Group Inequality as the Systemic Constraint Hypothesis to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals: Evidence From Mexican Regional Gender Data

ABSTRACT This study examines how group inequality operates as a systemic constraint on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Using regional data from 32 Mexican states between 2016 and 2022, gender‐disaggregated indicators were constructed across nine SDGs to explore cross‐goal interlinkages. Panel Generalized Least Squares regressions reveal that disparities in education, labor income, and governance participation are strongly interconnected, indicating that inequality functions as a structural bottleneck within the SDG network. Gender gaps reduce the transmission of progress across domains, slowing collective advancement toward sustainable development. The findings support the Systemic Constraint Hypothesis, emphasizing that equity is not only a moral imperative but also a functional condition for achieving integrated and inclusive sustainability.