About the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development

Adopted unanimously in 2015 by all UN Member States, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda) with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 169 targets, and 231 unique indicators shapes the direction of global and national development policies, and offers new entry points and opportunities for bridging the divide between human rights and development. It serves as the overall framework to guide global and national development action.

The 2030 Agenda is unequivocally anchored in human rights and is explicitly grounded in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR), the international human rights treaties as well as other instruments such as the Declaration on the Right to Development (Para 10).  The SDGs “seek to realize the human rights of all" (Preamble, 2030 Agenda) and are universally applicable to all people in all countries, including both developed and developing countries. Importantly, the 2030 Agenda is to be implemented in a manner consistent with international law (para 18).

Although the specific SDGs are not framed in terms of human rights, many targets reflect the content of international standards. For instance, SDG 1 (no poverty), SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 3 (good health and well-being), SDG 4 (quality education), SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), and SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities) reflect much of the core content of economic, social and cultural rights.  SDG 16 on peace, justice, and strong institutions addresses some key dimensions of civil and political rights, including personal security, access to justice and fundamental freedoms. SDG 17 addresses issues related to the right to development and means of implementation.

Leave no one behind

The 2030 Agenda also puts the principles of equality and non-discrimination at its heart, with a commitment to “leave no one behind” and “reach those furthest behind first”, special attention to marginalized groups, and two dedicated goals on combatting discrimination and inequalities (SDG 5 on gender equality and SDG 10 on inequalities within and between countries), as well as a cross-cutting commitment to data disaggregation, inclusive participatory approaches (all of society and all of Government approaches), and accountability for the 2030 Agenda follow-up and review indicate that the entire Agenda was developed using a human rights-based approach, which is also crucial for its effective implementation. 

OHCHR’s engagement

There are, however, a number of gaps and risks that SDGs may fall short of international human rights standards such as national legislation curtailing women's rights and fundamental freedoms, lack of attention to 'minorities' and LGBTI persons, and weak accountability mechanisms. There may also be shortcomings when it comes to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in whether it applies a human rights-based approach and places human rights considerations at the centre of interventions to ensure no one will be left behind. This is the space in which the UN Human Rights Office provides guidance, capacity strengthening, and other forms of technical assistance to a wide variety of stakeholders, including Member States, National Human Rights Institutions, civil society, and other UN entities. Learn more about OHCHR’s work on the 2030 agenda.

How are the SDGs different from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)?

The SDGs are different in the following ways:

Universal: While the MDGs applied only to so-called ‘developing countries’, the SDGs are a truly universal framework and will be applicable to all countries. All countries have progress to make in the path towards sustainable development, and face both common and unique challenges to achieving the many dimensions of sustainable development captured in the SDGs.

Transformative: As an agenda for “people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership”, the 2030 Agenda offers a paradigm shift from the traditional model of development. It provides a transformative vision for people and planet-centred, human rights-based, and gender-sensitive sustainable development that goes far beyond the narrow vision of the MDGs.

Comprehensive: Alongside a wide range of social, economic and environmental objectives, the 2030 Agenda promises “more peaceful, just and inclusive societies which are free from fear and violence” with attention to democratic governance, rule of law, access to justice and personal security (in SDG 16), as well as an enabling international environment (in SDG 17 and throughout the framework). It therefore covers issues related to all human rights, including economic, civil, cultural, political, social rights and the right to development.

Inclusive: The 2030 Agenda strives to leave no one behind, envisaging “a world of universal respect for equality and non-discrimination” between and within countries, including gender equality, by reaffirming the responsibilities of all States to “respect, protect and promote human rights, without distinction of any kind as to race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinions, national and social origin, property, birth, disability or other status.”