Sustainable Development Goal 10
Reduce inequality within and among countries
Sustainable Development Goal 10 is to “reduce inequality within and among countries”, according to the United Nations.
The visualizations and data below present the global perspective on where the world stands today and how it has changed over time.
Further statistics, analysis and visualizations on inequality can be found at Our World in Data topic page on economic inequality.
The UN has defined 10 targets and 14 indicators for SDG 10. Targets specify the goals and indicators represent the metrics by which the world aims to track whether these targets are achieved. Below we quote the original text of all targets and show the data on the agreed indicators.
Target 10.1Reduce income inequalities
SDG Indicator 10.1.1Income growth inequalities
Definition of the SDG indicator: Indicator 10.1.1 is “growth rates of household expenditure or income per capita among the bottom 40 per cent of the population and the total population” in the UN SDG framework.
This indicator is measured in terms of the average annual growth rate of real per capita income or consumption of those in the bottom 40% of incomes of a given country. Real per capita income or consumption means that data is adjusted for inflation. The income level demarcating the bottom 40% can vary across countries, and over time.
The interactive visualization shows a comparison between the annual growth of the income or consumption of the poorest 40%, and those of the total population. In countries below the dotted line, income or consumption growth is higher for the poorest 40% of the population than the national average. (And in countries above the dotted line, income or consumption growth is lower for the poorest 40% of the population than the national average.)
Target: “By 2030, progressively achieve and sustain income growth of the bottom 40 per cent of the population at a rate higher than the national average.”
More research: Further data and research on this topic can be found at Our World in Data topic page on economic inequality.
Target 10.2Promote universal social, economic and political inclusion
SDG Indicator 10.2.1People living below 50 per cent of median income
Definition of the SDG indicator: Indicator 10.2.1 is the “proportion of people living below 50 per cent of median income, by sex, age and persons with disabilities” in the UN SDG framework.
This indicator is measured as the share of a country’s population living on less than half of the median level of the national consumption or income distribution.
Data for this indicator is shown in the interactive visualization at the country level: at this time, internationally-comparable data is not available for population subgroups.
Target: “By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.”
More research: Further data and research on this topic can be found at Our World in Data topic pages on economic inequality and economic inequality by gender.
Target 10.3Ensure equal opportunities and end discrimination
SDG Indicator 10.3.1Eliminating discriminatory practices
Definition of the SDG indicator: Indicator 10.3.1 is the “proportion of population reporting having personally felt discriminated against or harassed in the previous 12 months on the basis of a ground of discrimination prohibited under international human rights law” in the UN SDG framework.
In this context, international human rights law refers to legal instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and subsequent international human rights treaties adopted by the United Nations. Data for this indicator is shown in the interactive visualization.
Target: “Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard.”
Target 10.4Adopt fiscal and social policies that promote equality
SDG Indicator 10.4.1Policies for greater equality
Definition of the SDG indicator: Indicator 10.4.1 is the “labour share of GDP” in the UN SDG framework.
This indicator measures the percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) derived from labor, which includes wages and salaries and social insurance contributions paid by employers, as well as the labor income of self-employed individuals. Data for this indicator is shown in the interactive visualization.
Target: “Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality.”
More research: Further data and research on this topic can be found at Our World in Data topic page on economic inequality.
SDG Indicator 10.4.2Redistributive impact of fiscal policy
Definition of the SDG indicator: Indicator 10.4.2 is the “redistributive impact of fiscal policy” in the UN SDG framework.
This indicator is measured as the difference between the Gini coefficient of pre-fiscal and post-fiscal per capita (or equivalized) income. Data for this indicator is shown in the interactive visualization.
The Gini coefficient measures inequality on a scale between 0 and 1, where higher values indicate greater inequality.
Target: “Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality.”
More research: Further data and research on this topic can be found at Our World in Data topic page on economic inequality.
Target 10.5Improved regulation of global financial markets and institutions
SDG Indicator 10.5.1Regulating financial markets
Definition of the SDG indicator: Indicator 10.5.1 is “Financial Soundness Indicators” in the UN SDG framework.
This indicator is measured in terms of 7 measures of financial soundness:
- Regulatory Tier 1 capital to assets
- Regulatory Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets
- Nonperforming loans net of provisions to capital
- Nonperforming loans to total gross loans
- Return on assets
- Liquid assets to short-term liabilities
- Net open position in foreign exchange to capital
You can read more about the individual financial soundness indicators in the UN SDG metadata.
Target: “Improve the regulation and monitoring of global financial markets and institutions and strengthen the implementation of such regulations.”
Target 10.6Enhanced representation for developing countries in financial institutions
SDG Indicator 10.6.1Voting rights for developing countries
Definition of the SDG indicator: Indicator 10.6.1 is the “proportion of members and voting rights of developing countries in international organizations” in the UN SDG framework.
These indicators measure the share of members and voting rights in international institutions which are held by developing countries.
The indicator is calculated independently for 11 different international institutions.
Target: “Ensure enhanced representation and voice for developing countries in decision-making in global international economic and financial institutions in order to deliver more effective, credible, accountable and legitimate institutions.”
