Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries

Inequality threatens long-term social and economic development, stalls poverty reduction, and undermines people’s sense of fulfillment and self-worth. Over the last decade, refugee numbers have more than doubled. By mid-2025, 36.6 million people were refugees under the UNHCR mandate, with another 5.9 million Palestinian refugees supported by UNRWA. The largest number of these displaced populations fled from Venezuela, Syria, and South Sudan.

At the same time, reports of discrimination are rising globally, hitting urban residents, women, people with disabilities, and those with lower income or education levels the hardest. Globally, one in five people experienced discrimination within the past year on grounds prohibited by international law, with that rate rising to 24.3% in the world’s least developed countries. While young people aged 15 to 29 more frequently report discrimination based on migration status, ethnicity, and sexual orientation, older adults aged 60 and over primarily encounter discrimination related to age, health, and disability.

Why do we need to reduce inequalities?

Inequalities based on income, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, race, and religion persist worldwide. This divide threatens economic progress, harms poverty reduction, and can breed crime, disease, and environmental degradation. We simply cannot achieve sustainable development or build a better planet if people are excluded from the chance to build a better life.

What are some examples of inequality?

Inequality manifests in devastating ways. Every day, women and children die from preventable diseases or childbirth because they lack basic healthcare. Older persons, migrants, and refugees routinely face a lack of opportunity and systemic bias. This issue affects every country, with one in five people worldwide experiencing some form of discrimination—particularly women and people with disabilities. This prejudice takes many intersecting forms, from religious and ethnic bias to gender and sexual orientation discrimination.

How do we tackle discrimination?

In our interconnected world, challenges like poverty, climate change, and economic crises do not stop at national borders. Even the wealthiest countries contain communities living in extreme poverty, and the oldest democracies still struggle with racism, homophobia, transphobia, and religious intolerance. Because global inequality affects everyone, we must tackle it as a global community.

Can we achieve equality for everyone?

Equality can and must be achieved to ensure a life of dignity for all. To do this, political, economic, and social policies must be universal, paying close attention to the specific needs of disadvantaged and marginalized communities.

What can we do?

Reducing inequality requires transformative change. We must focus on eradicating extreme poverty and hunger while investing in health, education, social protection, and decent jobs—especially for young people, migrants, and refugees.

Nationally, we must promote inclusive growth and ensure equal opportunities by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies, and practices. Globally, we need to ensure developing countries are better represented in international decision-making so that global solutions are more effective and accountable. Finally, governments must promote safe, orderly, and responsible migration through well-managed policies that protect the millions of people who have been forced to leave their homes in search of a better life.