Archive for category: Sustainable Development Goals

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Indonesia’s SDG 5 in Java

Indonesia's SDG 5Gender equality is heavily connected to reducing poverty. Indonesia’s Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5), gender equality, has 48 programmatic interventions through the United Nations (UN) and its partners. This one SDG accounts for about 25% of the UN’s SDG-related activities in Indonesia, and for a good reason. Young women aged 25 to 34 are 25% more likely than men to live in extreme poverty and are more vulnerable to falling into poverty.

In Indonesia, as of 2025, the labor force participation rate among females is 53.7% and among males is 82.3%. Even women within employment are around 14% more likely to be in vulnerable employment than men, meaning they are more likely to fall into poverty.

Dida Gardera, Indonesia’s acting deputy for the coordination of industry, manpower and tourism at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, believes that women, comprising 49% of Indonesia’s population, must not be overlooked for economic development. Eradicating gender inequality leads to economic development and a decrease in poverty in Indonesia. This can be done through advocating for women’s rights in the workplace and civil society and ensuring women’s safety. UN initiatives in these categories have greatly improved the lives of women, moving toward gender equality and alleviating poverty.

Rights of Women in the Workplace and Civil Society

Activity 1.2.15 and 1.2.16 focus on empowering women in civil society and the household, allowing women to have a more influential role. The goal of this initiative is to strengthen the ability to advocate, digital and physical security, leadership and policy influence. It fosters collective action and dialogue with policymakers, allowing meaningful participation for women in shaping an inclusive future.

Initiative 1.2.22 works to ensure decent work and reduce vulnerabilities for women and children in the context of labor migration in Southeast Asia. Part of this initiative is preventing and responding to violence against women in the workplace, including human trafficking and migrant smuggling. Preventive measures empower women migrant workers and children by uplifting their voices and equipping them with knowledge, skills and access to services.

Activity 3.1.3 aims to reduce gender-based discrimination at work and eliminate child labor, improving protection of rights for women and children during trade growth and restructuring. It allows for enhanced working conditions that enable workers to perform better, which boosts economic benefits.

Indonesia’s SDG 5 is helping women rise out of poverty through empowerment. Empowering women in society and the workplace increases household income and boosts economic growth. Results of these initiatives are evident in the increase of women holding seats in national parliament, from 11.4% in 1997 to 21.9% in 2025. By having more women included in policy-making discussions, women receive policy-based advocacy for their rights in society, the workplace and the household. Advocacy in policy allows for decent work and social protection, which provides security that allows women to rise out of poverty while establishing sustainable economic development.

Ensuring Safety of Women

Activity 1.2.19 strengthens policy ability to prevent and respond to gender-based violence facilitated by technology (TF-GBV). It takes a survivor-centered and rights-based approach to build specialized skills among police officers that enhance their ability to prevent TF-GBV. It also improves collaboration between law enforcement agencies, ministries and civil society organizations.

Activities 1.2.20, 1.2.36, 1.2.38 and 1.2.48 all aim to reduce violence against women (VAW). Both activity 1.2.20 and 1.2.38 focus on budgeting-related initiatives directed toward reducing VAW, with training of stakeholders and allocating more budget to decrease VAW. Activity 1.2.38 focuses on capacity-building activities that reduce VAW. Activity 1.2.48 focuses on implementing a VAW case management system in government centers.

Activities 1.2.45, 1.2.46 and 1.2.47 focus on reducing female genital mutilation (FGM). This is done by improving the enabling environment to establish agency, improving awareness and generating evidence among target populations.

Violence against women threatens women’s economic well-being, independence and health. Therefore, addressing and combating violence against women makes Indonesia’s SDG 5 an important component of fighting poverty. Gender-based violence affects one in three women worldwide, with 27% of women ages 15 to 49 experiencing intimate partner violence. In Indonesia, only 11.9% of women ages 15 to 49 experience intimate partner violence. This difference can partly be attributed to the initiatives described. Fighting violence against women and ensuring a safe environment for them allows participation in civil society and seeking employment without fear, facilitating personal economic growth to overcome poverty.

Agencies Behind the Initiatives

The two most prominent agencies in charge of these initiatives are the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Women. UNFPA’s main mission is to advocate and uphold women’s rights through sexual and reproductive health. Its programs center around reducing maternal mortality rates, eradicating gender-based violence and advocating for women’s reproductive rights.

UN Women is an agency that seeks to empower women by closing the gender gap, shifting laws, institutions, social norms and services. It works in four areas: leadership; economic empowerment; freedom from violence; and peace, security and humanitarian action.

In Indonesia, UN Women works with stakeholders, Komnas Perempuan (Indonesia’s National Commission on Violence Against Women), legal aids and women’s crisis centers to improve policy and seek legal justice. Its Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Programme builds alliances with women members of parliament, and its Wahid Foundation develops peace villages for women’s safety. It engages with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) sectoral bodies to develop conflict prevention and promote the collection and use of gender data for crises.

These agencies and their dedication to eradicating gender inequality benefit many women in poverty. By empowering them and allowing them the right to choose their future path, more women are able to find employment and reach their full potential, thus rising out of poverty.

– Arden Schultz

Arden is based in Milford, MI, USA and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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An Update on SDG 3 in Italy

SDG 3 in ItalyItaly has a population of 59,250,593 people throughout 7,896 municipalities. Italy demonstrates sound performance in health and wellbeing measures, evidenced by a score superior to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average on seven out of 10 key indicators. The OECD is an intergovernmental organization that promotes policies to enhance global economic and social well-being.

