Understanding and Promoting the ‘Leaving No One Behind’ Ambition Regarding the Sustainable Development Agenda: A Review

Abstract With the adoption of 2015–2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), United Nations (UN) Member States pledged to ensure that no one would be left behind. This article highlights essentials (meaning, importance, history, framework, pillars, related key studies, and role actors) in respect ‘Leaving No One Behind’ (LNOB) pledge. The review shows LNOB pledge has three-pronged strategic development imperatives: (i) end poverty all its forms, (ii) stop discrimination inequality have resulted unequal outcomes for disadvantaged population, (iii) reach furthest behind first. framework achieving ambition is anchored on implementing SDGs, ‘empowering left-behind by ensuring their meaningful participation decision-making; enforcing equity-focused policies, interventions with a dedicated budget support rights-holders duty-bearers address deprivations people UN, Governments, Businesses, Civil Society Organisations other actors should collaborate translate mantra into reality addressing pervasive societal issues poverty, inequality, discrimination. Germane are reliable disaggregated people-centered data, research, stakeholder/actor commitment