The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 10 is all about closing the gaps that divide people, economically, socially, and politically. It calls on the world to create systems that lift everyone, not just the privileged few. SDG 10 outlines 10 targets designed to reduce inequality within and among countries. These targets include promoting income growth for the bottom 40% of the population, eliminating discriminatory laws to ensure equal opportunities for migrants, and improving global financial regulation. To measure progress, SDG 10 includes 11 indicators. These track vital markers like income inequality, social protection coverage, representation of developing countries in global decision-making, and the cost of migrant remittances. These indicators reflect how fair and inclusive our systems truly are.
Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|
| 10.1 By 2030, help the poorest 40% of the population increase their income faster than the national average. | 10.1.1 Measures how much the income or spending of the bottom 40% is growing compared to the entire population. |
| 10.2 By 2030, ensure that everyone, regardless of age, gender, disability, race, ethnicity, background, religion, or income has equal opportunities to fully take part in social, economic, and political life. | 10.2.1 The percentage of people living below 50% of the median income, by sex, age, and disability. |
| 10.3 Make sure everyone has equal opportunities, and work to reduce unfair outcomes by removing discriminatory laws, policies, and practices and by creating fair and inclusive rules that protect people from being treated unfairly. | 10.3.1 The percentage of people who said they were personally discriminated against or harassed in the last 12 months based on factors like race, gender, disability, religion, or other protected grounds under international human rights law. |
| 10.4 Adopt policies for taxes, wages, and social protection that will gradually lead to more equality. | 10.4.1 The share of GDP that goes to labour 10.4.2 The effect of fiscal policy on the Gini index |
| 10.5 Enhance the oversight and regulation of global financial markets and institutions, and ensure effective implementation of these regulations to promote stability, transparency, and accountability. | 10.5.1 Indicators of Financial Soundness |
| 10.6 Make sure developing countries have a stronger voice and fair representation in global economic and financial decision-making, so that international institutions become more effective, trustworthy, and accountable. | 10.6.1 The share of seats and voting power that developing countries hold in international organizations. |
| 10.7 Support safe, well-planned, and responsible migration, making it easier for people to move across borders in a legal, safe, and organized way by using fair and well-managed migration policies. | 10.7.1 Cost of recruitment paid by the worker, shown as a percentage of their monthly income in the country they move to. 10.7.2 Number of countries that have migration policies supporting safe, legal, and well-managed migration. 10.7.3 Number of people who have died or gone missing while migrating to another country. 10.7.4 Percentage of people who are refugees, listed by their country of origin. |
| 10.a Implement the principle of special and differential treatment for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, in accordance with World Trade Organization agreements. | 10.a.1 Percentage of imported goods from developing and least developed countries that are not taxed (zero-tariff) by the importing country. |
| 10.b Increase financial support and investment to countries that need it most—especially least developed countries, African nations, small island states, and landlocked developing countries—based on their national development plans. | 10.b.1 Total financial flows (including foreign direct investment and development aid) going to these countries to support their development goals. |
| 10.c By 2030, make it cheaper to send money across borders, reducing fees for migrant remittances to below 3%, and eliminate high-cost remittance corridors. | 10.c.1 The cost of sending remittances is expressed as a percentage of the total amount sent. |
Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 10 (SDG 10), which focuses on reducing inequality within and between countries, remains a major challenge. Although some progress has been made—in two-thirds of 128 countries, fewer people now live on less than half the median income—nearly 12% of the global population still falls below this line. Regions like Latin America and the Caribbean are among the hardest hit.
At the same time, the share of income going to workers continues to shrink worldwide, hitting low-income earners the hardest. The COVID-19 pandemic made things worse, triggering the largest increase in inequality between countries in the past 30 years and slowing income growth for the poorest within nations.
The concentration of wealth and power remains significant. Nearly half of the world’s wealth is held by a small group, while the bottom 50% of the population owns just 2%. Corruption, tax evasion, and illegal money flows cost developing countries about $1.26 trillion each year—funds that could otherwise support education, healthcare, and social protection.
