1.5.1 Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a global agenda for change. They were agreed by the members of the United Nations in 2015 with the aim to achieve them by 2030. There are 17 goals covering different aspects of social and economic development (Figure 1.4).

Figure 1.4 Sustainable Development Goals (adapted from UNDP, n.d.).

Many of the goals focus on reaching the vulnerable and emphasise the principle of equality among all people regardless of who they are. As you can see from Figure 1.4, SDG 5 is about gender equality and SDG 6 is about clean water and sanitation. The wording of SDG 6 is to ‘ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all’ (UNDP, n.d.). The phrase ‘for all’ makes clear that persons with disabilities and other marginalised groups must be included.

1.5 International frameworks

1.5.2 UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities