The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development seeks to strengthen universal peace and commits to redouble efforts to resolve or prevent conflict. It recognizes that there can be no sustainable development without peace and no peace without sustainable development. Counting deaths occurring in situations of armed conflict is therefore essential to the measurement of the Agenda, including and beyond its Goal 16. The Commission on Human Rights Philippines currently focuses on two specific indicators for monitoring SDG 16- Indicator 16.1.2 on Conflict-related deaths per 100,000 population, by sex, age and cause and Indicator 16.10.1 on the number of verified cases of killing, kidnapping, enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention and torture of journalists, associated media personnel, trade unionists and human rights advocates in the previous 12 months.

Through Indicator 16.1.2, the monitoring of conflict-related deaths will help protect civilians and other potential victims, ensure respect of humanitarian and human rights standards, and understand the patterns and consequences of armed conflicts in order to prevent future armed conflicts. Meanwhile, Indicator 16.10.1 is one of two indicators that would directly measure target 16.10 on ensuring public access to information and protecting fundamental freedoms in accordance with national legislation and international agreements.