Looking for leadership
Global governance — Global
Indifference and hostility have created a leadership vacuum in development. But as practitioners do the best they can in challenging circumstances, they create their own forms of thought leadership
Peace, justice and strong institutions
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Targets
Indicators
Target
16.1
Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere
Indicators
16.1.1
Number of victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population, by sex and age
16.1.2
Conflict-related deaths per 100,000 population, by sex, age and cause
16.1.3
Proportion of population subjected to (a) physical violence, (b) psychological violence and (c) sexual violence in the previous 12 months
16.1.4
Proportion of population that feel safe walking alone around the area they live after dark
Target
16.2
End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children
Indicators
16.2.1
Proportion of children aged 1–17 years who experienced any physical punishment and/or psychological aggression by caregivers in the past month
16.2.2
Number of victims of human trafficking per 100,000 population, by sex, age and form of exploitation
16.2.3
Proportion of young women and men aged 18–29 years who experienced sexual violence by age 18
Target
16.3
Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all
Indicators
16.3.1
Proportion of victims of violence in the previous 12 months who reported their victimization to competent authorities or other officially recognized conflict resolution mechanisms
16.3.2
Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population
16.3.3
Proportion of the population who have experienced a dispute in the past two years and who accessed a formal or informal dispute resolution mechanism, by type of mechanism
Target
16.4
By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crime
Indicators
16.4.1
Total value of inward and outward illicit financial flows (in current United States dollars)
16.4.2
Proportion of seized, found or surrendered arms whose illicit origin or context has been traced or established by a competent authority in line with international instruments
Target
16.5
Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms
Indicators
16.5.1
Proportion of persons who had at least one contact with a public official and who paid a bribe to a public official, or were asked for a bribe by those public officials, during the previous 12 months
16.5.2
Proportion of businesses that had at least one contact with a public official and that paid a bribe to a public official, or were asked for a bribe by those public officials during the previous 12 months
Target
16.6
Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels
Indicators
16.6.1
Primary government expenditures as a proportion of original approved budget, by sector (or by budget codes or similar)
16.6.2
Proportion of population satisfied with their last experience of public services
Target
16.7
Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision- making at all levels
Indicators
16.7.1
Proportions of positions in national and local institutions, including (a) the legislatures; (b) the public service; and (c) the judiciary, compared to national distributions, by sex, age, persons with disabilities and population groups
16.7.2
Proportion of population who believe decision-making is inclusive and responsive, by sex, age, disability and population group
Target
16.8
Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in the institutions of global governance
Indicators
16.8.1
Proportion of members and voting rights of developing countries in international organizations
Target
16.9
By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration
Indicators
16.9.1
Proportion of children under 5 years of age whose births have been registered with a civil authority, by age
Target
16.10
Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements
Indicators
16.10.1
Number of verified cases of killing, kidnapping, enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention and torture of journalists, associated media personnel, trade unionists and human rights advocates in the previous 12 months
16.10.2
Number of countries that adopt and implement constitutional, statutory and/or policy guarantees for public access to information
Target
16.a
Strengthen relevant national institutions, including through international cooperation, for building capacity at all levels, in particular in developing countries, to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime
Indicators
16.a.1
Existence of independent national human rights institutions in compliance with the Paris Principles
Target
16.b
Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development
Indicators
16.b.1
Proportion of population reporting having personally felt discriminated against or harassed in the previous 12 months on the basis of a ground of discrimination prohibited under international human rights law
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Building the infrastructure for peace
Climate — Global, Sub-Saharan Africa
Peace deals may be negotiated by leaders, warring parties, and external powers. But to achieve lasting peace, formal agreements must be connected to peacebuilding from the grassroots up
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Empowering women during humanitarian crises
Gender — Global
As conflicts grow more protracted, climate shocks intensify, and aid budgets shrink, gender equality cannot be treated as optional. Women’s leadership and rights must be central to effective humanitarian action
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Stopping polarization from destroying democracy
Peace and security — Global
Political polarization is pushing many democracies into mutually hostile camps with conflicting views of reality. Restoring democratic health will require citizens and leaders to shift the focus from what divides society to what binds it
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The hidden toll of maternal malnutrition in conflict settings
Gender — Global, Sub-Saharan Africa
Conflict and displacement are driving a largely overlooked crisis in maternal nutrition, with grave consequences for women, babies, and long-term development. Protecting mothers’ health is one of the most effective ways to save lives and advance progress across the SDGs in fragile settings
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Can the UN still make peace?
Peace and security — Global
With the Security Council divided and the UN’s wider credibility under strain, member states are looking to the next Secretary-General for a fresh vision of peacemaking. But what can one leader realistically do to restore the organization’s influence on peace and security?
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Women, climate change, and the search for accountability
Gender — Global
As climate litigation gathers force, women are helping to redefine what accountability looks like – and exposing how far climate policy still is from delivering gender justice
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The influence of climate change on conflict
Climate — Global
Rising temperatures are inflaming old tensions and creating new fault lines in fragile states. Only integrated, locally led action can build the resilience needed for lasting peace
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Resourcing Africa’s future: fairness at the core
Extractive and land resources — Sub-Saharan Africa
Africa holds some of the world’s richest reserves of transition minerals, from cobalt and copper to lithium and platinum. To prevent the green revolution from becoming just another chapter of exploitation, African leaders and global partners must insist on value creation at home
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With sustainable development stalled, where do we look for hope?
Global governance — Global
The global development landscape is at a crossroads. As political fragmentation grows and the effectiveness of international aid comes into question, the future of the SDGs appears increasingly uncertain
