In 2015, all UN Member States adopted 17 Goals, to be achieved by 2030, – the Sustainable Development Goals – as part of the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Among these Goals is the reduction of inequality within and among countries, which includes the empowerment and promotion of “the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status” (Goal 10.2). Social inclusion is considered, therefore, as an essential part of sustainable development and its promotion one of the objectives States agreed to achieve until 2030. What is, then, social inclusion?
According to the
World Bank, social inclusion is “the process of improving the ability, opportunity, and dignity of people, disadvantaged on the basis of their identity, to take part in society”. Social inclusion may also be defined as “the process of improving the terms of participation in society for people who are disadvantaged on the basis of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status, through enhanced opportunities, access to resources, voice and respect for rights” [
United Nations]. Participation in society, namely in social, cultural, political and economic activities, is, thus, key in defining social inclusion, and inability to participate is central to the definition of social exclusion. While there is also no commonly agreed definition of social exclusion, it may be defined as “a state in which individuals are unable to participate fully in economic, social, political and cultural life, as well as the process leading to and sustaining such a state” [
United Nations]. Although sometimes related, social exclusion does not necessarily amount to
poverty. In fact, while poor people face obstacles to full participation in society, non-poor people may also face such obstacles, deriving from one or several other factors, such as race, ethnicity, age, sex, sexual orientation, religion, disability, among others. These
obstacles may refer to reduced access to housing, work, health, education, or culture. Also, lack of participation may mean inability to participate in the social or political arena. With regards to
young people, social exclusion may have a long-term impact on their participation but also on their health and living conditions.