Target 10.7Responsible and well-managed migration policies
SDG Indicator 10.7.1Migration recruitment costs
Definition of the SDG indicator: Indicator 10.7.1 is the “recruitment cost borne by employee as a proportion of monthly income earned in country of destination” in the UN SDG framework.
This indicator measures the ratio between the income earned by international migrants and the financial costs incurred by these migrants in the recruitment process.
Internationally-comparable data on this indicator is only available for a small list of countries.
Target: “Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies.”
SDG Indicator 10.7.2Well-planned migration policies
Definition of the SDG indicator: Indicator 10.7.2 is the “proportion of countries with migration policies that facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people” in the UN SDG framework.
Although this indicator is defined in terms of the number of countries, the United Nations measures this indicator in terms of the extent to which country migration policies meet International Organization for Migration (IOM) criteria in a variety of policy domains. These criteria are based on the principles of the IOM’s Migration Governance Framework, which seeks to promote well-managed migration that is beneficial to all.
The first interactive visualization shows the proportion of countries meeting the criteria in each region of the world. The second one shows the country-by-country assessment made by the United Nations.
Target: “Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies.”
SDG Indicator 10.7.3Deaths or disappearances during migration
Definition of the SDG indicator: Indicator 10.7.3 is the “number of people who died or disappeared in the process of migration towards an international destination” in the UN SDG framework.
This indicator measures the number of migrants, regardless of legal status, who died or are presumed to have died in the migration process to an international destination.
Since this indicator is meant to measure the risks of irregular migration movement between countries, it excludes deaths of migrants in countries where they have established residence, as well as migrants dying in refugee housing or immigrant detention centers, unless the death can be unambiguously linked to a risk associated with the journey.
Data for this indicator is shown in the interactive visualization.
Target: “Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies.”
SDG Indicator 10.7.4Refugee population
Definition of the SDG indicator: Indicator 10.7.4 is the “proportion of the population who are refugees, by country of origin” in the UN SDG framework.
This indicator is measured as the total number of individuals recognized as refugees per 100,000 resident population of a given country.
Refugees in this context refers to those recognized as such by the country government or the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, those in a refugee-like situation, and others in need of international protection.
Data for this indicator is shown in the interactive visualization.
Target: “Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies.”
Additional charts
Target 10.aSpecial and differential treatment for developing countries
SDG Indicator 10.a.1Differential tariffs for least developed countries
Definition of the SDG indicator: Indicator 10.a.1 is the “proportion of tariff lines applied to imports from least developed countries and developing countries with zero-tariff” in the UN SDG framework.
This indicator measures the proportion of tariff lines applied to products imported from least developed countries with a 0% tariff rate. (A tariff line represents a particular product group used for classification coding.)
Data for this indicator is shown in the interactive visualization.
Target: “Implement the principle of special and differential treatment for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, in accordance with World Trade Organization agreements.”
Target 10.bEncourage development assistance and investment in least developed countries
SDG Indicator 10.b.1Development assistance and investment
Definition of the SDG indicator: Indicator 10.b.1 is the “total resource flows for development, by recipient and donor countries and type of flow (e.g. official development assistance, foreign direct investment and other flows)” in the UN SDG framework.
Official development assistance refers to flows to countries and territories on the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC) and to multilateral institutions which meet a set of criteria related to the source of the funding, the purpose of the transaction, and the concessional nature of the funding.
Data for this indicator is shown by donor and recipient country in the interactive visualizations.
Target: “Encourage official development assistance and financial flows, including foreign direct investment, to States where the need is greatest, in particular least developed countries, African countries, small island developing States and landlocked developing countries, in accordance with their national plans and programmes.”
Target 10.cReduce transaction costs for migrant remittances
SDG Indicator 10.c.1Remittance costs
Definition of the SDG indicator: Indicator 10.c.1 is “remittance costs as a proportion of the amount remitted” in the UN SDG framework.
Remittances are financial transfers from non-residents to residents of a country, such as a worker abroad sending money to family and friends.
This indicator is measured in terms of two objectives.
- The first is that transaction costs of migrant remittances should be 3 percent or less by 2030, with the cost calculated as the global average total cost of sending 200 United States dollars (or the equivalent value in local sending currency) as the percentage of the amount sent. Data for this indicator is shown in the interactive visualization.
- The second objective is that remittance corridors (the sum of remittances sent between two countries) where costs are higher than 5 percent should be eliminated, meaning that individuals sending remittances should be able to do so while incurring an average cost of 5 percent of less of the amount sent, across the three cheapest services in each corridor. This is also measured in terms of sending 200 United States dollars or equivalent. Since corridors are defined in terms of two-country combinations, this data is not currently shown in the interactive visualizations.
Target: “By 2030, reduce to less than 3 per cent the transaction costs of migrant remittances and eliminate remittance corridors with costs higher than 5 per cent.”
Additional charts
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Our World in Data team (2023) - “Reduce inequality within and among countries” Published online at OurWorldInData.org. Retrieved from: 'https://ourworldindata.org/sdgs/reduced-inequalities' [Online Resource]BibTeX citation
@article{owid-sdgs-reduced-inequalities,
author = {Our World in Data team},
title = {Reduce inequality within and among countries},
journal = {Our World in Data},
year = {2023},
note = {https://ourworldindata.org/sdgs/reduced-inequalities}
}
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