United Nations in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean

The United Nations Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean in collaboration with its partners is supporting implementation of the sustainable development goals across the 10 countries covered by our multi-country office (MCO). These 17 Global Goals are a roadmap to address the most pressing challenges facing Caribbean citizens and persons all over the world, to create a sustainable future for all. Kindly note that the data visualizations show an aggregate of the Caribbean. To view the disaggregated data per country, please click on the name of the country or territory you wish to explore.

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05 September 2023

The 2030 Agenda: Connecting the Dots and Bridging Political Commitments to HIV and Sustainable Development

By Dr Richard Amenyah In the global spotlight, all eyes are currently fixed on the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 78), in New York, as we reach halfway of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. With the clock ticking on majority of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) being off-track or regressing, it is now abundantly clear that the world must intensify its efforts and accelerate progress toward achieving the SDGs with leaving no one behind as our guiding principle. In a complex world where geopolitical interests sometimes overshadow multilateralism, the UN faces challenges which are multifaceted. UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres has sounded a rallying cry, urging world leaders to make concrete commitments to rescue the SDGs during this crucial “SDG summit.” Tremendous strides have been made globally in the fight against AIDS. New HIV infections have been significantly reduced, especially in the hardest-hit regions. More individuals now have access to HIV treatment, and countless lives are being saved. These achievements underscore the fact that SDG 3.3, which aims to end the AIDS epidemic, without complacency, is attainable with sustained commitment and unwavering effort in applying science-based interventions. However, facing the reality, the 2023 Global AIDS Report reminds us that challenges persist. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 4,000 adolescent girls and young women are infected with HIV every week whereas in the Caribbean, every week, over 300 individuals become HIV positive. These stark numbers serve as a clear and unequivocal reminder that ending AIDS hinges on the political commitments made by governments. The countries that have exhibited unwavering commitment to ending AIDS as a public health threat have already made significant progress, achieving the 95-95-95 global AIDS targets. As our leaders gather at the 78th UN General Assembly in New York this September, it is vital to celebrate the successes of countries like Botswana, Eswatini, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. These nations have embraced data-driven strategies and the science of effective interventions. They have upheld their 2021 Political Declaration and commitments on AIDS and placed people and communities at the core of their responses, treating HIV fundamentally as an investment rather than a cost. Furthermore, they have boldly dismantled and reformed policies and laws that perpetuated stigma and discrimination against marginalise populations, including women and girls, prisoners, and migrants. The core principle of the SDGs is “leaving no one behind.” Addressing the social determinants of health and vulnerability faced by those living with or at risk of contracting HIV is imperative. Without substantial investment in all 17 SDGs, particularly the 10 highly relevant to the AIDS response (i.e., SDGs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 16, and 17), the dream of peace, prosperity, and a safe planet will remain unattainable and out of reach. It is important to connect the dots between HIV and the other SDGs so that when countries invest in a particular goal, they can see how their investments impact their commitment to end AIDS. SDGs 1, 2, and 3: Poverty and hunger increase vulnerability to HIV infection, particularly among affected households and women with low socioeconomic status. Therefore, investing in HIV-sensitive and shock responsive social protection policies and programmes, including food security, cash transfers and social insurance helps to enhance household resilience to fight HIV. Similarly, by improving access to sexual and reproductive health services, most-at-risk, marginalise and vulnerable people would have the essential services they need to prevent HIV transmission and improve their health and wellbeing. SDGs 4, 5, and 8: Education empowers individuals to make informed choices, negotiate safer sexual practices, reduce vulnerability to HIV and early pregnancies. Investing in transforming education programmes and making them relevant for social and economic transformation will help to lift people out of poverty. An educated and knowledgeable society engender gender equality which is key to protecting women and girls from HIV and gender-based violence. Creating job opportunities which are decent and dignified with full protection of labour rights and HIV-friendly policies fosters productivity and economic growth and reduces HIV transmission risk in the world of work. SDGs 10, 11, 16, and 17: Tackling inequalities is paramount. Currently, SDG 10 is among the poorest performing indicators as it is linked directly or indirectly to the rest of the SDGs. Stigma and discrimination hamper public health efforts because they prevent marginalised and vulnerable people from accessing public services. Therefore, championing people’s rights and ensuring social solidarity protects everyone. Monitoring inequality trends is crucial in understanding the root causes and patterns of inequalities and what policymakers can do mitigate and close the inequality gaps in society. The UNAIDS Eminent Group on Inequalities has a lot to do to support the rescuing of SDG10. Global partnerships for public good are essential for sharing health technologies and ensuring access to new HIV medicines worldwide. It is important to connect the dots between our global commitment and solidarity to ending AIDS as a public health threat to securing the promise for our Sustainable Future by 2030. Investing in the SDGs is a political choice with high social and economic returns. Caribbean leaders must recommit to the SDGs by demonstrating political will and making bold investments to address the HIV needs among those who are most marginalise and vulnerable. Eliminating gender inequalities and upholding human rights are essential for universal health coverage and ending AIDS as a public health threat. We need to embrace and celebrate victories in the HIV response. The five African countries that have achieved the 95-95-95 targets have proven that ending AIDS is not just attainable; it’s a political choice that demands hard work, global solidarity, and unwavering commitment to achieve the people-centered global targets. Our leaders must fulfil their commitments to address the HIV needs of marginalise populations, eliminating gender inequalities and upholding human rights to end AIDS and achieve universal health coverage by 2030. Caribbean countries, with over 100,000 people living with HIV and waiting to access lifesaving antiretroviral medicines, must follow their lead and redouble efforts to end AIDS as a public health threat once and for all. The time to act is now. Connecting the dots and bridging the gap between HIV commitments and the SDGs is not just a necessity but a moral obligation. Let us unite, learn from success stories, and work together towards a sustainable and healthier future by 2030.

