Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged us to accelerate action, saying, “we must not let up on our 2030 promise to end poverty, protect the planet and leave no one behind.” The Mary Ward family is committed to helping achieve the 2030 Agenda, and work to promote solidarity, social inclusion and social cohesion in the communities in which we live and work.
Almost 30 years after the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and a decade into the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the world is still far from delivering on its promises. The 2024 UN SDG Report reveals that only 17% of global targets are on track, while over 30% have stalled or regressed. Poverty and hunger are rising, gender inequality persists in leadership and decision-making, and violence against women and girls—both physical and online—is increasing worldwide.
Together with the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, and VIVAT International, we submitted our Written Statement raising the issues shared by our network. Based on the information that we received, marginalized communities remain the hardest hit, facing limited access to education, healthcare, food security, and labor protections, alongside systemic discrimination and institutional corruption. Health inequities are especially stark: preventable diseases like cervical cancer claim the highest toll in low- and middle-income countries due to unequal access to HPV vaccines, screening, and treatment.
The path forward is clear. Investments in universal healthcare, quality education, gender equality, and social protection systems have been proven to reduce poverty, strengthen resilience, and foster inclusive, sustainable societies. To achieve this, bold reforms to the global financial system are needed to close the $4 trillion SDG funding gap and accelerate progress.
We call on governments, international institutions, and civil society to take immediate, coordinated action. By upholding the commitments of the Copenhagen Declaration, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the newly adopted Pact for the Future, the global community can still deliver a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future—where no one is left behind.
We join with other civil society organizations and urge governments and global leaders to:
- Implement the recently adopted Pact for the Future, Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations immediately.
- Reform international financial and trade systems to address global economic inequities and prioritize environmental sustainability.
- Redirect resources from military to social and economic development, ensuring financial investment in the Sustainable Development Goals.
- Build resilient social protection systems, integrating accessible health, education, and rural development, particularly for marginalized communities. Concrete investments in sustainable livelihoods and economic resilience are essential to prevent people from falling back into poverty.
- Establish a Global Fund for Social Protection to strengthen social equity and stability.
- Remove barriers to humanitarian aid, prioritize community resilience to hunger and food insecurity. Prioritize community preparedness through preventive frameworks that strengthen early-warning systems and provide ongoing social protection, particularly for communities at risk of protracted crises.
- Implement gender equality policies to eliminate violence and discrimination against women and girls, ensuring their full participation in leadership and decision-making in all spheres of society.
- Involve people with lived experience, particularly women and girls, in the design, implementation, and evaluation of social policies.
Read the full Written Statement AQUÍ.
Read the Justice Coalition of Religious (JCoR) Written Statement AQUÍ.
