Goal 10 of 17
Reduced inequalities
Reduce inequality within and among countries
What this goal is about
Goal 10 is about fairness, inside countries and between them. It asks that the incomes of the poorest 40% grow faster than the average, that nobody is shut out because of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic status, and that poorer countries get a fairer say in the global economy.
It also covers people on the move. The goal calls for safe, orderly migration and for cutting the cost of sending money home, which many families depend on. The World Bank expected remittances to low and middle-income countries to reach $685 billion in 2024, so every percentage point of cost matters.
Progress is mixed. In most countries with data the poorest 40% have gained ground since 2015, but dozens of economies remain highly unequal, about one in five people report discrimination, remittance costs are more than double the target, and migration routes recorded their deadliest year in 2024.
The main targets
By 2030, grow the incomes of the poorest 40% of people faster than the national average, and keep it that way.
Include everyone socially, economically and politically, whatever their age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or status.
Ensure equal opportunity and reduce unequal outcomes, including by removing discriminatory laws, policies and practices.
Use tax, wage and social protection policies to achieve greater equality over time.
Give developing countries more representation and voice in international economic and financial institutions.
Make migration and mobility orderly, safe, regular and responsible, through planned and well-managed policies.
Direct aid and investment to the countries with the greatest need, including the least developed and African countries.
By 2030, cut the cost of sending remittances to below 3% and remove corridors costing more than 5%.
Summaries in plain English. The full wording of every target and indicator is on the UN Goal 10 page.
What businesses can do
- Publish pay ranges. Put pay ranges in job adverts and stop asking candidates about their salary history. In the EU, the Pay Transparency Directive requires both, with a national deadline of 7 June 2026.
- Check pay once a year. Compare pay for similar roles and levels, fix gaps you cannot explain, and write down the rule you use for future decisions.
- Make products accessible. Build websites and apps to the WCAG 2.2 guidelines so people with disabilities can use them. It is cheaper to build in than to fix later.
- Hire from wider networks. Write plain job adverts with only the requirements that matter, advertise beyond your usual circles and offer accessible interviews on request.
- Pay small suppliers on time. Late payment hurts small firms most. Set terms you can keep and prioritise small suppliers when cash is tight.
What you can do
- Include people on purpose. Notice who is left out of projects, clubs and events, and choose accessible venues and free activities so more people can join.
- Make what you create accessible. Add captions to videos, use large text and strong contrast, and follow the free WCAG 2.2 guidelines when building websites or apps.
- Volunteer safely. Help local groups that support refugees, older people or families on low incomes. Involve a parent, carer or teacher before signing up.
- Study what drives inequality. Economics, law, social work, public health and data science all lead to careers that measure and reduce inequality.
Technology helps when it lowers costs and widens access: phone-based instant payments such as India's UPI, digital remittance services that cost less than banks, open-source identity platforms such as MOSIP, and websites built to accessibility standards. It hurts when services become app-only for people who cannot afford data, or when automated decisions on credit, hiring or benefits repeat bias in past data. Human review, appeals and offline routes are part of good design.
Sources
- UN, Goal 10 targets and indicators
- UN, The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026: Goal 10
- World Bank, Remittance Prices Worldwide
- World Bank, The geography of high inequality (Data Blog, 2024)
- World Bank, Remittance flows in 2024 (People Move blog)
- IOM, 2024 is deadliest year on record for migrants
- WHO, Disability fact sheet
- UN, Reduced inequalities
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