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30 August 2023

Developing Youth, Accelerating Action

Youths account for 16 percent of the population in the Eastern Caribbean and possess immense potential as agents for social change, economic development, and innovation. Yet many of them, like their global peers, face socio-economic challenges that prevent them from realising their full potential. Poverty, child abuse and neglect, disability, inequality, limited access to quality education and lack of employment opportunities are obstacles faced by youth, with the potential for negative impacts and outcomes lingering well into adulthood. While some are able to overcome these obstacles, unemployment, social exclusion, low pay and continuation of the cycle of intergenerational poverty is the reality for many others. Young people must be provided with the knowledge and opportunities they need to thrive. More specifically, they need equitable access to education and skills training that align with the demands of the labour market. This is essential for a successful transition into the labour force and attaining decent work. Within the Eastern Caribbean, the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-Funded joint programme Resilient Caribbean - Engaging & Training Youth, Strengthening Integrated SP Sector Delivery is accelerating action towards the SDGs by ensuring that youth are empowered and enabled to effectively enter the labour market. Building the Capacity of Educators, Community Leaders, and Youth in Grenada In Grenada, where the youth unemployment rate stands at 29 percent, 3 the Joint Programme has launched the Grenada Youth Empowered for the Digital World of Work initiative. Led by UNESCO, the programme focuses on equipping Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) educators, community youth leaders, and post-secondary youths with emerging digital and entrepreneurial skills required to increase national and regional productivity. Under this initiative, 46 community youth leaders have received certifications in entrepreneurship. These individuals will benefit from further support in the form of mentoring sessions to strengthen their capacity to engage and facilitate peer mentorship with youths within their communities. Additionally, over 100 TVET teachers and instructors have been engaged in a Train the Trainer programme for digital advertising, and workshops intended to strengthen the capacities of educators to plan, develop and deliver learning in the online and blended environment. Developing digital skills is important for the success of youth in the job market and entrepreneurship. The Joint Programme is supporting the advancement of SDG 8 (decent work for all and economic growth) by enhancing the knowledge and skills of post-secondary youth in the areas of digital technology and entrepreneurship. Six hundred and thirty-seven youths are currently registered in the Aleph Digital Ad Expert Certification Programme, which began in June 2023 with all initial places filled. Aimed at developing entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial competencies, the certification programme covers areas such as digital marketing, marketing strategy development, digital analytics, and content creation. The second cohort of students is due to start training in September 2023. Making Learning Fun The Joint Programme is also leveraging accessible technology to provide 21st Century skills to young people in the Eastern Caribbean without access to quality education through FunDoo. Launched by UNICEF in 2022, FunDoo is a chat-based programme aimed at young people between the ages of 13 and 24. Available on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram Messenger, the programme utilises technology to facilitate experiential learning (learning by doing), ensuring that the journey is both fun and rewarding. Almost 2,000 young people have completed FunDoo’s self-paced modules, strengthening their personal, interpersonal, and higher-order cognitive skills through real-world activities. Participants have credited the platform with boosting their self-esteem and confidence and improving their public speaking, stress management, and budgeting skills. Originally developed in India, FunDoo’s curriculum has been adapted to the local context. This curriculum is based on UNICEF's 21st Century Skills framework and is organised as a modular library of tasks that learners can choose from. The Resilient Caribbean Joint Programme is committed to accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. By prioritising youth empowerment and creating opportunities for education and training, the Joint Programme will continue to work towards driving social mobility and providing an equitable chance in life for youth in the Eastern Caribbean. Note: The Joint SDG Fund's joint programmes are under the prestige leadership of the Resident Coordinator Office and implementing United Nations Agencies. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the 🇪🇺 European Union and Governments of 🇩🇰 Denmark, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇮🇪 Ireland, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇱🇺 Luxembourg, 🇲🇨 Monaco, 🇳🇱 The Netherlands, 🇳🇴 Norway, 🇵🇹 Portugal, 🇰🇷 Republic of Korea, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇸🇪 Sweden, 🇨🇭 Switzerland and our private sector funding partners, for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.

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12 July 2023

UN Delivering As One To Harness Blue Finance In The Caribbean

Caribbean islands have been traditionally viewed as playgrounds of the rich and famous due to its pristine beaches and crystal blue oceans. In lieu of this, regional Governments, with the support of the United Nations, are exploring ways to maximize the ‘Blue Economy’ to promote economic recovery and growth while conserving natural resources. For a region which is home to more marine space than land territory, and is contending with the challenges of undiversified economies, limited fiscal space, rising unemployment, and burgeoning debt, the pursuit of economic diversification through Blue Growth and the sustainable use of ocean resources is an important step in the right direction. "As vulnerable Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) continue to grapple with multiple shocks and emerging threats, including climate change and the Triple Crisis of food, fuel, and finance, through the Harnessing Blue Economy Finance for SIDS Recovery and Sustainable Development Joint Programme, we are helping countries to enhance livelihoods and promote economic growth,” says UN Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Didier Trebucq. Under the Resident Coordinator’s leadership, and through the collective efforts of participating UN Agencies, UNDP, the lead Agency, FAO and UNEP, the Joint SDG Fund- supported programme has laid the foundation for financing a sustainable Blue Economy in Barbados, Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Despite the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, various hurricanes, and the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano, phase one of this two-year initiative has already made tangible progress in placing pilot countries on the path towards a sustainable financing and policy framework. Photo by Hugh Whyte on Unsplash Unearthing the hindrances to Blue Economy The first step in financing this integral driver for resilient economic recovery and growth in the Eastern Caribbean, was to conduct baseline research which identified key constraints, policy gaps and institutional shortcomings to Blue Economy development, including for example debt-service obligations. With staggering debt-service obligations rendering Governments unable to invest in Blue Growth, and local financial institutions perceiving Blue Economy investment opportunities to be risky, the UN also presented recommendations to support the delivery of Blue Economy initiatives. These included greater incentive-based private sector investment, Public-private partnerships, and venture capital financing, an underdeveloped aspect in the region, as an alternative to conventional funding methods. Engagements and training targeting diverse stakeholder groups also contributed to increased awareness and comprehension of the potential of the Blue Economy and highlighted the importance of technical assistance to support project design, capacity building, and mobilisation of international funding for Blue Economy development. Reports produced under the project also underscored the need for multisectoral coordination mechanisms to help implementation of the Blue Economy at the local and regional levels. Development Finance Assessments (DFA) were also conducted for all three participating countries, with a view to support the creation of an Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF); a system which brings together and aligns different sources of financing to boost sustainable development and national priorities. Photo by Hugh Whyte on Unsplash Developing the Fisheries and Aquaculture Sectors Another major output of the Blue Finance joint programme was the development of a public and private sector Blue Economy Finance Strategy for the fisheries and aquaculture sector for Barbados, Grenada, and St Vincent and the Grenadines. When speaking of Blue Economy growth in small island developing states (SIDS), the development of fisheries and aquaculture sectors is an integral part of the conversation. With Caribbean countries boasting high fish consumption rates, the fisheries and aquaculture sectors of SIDS are under increased pressure to maintain supply of fisheries products, while being challenged by the increasing prevalence of severe weather phenomena and environmental decline. These shocks adversely impact the industry either by limiting revenue or discouraging investment in this vital sector, thereby increasing the vulnerabilities of those most at risk of being left behind. Finance and financing mechanisms remain key, and should include policy mechanisms that improve available finance, payment for ecosystem services (PES) schemes, natural capital as publicly traded equities, debt swaps, blue and other sovereign bonds, and advancements in financial technology. All of these seek to increase available capital and encourage investment both from local and international sources, to facilitate cross-sectoral development. This project has highlighted the fact that an enabling environment that simultaneously prioritizes sustainability and the protection of the environments that underpin the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, is critical to encourage growth in these sectors, with benefits that redound to the entire blue economy. The establishment of sustainable blue economy finance principles, integrating fisheries and aquaculture into the wider blue economy, the increased use of available development tools and reporting structures, and the facilitation of public-private partnerships all need to be prioritized to ensure the greatest potential for successful sustainable development. Stronger Together In keeping with the saying that ‘no man is an island’, the joint programme also supported the establishment and expansion of partnerships with a wide cross-section of stakeholders, including the private sector, academia, and development partners, to promote transformative change regarding the funding of the SDGs. These partnerships have helped to harness UN capacity, resources, and assets to scale up SDG financing initiatives in the countries while also boosting collaborative knowledge exchange between across the UN country team and other development partners. From facilitating public-private partnerships, establishing blue economy financing principles to integrating fisheries and aquaculture into the wider blue economy, this joint programme has highlighted that in order to fully harness potential of the ocean economy, there are a number of key pillars that must be simultaneously prioritized, and integrated into national development planning. With these principles in mind, the Resident Coordinator’s Office and the rest of the UN country team in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean are committed to turning this blue vision for the future into concrete action today. Note: The Joint SDG Fund's joint programmes are under the prestige leadership of the Resident Coordinator Office and implementing United Nations Agencies. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the 🇪🇺 European Union and Governments of 🇩🇰 Denmark, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇮🇪 Ireland, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇱🇺 Luxembourg, 🇲🇨 Monaco, 🇳🇱 The Netherlands, 🇳🇴 Norway, 🇵🇹 Portugal, 🇰🇷 Republic of Korea, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇸🇪 Sweden, 🇨🇭 Switzerland and our private sector funding partners, for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.