Another key indicator of progress in Italy is a global ranking of 26 out of 169 countries in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Despite Italy’s positive progress, poverty in Italy remains a concern which is important to understand in the context of SDGs. This is particularly so in relation to SDG 3, which aims to promote and improve population health and wellbeing. Here are some updates on SDG 3 in Italy.

Poverty in Italy

Poverty is a social issue in Italy, despite the country being one of Europe’s largest economies. The 2024-2025 report from Italy’s National Institute of Statistics states that more than 5.7 million people and 2.2 million households in Italy were living in poverty. These numbers amount to 9.8% of individuals and 8.4% of households respectively. These numbers remained largely consistent with the previous reporting year.

A rigorous effort to alleviate poverty in Italy is demonstrated through several means, including family allowances and benefits, funded childcare, income support, improved health care access, social services and regional development initiatives. For example, subsidized childcare and school meal assistance are available in some areas in Italy, greatly assisting households. Also, resources to alleviate poverty are dedicated to regions such as Calabria and Campania, where poverty and social exclusion rates are markedly high.

Italy’s National Institute of Statistics highlights the recent improvements from efforts to alleviate poverty. The number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion fell from 23.1% in 2024 to 22.6% in 2025, household incomes increased and income inequality marginally decreased.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The SDGs comprise 17 global objectives, which the United Nations (UN) developed in 2015. The SDGs represent a crucial call for action by developed and developing countries in a global partnership. The UN developed a 15-year plan to 2030, namely, The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The SDGs were formed as key measurable targets alongside overarching goals to end poverty, protect the environment and ensure prosperity within countries.

As stated above, Italy places at 26 out of 169 countries in the SDG ranking and has an index score of 79.9.

Sustainable Development Goal 3

The overarching aim of SDG 3 is to promote and improve well-being and ensure healthy living for all individuals at every stage of life. SDG 3 comprises 17 sub-groups, all representing important determinants of health. In Italy, 13 out of 17 sub-groups are currently on track or maintaining SDG achievement, while four sub-groups are experiencing challenges, indicated by scores stagnating or tracking at less than 50% of the required rate. Italy’s current progress with SDG 3 is greatest within the sub-group, increased life expectancy at birth.&lt;/p&gt;<h2>How Italy is Addressing SDG 3

Addressing SDG 3 is crucial as health and wellbeing are cornerstones to attaining a better quality of life. This applies to individuals and the broader population. The National Strategy for Sustainable Development (NSSD) is embedded in Italy’s public health framework as a key mechanism to facilitate Italy’s progress with SDG3. The NSSD is a comprehensive agenda which aligns with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, thereby supporting the achievement of SDGs in the Italian socio-economic and political context.

The NSSD coordinates initiatives at local and national levels, with examples including, yet not limited to: Promoting partnerships between government and non-government organizations to expand health coverage, reforming and making healthcare more accessible via telemedicine services, increasing healthcare staffing and tackling gaps in life-expectancy between the northern and southern regions of Italy. Addressing gaps in life expectancy represents an important action, as this is an SDG 3 component currently tracking at less than 50% of the required rate.

Additionally, Italy works with the World Health Organization (WHO) through the Italian Health Equity Status Report Initiative, to identify and reduce disparities in health outcomes. Examples of dual efforts between Italy and WHO to address SDG 3 include expanding home care services, telemedicine and improved access to childcare and education services, with a particular focus on disadvantaged populations.

Expanding the provision of home care and telemedicine are key public health goals in Italy and central components of Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). As well, applying efforts to improve these areas of health are important to reduce fragmentation between healthcare services, thus improving continuity of care, reducing pressure on the hospital system and improving health care access for the Italian population.

Healthcare Access: Challenges and Progress

The European Environment Agency states that Italy is making significant progress with the SDGs, but continues to experience many challenges. Socioeconomic challenges are notable, including a widening generational economic gap, poor social mobility and enduring poverty which impacts the health and wellbeing of numerous individuals and households.

Poverty is a key factor which can affect progress with SDG 3 in Italy, as individuals affected by poverty are more likely to face barriers that negatively impact their health status. For example, poverty is a barrier to affording health care services, medications and health insurance. Added to this, regions experiencing poverty are more likely to be in areas where healthcare facilities are scarce or hard to access. Considering this, efforts to improve healthcare access, such as telemedicine, are particularly important. Out-of-pocket healthcare spending remains relatively high in Italy and this can place a burden on lower-income households. Considering the above, strengthening access to and affordability of healthcare in Italy are important steps to improving the health of the wider Italian population, regardless of income or location.

Conclusion

In summary, the current update on SDG 3 in Italy is optimistic, as evidenced by 76.5% of SDG 3 subgroups marked as green and on track, a country ranking of 26 out of 169 and an index score of 79.9 in the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. SDG 3 encompasses a wide range of health and wellbeing domains and numerous and concurrent initiatives match this, namely, the NSSD, Italian Health Equity Status Report Initiative and Italy’s NRRP. Persistence of initiatives targeted towards strengthening healthcare access and affordability are crucial in enabling further progression with SDG 3. This will ensure that Italy will be able to address the key barriers that people experiencing poverty face and improve healthcare access for the overall population. It is anticipated that continued efforts will ensure a greater proportion of Italian people are able to experience improved health and wellbeing outcomes.

