Goal 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

The threats of international homicide, violence against children, human trafficking and sexual violence are important to address to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development. They pave the way for the provision of access to justice for all and for building effective, accountable institutions at all levels.

While homicide and trafficking cases have seen significant progress over the past decade, there are still thousands of people at greater risk of intentional murder within Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and around Asia. Children’s rights violations through aggression and sexual violence continue to plague many countries around the world, especially as under-reporting and lack of data aggravate the problem.

To tackle these challenges and build a more peaceful, inclusive societies, there needs to be more efficient and transparent regulations put in place and comprehensive, realistic government budgets. One of the first steps towards protecting individual rights is the implementation of worldwide birth registration and the creation of more independent national human rights institutions around the world.

Facts and figures

●Among the institutions most affected by corruption are the judiciary and police.

●Corruption, bribery, theft and tax evasion cost some US $1.26 trillion for developing countries per year; this amount of money could be used to lift those who are living on less than $1.25 a day above $1.25 for at least six years

●Birth registration has occurred for 73 per cent of children under 5, but only 46% of Sub-Saharan Africa have had their births registered.

●Approximately 28.5 million primary school age who are out of school live in conflict-affected areas.

●The rule of law and development have a significant interrelation and are mutually reinforcing, making it essential for sustainable development at the national and international level.

●The proportion of prisoners held in detention without sentencing has remained almost constant in the last decade, at 31% of all prisoners.

Violence against children

●Violence against children affects more than 1 billion children around the world and costs societies up to US$ 7 trillion a year.

●50% of the world’s children experience violence every year.

●Every 5 minutes, somewhere in the world, a child is killed by violence

●1 in 10 children is sexually abused before the age of 18.

●9 in 10 children live in countries where corporal punishment is not fully prohibited, leaving 732 million children without legal protection.

●1 in 3 internet users worldwide is a child and 800 million of them use social media. Any child can become a victim of online violence.

●Child online sexual abuse reports to NCMEC has grown from 1 million in 2014 to 45 million in 2018.

●246 million children worldwide affected by school-related violence each year.

●1 in 3 students has been bullied by their peers at school in the last month, and at least 1 in 10 children have experienced cyberbullying.

Goal 16 targets

●16.1 Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere

●16.2 End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children

●16.3 Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all

●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

●16.5 Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms

●16.6 Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels

●16.7 Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels

●16.8 Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in the institutions of global governance

●16.9 By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration

●16.10 Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements

●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

●16.B Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development

PEACE, JUSTICE, AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS: WHY THEY MATTER

Today, 20 million people are refugees, over 41 million people have been internally displaced, and at least 4 million people are stateless

(UN Photo / Stuart Price)

What’s the goal here?

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for

sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

Why?

Peaceful, just and inclusive societies are necessary to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). People everywhere need to be free of fear from all forms of violence and feel safe as they go about their lives whatever their ethnicity, faith or sexual orientation.

In order to advance the SDGs we need effective and inclusive public institutions that can deliver quality education and healthcare, fair economic policies and inclusive environmental protection.

What needs to be done to address this?

To achieve peace, justice and inclusion, it is important that

governments, civil society and communities work together to implement lasting solutions to reduce

violence, deliver justice, combat corruption and ensure inclusive participation at all times.

Freedom to express views, in private and in public,

must be guaranteed. People must be able to contribute to decisions that affect their lives. Laws and policies must be applied without any form of discrimination. Disputes need to be resolved through functioning political and justice systems.

National and local institutions must be accountable and need to be in place to deliver basic services to families and communities equitably and without the need for bribes.

How does this goal apply to me, wherever I live?

Crimes that threaten the foundation of peaceful societies, including

homicides, trafficking and other organized crimes, as well as discriminatory laws or practices, affect all countries. Even the world’s greatest democracies face major challenges in addressing corruption, crime and human rights violations for everyone at home.

What would be the cost of not taking action now?

Armed violence and insecurity have a destructive impact on a country’s development, affecting economic growth and often resulting in long-standing grievances among communities.

Violence, in all its forms, has a pervasive impact on societies. Violence affects children’s health, development and well-being, and their ability to thrive. It causes trauma and weakens social inclusion.

Lack of access to justice means that conflicts remain unresolved and people cannot obtain protection and redress. Institutions that do not function according to legitimate laws are prone to arbitrariness and abuse of power, and less capable of delivering public services to everyone.

To exclude and to discriminate not only violates human rights, but also causes resentment and animosity, and could give rise to violence.

What can we do?

Take a genuine interest in what your government is doing. Raise awareness in your community about the realities of violence and the importance of peaceful and just societies, and identify how you can pursue the SDGs in your daily life.

Exercise your right to hold your elected officials to account. Exercise your right to freedom of information and share your opinion with your elected representatives.

Be the change – promote inclusion and respect towards people of different backgrounds, ethnic origins, religions, gender, sexual orientations or different opinions. Together, we can help to improve conditions for a life of dignity for all.

Source: un.org

Shenzhen Baoan District People's Court and Jiangbian Community of Songgang Subdistrict of Bao'an District launch an event to promote  rule of law on August 12, 2019. More than 30 teenagers and their parents from the community observed court trials and visited the court to learn legal knowledge and experience the authority of law. (Source: Website of Shenzhen Baoan District People's Court )

Baoan District Judicial Bureau organizes a  “face-to-face” communication with the public while providing legal aid volunteer services on August 30, 2019. (Source: Shenzhen Evening News)

●Background

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 

On January 1, 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including 169 targets, of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic UN Summit — officially came into force. Countries will mobilize efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind.