Investing for real-world change

The share of the world’s population living in extreme poverty has declined since 2015. However, the pace of global poverty reduction has been decelerating. Projections suggest that 6% of the global population could still be living in extreme poverty in 2030

Chronic undernutrition puts children at greater risk of dying from common infections and impacts their cognitive development. More than 140 million children under age 5 are affected by stunting - most of them are in Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa

Less than one half of the global population is covered by essential health services. This figure is lower than 25% in low-income countries

258 million children and youth were out of school in 2018, of which three quarters lived in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia

Despite improvements in recent years, gender equality remains unfulfilled. For example, women represent less than 35% of local government officials, are exposed to human rights abuses such as child marriage, and spend more time than men in unpaid work

2.2 billion people around the world still lack safely managed drinking water. In the least developed countries, less than 30% of people had a basic hand-washing facility with soap and water at home, compared to 60% of people globally

More than half of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa lacked access to electricity, this is significantly higher in rural areas

Global economic growth has slowed down in recent years and in the face of a crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, billions of workers in the informal economy risk losing their jobs

Small-scale industrial enterprises are major sources of employment in developing and emerging economies. In developing countries, less than 40% of small-scale industries benefit from loans or lines of credit

The real income of the poorest portion of the population improved in over 70 out of 90 countries between 2012-2017, however the rich still prosper disproportionately. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit vulnerable groups the hardest

Reliable, accessible and affordable public transportation reduces pollution and traffic and promotes productivity and inclusion. Only half the world’s urban population has convenient access to public transportation

The world continues to use natural resources unsustainably – electronic waste continues to grow but less than 20% of it is recycled

Climate change continues to exacerbate the frequency and severity of natural disasters, which affects millions of people globally, resulting in deaths, disrupted livelihoods and economic losses

The proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels has significantly decreased since 1974. While the rate of decline has slowed in recent years, this will not be enough to prevent a medium-term collapse of certain global fisheries unless measures are adopted

Globally, 1/5th of the Earth’s land area (more than 2 billion hectares), is degraded. Land degradation is undermining the wellbeing of some 3.2 billion people, driving species to extinction and intensifying climate change

Every day, 100 civilians are killed in armed conflicts despite protections under international law – global crises further threaten global peace and security

Global foreign direct investment is expected to decline - partnerships among private and public sector players are essential to achieve the SDGs by 2030