– Alexandra Nash

Alexandra is based in Belfast, UK and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Updates on SDG 5 in Haiti  

SDG 5 in HaitiThe United Nations’ fifth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 5) aims to achieve gender equality through the empowerment of women and girls. It involves addressing concerns such as gender-based violence, maternal health, economic opportunity and representation in government.

In Haiti, the achievement of SDG 5 and other development goals has been hindered by decades of political instability, social unrest and natural disasters. Some of the main barriers to women’s equality in Haiti include widespread sexual violence and limited access to economic opportunities. 

SDG 5 Indicators in Haiti

Despite progress in some areas, the Sustainable Development Report asserts that major challenges remain for Haiti’s achievement of SDG 5. This assessment is based largely on the following indicators:

  • Maternal Health – Haitian women have poor access to maternal health services and limited agency over decisions regarding their own health care. As a result, Haiti has a lifetime maternal death risk of one in 67, the second highest outside of Sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Education – Gaps in educational attainment between boys and girls have narrowed in recent decades, as school attendance has increased overall. However, adult men are more likely to have completed secondary and tertiary schooling, reflecting women’s historic disadvantage. In 2017, 26.1% of men in urban areas had pursued higher education compared to 14.9% of women.
  • Employment Opportunities – Relative equality for women in terms of labor force participation has been achieved. However, gendered segregation within the labor market confines women to certain low-wage industries, such as retail, trade and textile manufacturing.
  • Representation in Government – The Haitian Constitution requires that women hold at least 30% of posts in public administration. Haiti’s Parliament, last active in 2019, failed to meet this quota, with women holding 2.5% of lower house seats and 3.6% of senate seats.

Seven male members made up the Transitional Presidential Council, which originated in 2024 to reestablish democracy amidst the ongoing power vacuum and rise of armed gangs.

Haiti’s Current State: Displacement and Sexual Violence 

Since the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, armed gangs have gained control more than 90% of the capital, Port-au-Prince and major roads throughout the country. As of October 2025, gang violence had forcibly displaced 1.4 million people.

In this climate of violence and instability, women and girls are especially vulnerable. In makeshift camps, a lack of security puts women at risk of sexual violence. Armed gangs often use rape as a tactic of fear or coercion. Of the 5,857 reported cases of sexual assault in 2024, 64% were attributed to armed gangs and 61% of victims were internally displaced persons.

Survivors of sexual violence lack support and legal recourse, as systems for addressing sexual abuse in the camps are lacking or nonexistent. U.N. programs currently in place aim to train police officers to prevent sexual violence.

Moving Forward: UN Efforts and Haitian-Led Organizations

The United Nations currently has a number of programs in place to make progress towards SDG 5 in Haiti. Current UN Programmatic Interventions aim to address sexual and gender-based violence in Haiti, protect and empower displaced women, and enable women’s political participation.

Several Haitian-based organizations, many of them women-led, are working to address these issues on the ground. 

Nègès Mawon, a female-founded organization, has been working since 2015 to provide support to survivors of sexual violence, including medical care, legal support, economic assistance and psychological services. The organization’s safe houses provide a refuge for women escaping domestic and gang violence. In reference to the ongoing state of violence and instability in Haiti, co-founder Pascale Solages stated, “Women and girls are the first victims of this crisis.” In 2024, Nègès Mawon provided support to 1,800 women and girls. 

Another Haitian-based feminist organization is Marijàn, which originated in 2020 to promote gender equality and defend the rights of women and girls in Haiti. The organization’s program on gender-based violence provides psychological, legal and medical support to survivors. Marijàn uses education programs, community mobilization and political advocacy to further its mission of justice and dignity for women and girls in Haiti.

Although many challenges remain and Haiti is not on track to achieve SDG 5 by 2030, the efforts of United Nations agencies and Haitian-based NGOs have the potential to address the current humanitarian crisis in Haiti and its disproportionate effects on women.

– India Kaz

India is based in Seattle, WA, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Updates on SDG 1 in Yemen

SDG 1 in YemenSustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1 aims to end poverty in all its forms by 2030. Recent updates on SDG 1 in Yemen reveal both significant challenges and encouraging progress. More than a decade of conflict has damaged the country’s economy, increased food insecurity and left millions of Yemenis in need of humanitarian assistance. Despite these obstacles, international organizations and local partners continue to implement programs that strengthen livelihoods, improve resilience and help communities move toward long-term poverty reduction.

According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), approximately 80% of Yemen’s population lives below the poverty line. Before the conflict escalated in 2015, poverty affected roughly half of the population. Years of violence, economic instability and disruptions to public services have pushed millions more Yemenis into poverty. Poverty in Yemen also intersects with hunger, displacement and unemployment. Families who lose income often struggle to afford food, while conflict and economic hardship have displaced millions and limited access to stable employment opportunities.

Poverty Challenges Continue Across Yemen

Yemen remains one of the world’s most fragile states. The World Bank reported that economic pressures intensified throughout 2025 as inflation rose and household purchasing power declined. Food prices increased significantly in many areas, making it difficult for families to afford basic necessities. Humanitarian organizations also faced funding shortages, limiting the amount of aid available to vulnerable communities.

The United Nations estimated that more than 17 million Yemenis faced hunger in 2025, while more than 1 million children suffered from acute malnutrition. These conditions continue to hinder progress toward SDG 1 and threaten the well-being of millions of people.

The ERRY Program Builds Rural Resilience

One of the most successful poverty-reduction initiatives in Yemen is the Enhanced Rural Resilience in Yemen (ERRY) Joint Programme. The European Union and the Government of Sweden funded the program, while UNDP, FAO, WFP and ILO implemented it through partnerships with local organizations.

From 2016 to 2025, ERRY operated in 37 districts across eight governorates. The program combined livelihood support, food security projects, local governance initiatives and employment opportunities. According to UNDP, ERRY reached more than 2.1 million people through direct and indirect interventions.

The program focused on helping communities generate income rather than relying solely on emergency assistance. It supported farmers, created jobs, strengthened local institutions and increased resilience to climate-related shocks. By investing in long-term recovery, ERRY advanced several targets under SDG 1 while helping communities rebuild their economic foundations.

The impact of the program extends beyond statistics. In a UNDP case study, Abeer, a young photographer in Taiz Governorate transformed her passion into a profession after receiving training and a start-up grant through the ERRY program. She now earns an income by photographing local events and stories. Her experience illustrates how livelihood programs can help Yemenis build sustainable sources of income and reduce dependence on humanitarian assistance.

Urban Development Projects Create Economic Opportunities

Infrastructure investments have also contributed to poverty reduction efforts. Through the Yemen Integrated Urban Services Emergency Project, UNOPS and the World Bank restored critical services while creating employment opportunities for local residents.

By the end of 2025, the project had improved services for more than 4.5 million people. Workers rehabilitated nearly 240 kilometers of roads and more than 301,000 meters of water and sanitation networks. The initiative also generated more than 1.4 million labor days of employment, providing income for thousands of households.

These investments address immediate community needs while strengthening local economies. Improved transportation, reliable services and temporary employment help families increase income and access essential resources.

Looking Ahead for SDG 1

Although Yemen continues to face severe economic and humanitarian challenges, recent updates on SDG 1 in Yemen highlight the impact of targeted development programs. Initiatives such as the ERRY Joint Programme and the Yemen Integrated Urban Services Emergency Project demonstrate how international partnerships can support poverty reduction even in fragile environments.

These programs have already reached millions of Yemenis through job creation, livelihood support and improved public services. While substantial work remains before Yemen can fully achieve SDG 1, ongoing investments in resilience and economic recovery offer a path toward a more stable future. Continued support from development organizations, donors and local communities can help ensure that more Yemeni families escape poverty and build sustainable livelihoods in the years ahead.

– Angela Qi

Angela is based in Beijing, China and focuses on Business and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pxhere

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The UN’s Mission of Eradicating Extreme Global Poverty

extreme global povertyMedia coverage often frames global instability as inevitable, spreading the idea that the conditions of global poverty are beyond the reach of policy and action. However, organizations like the United Nations (U.N.) and the World Bank offer a more hopeful approach to this matter. The U.N. has created a mission to end poverty called Sustainable Development Goal 1, with the aim of eradicating extreme poverty by 2030. Since its creation in 2015, it has shifted from a charity-driven initiative to a systematic blueprint essential for the global economy.

The Basis

For many years, a country’s success has often been defined by its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Yet, as noted in the Beyond GDP report, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres points out that when people look at a country’s growth, they ignore the people that the growth is actually meant to help. The U.N. has recently launched the Global Dashboard, which measures progress from an environmental and human rights approach. In other words, a country’s growth does not simply rely on its factories but on citizens’ access to gender equity, technology and clean water.

Social Protection Achievement

This year, a landmark achievement was confirmed by the International Labour Organization (ILO). According to Global Issues, more than half of the world’s population now receives at least one form of social protection benefit for the first time on record. These social protection benefits range from child allowances for struggling families to pensions for people living in rural villages. The U.N. strives to extend this social protection and emphasize that financial security is not a luxury but an essential human right. The U.N.’s Pact for the Future report outlines goals including promoting universal health coverage, increasing access to quality and inclusive education and improving opportunities for decent work and universal access to social protection.

This milestone is particularly significant in sub-Saharan Africa, where social protection implementation has historically been slower and less effective than in other regions. Nations such as Ghana, Ethiopia and Kenya have expanded their cash transfer programs over the years, reaching millions of families.

A New Approach To Extreme Global Poverty

The World Bank recently updated its Multidimensional Poverty Measure (MPM) with the aim of defining extreme poverty not through income but through access. According to a U.N. report, the international poverty line was raised from $2.15 in 2017 purchasing power parity to $3.00 in 2021 purchasing power parity, meaning anyone living on less than $3.00 a day is considered extremely poor. The new standard urges countries to expand access to education, sanitation and electricity, placing a strong emphasis on the standard of living.

The new framework increases pressure on governments in sub-Saharan Africa to expand basic services such as electricity, sanitation and education, rather than focusing solely on income levels.

Looking Ahead

The World Bank shows that the extreme global poverty rate is around 10%, a significant decrease from the past, though hundreds of millions of people continue to struggle. The frameworks set by the World Bank and the U.N. represent new approaches for addressing these disparities and offer a roadmap for sustained progress in the years ahead.

– Hasini Muddapu

Hasini is based in Princeton, NJ, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pixabay

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Updates on SDG 2 in China to Address Hunger

SDG 2 in ChinaIn 2015, the United Nations replaced the eight Millennium Development Goals with 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to track countries’ progress in eliminating poverty. SDG 2 focuses on eliminating hunger and China has several updates in this area. Here are the updates on SDG 2 in China.

SDG 2 in China: A General Trend

China observes a low rate of hunger in most of their population and a general downward trend, where fewer people suffer from this issue. In 2000, around 20% of the population was undernourished, but in 2025 that number was less than 2.5% and it continues to decline; those who are malnourished are often located in rural, mountainous areas where they have limited access to infrastructure and government support.

Updates on SDG 2 in China

Hunger challenges in rural areas decrease China’s SDG rating and one can associate most of these issues with local climate.

Rural provinces Gansu and Qinghai observe the highest rates of hunger in China. Earthquakes, droughts and other unpredictable weather events make farming a challenge for people living in Gansu. The most famous earthquakes have reached 7.8-8.5 on the Richter scale and destroyed more than 20,000 square kilometers of land, leaving the people of Gansu struggling to find sufficient resources.

The people of Qinghai experience similar issues and their high altitude often poses agricultural obstacles. Farmers have several adaptive behaviors to ensure sufficient food supply despite environmental challenges. These strategies include adjusting crop planting time, modifying planting structure, using plastic coverings to protect crops, buying agricultural insurance and seeking other sources of food, such as animal meat, eggs or milk, which are easier to protect from environmental events.

The Good News

The vast majority of Chinese people do not have hunger concerns. In 2017, China launched a Rural Revitalization Strategy to combat hunger in rural regions. The policy focuses on developing rural regions and improving farming technology to allow the people living there independence and stability. Methods include: diversifying economic resources of the region beyond farming and handicrafts as well as developing online presence to advertise goods and invite commercial traffic. The policy has already helped more than a billion people and remains a vital source of relief.

Since the challenges in these areas are mainly environmental and not political, the Chinese government becomes a cooperative and powerful actor in this situation. The Chinese Communist Party continues to expand on its strategies to improve the lives of those in more rural regions.

Gansu has rich mineral resources, including coal, iron, copper and various rare Earth metals. The province also has major sources of renewable energy. Hydroelectricity provides most of the power in this area, meaning that the province has an environmentally stable source of energy.

Qinghai is sparsely populated and not heavily developed, but has many natural resources and tourist attractions that hold potential for revenue that could improve the lives of residents. High-quality honey has also become more sought after in recent years. In only the first four months of 2026, exports of honey have increased by more than 20%, largely exporting to countries such as Greece, Singapore and Poland.

China has an extensive railroad and bullet train system which helps transport people and goods over long distances. This can give people living in rural areas more autonomy and allow more connection and development. China could use its railroad system to transport freight and develop the areas and the high-speed bullet trains may function as efficient transportation for people in rural areas to commute or even move to the city to seek more lucrative opportunities as well as allow them to travel to different rural areas with possibly more fertile land.

Conclusion

Although hunger in China persists, solutions are available for people living in these regions. Continued development with maglev and using this technology to focus on rural revitalization can have major impacts on people living with limited access to major infrastructure. Leveraging valuable natural resources and tourist attractions may also increase revenue and improve living conditions.

– Amber Mantiply

Amber is based in Silver Spring, MD, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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SDG 4 in Sudan: How Poverty and Conflict Threaten Education

SDG 4 in SudanSudan’s civil war has devastated the country’s education system, leaving millions of children without access to school. In the Northeast of Africa, Sudan has faced decades of political instability and conflict, with the current civil war beginning in 2023, leading to a vital consequence of famine and a claim of genocide in the Darfur region. Furthermore, the conflict caused damage to nearly every sector within the country, particularly the education sector. According to the UNESCO reports on the education situation in Sudan, since the Sudanese conflict began in 2023, only three out of 17 million school age children have returned to school, with fewer than one-third of schools being reopened. Here is information about the conflict and education situation in Sudan, including efforts to address SDG 4 in Sudan, which is a goal to provide accessible education to everyone.

Background of the War in Sudan

Omar al-Bashir, who was the former president of Sudan, helped form the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), known as the “Janjaweed militia,” which was a paramilitary group formed to act as a border guard force and was later moved to the capital city in 2019 to protect al-Bashir from any potential military coups and assassination attempts. However, later on, the RSF joined the Sudanese Armed Forces in overthrowing al-Bashir’s government and forming a new transitional government. The transitional government was later the main reason for the current war, due to the major power struggle between the RSF and the SAF, escalating to what is known now as the Sudanese Civil War.

Potential of Poverty Improvements in Sudan

According to the United Nations officials in Sudan, around seven in 10 people in Sudan live in poverty, compared to a percentage of 38% before the beginning of the war. Additionally, the country could potentially face a rise of extreme poverty, with the possibility of an additional 34 million people becoming impoverished if the conflict continues until 2030. However, according to the UNDP, if the country restores peace using the International Futures modeling system, Sudan’s GDP could reach $58.2 billion USD by 2043, resulting in an increased life expectancy and 17.3 million people being lifted out from extreme poverty, moving the country to a better socioeconomic situation.

SDG 4 in Sudan and the Potential of the Education Sector

SDG 4 is the goal of Quality Education under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which aims that by 2030, the world will have inclusive and equitable quality education. There are 10 targets including a focus on providing free primary and secondary education, ensuring equal access to primary and higher education and eliminating discrimination in education, along with many other goals that aim to support lifelong learning around the globe.

