Table 2 Example of SDG Localisation Problem that Can be Addressed with Case Study Methodology

While the Malaysia Sustainable Development Goals Voluntary National Review Report 2017 (Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister’s Department, 2017) showed that Malaysia has made substantial overall progress toward SDG 3: Good Health and Well Being, sexual and reproductive health (SRH) nonetheless remains a concern. Contraceptives use and adolescents sexual and reproductive health remain difficult to operationalise due to diverse local gendered realities, culture and religion. Much of the shortcomings stem from problems in local implementation:

SRH services are fragmented, with no clear mechanisms to coordinate and track progress. Common indicators and frameworks are necessary to coordinate action and leverage resources.

Meaningful engagement with local communities has not been established particularly with the marginalised and underserved populations, including young people. Community members are perceived as passive recipients of FP and SRH programmes and services.

There is a lack of understanding and buy-in from other crucial partners at the local level including the Youth and Sports Ministry, Ministry of Education, Department for Islamic Development, and local community leaders. Addressing SRH needs of unmarried, young people and adolescents remains controversial for most of the key partners.

Here, we see the need for [1] systemic understanding to overcome fragmentation of efforts [2]; for sense-making tools to enable bottom-up approaches to generate contextually appropriate solutions; and [3] for powerful narratives that can challenge and shift deeply held paradigms. These needs in localisation are not unique to the challenges of FP and SRH, and the case study approach described herein attempts to address all three.