What does 'Leave No One Behind' mean?

The UN pledge to leave no one behind

In 2015, the 193 Member States of the United Nations pledged to ensure “no one will be left behind” and to “endeavour to reach the furthest behind first” when they approved the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UN, 2015a & 2015b). The intention of this pledge is for Member States to take explicit action to eradicate poverty in all its forms, end discrimination and exclusion, and reduce the inequalities and vulnerabilities that leave people behind and undermine the potential of individuals and humanity as a whole, as well as to fast-track progress for those furthest behind.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which works with countries to implement the 2030 Agenda, has defined five key factors that help to understand who is being left behind and why, as shown in the figure above, namely: Discrimination, Vulnerability to shocks, Governance, Socio-economic status, and Geography.

People at the intersection of these factors face reinforcing and compounding disadvantage and deprivation that can cause them to be among the furthest behind (UNDP, 2018):

"People get left behind when they lack the choices and opportunities to participate in and benefit from development progress. All persons living in extreme poverty can thus be considered ‘left behind’, as can those who endure disadvantages or deprivations that limit their choices and opportunities relative to others in society". (UNDP, 2018, p 3.)

The concept of ‘Leave No One Behind’ recognises that to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) defined in the 2030 Agenda (UN, 2015a & 2015b), it is necessary that the people who are being left behind become full and equal agents in achieving these goals, with meaningful participation in decision making, underpinned by safe and inclusive mechanisms for their engagement.

Why is it relevant?

The pledge to “leave no one behind” in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aligns well with the inclusive and participatory nature of citizen science, particularly in citizen science, community science, and CO initiatives that have the objective to improve the living environment of people in urban areas by investigating issues such as air, water and noise pollution, heat stress, biodiversity loss, and other topics that directly impact human health and well-being.

There are often complex causal factors behind these issues that relate closely to the five factors that can cause people to be left behind —discrimination, geography, governance, socio-economic status, and shocks or vulnerability—and these factors also affect the ability participate in such environmental monitoring efforts.

By considering and addressing these factors in their own context, CO leaders will be better equipped to ensure that their projects engage diverse communities, include marginalized voices, distribute resources equitably, and produce data that truly represents all populations and ecosystems. This not only strengthens the legitimacy and impact of their initiatives but also contributes meaningfully to achieving the SDGs in a fair and inclusive way.

How can our CO engage with the LNOB pledge?

The UNDP has defined three mutually reinforcing “levers” that UN member states, local leaders, and change agents can deploy to ensure that no one is left behind, namely (UNDP, 2018):

1. Examine: disaggregated and people-driven data and information,

2. Empower: civic engagement and voice, and

3. Enact: integrated, equity-focused SDG policies, interventions, and budgets.

Given the urgency of achieving the SDGs, the UNDP encourages countries to implement approaches to move all three “levers” forward simultaneously by improving what is known about who is left behind, where they are, and why. They furthermore encourage leaders in all walks of life to become agents of change, challenging and disrupting business as usual, building national consensus on the policies the pledge requires, making hard choices and finding innovative ways around trade-offs.

COs and citizen science or community science initiatives can take inspiration from these levers by considering their role as change agents for positive change for a healthier and more sustainable living environment for all:

1. Examine by gathering, analysing, and using data and evidence of the environmental factors that impact peoples' lives;

2. Empower by expanding the opportunities to engage as city residents and members of civil society with local and regional decision makers who can act on that data towards the achievement of the SDGs; and

3. Enact via co-developed and co-promoted policies and interventions that will improve both their living environment and opportunities for the furthest behind people, groups and communities.

References

United Nations (UN). (1948) Universal Declaration of Human Rights. [online] Available at: https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights [Accessed 8 August 2024].

United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN). (2015a). 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). (2018). What does it mean to leave no one behind? A UNDP discussion paper and framework for implementation. https://www.undp.org/publications/what-does-it-mean-leave-no-one-behind

United Nations General Assembly. (2015b). Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Doc. A/RES/70/1. https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/migration/generalassembly/docs/globalcompact/A_RES_70_1_E.pdf

UN Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG). (2022). Operationalizing Leaving No One Behind. Good Practice Note for UN Country Teams. https://unsdg.un.org/sites/default/files/2022-04/Operationalizing%20LNOB%20-%20final%20with%20Annexes%20090422.pdf

UNICEF. (2021). A guidance Note for Leaving No One Behind (LNOB). UNICEF. https://www.unicef.org/media/102136/file/LNOB-in-WASH-Guidance-Note.pdf