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three fishermen hold a fishing net with a large body of water in the background

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28 August 2023

Remembering so as not to Repeat: Sowing the Future of Dignity for Afro-descendants

Bridgetown, Barbados: On the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, there is a call for urgent action for Justice for Afro Descendant people. Chair of the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, Dr. Epsy Campbell Barr said: “Systemic racism challenges Afro-descendants' right to life and we can end it with action and real commitment, using all the tools that are in our favour”. Dr. Epsy Campbell Barr. UN Women Photo/Lisle Warner The former Vice President of Costa Rica was addressing the Government of Barbados and United Nations System for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean inaugural lecture for the UN observance. Watch the full event replay here. 📼 Congratulating the Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados for her leadership on the global stage, she urged support for consolidation of the agenda for reparatory justice and a new global Pact: “That is why I strongly promote the Global Coalition Against Systemic Racism and for Reparations. It is a space for action involving communities, organizations, local and national governments, academia, the private sector, international organizations and everyone committed to ending racism. We use art, culture, creativity, science and knowledge in favor of an anti-racist culture.” Read Dr. Epsy Campbell Barr’s full remarks here >>> Representative, UN Women MCO Caribbean Tonni Brodber. UN Women Photo/Lisle Warner Representative, UN Women MCO Caribbean Tonni Brodber stressed we must remember and recall our connections to ourselves and one another. “Because when we remember, we remember that before the slave trade, we were, we came from people, we came from culture. What this experience led to unfortunately is a forgetting, a forgetting of our relationship with our land … and we forgot the relationships that we have with one another. Rather than organising black families around the principle of authoritarian rule, of the strong over the weak, we should organise our understanding of family around anti-authoritarian models that posit love as the central guiding principle. Recognizing love as the effort we make to create a context of growth, emotional, spiritual and intellectual - women and men equally creating families based on love.” Read Tonni Brodber’s full remarks here >>> UN Resident Coordinator Ad Interim, Renata Clarke. UN Women Photo/Lisle Warner UN Resident Coordinator Ad Interim, Renata Clarke said the transatlantic slave trade was a horrific chapter in human history and one of the worst violations of human rights ever recorded. She added that the legacy of slavery continues to have an impact into the present: “Women of colour are more likely to live in poverty, to be unemployed, and to experience violence. They are also less likely to have access to education and healthcare." Click here to view full event album 🎞️ She continued in her speech by saying that in the Caribbean, women of colour face several specific challenges, including: • A high rate of abused women not seeking help. According to a study by CARICOM, only 1 in 10 abused women in the Caribbean seeks help from a formal source. This is due to several factors, including the stigma associated with domestic violence, the lack of access to services, and the fear of retaliation from their abuser. • A high adolescent birth rate. The adolescent birth rate in the Caribbean is 50% higher than the global average. This is due to several factors, including early sexual initiation, lack of access to sexual and reproductive health services, and the high rate of violence against girls. The UN is committed to working for the empowerment of women including women of colour in the Caribbean.” Read Dr. Renata Clarke’s full remarks here >>> UN Women Photo/Lisle Warner

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group photo of participants standing on stage smiling with a banner in the background

