Integrating governance into the Sustainable Development Goals

Governance must be a core part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Much of the discussions for the SDGs have revolved around whether governance should have its own goal or be integrated into other goals on specific issues such as poverty reduction, water and food.

This policy brief, published under the United Nations University Project on Sustainability Transformation Beyond 2015 (POST2015), argues that a separate governance SDG would offer the best chance to incorporate governance comprehensively, but might also privilege good governance over effective and equitable governance. Conversely, integrating governance into other issue-specific goals would offer other advantages but risks less comprehensive pursuit of governance objectives. Awareness of these limitation will be important in spurring creative and ambitious governance targets on all issues in the SDGs.

Download the policy brief (PDF: 1.6MB)

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