Sustainable Development Goal 16

Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16 or Global Goal 16) is about "peace, justice and
strong institutions." One of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United
Nations in 2015, the official wording is: "Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable
development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive
institutions at all levels".[1] The Goal has 12 targets to be achieved by 2030. Progress towards
targets will be measured by 23 indicators.
The goal has ten "outcome targets": Reduce violence; protect children from abuse,
exploitation, trafficking and violence; promote the rule of law and ensure equal access to justice;
combat organized crime and illicit financial and arms flows, substantially
reduce corruption and bribery; develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions; ensure
responsive, inclusive and representative decision-making; strengthen the participation in global
governance; provide universal legal identity; ensure public access to information and
protect fundamental freedoms. There are also two "means of achieving targets": Strengthen
national institutions to prevent violence and combat crime and terrorism; promote and
enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies.[2]
Reducing violent crime, sex trafficking, forced labor, and child abuse are clear global goals. The
International Community values peace and justice; they call for stronger judicial systems that will
enforce laws and work toward a more peaceful and just society.[1]
All women need to be able to turn to fair and effective institution to access Justice and important
services.[3] We cannot hope for sustainable development without peace and stability in any
country.[4]

Background[edit]
The Sustainable Development Goals are a collection of 17 global goals set by the United
Nations. It is an engine for progress and an enabling tool for all other goals.[5] The broad goals
are interrelated though each has its own targets to achieve. The SDGs cover a broad range of
social and economic development issues. These
include poverty, hunger, health, education, climate change, gender equality, Water
supply, sanitation, energy, urbanization, environment and social justice.[6] The SDGs include an
emphasis on the importance of achieving progress on peaceful and inclusive societies, access
to justice and rule of law, and effective, accountable and inclusive institutions.[7]
SDG 16 addresses the need for major intervention to promote peace and inclusive institutions
and contribute to the other Sustainable Development Goals. Areas of improvement include:
reducing lethal violence, reducing civilian deaths in conflicts, and eliminating human trafficking.[8]
The UNODC reports that in 2017 alone, around 464,000 people were victims of intentional
homicide and homicide rates were 6.1 per 100,000.[9] Two thirds of global homicides occur in
Latin America and the Caribbeans or sub-Saharan Africa.[10] Poverty, economic inequality, and
high youth unemployment are some of the major reasons behind the high homicide rates in Latin
America.[11] The UNODC found that, homicides are four times morel likely to occur in regions with
high economic disparity than those that have economic equity, which helps to explain the high
homicide rates in some Latin American regions.[12] Although homicide rates have been seeing a
reduction the past several years,[8] the progress on SDG 16 has been reversing. If current global
trends continue, it is estimated that all forms of violence will increase by 10-46 percent by 2030.[13]

SDG 16 has twelve targets and twenty-four indicators. Three of the targets specify their agenda
by the year 2030. Below is the list of all the targets with a short version and a long version of the
titles.[7][14]Ritchie, Roser, Mispy, Ortiz-Ospina. "Measuring progress towards the Sustainable
Development Goals." (SDG 16) SDG-ああああああ File:Homicide rate.png|thumb|300x300px|
World map for 16.1.1 - Number of victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population in
2016]] No data is available yet for the following indicators: 16.4.1, 16.4.2, 16.6.2, 16.7.1, 16.7.2,
16.b.1.[14] For all the other indicators, data and world maps are available to visualize progress.[14]

Target 16.1: Reduce violence everywhere[edit]

Long title: "Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere."[7]
This target has four indicators:[14]

