A/HRC/34/27
children’s rights in situations of the most extreme poverty, marginalization and
vulnerability.
A.
Cross-cutting commitments to equality and non-discrimination in the
2030 Agenda
17.
In the 2030 Agenda, Member States make critical commitments in target 10.3 of the
Sustainable Development Goals to ensure equality of opportunities and reduce inequalities
of outcomes, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices. They
also place a special focus on leaving no one behind, including people in situations of
vulnerability, with specific reference to children and other groups at risk of exclusion. This
is consistent with international human rights law including article 2 of the Convention on
the Rights of the Child on non-discrimination. In the 2030 Agenda, Member States further
commit to combating income and wealth inequalities and detail specific objectives to
address inequality and discrimination, including under Goal 10 to reduce inequality within
and among countries. This includes targets to achieve income growth for the bottom 40 per
cent of the population and to promote social, economic and political inclusion for all.
Gender equality is addressed more fully under Goal 5, and in particular target 5.1 aimed at
ending all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.
18.
In addition, there are targets to promote greater equality in outcomes and universal
access throughout all the Goals, as well as further commitments to end discrimination under
Goal 16 on peaceful and inclusive societies. Goals 10 and 17 are also aimed at reducing
inequalities as a universal concern to be addressed through international cooperation. That
is in accordance with article 2 (1) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights and in line with the right to development. The 2030 Agenda further
highlights the obligation of States to respect, protect and promote human rights and
fundamental freedoms for all without distinction of any kind as to race, colour, sex,
language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth,
disability or other status. Moreover, there is a key commitment to strengthening the
monitoring of outcomes for all groups, including the most marginalized, through
disaggregated approaches to data.
B.
Sustainable Development Goals and targets
19.
All Sustainable Development Goals and targets must be implemented in accordance
with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the general comments and
recommendations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child relevant to each Goal and
target area.7 While not all of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets refer to
children, they are all relevant to children’s well-being, the fulfilment of their potential and
the protection and realization of their human rights. For example, bringing about free
primary and secondary education for all children relies upon access to safe water and
sanitation facilities, and requires environments that are safe and free from violence against
children. Adequate investment in health and education services can be dependent on
combating corruption to ensure that sufficient domestic resources are available. Similarly,
ensuring that children survive and grow up in good health relies upon adequate air quality
and on other basic needs, which are undermined by the impacts of climate change.
7
6
See UNICEF, “Mapping the global goals for sustainable development and the Convention on the
Rights of the Child” (2016).
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