At a global level, the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 1.2 of halving poverty according to national definitions gets less attention than the target of eradicating extreme poverty worldwide. For country governments focusing on implementing the 2030 Agenda however, national poverty is more politically salient and relevant to policy.

Without increased effort, none of the 17 proposed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be met, according to a report by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI). However, if countries emulate the performance of the top-performing countries “there is much to be hopeful about," it says.