It’s not possible to envision a world that works together to reach common, complex goals without first having peaceful and inclusive societies. The grim reality is many people are faced with violence, crime, terrorism, and discrimination, proving that the world has a long way to go in achieving this goal and will require reengineering of environments and societies.

The UN states that, as of 2021, there are millions of people living in conflicting areas dealing with the everyday realities of social unrest at many levels. They fear homicide, human trafficking, and sexual violence, which are often all waiting just outside their homes. In 2018, people fleeing war, persecution, and conflict exceeded 70 million, which was the highest level recorded by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in nearly 70 years. It’s also known that income disparities result in higher levels of violence and crime, meaning poorer countries are at a much higher risk for human trafficking and corruption on many levels.

There is a lot of action needed to bring forth change across the many injustices facing society today. Independent national human rights institutions (NHRIs) are urgently encouraging states to uphold their human rights obligations to protect their people so they can have a fair chance at "normal" life. Progress in other SDGs will remain incomplete without equal opportunity and treatment for every human on this planet.

Targets & Indicators

When the UN General Assembly introduced the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, they listed the targets that needed to meet for each goal. These targets break down what needs to be achieved to consider the goal completed. The UN Statistical Commission created the IAEG (International Agency and Expert Group) in 2017, which was tasked with creating the “indicators” for each target. These indicators were created to put measures in place to track the process being made on each target.

Targets and indicators were developed by the UN as a working blueprint for nations, organizations, and people to use when implementing SDGs in their everyday actions. Looking to the targets for the respected goal is the best way to execute the use of them in your work.

16.1

Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.
Indicators
  1. 16.1.1 Number of Victims of Intentional Homicide per 100,000 People by Sex and Age
  2. 16.1.2 Conflict-Related Deaths per 100,000 People by Sex, Age, and Cause
  3. 16.1.3 Proportion of Population Subjected to Physical Violence, Psychological Violence, and Sexual Violence in the Previous 12 Months
  4. 16.1.4 Proportion of Population That Feel Safe Walking Alone Around the Area in Which They Live

16.2

End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children.
Indicators
  1. 16.2.1 Proportion of Children Aged One–17 Years Who Experienced Any Physical Punishment and/or Psychological Aggression by Caregivers in the Past Month
  2. 16.2.2 Number of Victims of Human Trafficking per 100,000 People by Sex, Age, and Form of Exploitation
  3. 16.2.3 Proportion of Young Women and Men Aged 18–29 Years Who Experienced Sexual Violence by Age 18

16.3

Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.
Indicators
  1. 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
  2. 16.3.2 Unsentenced Detainees as a Proportion of Overall Prison Population
  3. 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)

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.
Indicators
  1. 16.4.1 Total Value of Inward and Outward Illicit Financial Flows (in Current United States Dollars)
  2. 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

16.5

Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all forms.
Indicators
  1. 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

16.6

Develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels.
Indicators
  1. 16.6.1 Primary Government Expenditures as a Proportion of Original Approved Budget by Sector (or by Budget Codes)
  2. 16.6.2 Proportion of Population Satisfied with Their Last Experience with Public Services

16.7

Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory, and representative decision-making at all levels.
Indicators
  1. 16.7.1 Proportions of Positions in National and Local Institutions, Including the Legislatures; the Public Service; and the Judiciary Compared to National Distributions by Sex, Age, Persons with Disabilities, and Population Groups
  2. 16.7.2 Proportion of Population Who Believe Decision-Making Is Inclusive and Responsive by Sex, Age, Disability, and Population Group

16.8

Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in the institutions of global governance.
Indicators
  1. 16.8.1 Proportion of Members and Voting Rights of Developing Countries in International Organizations

16.9

By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration.
Indicators
  1. 16.9.1 Proportion of Children Under Five Years of Age Whose Births Have Been Registered with a Civil Authority by Age

16.10

Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms in accordance with national legislation and international agreements.
Indicators
  1. 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
  2. 16.10.2 Number of Countries That Adopt and Implement Constitutional, Statutory, and/or Policy Guarantees for Public Access to Information

16.a

Strengthen relevant national institutions, including through international cooperation for building capacity at all levels, to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime.
Indicators
  1. 16.a.1 Existence of Independent National Human Rights Institutions in Compliance with the Paris Principles

16.b

Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development.
Indicators
  1. 16.b.1 Proportion of Population Reporting Having Personally Felt Discriminated Against or Harassed in the Previous 12 Months on the Basis of Discrimination Prohibited Under International Human Rights Law

Explore more Sustainable Development Goals

You can explore the SDGs further by returning to the tool homepage.