Reduced Inequalities

Sustainable development cannot be achieved if certain groups of people are denied access to opportunities; to decent healthcare, a secure living environment, fair work and pay or an education.

Disparities in all of these areas slow development progress and will continue to do so unless economic growth is inclusive, policies are universal and focus is placed on supporting minority groups. Inequalities are rooted in a range of factors including gender, age, income, disability, sexual orientation, race, class, ethnicity or religion. Discrimination based on identity not only destroys self worth, but harms any reduction in poverty levels by excluding groups from bettering their lives. It also incites crime and violence through war, conflict, terrorism and hate crimes.

The disabled are the world’s largest minority, making up approximately 15% of the world’s population. Half of the planet’s disabled population cannot afford healthcare, compared to one third of able bodied people.

According to the United Nations, of 105 countries surveyed, only 54% had policies in place for the rights of migrants.

The 80 richest people on Earth own the same wealth as the 3.5 billion poorest combined.

Women in rural developing countries are up to three times more likely to die during childbirth than mothers living in urban areas.

The super rich avoid as much as 30% of their overall tax liability.

More than 25% of workers in the UK feel they have experienced workplace discrimination in some form.

Every day 10,000 people die because they cannot access affordable healthcare.

In the year 18/19, there were 103,379 recorded hate crimes across England and Wales.

Did you know?

Almost half of the planet’s population is living on the equivalent of less than $5.50 per day.

Watch

Why Reducing Inequality Within & Among Countries Matters - Sustainable Development Goal 10

United Nations

Prejudice and discrimination based on race, ethnicity, power, social class, and prestige

khanacademymedicine

What can YOU do to help?

Speak up!

Do you see someone in your school or local community being mistreated for seeming ‘different’, based on their identify or in a minority? SPEAK UP! Offer to be a friend and a support, and if necessary call on the relevant authoritative figures to protect them. The most important thing any one person can do in fighting inequality is to be an advocate for those who cannot speak out… so do all that you can to promote social inclusion and the fair treatment of those around you.

Buy Fairtrade

Fairtrade helps to address inequalities of the ‘conventional’ trade system (which generally discriminates against the poorest and often marginalised farmers) by securing fair prices, local sustainability and improved working conditions. You can find a list of over 6000 products here https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/Buying-Fairtrade

Support ALL the Global Goals!

Eradicating other global issues by reducing poverty, ending hunger, investing in healthcare services and providing a quality education for all will inevitably lead to improving inequality. Equality is a constant thread that binds each SDG together, and therefore it is by taking small steps towards each separate goal that we will witness the greatest change towards Goal 10. Read our other Planetary resource pages for tips to achieve this!

Watch

Education gap: The root of inequality

Harvard University

It's Time to Even It Up

oxfaminternational

Rosa Parks - Civil Rights Activist | Mini Bio | BIO

Biography

Young People in Action!

Marley Dias

Marley started her journey as a youth activist for both gender and race equality when she was just 10 years old. When reading the books mandatory to her curriculum, she was alarmed that, generally. they featured white boys as the main characters and started to complain to her mother that it didn’t give her the freedom to read literature she could relate to. Marley started her campaign, #1000BlackGirlBooks, which saw her collect up over 11,000 books featuring black female protagonists to donate to schools. She has since released her own book, Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You, to inspire other children to achieve their dreams.