Fulfilling the Promise of ‘Leaving No One Behind’: Exploring Institutional Pathways to Success

Abstract

The 2030 Agenda's Leaving No One Behind (LNOB) principle has the potential to offer a new approach to development, but whether it is achieved largely depends on how it is institutionalised within countries. This research provides the first empirical study into the relation between institutionalisation of LNOB and its goal achievement. Using Qualitative Comparative Analysis, this research investigates how and in what combinations five institutional elements present necessary and/or sufficient conditions for achieving LNOB in three key areas: social protection, health and education. The results indicate different conditions that lead to goal achievement of LNOB without revealing highly interlinked conditions. These findings challenge the notion that institutionalisation of LNOB is an ‘all or nothing’ situation. More targeted approaches could be equally effective suggesting that goal achievement of LNOB does not require the impossible from governments. Our research contributes new empirical insights and proposes case study analysis as the next necessary step.