Due to the conflict in Sudan, there have been around 88 reports of violence in schools, resulting in harm for students, teachers and school facilities. Those violence reports included killings, injuries, torture, abduction of teachers and sexual violence. Additionally, the military have used school facilities in Sudan for active fighting and storage of weaponry, which makes it unsafe for educational use.

With this being said, in October 2023, around 19 million school-age children have been out of school, causing a severe disruption of their learning and education progress. Additionally, more than 10,400 schools have been closed, and even after an indication that around 65% of these schools were open again by January 2026, more than 7 million students remained out of school.

Addressing Education in Sudan

Despite the severity of the situation, a collaboration between Sudan’s Local Education Group and UNESCO has developed, involving more than 600 participants and more than 34 national and international organizations financially contributing to the project. The project aims to work towards a Transitional Education Plan with the goal of developing Sudan’s education system and acknowledging short-term and long-term humanitarian needs so that the Sudanese education system remains well structured and inclusive even with the current instability in the country.

Additionally, the project is focusing on creating safe learning environments, providing infrastructural support to ensure protective education facilities for school children and rebuilding and supplying equipment for schools. Moreover, it is also using temporary learning spaces to make its plans time-effective and ensure that children do not stay out of school for long periods of time during the conflict, instead, using those temporary spaces for learning during the work of the project. It is also focusing on providing training for marginalized groups to prevent skill gaps, such as for people with disabilities, and ensuring gender equality in terms of the provision of training, hoping to have a transformative impact and prevent a potential collapse on Sudan’s education sector.

Concluding Thoughts

Overall, the findings show that the Sudanese civil war has a significant impact on the Sudanese community and education system, despite the efforts to limit its influence. However, its impact is likely to decline as people, advocates and organizations shed light on it, and dedicate projects toward improving education and addressing SDG 4 in Sudan.

– Annab Ahmed

Annab is based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Updates on SDG 1 in Venezuela

SDG 1 in VenezuelaPoverty remains one of the most urgent challenges in Venezuela, making updates on SDG 1 in Venezuela an important topic to examine. Sustainable Development Goal 1 (SDG 1) calls for ending poverty in all its forms, expanding social protection and reducing the vulnerability of people facing economic and social shocks. In Venezuela, that goal remains difficult to achieve. While some indicators suggest limited improvement in monetary poverty, recent evidence shows that many families still struggle with food insecurity, low purchasing power and barriers to basic services.

What SDG 1 Means for Venezuela

SDG 1 is broader than income alone. The goal includes reducing poverty according to national definitions, strengthening social protection systems and helping vulnerable populations gain access to essential services. In Venezuela, this matters because poverty is not only expressed through low wages or unstable income. It is also reflected in whether families can afford food, whether children can remain in school and whether households can meet basic needs with dignity.

That distinction is especially important in the Venezuelan case. A household may experience a small increase in income and still remain in a deeply precarious situation if access to health care, education and adequate nutrition continues to lag. For that reason, updates on SDG 1 in Venezuela must be understood through a multidimensional lens rather than through income data alone. UNICEF’s Venezuela social protection program links poverty directly to family income, unmet needs and structural inequality.

What Recent Data Shows

Recent data presents a mixed picture. According to ENCOVI 2024, Venezuela’s economic reactivation has contributed to a decrease in monetary poverty. However, the same report states that these changes have had only a limited impact on improvements in access to education and health care, where significant deficits remain. This means that while some households may be earning slightly more, broader living conditions have not improved at the same pace.

International SDG tracking also reflects these limits. The Sustainable Development Report 2025 gives Venezuela an SDG Index score of 63.8 and ranks it 115th out of 167 countries. The profile also notes that Venezuela completed one Voluntary National Review between 2016 and 2025. This suggests that overall progress toward SDG goals, including SDG 1, remains limited.

Social Protection and Humanitarian Support in Venezuela

Despite these challenges, there are still efforts underway that connect directly to SDG 1. UNICEF Venezuela states that its main objective in social protection is to ensure that children and adolescents have access to inclusive social protection and live free of poverty.

UNICEF implements programs such as:

  • Multipurpose Cash Transfers, which provide families with direct financial support to cover essential needs such as food, hygiene products and medicines.
  • Child Nutrition Programs, which deliver nutritional supplements in schools and community centers to support children’s development.
  • Institutional Strengthening, which helps improve poverty measurement and technical capacity for public policies aimed at reducing inequality.

These programs have reached thousands of vulnerable families and contributed to increased food security and household stability.

Humanitarian assistance also remains essential. The World Food Programme (WFP) began implementing its school meals program in Venezuela in 2021. According to WFP, 5.1 million people in Venezuela urgently require food assistance, and the agency reached 750,000 people in 2025. Its school meals program supports more than 330,000 people across more than 1,100 schools, helping reduce pressure on vulnerable households and improve child nutrition.

Why Progress on SDG 1 Remains Uneven

Even with these efforts, progress on SDG 1 in Venezuela remains uneven. ENCOVI 2024 makes clear that improvements in monetary poverty have not translated into equally strong advances in education and health. UNICEF also notes that low household income and unmet basic needs continue to limit long-term progress. This shows that poverty in Venezuela remains both economic and structural.

Recent 2026 reporting reinforces this fragility. Reuters reported that the IMF described Venezuela’s situation as “quite fragile,” citing inflation, currency depreciation, and persistent inequality. Additional reports indicate that rising oil prices may improve national revenue but can also increase food and fuel costs, placing further pressure on low-income households.