Adding to the challenge, developing countries are under-represented in global financial and economic institutions, limiting their influence over key decisions. At the same time, the world is rapidly going digital, but billions of people are being left behind. This growing digital divide is creating new layers of inequality and widening the gap in access to opportunity.
Promote fiscal, wage, and social protection policies that directly reduce income and wealth disparities. This includes progressive taxation, universal social safety nets, minimum wage guarantees, and labor rights enforcement—especially for informal and vulnerable workers.
Ensure universal access to quality education, healthcare, and legal identity to break the cycle of generational poverty and social exclusion. Special focus must be given to marginalized groups such as women, persons with disabilities, indigenous communities, migrants, and the elderly.
Prioritize civil registration systems to ensure that every person, especially children, is legally recognized. Without legal identity, millions remain invisible, unable to access education, voting rights, social protection, or formal employment.
Strengthen anti-discrimination laws and promote inclusive policies that tackle inequality based on race, gender, ethnicity, age, disability, and migration status. Institutions must actively remove structural barriers that limit participation in political, economic, and social life.
Ensure developing countries have a stronger voice in global financial and economic institutions. Inclusive international governance structures are key to ensuring that the rules of trade, finance, and technology benefit all, not just a few.
Invest in digital infrastructure and digital literacy to ensure equal access to technology and online services. Digital inclusion is now essential for accessing education, jobs, healthcare, and government services.
Combat corruption, illicit financial flows, and tax evasion that drain public resources. Strengthening governance, enforcing transparency, and closing loopholes can free up billions for public investment in social equality.
Create policies focused on intergenerational equity by investing in youth—through skills development, entrepreneurship support, and equitable education. Improving social mobility is essential for breaking the structural traps of inequality.
It is everyone's job to help achieve SDG 10. This includes governments, international organisations, civil society, businesses, and individuals.
The UN says that to reduce inequalities within and between countries, we need to work together to keep income growth going for the bottom 40% of the population, encourage social, economic, and political inclusion, and get rid of discrimination based on age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, or economic status.
This shared responsibility means that no one can reach the goal on their own; instead, people from all sectors and countries need to work together.
At the government level, national, regional, and local authorities must make sure that marginalised groups have the same opportunities and social protections as everyone else. Local governments are especially important because they are close to communities and can implement policies that are specific to them.
Also, to fix systemic inequalities, governments need to make their fiscal policies better, control financial markets, and make sure that developing countries have a fair say in international economic decision-making.
Companies and the private sector also have a lot of responsibility.
For instance, sustainable tax governance is a shared duty that requires businesses to pay their fair share of taxes in a clear way to help fund public services and social programs that lower inequality. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) goes beyond just following the rules.
It also means doing things that help sustainable development by promoting fair economic growth and social inclusion.
Lastly, countries must collaborate to assist the least developed nations, reduce the cost of remittances for migrants, and ensure that migration is managed safely and responsibly. Global solidarity and a shared commitment to leaving no one behind are essential for the implementation of development assistance, investment, and fair trade policies.
Ultimately, reducing inequalities is about building a world where opportunities are not determined by circumstance but shared fairly. By committing to the SDG 10 purpose and scaling up global sustainability commitments, we can create a future that is more inclusive, equitable, and just for all.
Shipra Jain
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Sustainable Development Goal 10 (SDG 10) focuses on reducing inequality within and among countries. It aims to ensure that economic growth, social systems, and opportunities are shared more fairly, so no one is left behind.
SDG 10 is important because inequality limits access to healthcare, education, and opportunities, leaving millions trapped in cycles of poverty. Reducing inequality strengthens societies, improves economic stability, and creates fairer chances for everyone.
Inequality can be reduced by ensuring fair wages, universal access to healthcare and education, progressive tax systems, social protection schemes, and strong anti-discrimination laws that protect vulnerable groups.
Globalization has mixed effects. It can reduce inequality by creating jobs, spreading technology, and opening markets. But it can also widen gaps if benefits are concentrated among wealthier nations or groups.
A wealth tax helps reduce inequality by redistributing resources from the richest households to fund social services like healthcare, education, and welfare programs that benefit lower-income groups.
