What are the Sustainable Development Goals? On 25 September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly formally adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (‘2030 Agenda’), consisting of a Declaration, 17 SDGs, 169 associated Targets and 230 agreed Global Indicators to be achieved by the year 2030.1 The 2030 Agenda offers a universal, integrated, transformative and human rightsbased vision for sustainable development, which is applicable to all countries. The SDGs replace the Millennium Development Goals and will guide and focus action by States and the UN until the year 2030. Are the Sustainable Development Goals applicable to stateless persons? While paragraph 23 of the Declaration recognises the relevance of the 2030 Agenda to meeting the needs of refugees and internally displaced people on the basis that they are among the most vulnerable, there is no explicit reference to stateless persons. Nonetheless, in view of the fact that the vast majority of the world’s estimated 10 million stateless people live on the lowest rungs of society, including in terms of economic prosperity, political participation and social inclusion, the overarching aim of the 2030 Agenda “to reach the furthest behind first” and “leave no one behind” clearly applies to those who experience the many negative consequences of not being recognised as citizens of any country. There are also specific SDGs and Targets that will help prevent and reduce statelessness itself, provided they are implemented properly. These are discussed below and notably include SDG 5, Target 5.1, which relates to the elimination of gender discrimination, and SDG 16, Target 16.9, which calls upon States to provide legal identity for all, including birth registration. 1 UN General Assembly, Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 21 October 2015, para. 23. Available at: http://goo.gl/89In0y Which of the Sustainable Development Goals are most relevant to addressing statelessness? Many of the SDGs and related Targets are pertinent to improving the living conditions of stateless persons.2 For example, SDG 4, Target 4.1 commits States to the following: “by 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.” Stateless children face significant challenges with respect to accessing education and receiving certifications of school completion. UNHCR’s publication “I Am Here, I Belong: The Urgent Need to End Childhood Statelessness” contains first-hand testimonials from stateless children and youth that illustrate why this SDG is so relevant to ensuring access to and completion of primary and secondary education by stateless children and youth.3 Goals like SDG 4 are important to protecting stateless persons, and ensuring that they, like others, have access to basic rights. Improving the enjoyment of basic rights and the living conditions of stateless persons through such SDGs may also help with the integration of stateless (and formerly stateless) populations, particularly large in situ groups, which may in the longer term help to facilitate initiatives aimed at resolving their statelessness and preventing new cases from occurring.4 2 For example, see SDGs 1 (End poverty in all its forms everywhere), 2 (End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture), 3 (Ensure healthy lives and ensure well-being for all at all ages), 4 (Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all), 6 (Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all), 8 (Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all). 3 UNHCR, I Am Here, I Belong: The Urgent Need to End Childhood Statelessness, 3 November 2015, pages 9 – 11, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/563368b34.html 4 See UNHCR, UNHCR Action to Address Statelessness: A Strategy Note, March 2010, paragraph 57, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/4b9e0c3d2.html THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS AND ADDRESSING STATELESSNESS 2