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Sustainable Development Goal 16 advocates for peace, justice, and strong, transparent institutions by the year 2030. This goal encourages a more peaceful and just world by reducing violence, combating organised crime and corruption, strengthening institutions, ensuring inclusive decision-making, and safeguarding fundamental freedoms.

 

BY 20301
  • Reduce all forms of violence and related death rates, everywhere.
  • Protect children from abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and violence.
  • Promote the rule of law and ensure equal access to justice at both the national and international level.
  • Combat organised crime and illicit financial and arms flows.
  • Substantially reduce corruption and bribery.
  • Develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions.
  • Ensure responsive, inclusive, and representative decision-making.
  • Strengthen the participation, particularly of developing nations, in global governance.
  • Provide universal legal identity, including birth registration.
  • Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms.
  • Strengthen national institutions to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime.
  • Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies.

 

Peace, justice, and strong institutions are key components in achieving a society that is safe, equitable, and prosperous. The aim of Sustainable Development Goal 16 is to encourage international stakeholders to make progress towards achieving peace and transparency by the year 2030.
 

Reducing rates of violence, and death due to violence, is crucial for fostering peaceful nations and strong institutions. The global homicide rate decreased overall by 5.2% between the years 2015 and 2020.3 Despite this progress, projections estimate that the United Nations goal of a 50% reduction in the global homicide rate will not be achieved by the year 2030.4 Of the over 400,000 homicides in the year 2020, 82% of the victims were men and boys.5 Although the global homicide rates for women and girls is much lower, 58% of homicides perpetrated against women and girls are committed by intimate partners or family members, indicating a gender discrepancy as it pertains to domestic violence.6

 

Based on figures from “Our World in Data”, there has been a marked rise in death in state-based conflicts since the year 2012.7 In 2021, at least 11,075 civilian conflict-related deaths in 12 of the world’s deadliest armed conflicts were recorded.8 Distressingly, one in eight of these civilian deaths were women and children.9 Although, it is still too early to determine the full impact of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict on the global numbers, as of May 2023, The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has estimated that over 8,000 civilian deaths have occurred since the war broke out in February of 2022.10
Ensuring the identification and tracking of illicit weapons is vital for combating illegal trade and reducing their flow. However, many countries face challenges in tracing due to resource constraints and limited international cooperation. On average, around 83% of seized firearms are potentially traceable, primarily through unique markings indicating their illicit origin.11 Insufficient levels of international cooperation have been observed in tracing efforts, further cooperation is necessary to fulfil Sustainable Development Goal 16. Additionally, destruction of weapons is an effective measure in reducing the availability of small arms on the illicit market, with an average of 48% of seized weapons destroyed between 2018 and 2019.12
Globally, approximately one in six businesses encounter requests for bribes from public officials, as reported by surveys. While bribery occurs worldwide, rates vary by region, with countries in Eastern and Southeast Asia and least developed nations facing the highest incidence, affecting around 30% of businesses.13 Policymakers must do more to mitigate bribery by increasing transparency and efficiency.
Over the past five years, there has been some progress in making parliaments, governmental bodies, and heads of state more diverse in terms of age and gender. However, progress remains slow and uneven, with women and young people still facing significant underrepresentation in leadership roles. The percentage of young parliamentarians increased from 28.1% in 2018 to 31.1% in 2021, but then dropped slightly to 30.2% in 2022.14 The proportion of women Speakers in parliament gradually rose to 22% in 2022, but still falls below the global average of women in parliament (26.1%).15
In 2021, attacks against human rights defenders, journalists, and trade unionists surged in 35 countries, resulting in 320 fatalities, alongside cases of enforced disappearance in 6 countries.16 The proportion of women human rights defenders and journalists killed rose from 11% in 2020 to 16% in 2021.17 Conflict-affected nations accounted for about 36% of journalist killings, signalling a concerning trend of violence extending beyond traditional conflict zones.18 Ongoing armed conflicts and rising violence indicate that figures for killings and enforced disappearances are likely to remain high in 2022.

The World After COVID-19

In 2020, the global prison population declined by approximately 4.7%, from nearly 11.8 million to 11.2 million.19 Covid-19 made emergency prisoner releases necessary for health and safety, contributing to the overall decline in global prison population. However, at the end of 2020, 1 in 3 people worldwide were detained without being sentenced for a crime.20 This is an indicator of lack of progress towards target three of Sustainable Development Goal 16, ensuring equal access to justice for all.

