The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a comprehensive plan for a sustainable world
by 2030 with seventeen goals that cover a wide range of issues that involve people with different
needs, values, and convictions. The Inner Development Goals (IDGs) is an accelerator to reach
these goals and create a prosperous future for all of humanity. It is a global initiative that originated
in Sweden and develops the framework for people and organizations involved in efforts to contribute
to a more sustainable global society. It provides a blueprint of the capabilities, qualities and skills
needed to achieve the 17 SDGs.

Rwanda, a country that many know for its tragic recent history of the 1994 Genocide against the
Tutsi in which over one million lives were lost, leaving the country with thousands of widows and
orphans suffering from deep wounds and mental health issues, has seen tremendous transformation
since and has been recognised as a good example of leadership that cares about the safety of its
people, cleanness of its environment and overall well-being of Rwandans.

The country’s home-grown solutions are rooted in the culture and play a major role in accountability
of all and ownership which accelerate development outcomes. This highlights the way Rwanda is
addressing the link between Inner Development Goals and the well-being of people.

Rwanda has endorsed and taken for some decades now, a development path that is considerate,
clear, decisive, inclusive, and innovative, inspired by people-centered governance and the urgent
need to leave no one behind and putting women, in all their diversity, at the center of accelerating
the Agenda 2030.

Rwanda has taken on the challenge of transforming its economy, reducing pollution, and generating
community resilience mechanisms that have allowed it to become a transformational story in which
tolerance, unity and reconciliation, forgiveness greater prosperity, equality, and healthier life for all its
citizens is the end goal brought one step closer by joining forces with the Inner Development Goals.
Åsa Jarskog, IDG Director of Global Collaboration, comments that “We are grateful that Rwanda has
taken the lead in introducing the IDG in Africa. We are fully aware of the current bias in the IDG
framework we have a lot to learn from the African countries that will lead to the further development
of the framework, increasing its global relevance”