10.4324/9781003519560-48. ISBN 978-1-003-51956-0. Search this book on
- Beisheim, Marianne; Bernstein, Steven; Biermann, Frank; Chasek, Pamela; van Driel, Melanie; Fritzsche, Felicitas; Sénit, Carole-Anne; Weinlich, Silke (2022). "Global Governance". In Biermann, Frank; Hickmann, Thomas; Sénit, Carole-Anne. The Political Impact of the Sustainable Development Goals: Transforming Governance Through Global Goals?. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 22–58. doi:10.1017/9781009082945.003. ISBN 978-1-009-08294-5. Search this book on
- Mert, Ayşem; Remling, Elise (2023). "Changes in the practices and narratives of the United Nations High-Level Political Forum during the COVID-19 pandemic". International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics. 23 (2): 123–132. Bibcode:2023IEAPL..23..123M. doi:10.1007/s10784-023-09613-x.
- Hickmann, Thomas (2025). "High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF)". In Biermann, Frank; Hickmann, Thomas; Kang, Yi hyun; Sénit, Carole-Anne; Sun, Yixian. Essential Concepts for Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals: An A–Z Guide. London: Routledge. pp. 52–53. doi:10.4324/9781003519560-48. ISBN 978-1-003-51956-0. Search this book on
- ↑
"Major Groups and other Stakeholders (MGoS)". High-Level Political Forum 2025. United Nations. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- "Stakeholder engagement". United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- "Summary report, 11–20 July 2016: High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development". Earth Negotiations Bulletin. International Institute for Sustainable Development. 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- ↑
"Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31: Consultative relationship between the United Nations and non-governmental organizations" (PDF). United Nations Economic and Social Council. 25 July 1996. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- "Introduction to ECOSOC Consultative Status". United Nations Economic and Social Council. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- Lieberman, Amy (6 February 2020). "For many human rights NGOs, UN access remains out of reach". Devex. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- Pai, Maithili; Pérez, Francisco (18 March 2026). "A UN Committee Election Could Worsen Civil Society Access to the World Body". PassBlue. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- ↑
"Engagement and Participation Opportunities for Major Groups and other Stakeholders" (PDF). United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- "About MGoS". Major Groups and other Stakeholders. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- ↑ "About". MGoS Coordination Mechanism. 10 July 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- ↑ "HLPF Handbook" (PDF). Major Groups and other Stakeholders. July 2025. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
Further reading
- Bäckstrand, Karin (2006). "Multi-stakeholder partnerships for sustainable development: rethinking legitimacy, accountability and effectiveness". European Environment. 16 (5): 290–306. doi:10.1002/eet.425.
- Gleckman, Harris (19 January 2016). "Multi-stakeholderism: a corporate push for a new form of global governance". Transnational Institute.
- Sénit, Carole-Anne; Biermann, Frank; Kalfagianni, Agni (2017). "The Representativeness of Global Deliberation: A Critical Assessment of Civil Society Consultations for Sustainable Development". Global Policy. 8 (1): 62–72. doi:10.1111/1758-5899.12371.
- Yakupitiyage, Tharanga (17 July 2017). "Civil Society on SDG Engagement: 'We Are Not Guests'". Inter Press Service.
- Gleckman, Harris (2018). Multistakeholder Governance and Democracy: A Global Challenge. Abingdon: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-138-50213-0. Search this book on
- Beisheim, Marianne; Simon, Nils (2018). "Multistakeholder Partnerships for the SDGs: Actors' Views on Metagovernance". Global Governance. 24 (4): 497–515. doi:10.1163/19426720-02404003.
- Adams, Barbara (5 July 2019). "The HLPF review has to match the ambition of the 2030 Agenda" (PDF). Global Policy Watch.
- Dodds, Felix (2019). Stakeholder Democracy: Represented Democracy in a Time of Fear. Abingdon: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-8153-8693-3. Search this book on
- Sénit, Carole-Anne; Biermann, Frank (2021). "In Whose Name Are You Speaking? The Marginalization of the Poor in Global Civil Society". Global Policy. 12 (5): 581–591. doi:10.1111/1758-5899.12997. PMC 9292487 Check
|pmc=value (help). PMID 35875420 Check|pmid=value (help). - Blicharska, Malgorzata; Teutschbein, Claudia; Smithers, Richard J. (2021). "SDG partnerships may perpetuate the global North–South divide". Scientific Reports. 11 (1). Bibcode:2021NatSR..1122092B. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-01534-6. PMC 8617181 Check
|pmc=value (help). PMID 34824306 Check|pmid=value (help). Unknown parameter|article-number=ignored (help) - Beisheim, Marianne; Fritzsche, Felicitas (2022). "The UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development: An orchestrator, more or less?". Global Policy. 13 (5): 683–693. doi:10.1111/1758-5899.13112. hdl:10419/266665.
- Qerimi, Qerim (2022). "The Ambitious Modesty of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development". Global Policy. 13 (2): 281–288. doi:10.1111/1758-5899.13052.
- Fritzsche, Felicitas; Bäckstrand, Karin (2023). "Global Diplomacy and Multi-stakeholderism: Does the Promise of the 2030 Agenda Hold?". The Palgrave Handbook of Diplomatic Reform and Innovation. Studies in Diplomacy and International Relations. Cham: Springer. pp. 703–729. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-10971-3_35. ISBN 978-3-031-10970-6. Search this book on
- Bexell, Magdalena (2024). "Indicator accountability or policy shrinking? Multistakeholder partnerships in reviews of the sustainable development goals". Global Policy. 15 (2): 276–287. doi:10.1111/1758-5899.13348.
- Higham, Ian; Bäckstrand, Karin; Fritzsche, Felicitas; Koliev, Faradj (2024). "Multistakeholder Partnerships for Sustainable Development: Promises and Pitfalls". Annual Review of Environment and Resources. 49: 475–500. doi:10.1146/annurev-environ-051823-115857.
- O'Dell, Roni Kay M. (2025). "Civil Society Participation in Creating the SDG Indicator Framework: Open but Limited". Global Policy. 16 (4): 553–567. doi:10.1111/1758-5899.70025.
- "SDGs: accountability under threat". CIVICUS Lens. 11 August 2025.
- King, Samuel; Pousadela, Inés M. (9 September 2026). "Development Goals Falter as Civil Society Is Shut Out". Inter Press Service.
External links
- Major Groups and other Stakeholders at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development
- Major Groups and other Stakeholders coordination mechanism
- Major Groups modalities at the United Nations Environment Programme
- Asia Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism
Template:Sustainable Development Goals
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