Institutionalizing leaving no one behind: operationalizing and analyzing worldwide national efforts

Abstract

The ‘Leave No One Behind’ (LNOB) principle presents a transformative approach to dealing with inequalities within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) but has proven to be politically and technically challenging. Its national institutionalization therefore remains unclear while also under-researched. The aim of this article is two-fold. First, we provide a framework in which we conceptualize and operationalize (the institutionalization of) LNOB. Second, using our conceptual framework, we study how LNOB is institutionalized by national governments, focusing on public national policies around the SDGs. Our study finds that countries report to institutionalize aspects of policy coherence, inclusive participation, and disaggregated data more often than they institutionalize policy coordination and dedicated finance. However, when it comes to actual institutional structures and mechanisms to drive accountability, clear gaps can be identified. This article concludes that the achievement of LNOB remains uncertain at this point and presents necessary avenues for future research.