SDG 1 — No Poverty
The UN goal to end poverty in all its forms everywhere by 2030.
SDG 1 No PovertyWhat is it?
SDG 1 is the first UN Sustainable Development Goal: end poverty in all its forms everywhere by 2030. It spans extreme income poverty, multidimensional poverty, and access to social protection and basic services.
Why does it matter?
Poverty is a root driver of housing insecurity, poor health, and lack of opportunity. Framing it as a shared global goal directs coordinated action on the conditions that push people toward homelessness and instability.
How does it work?
The goal is tracked through indicators such as the share of people below national and international poverty lines and coverage of social-protection systems, guiding investment toward those furthest behind.
Who benefits?
People living in poverty benefit from the accountability and resources the goal mobilizes, along with institutions coordinating anti-poverty policy across sectors.
Who may be disadvantaged?
National averages can improve while pockets of persistent poverty — including many rural communities — are left behind, so disaggregated data matters to avoid masking inequality.
What evidence exists?
UN and World Bank monitoring show progress on extreme poverty stalled and in some periods reversed, with recent shocks pushing millions back into poverty and the 2030 target off track.
What tradeoffs exist?
A single global goal aligns effort but can flatten very different forms of poverty; income measures alone miss housing, health, and service dimensions that a broader lens captures.
Common misconceptions
A misconception is that poverty is only about income; SDG 1 explicitly includes multidimensional poverty and access to social protection and basic services.
What you can do next
Explore how persistent rural poverty connects to homelessness and the social determinants of health, and how SDG 11 links poverty to housing.