The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted at the United Nations in September 2015. The SDGs follow, and expand on, the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which were agreed on by governments in 2000 and expired at the end of 2015. The SDGs seek to change the course of the 21st century, addressing key challenges such as poverty, inequality and violence against women. These goals will guide world leaders and the global community as we work together to realize the human rights of all people, eradicate poverty, and protect our planet for future generations.

Each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals is integral to Sustainable Development; however, Zonta International’s primary focus is on Goal No. 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. 

Sustainable Development Goal No. 5 Targets

• End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere
• Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation
• Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation
• Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate
• Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life
• Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences
• Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance and natural resources, in accordance with national laws
• Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women
• Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels