SDG #10 Reduced Inequalities

We are all human beings, and our nationality is simply an accident of birth. 
— Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, Nobel Prize Laureate  

Reduced Inequalities. That’s the tenth goal out of the list of 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In this blog series, I have been reflecting on how the work of Opportunity International Canada contributes to progress on some of the goals, and this post addresses SDG #10. 

At Opportunity, our vision is a world in which all people have the opportunity to achieve a life free from poverty, with dignity and purpose. 

The gap between that vision and reality is so massive that at times it can be a little disheartening. And the gap is widened by discrimination based on factors related to the “accident of birth”, such as race, colour, tribe, gender or social class.

And the gap is widened by discrimination based on factors related to the “accident of birth”, such as race, colour, tribe, gender or social class.  

Poverty is both an outcome and a cause of inequality. Poverty is reinforced through unequal access to things many of us take for granted, such as a quality education from primary school through to post-graduate studies, health care, affordable and safe housing, job training, financial services, mentors, and business networks. 

And the global poor are unequally and disproportionately impacted by crises — pandemics, food shortages, inflation, hurricanes, floods and earthquakes. 

One of the key targets of SDG #10 is to increase the income of the bottom 40% of the population. Another is to promote social, economic, and political inclusion. These two targets line up perfectly with our mission. 

If our mission was distilled down to a single item, it’s to help the marginalized acquire a sustainable livelihood so they can provide a brighter future for their family.

The people we serve live on less than $5 per day, and many on much less than that. Through loans, training and other supports, clients acquire the assets, skills and networks needed to launch and grow an enterprise. The outcome is an increase in family income.  

This is financial inclusion – economic inclusion – for people who couldn’t access the formal banking sector, who lacked formal education, and who found themselves trapped in the margins of society. 

Along with increasing income, the successful launch of an enterprise instills confidence that spills over into other areas of life. This increased agency will naturally lead to social and political inclusion, as clients confidently take their place in society. 

Reducing inequalities, one client at a time. 

Dan Murray, CEO