SDGs and WHO

SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing

• Reduce maternal mortality

• End preventable deaths under 5 years of age

• Fight communicable diseases

• Reduce mortality from non-communicable diseases to promote mental health

• Prevent and treat substance abuse

• Reduce road injuries and deaths

• Reduce illnesses and death from hazardous chemicals and pollution

• Achieve universal health coverage

• Increase health financing and support health workforce in developing countries

• Support research, development and universal access to affordable vaccines and medicines

• Universal access to sexual and reproductive care, family planning and education

• Implement the WHO framework convention on Tobacco Control

• Improve early warning systems for global health risks

SDG 1: No Poverty

Poverty relates to lack of resources. It is often caused by lack of money but can also occur due to discrimination and social exclusion.

No Poverty Key features:

• Reducing the proportion of men, women and children living in poverty by half

• Putting in place social protection systems

• Ensuring equal rights and making sure everyone has access to essential resources, services, appropriate new technology and financial services, including microfinance

• Building the resilience of those living in vulnerable situation and reducing exposure to environmental disasters that result in poverty

No Poverty Link to SDG 3 example 1

Implementing social protection systems (SDG 1) will ensure that families have the money to send their children to school gain access to knowledge about the dangers of abusing alcohol. This can help strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including drugs and alcohol (SDG 3)

No Poverty Link to SDG 3 example 2

If countries strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including drugs and alcohol (SDG 3) people will be more productive at work and can contribute to the economy by paying taxes to help governments to implement social protection systems (SDG 1)

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

Aims to end all forms of hunger and malnutrition, making sure all people-especially children and the more vulnerable have access to nutritious food all year round by promoting sustainable agriculture.

Zero Hunger Key features:

• End hunger and ensure access for all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, such as infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food

• End all forms of malnutrition, including under and over nutrition, particularly in children under five

• Improve agricultural practices so everyone has equal access to land, sustainable practices are in place, the genetic diversity of seeds, plants and animals is maintained, and they are able to adapt to climate change and extreme weather

• Increase investment in agriculture, infrastructure, research and technology

• Address trade restrictions that disadvantage farmers, particularly  in low and middle income countries

Zero Hunger link to SDG 3: example 1

Infants who are receiving sufficient and nutritious food (SDG 2) have well developed immune systems. This will make them less vulnerable to communicable diseases such as measles, which can be fatal. This assists in reducing preventable child deaths (SDG 3).

Zero Hunger link to SDG 3: example 2

If countries work towards ending the epidemics of HIV, tuberculosis, malaria (SDG 3) fewer people will have HIV and more people will be healthy enough to work to earn an income to be able to afford access to nutritious food all year round for their families (SDG 2).

SDG 4: Quality Education

Addresses the need for all children, regardless of sex or gender to have equal access to high quality education at all levels.

Quality Education Key features:

• Ensure all children complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education

• Ensure all children have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education

• Ensure all adults have access to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education

• Increase the number of youth and adults

Quality education Link to SDG 3: example 1

Ensuring all children complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education (SDG 4) will ensure that children can access knowledge about safe sex and disease prevention this can help end the epidemics of HIV, tuberculosis, malaria (SDG 3)

Quality education Link to SDG 3: example 2

If countries work towards achieving universal health coverage (SDG 3) young people can seek treatment for malaria and will be well enough to attend training to learn the relevant skills for employment (SDG 4)

SDG 5: Gender equality

aims to end discrimination and violence against women and girls by addressing the barriers that exist to gender equality

Gender equality key features:

• End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls, including putting in place laws that protect the rights of women and girls

• End all forms of violence against women and girls, including human trafficking and sexual exploitation

• Eliminate harmful practices, such as child, early and forced  marriage, and female genital mutilation

• Recognise and value unpaid domestic work and promote shared responsibility within households

• Ensure women's participation in decision-making in political, economic and public life and they are given leadership opportunities

• Ensure women have control over their sexual and reproductive health and can access sexual and reproductive healthcare services

• Improve access to and the use of information and communication technologies, such as mobile phone technology to support equality and empower women

Link Between Gender equality and SDG 3: Example 1

Eliminate harmful practices such as female genital mutilation (SDG 5) reduces the risk of complications during pregnancy and the premature death of newborns this can help end preventable child deaths (SDG 3).

Link Between Gender equality and SDG 3: Example 2

If countries work towards reducing maternal mortality (SDG 3) mothers will survive to take care of their families and are more likely to send their daughters to school and encourage them to delay marriage helping to eliminate harmful practice such as child marriage (SDG 5)

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

ensuring all people are able to access clean water and adequate sanitation.

Clean water and sanitation key features:

• Ensure everyone has access to safe and affordable drinking water, sanitation and hygiene

• Improve water quality by reducing pollution, elimination dumping and minimizing the release of hazardous chemicals and materials

• Use water efficiently and sustainably

• Implement water resource management

• Protect and restore water related ecosystems

• Support the participation of local communities in water and sanitation management

Clean water and sanitation link to SDG 3: Example 1

If countries strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including drugs and alcohol (SDG 3) people will be more productive in the community and can contribute to water and sanitation management including the upgrading of water sources (SDG 6)

Clean water and sanitation link to SDG 3: Example 2

Supporting the participation of local communities in water and sanitation management (SDG 6) will ensure that children are less likely to get sick from dysentery and will be well enough to go to school can access to knowledge and safe sex and disease prevention this can help end the epidemics of HIV, tuberculosis, malaria (SDG 3)

SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production

seeks to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns, which are key to sustaining the livelihoods of current and future generations.

Responsible consumption and production Key features

• Develop and implement policies that help support to sustainable consumption and production

• Make efficient use of our natural resources

• Reduce food waste

• Ensure the responsible management of chemicals and waste

• Reduce waste and increase recycling

• Encourage companies to adopt sustainable practices and sustainability reporting

• Reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and remove subsidies

• Monitor the economic and environmental aspects of sustainable tourism

• Promote understanding of sustainable lifestyles

Responsible consumption and production link to SDG 3: example 1

If organisations take actions that reduce or prevent environmental degradation (SDG 12) families will have more sustainable food supply. This will ensure that children around the world have the energy to go to school gain access to knowledge about safe sex and disease prevention. This can help end the epidemics of HIV, tuberculosis, malaria (SDG 3).

Responsible consumption and production link to SDG 3: example 2

Reduce mortality rates from non communicable diseases (SDG 3) means people can work more productively at work and can contribute to the economy by paying taxes to help governments to implement policies to promote sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)

The World Health Organisation (UN 1948)

• The WHO works to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable

• It provides leadership in supporting countries to respond to a range of global health issues to improve the health and wellbeing of all people.

Provide Health - Achieving Universal Health Coverage

Advance primary health care and essential health system capacities for universal health coverage. Improve service coverage and financial protection.

Protect Health - Addressing Health Emergencies

Prevent, mitigate and prepare for health risks from all hazards. Rapidly detect and sustain response to health emergencies

Promote Health - Promoting Healthier Populations

Respond to climate change, an escalating health threat. Address health determinants and root causes of ill health

Provide Health Objective 1: Advance Primary Health Care and Essential Health System Capacities for Universal Health Coverage

• Everyone must access quality health services (including health promotion and disease prevention), regardless of location.

• Countries must fund efficient, sustainable public healthcare

• Digital technologies should be used to track health data and risks, support by secure systems

Provide Health Objective 2: : Improve Health Service Coverage and Financial protection to address inequity and gender inequalities

• Everyone must access quality health services (including health promotion and disease prevention), regardless of location.

• Health system need enough trained, safe, and protected workers

• Countries must fund efficient, sustainable public health care

• Digital technologies should be used to track health data and risks, supported by secure systems.

Protect Health Objective 1:  Prevent, mitigate and prepare for risks to health from all hazards

This objective aims to reduce risks and build global capacity for epidemics and emergencies.

• Focuses on better detection, prevention and response to new diseases and hazards

• Includes public health planning for mass gatherings, travel, and trade, plus improving biosafety and health worker safety

• WHO's International Health Regulations guide countries in disease control and will be updated for climate -related threats and disasters

Protect Health Objective 2: Rapidly detect and sustain and effective response to all health emergencies

• Everyone must quickly access essential health services during emergencies

• Crises must not disrupt equitable, sustainable access to health and nutrition services

• Real time data is needed for fast, coordinated emergency responses

• Life saving services must reach vulnerable groups and be maintained long term

• Key services include sexual and reproductive health, mental health support, care for non communicable diseases, disability services, and services for women and children 

Promote Health Objective 1:  Respond to climate change

• Climate change poses growing health risks, especially for women, children, the poor and small islands

• The WHO aims to build sustainable, climate resilient health systems.

• Goals include maintaining uninterrupted health services during extreme weather and disease outbreaks.

• WHO partners with sectors like energy, food, transport, and finance

• Focus areas include reducing emissions, improving air quality, promoting healthy food, physical activity, and strengthening WASH services

Promote Health Objective 2: Address health determinants and the main causes of ill health

• Health is shaped by social conditions like gender equality, discrimination, and living and working environments.

• Empowering people to take part in health decisions is essential

• Prevention and health promotion reduce illness, strengthen economies, and ease pressure on health systems.

• Over 40% of disease and early death is linked to risk factors like tobacco, alcohol, inactivity, poor diet, pollution, unsafe water, and social isolation

• Addressing these causes improves global health and wellbeing.