Implementation of SDG 16: peace, justice and strong institutions. Alternative report on the implementation of SDG 16 by the Republic of Belarus 

This report was prepared by the Belarusian Helsinki Committee in connection with the participation of the Republic of Belarus in 2022 in voluntary reporting on the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and its 17 goals at the High-Level Political Forum. The report contains an overall assessment of the SDG implementation process, and focuses on describing the actual progress in achieving Goal 16 and most of its targets. Along with other topics, the report includes analysis of gender issues, in particular gender based violence, discrimination in employment, women’s participation in desicion making, discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community, including hate speech and hate crimes, etc. 

Despite the fact that the SDGs and their implementation are directly related to human rights, the State does not see this connection and, by its actions, essentially destroys human rights, and therefore complicates the process of implementing the SDGs by 2030 for every person who lives in Belarus. Moreover, the State does not realize the central role of the principle of nondiscrimination and equality for the successful achievement of the SDGs by 2030. 

The conclusions of the report are that the problem of discrimination in Belarus is deeply rooted. In the absence of comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation, as well as due to the existence of discriminatory norms in the current legislation, many vulnerable groups are discriminated against, and the State, in turn, does not provide effective mechanisms to protect them. Despite the recommendations of the UN Committees and the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Belarus, a national human rights mechanism that meets international standards is not established. The post-electoral crisis aggravated by compliance in Russia’s aggression towards the Ukraine was a «sharp jump» for Belarus in the opposite direction from the implementation of all SDGs, including SDG16.

Belarusian Helsinki Committee, 2022