Jess Carter thanks ‘incredible’ England fans for support in wake of racism – The Guardian

Report on Racial Abuse Incident at Euro 2025 and its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

This report details the incident of online racial abuse directed at England defender Jess Carter during the Euro 2025 tournament. It examines the responses from the player, her team, and political figures, analyzing the event through the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Incident Overview and Alignment with SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

England Lionesses defender Jess Carter was subjected to racial abuse on social media platforms throughout the Euro 2025 tournament. This act directly contravenes the principles of SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, which aims to empower and promote the social inclusion of all, irrespective of race, colour, or ethnicity. Carter publicly addressed the abuse, stating, “the colour of my skin has got nothing to do with” evaluations of her athletic performance. Her decision to speak out serves as an advocacy action to combat the discrimination that undermines SDG 10.

• Carter announced a withdrawal from social media due to what teammates described as “online poison.”
• She expressed a desire to raise awareness that “racism is still going on,” highlighting a persistent barrier to achieving truly inclusive societies.
• Her stated motivation was that if her actions stopped even one person from making abusive comments, it would be a significant impact, contributing to the goal of reducing inequalities at an individual level.

Collective Response and Call for Institutional Accountability (SDG 16)

The incident prompted a multi-faceted response, demonstrating solidarity and demanding greater institutional responsibility, which aligns with SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. This goal calls for effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels to combat violence and promote justice.

1. Team Solidarity: In a demonstration of support, England’s substitutes stood arm-in-arm with Carter on the sideline before the semi-final match against Italy.
2. Political Action: A cross-party group of 91 Members of Parliament, led by Matt Western, co-signed a letter demanding that major social media companies take substantive action against the “appalling racism and misogyny” on their platforms. This call for corporate accountability is a direct effort to build the “strong institutions” required by SDG 16.
3. Public Support: Fans displayed banners with messages of support, such as “We stand with Jess Carter,” reinforcing the societal push for inclusivity.

Intersection with Gender Equality and Inclusive Education (SDG 5 & SDG 4)

The abuse directed at Carter also has significant implications for other key development goals, particularly those concerning gender and education.

SDG 5: Gender Equality

The letter from MPs explicitly mentioned “misogyny,” identifying the gendered nature of the abuse. This highlights the challenges faced by female athletes and underscores the importance of SDG 5: Gender Equality, which seeks to end all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls in public and private spheres, including online spaces.

SDG 4: Quality Education

Carter framed her response in the context of future generations, stating a desire for her “mixed-race nephews and nieces” to “grow up being strong, brave and powerful.” This aspiration connects to SDG 4: Quality Education, specifically Target 4.7, which includes promoting a culture of peace, non-violence, and an appreciation for cultural diversity as part of a comprehensive education for sustainable development.

Relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  The article touches upon gender equality as the abuse directed at Jess Carter is described by Members of Parliament not only as racism but also “misogyny.” This highlights the intersectional nature of the discrimination she faces as both a woman and a person of color in a high-profile sport.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  This is the most central SDG to the article. The core issue is the racial abuse Jess Carter experienced, which is a direct manifestation of inequality based on race and ethnicity. Her statement, “the colour of my skin has got nothing to do with that,” and her desire for her mixed-race nephews and nieces to “grow up being strong, brave and powerful” directly address the need to combat racial discrimination and promote inclusion for all, irrespective of their racial background.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  The article connects to this goal through the call for action against the “online poison.” The abuse is a form of psychological violence. Furthermore, the demand for “major social media companies to take serious action” and the mobilization of 91 MPs to sign a letter represent a call for stronger institutional accountability and governance to ensure a just and safe online environment. It is about promoting a peaceful and inclusive society by holding powerful institutions (social media companies) responsible for curbing hate speech.

Specific Targets Identified

1. Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres.

   The MPs’ letter explicitly calls for action to combat the “appalling racism and misogyny” directed at Carter. This online abuse is a form of psychological violence against a woman in the public sphere, directly aligning with the objective of this target.

2. Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.

   The racial abuse aims to socially exclude and demean Jess Carter based on her race. Her decision to speak out, the support from her teammates, and the public solidarity are acts of empowerment and promotion of social inclusion, reinforcing the principle that race should not be a barrier to participation and respect in sports or any other field.

3. Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory policies and practices.

   The call from MPs for social media companies to “take serious action” is a direct effort to eliminate the discriminatory practice of allowing racist abuse to proliferate on their platforms. It is a push for new policies and actions to ensure a more equal and safe online environment.

4. Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.

   The article describes the abuse as “online poison” and a form of harassment. This can be categorized as psychological violence. The efforts to stop this abuse contribute directly to the goal of reducing all forms of violence in society.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

1. Reduction in instances of online abuse.

   This is implied in Jess Carter’s statement: “If me speaking up makes one silly person keep their mouth shut with certain comments, then that’s a big enough difference for me.” A direct indicator of progress would be a quantifiable decrease in the number of racist and misogynistic comments on social media platforms, particularly those directed at public figures.

2. Political and institutional action against online abuse.

   The article provides a clear, measurable indicator of political will: “91 members of parliament had added their names to his call for the major social media companies to take serious action.” Progress can be measured by the number of officials supporting such initiatives and, subsequently, the implementation of policies or legislation by governments and social media companies to combat online hate speech.

3. Public displays of support and solidarity.

   The article mentions fans holding a flag that says “We stand with Jess Carter” and her teammates standing “arm-in-arm with Carter on the sideline to show their support.” While harder to quantify systematically, the prevalence of such public and peer support serves as a qualitative indicator of changing social norms and progress towards a more inclusive society.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

Source: theguardian.com