Across Asia and the Pacific, communities are pioneering innovative solutions to bridge critical data gaps, ensuring that marginalized populations are no longer invisible in policymaking. From surveying hundreds of nomadic tribal households across Rajasthan State in India to health-monitoring mobile applications in Indonesia, these efforts are transforming sustainable development in the region.
A new report by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) demonstrates that by amplifying the voices of underrepresented communities, these solutions are not only making policies more inclusive but also making sustainable development monitoring more representative across Asia and the Pacific.
However, the Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report 2025 also stresses that urgent action is still needed in order to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
"Data gaps persist and leave some of the most vulnerable populations invisible in official statistics, limiting policymakers' ability to address their needs effectively," underscored United Nations Under-Secretary-General and ESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana.
She added, "Constrained resources to modernize statistical systems pose additional hurdles. Without urgent action to accelerate progress, many of the Goals will remain out of reach."
The report highlights several SDG targets where Asia and the Pacific leads globally such as reducing income poverty (Goal 1), addressing undernourishment (Goal 2), supporting small-scale industries (Goal 9), reducing hazardous waste (Goal 12), mitigating land degradation (Goal 15), and combating human trafficking and intentional homicide (Goal 16).
Despite these strides, slow progress or setbacks in critical goals such as quality education (Goal 4), decent work and economic growth (Goal 8), and responsible consumption and production (Goal 12) threaten regional efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Rising fossil fuel subsidies, low literacy and numeracy rates, and unsustainable production patterns further compound these challenges.
Meanwhile, environmental degradation, increasing vulnerability to natural disasters, and persistent greenhouse gas emissions are exacerbating setbacks on climate action (Goal 13), life below water (Goal 14) and life on land (Goal 15).
The report further finds that development benefits often bypass vulnerable groups, with intersecting factors like age, gender, education, location and wealth exacerbating inequalities. Poverty and education level are the two most significant factors contributing to inequality of opportunity. Poorer households in rural areas with lower levels of education are the most disadvantaged in accessing basic services such as water, sanitation and clean energy.
To bridge these gaps, ESCAP calls for innovative and inclusive data collection and analysis. Nuanced and granular data will provide policymakers a clearer understanding of the realities of specific population groups especially those most at risk of being left behind.
The report further emphasizes that transforming national statistical systems to meet the data needs of the 2030 Agenda requires urgent political commitment, financial investment and stronger cross-sector partnerships.
An annual flagship publication of ESCAP, the Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report 2025 uses the latest data for global SDG indicators to determine where additional effort is needed in the region and where momentum for future progress is building.
Access the full report: https://www.unescap.org/kp/2025/asia-and-pacific-sdg-progress-report-2025