The Road Ahead for SDG 1 in Venezuela

The future of updates on SDG 1 in Venezuela depends on whether the country can move from short-term relief toward broader stability and inclusion. Better poverty measurement, stronger social protection and sustained humanitarian assistance remain essential. Organizations such as UNICEF and WFP demonstrate that practical support is possible even in difficult conditions.

Venezuela remains far from achieving SDG 1, but the country’s situation also highlights why the goal matters. Poverty is not only about income. It is connected to food security, education, health and the ability of families to live with dignity. Understanding these factors is key to building more effective responses and moving toward long-term poverty reduction.

– Adriana Carolina Herrera

Adriana is based in Mentor, Ohio, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Poverty in Mexico and SDG Progress

Poverty in MexicoIn 2015, United Nations member states adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a global effort to end poverty, protect the planet and promote peace and prosperity by 2030. Mexico, a country of about 128 million in North America, has seen progress in reducing poverty through federal policies, but key challenges remain. Poverty in Mexico has been on the decline in recent years. As of 2025, the number of Mexicans living below the $2.15 per day poverty threshold fell from 3.9 million, or 3%, in 2018 to 2.5 million, or 2%.

Despite this progress, structural and institutional inequality still threatens Mexico’s ability to meet the SDGs. This article will review Mexico’s evaluation based on the United Nations SDG objectives for the country.

Progress on Poverty

Poverty reduction has been significant nationwide. Over the past five years, the poverty headcount ratio at $2.15 per day has decreased from 5.06 in 2020 to 1.82 in 2025. In the same time frame, poverty rates after taxes and transfers have been reduced from 16.6% to 15%.

In the 2024 Voluntary National Review (VNR), Mexico emphasized the role of policy in these reductions. For example, from 2018 to 2024 minimum wage increased by 110% and the unemployment rate reduced to 2.6%. The main financiers for these poverty in Mexico reduction programs have been the federal government and foreign investors. Social spending increased by 38%, and by 2023, foreign direct investment increased by 27%. 

Although inequality has been improving nationally, regional disparities persist. The 2024 VNR report states that between 2018 and 2022, the contrast between the richest and poorest decile earning ratios has declined from 22 times to 15 times.

Despite these improvements, inequality persists in rural regions of Mexico. As of 2025, 88% of the rural population lives below the $2.15 poverty threshold. This percentage has remained stagnant since 2018.

What’s Driving Change?

The Mexican government has been deliberate about addressing social injustices and structural inequality by means of redistribution programs. For example, from 2018 to 2022, 10 million additional Mexicans became food secure.

Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure per capita growth (annual %) increased from 0.5% in 2018 to 1.9% in 2024, with a volatile period in between, ranging from a minimum of -10.6% in 2020 and a maximum 7.7% in 2021.

In spite of efforts, issues in health care, social protection, gender inequality and structural informality persist. In the VNR report, the Mexican government claimed it had aimed to address some of these issues by focusing on SDGs which were interdependent on each other, such as how addressing SDG 1 (no poverty) invariably affects SGD 10 (reduced inequalities) as well.

Is Mexico on Track for 2030? 

The United Nations uses the SDG index rank, SDG index score and spillover score to quantify a nation’s progress towards achieving its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as to measure a nation’s ability to help other nations develop their own SDGs. Currently, Mexico ranks 72nd in the SDG index rank. Additionally, it has an index score of 70.80 and a spillover score of 90.23, ranking it at 85 out of the 167 UN member states that qualify for the index. These rankings demonstrate that, despite the progress on poverty in Mexico and inequality that has been made, there is room for improvement with regard to other SDGs.

In 2024, Mexico announced its policy initiative through the Plan Nacional de Desarrollo (PND). PND aims at stating the objectives and priorities of the government for the 2025 to 2030 period. PND contains four main areas of focus and three cross-cutting issues to direct public policy. Among the main areas of focus is “moral economy and work,” which states the priority of increasing minimum wages, expanding formal jobs and promoting social security. Among the cross-cutting issues, sometimes referred to as the transverse axis, the “substantive equality and women’s rights” objective aims at improving health policies and eliminating structural violence for women through reforms and the SEMUJERES agency.

The PND initiatives are part of the Movimiento Regeneracion Nacional (MORENA) attempt to consolidate the second stage of the transformation. The transformation is in reference to the general project of the party titled La Cuarta Transformacion, a political project which aims at transforming the political, economic and social structures of Mexico.

The Future of Mexico

The experience of Mexico shows that poverty reduction is possible, but sustaining it requires deeper structural reform. Issues related to health care, social protection, gender inequality, structural informality and regional inequality persist in the country. However, with the help of the PND strategic framework and policy initiatives, Mexico could be on track to achieve a majority of its SDGs by 2030.  

– Arturo Gonzalez 

Arturo is based in Miami, FL, USA and focuses on Business and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Updates on SDG 14 in Mauritius

SDG 14 in MauritiusMauritius has an Exclusive Economic Zone of approximately 2.3 million square kilometers, one of the largest maritime territories of any small island state on earth. According to the United Nations, that vast ocean space represents one of the country’s greatest untapped opportunities for food security and poverty reduction. And yet, as the U.N. Development Programme has documented, rising food prices and growing import dependence continue to place significant financial pressure on ordinary Mauritian households.

Updates on SDG 14 in Mauritius sit at the center of that contradiction. Sustainable Development Goal 14, Life Below Water, is not simply an environmental target for the island nation. The U.N. frames it as a direct pathway to economic resilience, local food production and poverty reduction for a country whose ocean territory dwarfs its landmass many times over.