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29 August 2023

IOM Opens Coordination Office for the Caribbean in Barbados

BRIDGETOWN, 25 August 2023 – The Government of Barbados and the International Organization for Migration (IOM-UN Migration) signed an agreement, establishing the IOM Coordination Office for the Caribbean and IOM Mission to Barbados, in Bridgetown. This development makes IOM the most recent UN organization to establish a regional and national office in Barbados. The new IOM Office in Barbados will enable the Organization to best implement migration related initiatives in Barbados and the region. As the Coordination Office for the English and Dutch Speaking Caribbean, the Office also has the responsibility to coordinate IOM’s support to migration opportunities and challenges, in line with its Strategy for the Caribbean, released on 28 July 2023. The Office will be led by Mr. Patrice Quesada as IOM Coordination Officer for the Caribbean and Chief of Mission Barbados. Now, with its presence in nine countries in the sub-region, IOM can help bring Caribbean countries’ migration governance issues and opportunities to the forefront, including through its engagement with regional institutions, such as CARICOM and OECS. Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kerrie Symmonds of Barbados and Michele Klein-Solomon, Regional Director for IOM Central America, North America and Caribbean signed the document at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade in the presence of Deputy Coordinator for IOM Caribbean, Eraina Yaw, and other officials of the Government of Barbados and the United Nations. “This signing has immense potential to continue to help the Caribbean community to harness the benefits of regular migration, even as we confront the challenges of our time...among those...migration triggered by climate emergencies, and migration triggered by civil instability in our region,” commented Barbados’ Honourable Minister Kerrie Symmonds. Meanwhile, Regional Director of IOM, Michele Klein-Solomon expressed her pleasure with the new development. “Last year on the 30th of November, Barbados became IOM's 175th Member State, rounding out the membership for the Western Hemisphere, so now all the governments of the Western Hemisphere are Member States of IOM, and we are so pleased to welcome you into the IOM family,” said Klein-Solomon. Minister Symmonds expressed gratitude for the support of IOM and remarked that the "agreement would allow for the further pooling of resources between IOM and the Government of Barbados to mutual benefit." The Minister further noted that the "Government is currently embarking on the process of fine tuning the new Citizenship and Immigration Legislation for Barbados, and intends to have a managed migration policy to attract the skillsets that would take the Barbados population forward." IOM and the Government of Barbados are pleased to have a formal presence established in Barbados and look forward to continuing to foster collaboration for safe orderly and regular migration to the benefit to all. For more information, please contact: malleyne@iom.int, Communications Officer, IOM Caribbean.

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Man and woman exchange folder in a boardroom to a small gathering

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25 September 2023

We can’t keep putting the interest of the few before the lives of many, Mia Mottley says at UN

Describing the Sustainable Development Goals as “the promise of development and the conferral of dignity on our people,” the Prime Minister of Barbados questioned whether the world’s actions since the adoption eight years ago of the 2030 Agenda will be sufficient to attain the 17 targets on poverty, gender equality, the environment, and more. “Will we be too late to save as many as we can from the climate crisis; too late for us to save as many as we can from the ravages of war; too late to provide the food that so many need?”, she asked. The same facts Acknowledging that world leaders have made progress, Ms. Mottley said much remained to be done on the road to 2030. Indeed, she pointed out that as of last year, 735 million suffered from chronic hunger, and that more people are likely to be hungry in 2030 than in 2015. Moreover, the way forward must be based on commonly agreed objectives. “Our Democracy cannot survive if we do not have the same facts, but we live in a world where the generation of fake news is a near daily occurrence. And where people act on those premises without consideration as to whether the news is true or not,“ she stressed. Calling for the creation of a regulatory framework in line with that outlines by the Secretary-General, she said the role artificial intelligence (AI) will play in our world “must be for good purposes but not evil. High gas and oil prices With aggressive oil supply cuts in Saudi Arabia and Russia and deadly flooding in Libya sending crude prices on a tear, oil prices are on pace to hit their largest quarterly increase since Russia invaded Ukraine in the beginning of 2022. According to Ms. Mottley oil and gas prices have been driven higher in the Venezuela because of lack of transparency, and the people of the Caribbean are bearing the brunt of it. “How is it possible for Chevron and the European Union to access the oil and gas of Venezuela but the people of the Caribbean, cannot access it at the 35 per cent discount offered by the people of Venezuela?”Ms. Mottley asked. “Impossible that we should always have to bear the cost of an additional 4 per cent in my country”, she said, simply because the rules are allowed for one but not the other. Corporate Taxes Touching on the issue of corporate tax, the Barbados Prime Minister noted that World leaders do not approach the issue with fairness. “We know how to run fast in one set of circumstances when it suits one set of people but yet we run very slow when it matters to billions of people and their access to livelihood,” she said. “We cannot continue to put the interest of the few before the lives of many,” the Caribbean leader added. Climate action Ms. Mottley said the fight against climate change is far from over, adding that the climate change is as much of a crisis as the war in Ukraine and the ongoing conflict in Africa. “We are committed to resume the battle of saving people and the planet,” she said. According to her reform is critical at this point, and what matters is what each country does to address the global issue. Attributing a quote to Nelson Mandela, Ms. Mottley concluded: “Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision is merely passing time. But vision with action can change the world.” The best leaders not only create their vision, but also inspire others toward action.”

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21 September 2023

Summit of the Future ‘unique opportunity’ to rebuild trust: Guterres

“Your strong engagement during our deliberations today reaffirms that multilateralism is neither dead nor obsolete,” said Dennis Francis in his opening remarks to a preparatory meeting for next year’s Summit of the Future. Scheduled for September 2024, it is billed as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reinvigorate multilateralism, address gaps in global governance, and reaffirm existing commitments, including to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the UN Charter. Recent global shocks – including the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the climate emergency – have tested international institutions, underlining the critical need for unity around shared principles and common goals. ‘A unique opportunity’ “The Summit of the Future is a unique opportunity to help rebuild trust and bring outdated multilateral institutions and frameworks into line with today’s world, based on equity and solidarity,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “But it is more than an opportunity,” he added. “It is an essential means of reducing risks and creating a safer and more peaceful world.” The Summit has its origins in Our Common Agenda, the Secretary-General’s 2021 report outlining his vision for the future of international cooperation “through an inclusive, networked, and effective multilateralism.” The report aims to “turbocharge” the push towards the 17 SDGs – the global promise to deliver a more just, equitable and greener future for all people and the planet by 2030. Although progress has been derailed by the pandemic and other crises, a “rescue plan” agreed this week aims to get them back on track. Pact for the Future At the Summit, countries are expected to adopt a Pact for the Future that covers five areas: sustainable development and related financing; international peace and security; science, technology, innovation and digital cooperation; youth and future generations; and transforming global governance. Mr. Guterres commended their pledge to advance human rights, the empowerment of women and girls, and acceleration towards achieving the SDGs. To support the negotiations, he has published 11 policy briefs that build on proposals contained in Our Common Agenda. “The Pact for the Future will be your contract with each other and with your people,” he said. “It represents your pledge to use all the tools at your disposal at the global level to solve problems – before those problems overwhelm us.” UN Photo/Laura Jarriel Education activist Varaidzo Kativhu addresses the preparatory meeting for the Summit of the Future at UN Headquarters in New York. ‘Start talking to us’: Youth advocate Varaidzo Kathivu, a girls’ education activist and youth advocate from Zimbabwe, welcomed the Pact’s focus on future generations. Over half of the world's population is under 30, representing the largest generation of young people in history. They need a real seat at the table when it comes to decision-making she declared, sitting next to the UN chief. “Please stop talking about us and start talking to us. And not only talking to us but working with us,” she said. “We want to be recognized as true and equal partners who have a stake in this just as much as you. We want to help get these Sustainable Development Goals back on track. And we are more than talented, willing and capable.”

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The Sustainable Development Goals projected onto UN Headquarters, New York, in 2015

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21 September 2023

UN sets out bold solutions to rescue SDG finance

The big objective of the major UN General Assembly meeting is to unlock innovative and practical solutions to close the widening divisions between rich and poor. The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs which drives the UN’s effort on SDG financing, notes that although fiscal challenges are mounting, “there is a window of opportunity if we act now.” Financial divide Most developing countries suffer from severe debt problems. And one in three countries around the world is now at high risk of suffering a fiscal crisis, according to the UN. These countries cannot fund progress on the SDGs if they are facing exorbitant borrowing costs and paying more on debt servicing than on health or education. “Developing countries face borrowing costs up to eight times higher than developed countries – a debt trap”, warned UN Secretary-General António Guterres, “and one in three countries around the world is now at high risk of a fiscal crisis. “Over 40 per cent of people living in extreme poverty are in countries with severe debt challenges”. Held every four years since 2015, This year’s High-level Dialogue takes place at a critical moment, when only around 15 per cent of SDG targets are on track. Member States noted that while progress has been made across all action areas of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda - the roadmap for financing the SDGs - many of its finance commitments remain unmet. They added that challenging economic prospects amid the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts and intensifying climate change have put financing for the SDGs under increased pressure. Innovative approaches According to Mr. Guterres aggressively scaling up SDG financing will require innovative approaches, bold policy decisions, and new sources of funding. Member States welcome the UN Secretary-General’s proposal for an SDG Stimulus of at least $500 billion US dollars per year to significantly increase affordable, long-term financing for development. They also support his call for deeper and longer-term reforms to the international financial architecture, which currently fails to serve as a safety net for all countries and exacerbates inequalities. Solutions must be systemic “It is clear that the systemic problems of financing for sustainable development require a systemic solution: reforms of the global financial architecture,” said the UN chief. He is also calling for a new Bretton Woods moment, when countries can come together to agree on new global financial architecture that reflects today’s economic realities and power relations. “Together, we must turn this moment of crisis into a moment of opportunity, find joint financing solutions to rebuild global solidarity, and create new momentum for sustainable development and climate action,” Mr. Guterres said.

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The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres (centre) and the President of the General Assembly (2nd right) Dennis Francis attend the High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development at UN Headquarters.

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21 September 2023

With trillions needed to achieve Sustainable Development Goals, world leaders gather to set out bold solutions to urgently scale up investments

20 September 2023 - Recognizing the urgency of delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, world leaders gathered at the UN High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development in New York today to present innovative and practical solutions to unlock better financing and tackle the great finance divide that has emerged between developed and developing countries. The great finance divide Nearly 40 per cent of all developing countries suffer from severe debt problems. These countries cannot fund progress on the SDGs if they are facing exorbitant borrowing costs and paying more on debt servicing than on health or education. “Developing countries face borrowing costs up to eight times higher than developed countries – a debt trap. And one in three countries around the world is now at high risk of a fiscal crisis. Over 40 per cent of people living in extreme poverty are in countries with severe debt challenges,” warned UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Held every four years since 2015, following the adoption of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda — the roadmap for financing the SDGs — the 2023 High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development takes place at a critical moment, when only around 15 per cent of SDG targets are on track. While progress has been made across all action areas of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, many of its commitments remain unmet. Moreover, challenging economic prospects amid the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts and intensifying climate change have put financing for the SDGs under increased pressure. As part of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, the High-level Dialogue will review progress towards achieving the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and mobilize political support at the highest level to finance sustainable development, building on fresh commitments made at the 2023 SDG Summit to turbocharge SDG action. SDG financing requires innovative approaches Aggressively scaling up SDG financing will require innovative approaches, bold policy decisions, and new sources of funding. Member States welcome the UN Secretary-General’s proposal for an SDG Stimulus of at least $500 billion US dollars per year to significantly increase affordable, long-term financing for development. They also support his call for deeper and longer-term reforms to the international financial architecture, which currently fails to serve as a safety net for all countries and exacerbates inequalities. “It is clear that the systemic problems of financing for sustainable development require a systemic solution: reforms to the global financial architecture,” said the UN Chief, calling for a new Bretton Woods moment when countries come together to agree on a global financial architecture that reflects today’s economic realities and power relations. Theme: “Financing the SDGs for a world where no one is left behind” Under the theme “Financing the SDGs for a world where no one is left behind”, the one-day event will feature creative, ambitious and politically feasible solutions by world leaders, heads of international financial institutions and multilateral development banks (MDBs), representatives of the private sector and civil society to mobilize resources, generate action and restore momentum to achieve the SDGS. Echoing calls from the UN Secretary-General, the 2023 High-level Dialogue will feature two interactive roundtables to explore solutions to reform the international financial architecture to achieve the SDGs and to unlock SDG investments. In the first roundtable, leaders and eminent experts will consider ways to foster debt sustainability, strengthen the global financial safety net, promote inclusive and effective international tax cooperation and mobilize domestic resources. The afternoon roundtable will focus on ways to scale up private finance and affordable and accessible international public financing for sustainable development. It is critical to boost financing from all sources as well as to develop new policies and strategies to align such flows with the SDGs. Increased multilateral development bank (MDB) lending and a growing recognition of the important role of public development banks (PDBs) have helped meet increased demand for financing. Massive private capital mobilization is also needed to close the gap. High-level representatives from multilateral development banks and the private sector, including the Managing Director of the IMF, the President of the World Bank and the Director-General of the WTO, will deliver keynote remarks. Heads of State and Government will also speak about their experiences and commitments. Civil society organizations, including the High-Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa, Tax Justice Network Africa, and the Alliance for Financial Inclusion will join the Dialogue to discuss topics including, promoting inclusive and effective international tax cooperation. Building on the outcome of the 2023 ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development follow-up, the 2023 High-Level Dialogue will feed into the annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank Group in October this year and pave the way for the Summit of the Future to be held in 2024. For additional information, please visit key links below: The High-Level Dialogue on Financing for Development The High-Level Dialogue on Financing for Development Media Corner The Financing for Development website The SDG Media Zone programme Follow the Dialogue live on UN WebTV.

