- 1 Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.
- 2 End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.
- 3 Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.
- 4 By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery of stolen assets.
- 5 Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
Strong institutions and peaceful societies are the bedrock of every other SDG. While governance and legal systems improved in many countries through the 2000s and early 2010s, the post-2015 period brought a sharp reversal: armed conflicts multiplied, forced displacement reached record levels, and democratic backsliding spread across multiple regions.
What We've Accomplished
- Global homicide rates declined from 7.4 per 100,000 in 2004 to 5.8 by 2019.
- Birth registration reached 75% of children globally in 2022, up from 58% in 2000.
- Anti-corruption laws were enacted in over 80 countries since 2015; the UN Convention Against Corruption has 190 signatories.
- The International Criminal Court indicted war criminals from 31 countries since its establishment in 2002.
- Access to justice reforms improved in over 50 countries, including legal aid systems and court digitisation.
2030 Outlook
Armed conflict and political violence increased sharply after 2012. A record 117 million people were forcibly displaced in 2023 — the highest number ever recorded. Civic space is shrinking in over 85 countries. The number of functioning democracies fell to its lowest level since 1990. Corruption remains systemic in many states, siphoning $2.6 trillion per year from public resources. Achieving SDG 16 by 2030 requires an urgent reversal of these trends.