SDGs in Focus

As a member of the United Nations family, the UPU is committed to working toward achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets adopted by the United Nations in September 2015 serve as a roadmap for the international community to build a sustainable future and foster social advancement and human well-being. Their implementation calls for active and collaborative partnerships between all countries and stakeholders.

The postal sector can play a key role in the attainment of the SDGs nationally, regionally and internationally. The diverse network and presence of Posts make them a potentially strategic driver of the SDG agenda.

The UPU will focus on a different UN SDG each month throughout 2022 to highlight the contribution the organization and the postal sector make towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Agenda. 

Education is an essential element of global development. Posts play an important role in connecting communities with lifelong learning opportunities, contributing to Sustainable Development Goal 4 on ensuring quality education.

Posts have historically encouraged literacy amongst young people through pen pal clubs and letter-writing campaigns. They facilitate the delivery of important reading materials, such as newspapers and magazines and support distance-learning by delivering educational resources and homework. In many countries, Posts also provide a means for people to register for higher education and pay their school fees.

These services are especially important to people living in remote areas or with visual impairments and restricted mobility, making the Post a focal point for inclusive and equitable education.

The UPU is also working to promote education through the Post via its annual International Letter-Writing Competition for Young People, which encourages more than a million children each year to express their ideas on a topical subject.