17 ways refugees are leading on sustainable development

At the halfway mark for achieving the SDGs, progress is being made, but not at the speed or scale required, and ongoing and new crises are also exacerbating long-standing challenges to sustainable development.  

Building on the momentum of the SDG Summit taking place at the UN in New York in September, the Global Refugee Forum in December will present another milestone opportunity to mobilize action for positive change in the lives of refugees, and to pledge fresh support for refugee-hosting countries. 

At UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, we know that those most adversely affected by the world’s biggest challenges are often best placed to discover and implement solutions. While armed conflicts, rising food insecurity, and the climate emergency have pushed displaced people around the world to the brink, refugees are finding ways to contribute to their host communities, as educators, entrepreneurs, advocates, climate activists and health-care workers, among others. They must be uplifted and supported in these efforts. The SDGs cannot be fully realized without the inclusion of refugees, including young refugees, in national systems and social safety nets, in local economies and in development planning and response.  

Here’s how refugees are leading the way on each of the goals: