Ten years after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a UN report shows that progress on peace, justice, and inclusion has not only stalled but is deteriorating. The ‘2025 Global Progress Report on Sustainable Development Goal 16’ finds that none of the 12 targets under SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions) are on track and that 15% of them are moving in the wrong direction.

Prepared jointly by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the report provides the most comprehensive picture to date of the state of peaceful, just, and inclusive societies. Its message is clear: without urgent reforms, renewed political will, and stronger institutions, the international community will not deliver on the foundations that underpin all other SDGs.

Rising levels of conflict and violence

The report highlights steep increases in conflict-related deaths. In 2024, at least 48,384 people were killed in armed conflicts, representing a 40% rise compared to 2023. On average, one life was lost every 12 minutes.

The burden on women and children was severe. Between 2023 and 2024, more than 21,000 women and nearly 17,000 children were killed in conflicts, four times higher than in the previous two-year period. Eight in ten child deaths and seven in ten women’s deaths occurred in Gaza.

Beyond battlefields, violence continues to affect daily life worldwide. Two in three children – or 1.6 billion – experience violent discipline at home. More than 370 million women and girls alive today were raped or sexually assaulted during childhood, alongside between 240 million and 310 million men and boys. In fragile settings, one in four girls has suffered sexual assault or rape during childhood.

Human trafficking remains widespread. In 2022, 38% of detected victims were children, compared to 13% detected in 2004. Girls are most often trafficked for sexual exploitation, while boys are trafficked for forced labor, forced criminality, or begging.

Attacks on human rights defenders and journalists

The risks faced by those defending rights and freedoms remain alarming. In 2024, at least one human rights defender, journalist, or trade unionist was killed or disappeared every 14 hours. A total of 502 killings and 123 disappearances were recorded and verified. While these figures represent slight declines from 2023, they remain at crisis levels. Killings rose by almost a quarter in Western Asia and Northern Africa, and disappearances increased by nearly one-third in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Eighty-two journalists were killed in 2024, the highest number in more than a decade. Over 60% of these deaths occurred in conflict settings.

Persistent justice gaps

Access to justice remains elusive for many people. The global prison population reached 11.7 million in 2023, with one-third held in prolonged pre-trial detention. Reporting rates for crimes remain very low. Only 15% of sexual assault survivors reported to authorities, compared to 35% of victims of physical assault and 45% of robbery victims. These figures reflect limited trust in justice systems and significant barriers to redress.

Corruption also continues to undermine governance. In surveys conducted in 142 countries, one in five citizens reported being asked for a bribe when interacting with a public official. Illicit financial flows and arms trafficking further weaken the rule of law and divert resources from development.

Exclusion and discrimination

The report finds that exclusion remains widespread and that discrimination is increasing. Globally, one in five people reported being discriminated against on grounds prohibited by international law in the past year. Rates are higher in least developed countries (LDCs), where one in four reported discrimination.

Women remain underrepresented in decision making. Current representation ratios are 0.54 in parliaments, 0.90 in the judiciary, and 0.80 in public service, all falling short of parity. Gains since 2020 have been small and in some cases have stalled. Women and youth are especially underrepresented in leadership positions and in committees with strong influence such as finance, defense, and foreign affairs.

Parliaments with younger representatives show more balance, with male to female ratios narrowing to 57 to 43 for members aged 30 and under, and 63 to 37 for those aged 40 and under.

Fragile but real progress

Some positive developments are noted. Since 2015, global homicide rates have fallen from 5.9 to 5.2 per 100,000 people. Projections suggest they may continue to decline, though not quickly enough to meet the global target of halving homicide rates by 2030.

In the past five years, more than 500 million children have had their births registered, providing them with legal identity. Laws guaranteeing access to information are now in place in 139 countries, compared to only 14 in 1990. National human rights institutions accredited under the Paris Principles exist in 114 countries, covering more than 60% of the world’s population. Two-thirds of citizens surveyed globally expressed satisfaction with government services such as healthcare, education, and civil registration.

Forced displacement at record levels

The report stresses that lack of progress on SDG 16 is driving forced displacement. At the end of 2024, 123 million people were forcibly displaced by conflict, persecution, or human rights violations. This represents a 50% increase since 2020. Without greater investment in justice, rule of law, and accountable institutions, displacement will continue to rise with severe humanitarian and development consequences.

A call for urgent action

The report is released as the UN marks its 80th anniversary and advances the UN80 reform initiative, which seeks to adapt the organization to contemporary global challenges. Aligned with the UN General Assembly’s (UNGA) theme, ‘Better Together: 80 Years and More for Peace, Development and Human Rights,’ the initiative is scaling up innovation, partnerships, and support to governments.

The report concludes that progress is still possible but requires decisive action. With 56% of countries now reporting on at least one SDG 16 target, compared to 23% in 2019, the evidence base for action is stronger. The authors call for governments, donors, and international partners to strengthen the rule of law, expand access to justice, improve gender equality in institutions, and invest in reliable disaggregated data.

“Peace cannot endure without justice. Justice cannot thrive without inclusion. Inclusion cannot be realized without peace – and none can be sustained without human rights,” the report concludes.

The report was released on 23 September 2025 during the UNGA’s High-Level Week and the annual Global Goals Week. [Publication: Global Progress Report on Sustainable Development Goal 16: Indicators on Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies] [Publication Landing Page] [Joint Press Release]