Why communication deserves to be the 18th Sustainable Development Goal: Ignoring it risks everything

Too many of us underestimate communication, reducing it to a mere tool for getting a point across, crafting a message, hitting send, and moving on. But that’s a dangerously narrow view, and if we ignore its true power and complexity, we do so at our own peril. Communication should not just be viewed as an enabler supporting other goals; it deserves recognition as a standalone Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) in its own right. Communication is more than coming up with messages as it is the foundation of progress and civilization. It is the foundation for every other aspiration we hold as a global community, and when ignored, affect adversely everything we’re working toward.

The United Nations’ SDGs, such as ending poverty, ensuring education, and tackling climate change, are noble and critical, but none of them can stand without communication at their core. Imagine trying to eradicate hunger (SDG 2) without farmers, governments, and communities exchanging knowledge about sustainable practices. Picture advancing gender equality (SDG 5) without amplifying marginalized voices or dismantling the silence around systemic injustice. Even peace and justice (SDG 16) collapse if dialogue fails, if we cannot negotiate, listen, or understand across divides. Communication should not be a byproduct of these efforts; it should be the engine driving them. To treat it as less than a standalone goal is to overlook its fundamental role in development.

But here’s where the rubber meets the road: communication should never be mistaken for merely broadcasting a well-worded plan; rather, it is a dynamic, two-way process that demands engagement, empathy, and adaptability. Ignore that, and you are courting disaster. Take climate action (SDG 13) as an example, scientists can publish data until the ice caps melt entirely, but if they fail to connect with policymakers, inspire communities, or counter misinformation, their message will be lost in the noise.

Communication fails when it is one-sided, when it does not bridge the gap between intent and impact. It is not enough to speak; one must be heard, understood, and responded to. That is where the real work lies, and it is why we need to elevate communication to SDG status, because without it, every other goal is a house of cards. The danger of sidelining communication plays out on the global stage daily. Look at refugee crises tied to SDG 10 (reduced inequalities), miscommunication between nations fuels mistrust, stranding millions. Or consider health (SDG 3): the COVID-19 pandemic showed us that vaccines mean nothing if public trust is not built through clear, compassionate dialogue. When leaders, organizations, or individuals assume communication is just about delivering a message, they miss the harder truth. Communication is just as much about listening to the unheard, decoding the unsaid, and fostering the exchanges that turn ideas into action. When this is neglected, chances to solve the world’s biggest problems are lost. Imagine selling clean cooking stoves (SDG 7) without first understanding the culture and behavior of your target community.

Elevating communication to a standalone SDG would force us to prioritize, fund, and measure it, not just as a means to an end, but as an end in itself. It would mean training people not only to inform but to inspire, to connect rather than just speak. It would acknowledge that sustainable development is not just about resources or infrastructure but also about the human capacity to collaborate across borders and cultures. We would track progress not by how many messages are sent but by how many divides are bridged, how many voices are empowered, and how many solutions emerge from the chaos of honest, participatory exchange, not through a top-down approach.

So let’s stop treating communication as a sidekick to the “real” goals. It is not a luxury or a footnote; it is the foundation of every effort to build a better world. Ignoring its depth and breadth puts us at risk of being lost and stalled. Let’s move beyond the idea that communication is merely about crafting messages and start treating it as the thread that holds humanity together. It is time we give it the weight it deserves—an SDG of its own: SDG 18: Communication for Sustainable Development.