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UN Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced inequalitiesReduced inequalities worldwide

The UN recognises the importance of protecting the most vulnerable people and the right for all to live fulfilling lives. Many people around the world face inequality because of their gender, race, sexuality, or because they have a disability.

Part of Learning for SustainabilityLiving sustainably

Reduced inequalities worldwide

Sustainable Development Goals

The United Nations have issued 17 ambitious goals to try and build a better, fairer, and more sustainable future for the world.

Sustainable Development Goal 10 aims to address and reduce the inequalities that many people around the world still experience on a daily basis.

Find out about the need for reducing inequality

This goal aims to tackle wealth inequalities that exist between different countries as well as the financial and social inequalities that exist within society.

The wealth inequalities between developed and developing countries is still very high: .

Within societies, inequalities can take different forms:

  • Racial inequality
  • Religious inequality
  • Gender inequality
  • Age inequality
  • Inequalities caused by poverty
  • Inequalities caused by disabilities

These types of inequality can affect the quality of life by reducing opportunities for work, education, or taking an active part in society.

Impact of Covid-19

The Covid-19 has shown how vulnerable many societies are. It has had a worse impact on some countries and groups of people:

  • Poorer countries have less money to spend on healthcare and vaccines. They are less able to provide for people who have lost income.
  • People who are poorer and who live in more crowded conditions are at greater risk of infection.
  • More women than men work in insecure jobs and are harder hit by the economic impacts.
  • Covid-19 has disproportionately affected ethnic minority groups in developed countries.
  • Older people have been more vulnerable to the virus and many have been left more isolated.
  • People with disabilities have been more at risk from the virus. They have faced more problems accessing the healthcare and social support they need.

Global inequalities facts

  • Only 28 per cent of people with significant disabilities have access to disability benefits
  • In developing countries, children in the poorest 20 per cent of the populations are up to three times more likely to die before their fifth birthday than children in the richest 20 per cent.
  • Between 2010 and 2017, income inequality fell in 38 out of 84 countries.

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