- Discover resources to help you explore SDG 3 issues
- Figure out which health issue to solve in your community
WHAT IS SDG 3 ALL ABOUT?
Every person deserves good health and well-being. Here is an overview of what SDG 3 is all about.
START: UN SDG TARGETS
There are so many differenct aspects of SDG 3 that are good targets work on.
Click on each tab on the left to read more about each target.
3.1 By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births.
Women’s health, especially around pregnant women, and women giving birth is a good target. There are many ways you can work on this issue – for example, through education, advocacy, and access to resources.
3.2 By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births.
The health of babies and young children is another good target. There are many ways you can work on this issue – for example, through education, advocacy, and access to resources.
3.3 By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases,
While these diseases are huge issues and would require medical knowledge, there are many ways to address these diseases and especially the communities who are affected by them on a local level.
3.4 By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
Non-communicable diseases like heart disease and cancer affect people globally. There are ways to address this target on a local level, through education and advocacy, etc.
In addition, mental well-being is a massive issue with many ways to address it.
3.5 Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol.
Substance abuse is another issue affecting people globally. It can be a good target to address on a local community level.
3.6 By 2020, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents.
Road traffic accidents are another good target to address. Look for how this target affects your local community to see how you might try to solve it.
3.7 By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes.
Sexual and reproductive health-care services are another good target to focus on. There are multiple ways to address this issue. Start by looking locally in your community to see what the main issues are.
3.8 Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.
Universal health coverage is something that governments usually provide. However, education, promotion, and assisting with access to resources could be ways to address this problem in your community.
3.9 By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.
This target directly relates to climate issues, but could be addressed by focusing on education, awareness, and advocacy.
3.A Strengthen the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in all countries, as appropriate.
This target is intended to be addressed at a country or governmental level, but the issue of smoking and health is a good target to address.
3.B Support the research and development of vaccines and medicines for the communicable and non-communicable diseases that primarily affect developing countries, provide access to affordable essential medicines and vaccines, in accordance with the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, which affirms the right of developing countries to use to the full the provisions in the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights regarding flexibilities to protect public health, and, in particular, provide access to medicines for all.
This is another target that is at the governmental level. There might be ways to look at advocacy to address this at a community level.
3.C Substantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries, especially in least developed countries and small island developing States.
This could be a difficult target to address, but there are possible ways to help a local community address this issue.
3.D Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks.
This target would be a difficult target to address, since it involves global health risks, such as the COVID pandemic.
Here is a recap of what each target is about.
- 3.1 Women’s health
- 3.2 Young children’s health
- 3.3 Dangerous diseases like AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria
- 3.4 Non-communicable diseases like heart disease and cancer
- 3.5 Substance abuse
- 3.6 Road traffic accidents
- 3.7 access to sexual and reproductive health-care services
- 3.8 Universal health coverage, access to medicines and vaccines
- 3.9 Hazardous chemical and pollution
- 3.A Tobacco control
- 3.B Research on vaccines & medicines
- 3.C Financing health and healthcare workforces
- 3.D National and global health risks
NEXT STEPS
- Look at the SDG 3 targets.
- Choose some of interest.
- Start generating thoughts and ideas around each topic.
- Relate to issues in your own community.
- Connect ideas that relate.
Here is a brainstorming example. You can go much deeper but this shows how you might start to look at and connect different health-related issues.
Then
- From your map, select one or two particular areas to focus on.
- Dig deeper with some research into those particular ideas and topics.
For example, you might choose Mental health and Women’s Health to focus on.
ACTIVITY: BRAINSTORMING
Make a mind map to generate ideas around the SDG 6 targets
- Write down issues, ideas, organizations, people in boxes or bubbles
- Connect related boxes
- Review the ideas and themes.
- Select one or two main themes/issues that interest you and that you have seen in your community.
- Research those topics further and start to brainstorm solutions.
NEXT STEPS
Research
Start with the UN SDG 3 website to learn about the targets and follow links
Community
Connect issues you’ve discovered here to issues you know about in your community
People
Follow people who are working in this space on social media to learn more and even contact them
Document
Keep your links and notes organized using bookmarks and Google docs or folder