Poverty and Food Insecurity

While extreme poverty remains low in Mauritius, vulnerability remains an important issue in the context of rising food prices and import dependence. According to the IMF, the national relative poverty rate fell to 7.3% in 2023, while the Sustainable Development Report 2025 places the poverty headcount ratio at 0.8% at $2.15 per day and 1.3% at $3.65 per day. At the same time, food insecurity indicators remain concerning: the prevalence of undernourishment was 5.9% in 2022, and other estimates place it as high as 8.7%. These figures are especially significant in a country where rising food prices and seafood affordability continue to place pressure on lower-income households.

Recent estimates indicate that roughly 8.7% of the Mauritian population is undernourished. For a middle-income island economy surrounded by one of the world’s most productive ocean territories, that figure reflects a structural gap rather than a resource one. The food is not absent. The systems to make it accessible and affordable are what need work.

An Island That Imports What Its Ocean Could Provide

As a Small Island Developing State, Mauritius depends heavily on external markets for food supply. The U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) notes that this dependence makes the country particularly vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions, imported inflation and geopolitical instability, forces that Mauritian households have little power to control and even less capacity to absorb.

Fish illustrates the problem clearly. Once one of the most accessible protein sources for Mauritian households, seafood has become noticeably more expensive in recent years. Official food security data show that the price of frozen fish peaked at Rs 327 in February 2023 and remained high at Rs 321 in May 2024. For lower-income families, this price pressure has narrowed dietary choices and deepened food inequality, despite the island being surrounded by vast marine resources that remain underutilized.

The Delivery Gap

Mauritius has made genuine legislative progress aligned with SDG 14 objectives. Two pieces of that framework are worth examining in detail because they illustrate both how far the country has come and how much distance remains.

Mauritius’s environmental governance framework is primarily anchored in the Environment Protection Act 2002, later strengthened through amendments in 2008, which extends environmental stewardship and pollution-control standards across the island’s coastal and marine zones. According to the Nairobi Convention’s country profile on Mauritius, the Act establishes environmental impact assessment requirements for coastal development projects, a mechanism designed to reduce shoreline degradation and protect marine biodiversity and fishing stocks over time.

The Integrated Coastal Zone Management framework provides the institutional structure for coordinating the management of Mauritius’s lagoons, coral reefs and coastal ecosystems across multiple government agencies. According to the Nairobi Convention’s Mauritius country profile and related regional assessments, it has supported beach rehabilitation, habitat mapping, water-quality monitoring and coral reef restoration. While the policy framework is clearly in place, implementation and ecological outcomes continue to vary across coastal zones, reflecting the long-term nature of restoration and the uneven pressures faced by different parts of the island.

The Data Behind the Urgency

The Sustainable Development Report 2025 places Mauritius 76th out of 167 countries with an overall SDG score of 70.3, a performance that reflects moderate progress on some goals and persistent challenges on others. SDG 14 sits firmly in the second category.

According to the SDG Index Dashboard for Mauritius, only 11.1% of marine sites important to biodiversity were protected in 2023. The same dataset recorded an Ocean Health Index clean water score of 68.7 in 2024, pointing to ongoing environmental pressures on the island’s marine ecosystem. Most strikingly, 71.9% of fish caught came from overexploited or collapsed stocks, a figure that directly links marine degradation to food security, livelihoods and poverty reduction, rather than framing it solely as an environmental issue.

When nearly three-quarters of the national fish catch draws from stocks already under severe pressure, updates on SDG 14 in Mauritius become less about environmental reporting and more about understanding a food security risk that is actively developing.

An Organization Closing the Gap

The Indian Ocean Commission’s SmartFish Programme offers a concrete example of what meaningful SDG 14 implementation can look like in practice. Launched in 2011, the regional initiative operates across Indian Ocean island states, including Mauritius, with a focus on strengthening fisheries governance, improving market access for small-scale fishers and building the data systems needed to monitor fish stock health over time. In doing so, it connects marine sustainability directly to livelihoods, food security and poverty reduction.

According to regional fisheries governance sources, SmartFish supports fishermen, coastal communities and food security outcomes across the region. For Mauritius, this helps transform marine resources into systems that support local food production, employment and poverty reduction.

Beyond institutional programs, the blue economy offers significant potential through aquaculture, algae cultivation, oyster farming and marine-based small enterprises. World Bank assessments identify these sectors as drivers of employment, lower seafood import dependence and improved food affordability.

What the Numbers Mean for the People

Updates on SDG 14 in Mauritius ultimately tell a story about the distance between a country’s resources and its population’s access to them. According to the SDG Index Dashboard, 71.9% of fish catch is linked to overexploited or collapsed stocks. That figure is not an abstraction, it is a timeline. Every year, that number holds or worsens, the foundation for domestic food production, fishing livelihoods and food affordability erodes a little further.

The U.N. SDG framework, regional fisheries programs such as SmartFish and Mauritius’s own legislative infrastructure all point in the same direction. Deeper investment in sustainable fisheries, aquaculture and marine-based enterprise, combined with stronger implementation of existing policy, represents one of the most direct paths available to Mauritius for narrowing the gap between its ocean wealth and persistent food vulnerability among lower-income households. The challenge now is turning existing frameworks into measurable results.

– Aditya-R Nowbuth

Adutya-Raj is based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and focuses on Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels