Sustainable Development Goals, in Crisis

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Agenda 2030) and its pledge to ‘leave no one behind’ is a global commitment to improve the lives of the most vulnerable among us. However, a new report from International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) – SDG progress: Fragility, crisis and leaving no one behind – shows that millions of ‘people caught in crisis’ – people living in conflict, and/ or who are displaced within their own countries or across borders – are in fact being left behind. Failure to take action now means that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will not be met, undermining the credibility of the international community and leaving millions to die unnecessarily. 2019 is a pivotal year for the SDGs. Heads of State will for the first time since 2015 attend the High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on the SDGs. This is the moment to review progress and revise our strategy before it is too late.