In September 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Building on the principle of “leaving no one behind”, the new agenda emphasized a holistic approach to achieving sustainable development for all.
In relation to these SDGs, health and education are key components. Given the overlap of the goals, methods, and priorities associated with SDGs targeting health promotion, progress made on health promotion has great potential to advance the SDGs and vice versa. Health-promoting schools can be seen in the context of SDGs as follows
| Sustainable development goals | Sustainable development goal targets |
| 2. Zero Hunger | 2.2 End all forms of malnutrition, address the nutrition needs of adolescent girls |
| 3. Good health and wellbeing | 3.7 Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information, and education |
| 4. Quality education | 4.7 Ensure all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed ...to promote...human rights, gender equality, peace and non-violence |
| 5. Gender equality | 5.6 Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights |
| 6. Clean water and sanitation | 6.2 Achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations |
| 16. Peace, Justice and strong institutions | 16.2 End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children |
Click here to learn more about each of the sustainable development goals
Fortune K, Becerra-Posada F, Buss P, et al. Health promotion and the agenda for sustainable development, WHO Region of the Americas. Bull World Health Organ. 2018;96(9):621–626. doi:10.2471/BLT.17.204404
Guillard, J. and Ghebreyesus T.A. 2018 Opinion: Building a shared future in a fractured world starts with education and health