 Indicator 16.1.1 Number of victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population, by

sex and age.
 Indicator 16.1.2 Conflict-related deaths per 100,000 population, by sex, age and
cause.
 Indicator 16.1.3 Proportion of population subjected to (a) physical violence,
(b) psychological violence and (c) sexual violence in the previous 12 months.
 Indicator 16.1.4 Proportion of population that feel safe walking alone around the area
they live.
Honour based violence (HBV) is classified as not only murder or violence, but rather a heroic
attainment of religious beliefs, typically committed by a male family member. The United Nations
estimates that around 5,000 women are killed annually in relation to HBV. However, the actual
number is several times higher due to weak administration of these crimes. Authorities are
reluctant to report statistics that could potentially affect their international reputation or are bribed
in order to protect the family's reputation.[15] Target 16.5 indicates instills the concept of bribery
further, and Target 16.2 portrays the lack of crime reported.
Where conflict strikes, men are more likely to die on battlefields, but women will be targeted for
sexual violence, exploitation and other violation.[16] economic growth is affected by violence.[17]

Honour based violence for indicator 16.1.3

A survey conducted in Kuwait measures both support and opposition for HBV crimes in
correlation with demographic attributes (age, sex, education) and social indicators (status,
religion). The survey indicated high levels of public support in justifying physical violence towards
female adultery or for transgression of female gender norms. One of the strongest attributes are
aligned with political Islam. In a revision of 172 honour-killings, more than half occurred in
Muslim-majority countries and 91% of the perpetrators were Muslim.[18]
UNICEF, as well as indicator 16.1.3, classifies violence into three categories: physical,
psychological, and sexual. Save the Children, a non-governmental organization aimed to help
vulnerable adolescents in Bolivia who fit at least one classification of violence through modules
as follows:

 Module 1- Self-esteem, personal empowerment, and leadership

 Module 2- Sexual and reproductive health
 Module 3- Entrepreneurial skills and economic empowerment
 Module 4- Basic competences; math and literacy
The program was found to have had a positive effect for success for females, with an
improvement in bargaining power within the household and reduction in income-related stress.
Additionally, this program may be a factor that led to the decrease in violence against girls in
Bolivia. [19]

Target 16.2: Protect children from abuse, exploitation, trafficking and

violence[edit]

Child Protection and Development Center

Long title: "End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of
children."[7] It ensures that children are better served.[20]
This target has three indicators:[14]

 Indicator 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.
 Indicator 16.2.2: Number of victims of human trafficking per 100,000 population, by
sex, age and form of exploitation.
 Indicator 16.2.3: Proportion of young women and men aged 18–29 years who
experienced sexual violence by age 18.
One target is to see the end to sex trafficking, forced labor, and all forms of violence against and
torture of children. However, reliance on the indicator of "crimes reported" makes monitoring and
achieving this goal challenging.[21] For instance, 84 percent of countries have no or insufficient
data on violent punishment of children.[22] Of the data available, it is clear that violence against
children by their caregivers remains pervasive: Nearly 8 in 10 children aged 1 to 14 are subjected
to violent discipline on a regular basis (regardless of income).[22] The global pandemic has
magnified the challenges of child protection and mental health services, instead of prioritizing
them. With this occurring in the world currently, no country is on track to eliminate all forms of
violence and to promote mental health and well-being as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development pledges.[23]
By 2017, the UN could report progress on detecting victims of trafficking. More women and girls
than men and boys were victimized, yet the share of women and girls has slowly declined (see
also violence against women). In 2004, 84 percent of victims were females and by 2014 that
number had dropped to 71 percent. Sexual exploitation numbers have declined, but forced labor
has increased.[22]
Every 7 minutes, a child somewhere around the world through violence is killed and about one
out of four children's birth are never recorded, which makes them at the long run feel deprived of
legal identity which is important for the protection of their right to Justice and social services[24]

US Department of Justice Scales Of Justice

Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law and ensure equal access to
justice[edit]
The full text of Target 16.3: "Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and
ensure equal access to justice for all."[7]
This target has three indicators:[14]

