Exploring inequities, inspiring new knowledge and action

“No one left behind”, the mantra of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), resonates in the global and development agenda and is being taken up by a myriad of organisations and agencies. It is an appealing, memorable and seductive phrase, beguilingly simple, yet immensely ambitious. Firmly embedded in the recognition of every individual’s dignity, the aim is that the SDG targets be met globally, for all people, in all segments of society. The idea of redressing inequities is implicit within the pledge of the SDGs, with concerns of exclusion, deprivation and denial of social and economic opportunities being highlighted, along with the need to confront the fundamental causes of why some are forgotten, disregarded or ostracised. Equity is a term grounded in the concept of fairness, implying that opportunities should exist for every person to attain their full potential. Inequities arise when the unequal distribution of a resource is judged to be avoidable, unacceptable and indefensible. Inequity can result for many reasons, not least because of poor governance, corruption or societal exclusion. Exploring inequities related to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) requires attention to intersecting political, legal, social and economic factors which influence people’s knowledge, their access to rights and use of health and other public services. Inequities in SRHR may also be usefully considered in the context of specific population groups, especially those who are vulnerable, including, for example, younger and older populations, persons with disabilities, people living with HIV, transgender and intersex people, indigenous people, minorities and those who have been displaced. The papers in this themed issue do exactly these things, reflecting complex and multidimensional concerns from different populations within countries, as was the focus of our call, and from all corners of the globe. Perspectives of different population groups