 

Progress has been made in adopting access to information (ATI) laws in multiple countries, but the COVID-19 pandemic has hindered their implementation. Around 30 countries have passed ATI laws since 2015, with an additional six during the pandemic.21 Administrative disruptions caused by the pandemic have resulted in limited data availability on information requests and appeals. However, some countries have successfully provided data on the pandemic, indicating the potential for improved information access. Efforts are needed to enhance recordkeeping systems within ATI oversight institutions, although examples of effective reorganization during the pandemic offer valuable insights for others.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing discrimination and inequalities, hindering the progress of societies worldwide. Tackling discrimination and inequality through evidence-based policies is crucial for creating inclusive, equal, resilient, just, and sustainable systems rooted in human rights. Data collected from 49 countries and territories between 2017 and 2021 reveals that approximately 1 in 5 individuals have reported experiencing discrimination based on grounds prohibited by international human rights law.22 Women are more than twice as likely as men to report discrimination based on sex, particularly in urban areas.23 Discrimination against people with disabilities also persists, with one-third of individuals with disabilities reporting personal experiences of discrimination.24

 

Accountability Movement25

Target 16.6 of The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 16 advocates for the development of effective, accountable, and transparent institutions. The Salvation Army has embarked on its own accountability movement focusing on the four key areas of governance, impact measurement, finance, and child protection. This movement calls for mutual respect and truth, encouraging transparency and openness.

 

 

The Meeting Point26

 

Greece is one of the primary points of entry in the European Union for those fleeing conflict-affected areas.27 In response, The Salvation Army in Greece has launched “The Meeting Point” which provides aid to those who have fled conflict afflicted areas and provides them with essential aid and assistance, encouraging meaningful integration into the community.

 

 

Domestic Violence Prevention28

 

The Salvation Army has many programmes dedicated to the prevention of domestic violence and supporting victims. Conflict and anger management programmes are one way in which The Salvation Army is contributing to stopping violence before it happens. These programmes teach health habits and offer safe behaviours, alternative to violence.

 

After School & Youth Programmes29

 

The Salvation Army tackles the rising issue of gangs and youth violence by offering after school and youth programmes around the world, including Southern California. These programmes provide a supportive and structured environment that helps underprivileged children break free from violence and adversity, guiding them towards positive life choices and productive adulthood.

 

1 United Nations. (2022). United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16 Extended Report. United Nations. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2022/extended-report/Extended-Report_Goal-16.pdf
2 Ibid.
3 Ibid.
4 Ibid.
5 Ibid.
6 Ibid.
7Roser, M., Hasell, J., Herre, B., & Macdonald, B. (2016, December 13). War and peace. Our World in Data. https://ourworldindata.org/war-and-peace
8United Nations. (2022). United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16 Extended Report . United Nations. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2022/ /
9Ibid.
10Ukraine Civilian War Casualties 2023. Statista. (2023, May 23). https://www.statista.com/statistics/1293492/ukraine-war-casualties/
11 Ibid.
12 Ibid.
13 Ibid.
14 Ibid.
15 Ibid.
16 Ibid.
17Ibid.
18Ibid.
19United Nations. (2022). United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16 Extended Report. United Nations. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2022/extended-report/Extended-Report_Goal-16.pdf
20 Ibid.
21 Ibid.
22 Ibid.
23 Ibid.
24 Ibid.
25Journey of Renewal. (n.d.).https://accountability.salvationarmy.org/
26Ukraine disaster and refugee relief: The salvation army USA. Ukraine Disaster and Refugee Relief | The Salvation Army USA. (n.d.). https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/ukraine-disaster-and-refugee-relief/
27 Greece. UNHCR. (n.d.). https://www.unhcr.org/countries/greece
28Conflict resolution/anger management program. Conflict Resolution/Anger Management Program - Salvation Army Buffalo Area Services. (n.d.). https://easternusa.salvationarmy.org/empire/buffalo/conflict-resolutionanger-management-program/#:~:text=Conflict%20Resolution%20and%20Anger%20Management%20Program&text=This%20unique%20program%20provides%20counseling,and%20anger%20issues%20as%20well. 29Youth Services. Youth Services | The Salvation Army | California South - Southern California Division. (n.d.). https://socal.salvationarmy.org/southern-california/youth-services/#:~:text=Gangs%20and%20youth%20violence%20continue%20to%20be%20a,and%20extricate%20them%20from%20the%20cycle%20of%20violence.