Legal systems provide the framework for countries to implement the Global Goals in the 2030 Agenda. In particular, strong institutions and the rule of law should protect the rights of citizens and serve as the foundation for inclusive and equitable sustainable development. Building the capacity for countries to contribute to the 2030 Agenda requires peace, security, and enrolling stakeholders from all sectors of society—local and international policymakers, civil activists, academics, and those working in the private sector.

Goal 16 calls on countries to end violent conflict, instability, crime, corruption, and human rights violations. The targets include:

• Reduce deaths from homicide and armed conflict worldwide.
• End abuse, trafficking, and all forms of violence against children.
• Promote transparent, inclusive, and accountable legal systems at all levels.
• Stop bribery and corruption.
• Provide legal standing and protection under the law for all citizens and resident.

__SOLUTIONS JOURNALISM__

The Stories section illustrates solutions working to strengthen institutions, provide equal access to justice, and increase representation for all. Jodi Rave’s article describes how long-term collaboration, legal action, and community organization address underlying issues of structural inequality. Grassroots involvement and efforts to redraw district lines in Montana have led to increased Native American representation. In South Carolina, as Milan Polk writes, students filed a lawsuit to remove barriers to voter registration in the states where they attend school. The students are part of a new generational wave of voters coming of age and eliminating barriers to exercise their rights.

__BABSON SOLUTIONS__

In the Link section, we learn how Babson College community members are leveraging Babson's ideology: Entrepreneurial Thought and Action (ET&A). Discover the connections between food, jazz and protests in Jim Crow Washington D.C. with Babson Professor Fred Opie's podcast, the Fred Opie Food Show.

Click here for more stories in the Solutions Story Tracker on peace, justice, and strong institutions.

1. After reading the story by Sophia Akram about cholera in Yemen, discuss the second-order impacts of conflict. How are individuals affected, and how does conflict impact international cooperation?
2. Read the News Beat story about incarceration in California. What was the role of state legislation in promoting reform? What make efforts in Stockton stand out? Compare and contrast the effectiveness of top-down reforms alongside bottom-up effort.
3. What role does transparent data play in ensuring the targets of Goal 16? Consider how data can be a tool for advocacy or reform campaigns alongside the ways in which governments can use data to increase public trust.
4. After reading Oscar Perry Abello’s article about domestic worker laws in Philadelphia, explain why a Domestic Worker Bill of Rights was needed and how this relates to structural inequalities reaching back to slavery in the United States.
5. Examine at least two other SDGs and their targets alongside Goal 16. Then, either explain or illustrate how the targets of these SDGs relate or influence one another.
6. Choose an Issue Area or a Success Factor related to Goal 16. Then, create a collection and select at least 4 (or more) stories from the Solution’s Story Tracker that relate to your topic. If working with groups, each group can present on the issues and solutions they found most compelling.

1. Sophia Akram’s piece discusses how four years of war in Yemen have led to a decline in public health. Fighting has led to the damage in vital public infrastructure, in particular the water systems, leading to a spread of waterborne disease. Without a stable government, the UN’s WASH faces obstacles, including a lack of supplies and permissions to carry out their work. Furthermore, ongoing conflict leads to a lack of trust among the population, leading to a decline in participation in civil society. The conflict has also displaced many residents, creating further humanitarian issues.
2. While the legislation in California set out to reform the prison system in response to a US Supreme Court ruling, local political will shaped the way that policies were implemented. In Stockton, cooperation with nonprofits such as Advance Peace helped advance a wider crime reduction strategy in the city.
3. Nicholas Zahn’s piece about Kyrgyzstan discusses how the country wants to implement big data and biometrics to make its elections more secure, borrowing strategies from Estonia. The digital portal in Kyrgyzstan also provides transparent data surrounding public works and give access to government services. You may also wish to introduce students this article about efforts to leverage big data in Latin America.
4. Oscar Perry Abello argues that a Domestic Worker Bill of Rights protects domestic laborers, who are often undocumented women of color, from employer abuse and exploitation. Typically, labor laws protect employees who have a single employer, but these protections proved more difficult when domestic laborers work for several different people during the week. The exclusion of domestic and agricultural workers from traditional labor laws relates back to the policies of the New Deal and relates to an effort to deny certain populations the full benefits of labor laws. 
5. Answers will vary by student. Goal 16 especially rates to SDGs 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 17
6. Answers will vary—for more on creating collections, click here. For more on Success Factors, click here.