Poverty is both a cause and consequence of marginalization and social exclusion [...] In his message to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, the Secretary-General said that implementation of the 2030 Agenda is reaching the end of its first year, and with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals, it embodies a universal vision for peace, prosperity, and dignity for all people on a healthy planet.

We’ve heard even more about data recently because of the Sustainable Development Goals. It’s good news that the international development field finally seems to be pushing past the rhetoric. The indicators that will measure the SDGs are more complex, intersecting and sophisticated than we have ever seen before, and they will help us understand the world better.

Children like those in Zaatari, and millions of others around the world, are central to the work of the International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity, which I joined last September. This commission is committed to the fourth United Nations Sustainable Development Goal, which aims, by 2030, to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”

The organization Project Everyone wants you to tell them what you really, really want. Project Everyone, which aims to get the word out about the Sustainable Development Goals created by the UN last year, has created a video based on the 1996 Spice Girls hit “Wannabe.” [...] The group presents goals such as “end violence against girls,” “quality education for all girls,” and “end child marriage.”