A/79/179 period 2021–2025, prepared in consultation with organizations of persons with disabilities, with its national development plan. 8 26. In line with the 2030 Agenda, States undertook to develop national indicators to complement the global indicator framework for the Sustainable Development Goals. However, contrary to the global indicators expressly referring to persons with disabilities, some national indicators omit to include persons with disabilities, therefore leading to a lack of disability-disaggregated data. Here again, the participation of persons with disabilities in the development and reviews of national indicators is key to ensure they do not remain invisible to policymakers. 27. In terms of consultative bodies to formalize the participation of civil society and other stakeholders, in Spain, for example, a sustainable development council functions as an advisory and awareness-raising body in support of implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Furthermore, a committee of representatives of people with disabilities is among the 50 members of the council, composed of civil society, businesses, academia and others, and provided a report on disability and accessibility to the 2023 progress report of the national 2030 sustainable development strategy. 9 28. Regular reporting on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals is increasingly pursued at the national level taking a variety of forms. Civil society – and organizations of persons of disabilities – have not only contributed to such reporting but also taken initiative to issue studies and shadow reports to highlight the gaps as well as successes in implementation of the Goals, and offer valuable grass roots level perspectives. Organizations of persons with disabilities and civil society can also provide helpful expertise and connections to raise awareness about the Goals and related national processes with their constituencies. For example, organizations of persons with disabilities in Argentina prepared alternative reports in accessible formats with analysis of different Goals-related targets. 10 29. Subnational and local governments are increasingly involved in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, including by creating coordination and reporting mechanisms at their level. Some information shared with the Special Rapporteur illustrates that persons with disabilities have been included in voluntary local reviews, for example, in Government-led provincial consultations in Zimbabwe. 11 Voluntary national reviews 30. The voluntary national reviews received by far the most attention and traction in terms of national-level review and follow-up on implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. These country-led reviews provide an opportunity to share experiences between States who present them to the international community at the high-level political forum on sustainable development. By 2023, 189 States and one regional organization (the European Union) had presented their reviews, with many having already reported twice. 12 The voluntary national reviews process galvanized the development of national ecosystems around follow-up and review of the Goals, going well beyond the formal presentation of the report at the United Nations and __________________ 8 9 10 11 12 8/21 See submission from Ecuador. See submission from Spain. See submission from International Disability Alliance, and www.faica.org.ar/documentos/ documentos-y-publicaciones-de-faica/informe-alternativo-argentina-2022.pdf. See submission from Sightsavers, and www.uneca.org/sites/default/files/TCND/voluntary -localreviews-africa/Victoria-Falls-VLR.pdf. See https://hlpf.un.org/sites/default/files/2023-12/2023_VNR_Synthesis_Report.pdf. 24-13229