2. The Sustainable Development Goals and solutions to statelessness 3. Relevance of the SDGs to addressing statelessness35 Paragraph 23 of the Declaration explicitly recognises the relevance of the 2030 Agenda to meeting the needs of refugees, IDPs and migrants on the basis that they are among the most vulnerable. There is, unfortunately, no such explicit reference to stateless persons, despite 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. However, since the stated modus operandi of the 2030 Agenda is “to reach the furthest behind first”36 it should clearly also apply to those who experience the many negative consequences of not being recognised as citizens of any country.37 A significant number of the SDGs and related Targets are relevant to improving the living conditions of stateless persons.38 For example, SDG 4, Target 4.1 commits States to, “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 when it comes to pursuing their education. In some cases, schools deny non-nationals entry or charge nonnationals higher fees that impoverished stateless families cannot afford. In other situations, stateless children may be refused admission to their final exams or have their diplomas or graduation certificates 35 36 37 38 divides: Changing People’s Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need: Commitment to Action, 23 May 2016, para. 2. Part III of this paper is based on a paper by the author, entitled “Is the concept of legal identity relevant to UNHCR’s statelessness mandate?” (unpublished), presented at the Hague Colloquium on the Future of Legal Identity in New York on 21 - 24 April 2015. The ideas in this paper were developed further by the author in her capacity as UNHCR Legal Officer (Statelessness) in a UNHCR Briefing Note on the Sustainable Development Goals and Addressing Statelessness in 2016. See, UNGA, supra n4, para. 4. See, UNHCR, supra n34. 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). 54