 Indicator 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.
 Indicator 16.3.2: Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population.
 Indicator 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.
One of the aims of indicator 16.3.1 in measuring the "proportion of victims of violence in the
previous 12 months who reported their victimization" is to reduce the underreporting of crime and
acts of violence. The lack of an official data source poses a great challenge for accurately
measuring the progress on this indicator across the globe. For Africa, the Afrobarometer serves
as a significant source of data for indicator 16.3.1; however, data is only available from the years
2011-2013. According to the surveys conducted by Afrobarometer, where in which surveyees
were asked "Did you report the incident to the police?", the Institute for Economics and
Peace (IEP) finds that "30 per cent or less of all violence incidents were reported to the police" in
6 of 32 African countries with available data, as well as another 6 African countries where "60 per
cent of incidents were reported to the police."[25]
World map for indicator 16.3.2 - 2017
Regarding indicator 16.3.2, the IEP further concludes that of the 149 countries with available
data, 31 countries had "a rate lower lower than 15 per cent" and 62 had "a rate higher than 35
per cent."[25] Asia and Oceania countries experienced high increases in rates during the years
2016-2018.[26] The COVID-19 pandemic has further complicated the access to justice for
unsentenced detainees who make up 31 per cent of all prisoners. Prison overcrowding combined
with poor health care leaves prisoners vulnerable to COVID-19.[27]

Target 16.4: Combat organized crime and illicit financial and arms
flows[edit]
The full text of 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."[7]
The target has two indicators:[14]

 Indicator 16.4.1: Total value of inward and outward illicit financial flows (in current
United States dollars).
 Indicator 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[edit]
The full text of Target 16.5: "Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms."[7]
The target has two indicators:[14]

 Indicator 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.
 Indicator 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.
Based on available data from 38 countries collected in years 2010-2020, bribery when accessing
public services was least present (at an average rate of 3.7 per cent) in high-income countries
and most present (at an average of 22.3 per cent) in lower-income countries.[26]
Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent
institutions[edit]
The full text of Target 16.6: "Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all
levels."[7]
The target has two indicators:[14]

 Indicator 16.6.1: Primary government expenditures as a proportion of original

approved budget, by sector (or by budget codes or similar).
 Indicator 16.6.2: Proportion of population satisfied with their last experience of public
services.
This is the end.

Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive and representative

decision-making[edit]
The full text of Target 16.7: "Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative
decision-making at all levels."[7]
The target has two indicators:[14]

 Indicator 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.
 Indicator 16.7.2: Proportion of population who believe decision-making is inclusive
and responsive, by sex, age, disability and population group.

World map for indicator 16.9.1 - Proportion of children under 5 years of age whose births have been
registered with a civil authority.[28]

Target 16.8: Strengthen the participation in global governance[edit]

The full text of Target 16.8: "Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in
the institutions of global governance."[7] The target has a single indicator.
Indicator 16.8.1 is the "Proportion of members and voting rights of developing countries in
international organizations".[14]
Target 16.9: Provide universal legal identity[edit]
The full text of Target 16.9: "By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration."[7] It
has one indicator:
Indicator 16.9.1 is the "Proportion of children under 5 years of age whose births have been
registered with a civil authority, by age".
Different businesses are evaluating the addition of target 16.9 according to their priorities,
categories include child protection, economic development, national security, social protection,
public health, and so forth. Individuals without proof of legal identity, primarily women and the
less fortunate are excluded from the economy.
Target 16.9 overlaps with other SDG targets. For instance, Target 1.3 which implements social
protection systems can not be nationally addressed without the vulnerable being able to identify
themselves. This is also affiliated with SDG 3 in terms of healthcare and SDG 4 in terms of
education. A lack of legal identity can prevent numerous measures that are put in effect to benefit
individuals who require it most, creating higher rates of inequality.[29] With more than a quarter of
children under 5 unregistered worldwide as of 2015, about 1 in 5 countries will need to
accelerate progress to achieve universal birth registration by 2030.[30]

Target 16.10: Ensure public access to information and protect

fundamental freedoms[edit]
The full text of Target 16.10: "Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental
freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements."[7]
The target has two indicators:[14]

 Indicator 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.
 Indicator 16.10.2 Number of countries that adopt and implement constitutional,
statutory and/or policy guarantees for public access to information.
Nadia Al-Sakkaf, Yemen's first female Minister of Information
Rights to information is a fundamental piece of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.[31] In
2019, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) found that
125 countries have chosen to take up Right to Information(RTI), Access to Information(ATI), or
Freedom to Information(FTI) laws or equivalent guarantees. Seventeen countries were found to
not have any sort of laws or promises in favor of public access to information. Although a majority
of countries globally have adopted RTI related policies, UNESCO identified an issue regarding
the sustainability in monitoring and reporting practices on target 16.10. They called for the
implementation of oversight bodies, specifically, giving them leadership positions on overseeing
progress on the SDG’s nationally.[32]
The importance of progressing target 16.10 can be seen through a quote by Nadia Al-Sakkaf, the
Republic of Yemen’s former Minister of Information,[33] “If information is power then access to
information is empowerment.”

Target 16.a: Strengthen national institutions to prevent violence and

combat crime and terrorism[edit]
The full text of 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."[7] It has one indicator.
Indicator 16.a.1 is the "Existence of independent national human rights institutions in compliance
with the Paris Principles".[14]
President Uribe of Colombia changed the conventional military combat to survive against a rebel
group, FARC. The key focus was to indicate the number of guerilla casualties in combat. Soldiers
would instead begin to kidnap and murder innocent homeless people and present them as
casualties. Target 16a indicates the prevention of violence, combat terrorism and crime which in
extreme cases must be done through military means. However, Colombian soldiers encouraged
terrorism with an abuse of power, leading to injustice and abuse of authority.[34]

Target 16.b: Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and

policies[edit]
The full text of Target 16.b: "Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies
for sustainable development."[7] It has one indicator.
Indicator 16.b.1 is the "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".[14]

Custodian agencies[edit]
Custodian agencies are responsible for monitoring and reporting of indicators:[35]

 Indicator 16.1.1: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and World
Health Organisation (WHO).
 Indicator 16.1.2: Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
 Indicator 16.1.3 and 16.1.4: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
 Indicator 16.2.1 and 16.2.3: United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)
 Indicators 16.2.2, 16.3.2 and 16.5.1: United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime (UNODC)
 Indicator 16.4.1: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and United
Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNTAD)
 Indicator 16.4.2: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and United
Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs
 Indicator 16.5.2: World Bank (WB) and United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime (UNODC)
 Indicator 16.6.1: World Bank (WB)
 Indicator 16.6.2 and for two indicators under Target 16.7: United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP)
 Indicator 16.8.1: Department of Economic and Social Affairs-Financing for
Development Office (DESA/FFDO)
 Indicator 16.9.1: Department of Economic and Social Affairs-Statistics Division
(DESA/UNSD) and United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)
 Indicator 16.10.1, 16.a.1 and 16.b.1: Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights (OHCHR)
 Indicator 16.10.2: United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO)

Monitoring and progress[edit]

High-level progress reports for all the SDGs are published in the form of reports by the United
Nations Secretary General. The most recent one is from April 2020.[26][36]
The International Programme for the Development of Communication is responsible for the
follow-up of the SDG 16 through indicators 16.10.1 and 16.10.2.[37] Every two years, a report
containing information from the Member States on the status of judicial inquiries on each of the
killings condemned by UNESCO is submitted to the IPDC Council by UNESCO's Director-
General.[38][39] The journalists safety indicators is a tool developed by UNESCO which, according
to UNESCO's website, aims on mapping the key features that can help assess the safety of
journalists, and help determine whether adequate follow-up is given to crimes committed against
them.[40][41] The IPDC Talks also allow the Programme to raise awareness on the importance
of access to information.[42] The IPDC also monitors and reports on access to information laws
around the world through the United Nations Secretary-General global report on follow-up
to SDGs.
Challenges[edit]
Impact of Covid-19 pandemic[edit]

image depicting how instability caused by COVID 19 makes women more susceptible to violence and
exploitation
The threat to sustainable development is conflict, insecurities, weak institution and limited access
to Justice.[43]
The global COVID-19 pandemic is predicted to increase the frequency of conflicts as countries
blame others for their situation.[44] It is also expected that global peace and security will be
threatened with over 60% countries risking the spread of COVID-19 in prisons due to
overcrowding.[45]

Links with other SDGs[edit]

The Sustainable Development Goals are not taken as being completely independent one from
the other, but rather as being closely linked. In this way, media development enhances freedom
of speech, peace, but also contributes to sustainability, poverty eradication and human rights.
[46]
Fostering peace and inclusive societies can help reduce inequalities (SDG10) and help
economies prosper (SDG8).[47] The 2012 outcome document of the United Nations Summit on
the 2030 Agenda considers that sustainable development can not be achieved without building
peaceful, just and inclusive societies and addressing issues of corruption, poor governance,
insecurity and injustice.[6]

Organizations[edit]
UN organizations[edit]
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nations global
development network which is concerned with SDG 16. Hence, the Program focuses
on democratic governance and peace building.[48] The UNDP also works on conflict prevention by
empowering youth, especially women. Also, they aim at supporting the frameworks and structure
and by acting as mediators.[49]
UNESCO has revealed diverse contributions to improve the scope of SDG 16 including:

 UNESCO's communication and information sector is responsible for targets 16.3

(access to justice), 16.5 (anti-corruption and transparent and accountable
institutions). It aims to: "foster intercultural dialogue, culture of peace and non-
violence, and prevent violent extremism through global citizenship education; support
free, independent and pluralistic media, ensure the safety of journalists; protect
cultural and natural heritage, strengthen governance systems for culture and
enhance fundamental freedoms."[50][51]
 Preventing violent extremism is a way to promote, in official wording, a "culture of
peace and non-violence" for UNESCO. The Organization aims to prevent violent
 extremism by using education as a tool to strengthen global citizenship, by mobilizing
youth, women and other stakeholders to take actions, online and offline, to prevent
and respond to violent extremism and radicalization on the Internet.[52]
 Freedom of speech - UNESCO, as the United Nations agency with the specific
mandate to promote "the free flow of ideas by word and image", supports a free,
independent and pluralistic media in print, broadcast and on the Internet.[46]
NGOs and foundations[edit]
 Justice Rapid Response is the only global facility that provides rapidly deployable
experts in a wide range of highly specialized fields to assist with investigations in
situations where war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity, and serious human
rights violations may have occurred.[53]
 The international peacebuilding organization Saferworld have pioneered a
localization approach for SDG16+ – in an attempt to promote national ownership of
commitments made under SDG16 and within the wider 2030 Agenda to build
peaceful, just and inclusive societies.[54]
 The anti-corruption non-governmental organization Transparency
International monitors corruption in over a hundred countries and aims to "gives
voice to the victims and witnesses of corruption" and "stop the abuse of power,
bribery and secret deals". The Organization launched the Corruption Perceptions
Index in 1995.[55]
 Reporters Without Borders is a French "independent" non-governmental organization
with consultative status at the United Nations. The NGO promotes freedom of
information and safety of journalists. RSF Advocates worldwide for international and
national legislation on freedom of information and protection of journalists.[56] It has
put together the 2018 World Press Freedom Index as a basis to analyze the state of
freedom of expression.[57]
 The World Wide Web Foundation is an association that promotes digital equality,
access to information, and the open web as a "public good and a basic right". It
advocates for public policies in over a dozen countries.[58]
US Based Organizations[edit]
In the US there are over thirty thousand tax-exempt organizations working on issues related to
UN SDG 16, according to data filed with the Internal Revenue Service –IRS and aggregated by
X4Impact.[59] X4Impact, with the support of the Rockefeller Foundation, Ford Foundation,
[60]
Hewlett Foundation,[61] and Giving Tech Labs, created a free online interactive tool Peace,
Justice and Strong Institutions in the US. This online tool enables users to see indicators related
to the correctional system nationally and by state, as well as relevant information for over two
thousand tax-exempt organizations in the US working on issues related social justice, civil rights,
and criminal justice. The nonprofit data in the tool is updated every 15 days while the indicators
are updated annually.
Food security can play an important role in preventing conflict and distress migration.[62]