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Story

20 September 2023

Global leaders discuss healthier future for all: Top 5 fast facts

Without health, the world is badly hobbled in its race to realize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Goals; the recently opened 78th session of the UN General Assembly aims to change that. On the docket is a fresh global strategy to prevent, prepare, and respond to future pandemics on the heels of hard lessons learned from the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. International agreements are also in the pipeline to tackle the global tuberculosis epidemic and to promote universal health coverage for all. “We live in a world of many competing priorities, but we need to keep the attention of world leaders on health as the foundation of sustainable development,” said World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Here are the top five things to know about the UNGA 78’s ministerial-level health meetings: © UNICEF/Vinay Panjwani A man receives his second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine during a door-to-door vaccine campaign in Rajasthan, India. (file) 1. New pandemic accord goes beyond COVID-19 Long before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world, the UN health agency was forging innovative ways to handle global outbreaks of deadly diseases and viruses. Only months before the global coronavirus lockdown in March 2020, WHO was discussing an international strategy. Now a new pandemic accord is before the world at UNGA 78. As nations across the planet painfully learned, no country was immune to the deadly, fast-spreading virus that pushed healthcare systems to their limits, killed more than 6 million people, and set back development gains by decades. Looking to the future, the plan is to make the world safer by guarding global disease outbreaks and cementing efficient response plans for current and future generations. Nations have been negotiating a draft declaration that world leaders are expected to adopt at a high-level meeting on 22 September. © UNICEF/Brown Mothers and their babies wait to see UN-supported health care workers in Bhutan. 2. Health care for all Many countries with the most advanced medical care systems were caught by surprise by COVID-19 because of their historic lack of investment in primary health care, according to the WHO chief. On 21 September, ministers will gather at UN Headquarters for a high-level meeting on universal health coverage. Weaving through a range of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the WHO chief said providing universal health coverage makes sense. He said strong primary health care (Goal 3) requires long-term investments in health and care workers, and specifically in decent working conditions (Goal 8). Moreover, investing in education (Goal 4) must be matched to jobs and careers, with the right salaries and incentives, he added. Given that two-thirds of the global health and care workforce are women, he emphasized that investments in the health and care workforce can also advance gender equality (Goal 5). The draft political declaration expected to be adopted on Thursday aims towards one main result: a healthier population. 3. SDG 3 Health Clinic While diplomats debate global challenges at UN Headquarters, the UN health agency, WHO, has set up the SDG 3 Health Clinic, no appointments needed. The Global Scrubs Choir, made up of frontline staff from the Royal Melbourne Hospital, is performing live at the WHO-run SDG 3 Health Clinic during the high-level week at the UN General Assembly’s 78th session. Visitors can have a seat on a friendship bench and tell clinic staff why mental health is important to them. Health is, after all, not just the absence of disease or infirmity but a state of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing. Fancy some music therapy? The Global Scrubs Choir, comprising frontline staff from the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Australia, will be performing daily from 8 am until 8:45 am. © Shiyun Sang The Global Scrubs Choir from Australia's Royal Melbourne Hospital are performing at the SDG 3 Health Clinic at UN Headquarters. 4. Pushing 30-year-old tuberculosis epidemic into history A high-level dialogue on 22 September aims to intensify global efforts to finally end a decades-long tuberculosis (TB) epidemic, which remains a significant cause of death worldwide. The preventable and curable disease disproportionately affects developing countries, and one quarter of the world’s population is infected with the bacterium that causes the illness. In 2021, an estimated 10.6 million people fell ill with TB, and approximately 1.6 million people died from it in 2021. Thirty years after WHO declared it a global emergency, the epidemic still is a critical challenge in all regions and affects every country of the world. Millions of people ill with TB are missing out on quality care each year, including on access to affordable diagnostic tests and treatment, especially in developing countries, according to the UN health agency. Adopting the draft political declaration means nations would commit to a set of actions to swiftly change that. Find the programme and list of speakers expected at the high-level meeting here. © PAHO-WHO Patients at a health centre in Peru are given advice about how to avoid catching TB. 5. Global Action Plan WHO established the Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Wellbeing for All, also known as “SDG 3 GAP”, in 2019, bringing together 13 multilateral health, development, and humanitarian agencies around the world. Despite rising challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, they made hard-won inroads, taking their success stories to the SDG Summit in a bid to help. The goal is simple: to help countries speed progress on health-related SDGs. Together, they take joint action and provide more coordinated and aligned support to country-owned and led national plans and strategies. “In the last few years, we have been experiencing something of a perfect storm: COVID-19, climate change, conflicts and other crises are threatening the progress achieved over the past 20 years,” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which is part of the global network. © PAHO-WHO The UN has been supporting a cholera vaccine programme in some of the most vulnerable communities in Haiti. “We can sustain and even accelerate progress if we work together to tackle the most acute health challenges and build stronger and more resilient health systems, but it is vital that as we do so we confront the deep and pervasive health inequities between and within countries.” Check out the Global Action Plan’s 2023 progress report here.

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A child holds medicine he received from health workers at a mobile health clinic in a neighbourhood of eastern Aleppo, Syria.

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Press Release

19 September 2023

Strong leadership and political will crucial to ensure reparatory justice for people of African descent – UN report

The report to the UN General Assembly, by the UN Secretary-General, sets out a series of concrete steps for States and the international community to address the continued harms suffered by people of African descent – highlighting the intrinsic link between the legacies of colonialism and enslavement and contemporary forms of systemic racism and racial discrimination, intolerance and xenophobia faced by people of African descent. “It is estimated that between 25 and 30 million people were violently uprooted from Africa for enslavement. The Trans-Atlantic trade in enslaved Africans caused the largest and most concentrated deportation of human beings involving several regions of the world during more than four centuries,” the report states. “Slavery and the slave trade are prohibited under international human rights law, and enslavement has been recognized among the acts constituting, under specific circumstances, a crime against humanity.” The report stresses that the formal abolition of enslavement, and decolonization processes, did not dismantle racially discriminatory structures. Instead, they “gave way to racially discriminatory policies and systems, including segregation and apartheid, that perpetuated racial discrimination, oppression, and inequalities.” For decades, people of African descent across the globe have called for accountability and redress for harms. The report highlights that these demands – including the right to adequate, effective, prompt and appropriate remedies, and reparation for victims of violations of human rights – are enshrined in international and regional human rights instruments. Although some States have recently taken steps towards addressing past legacies, the report emphasizes that “no State has comprehensively accounted for the past and addressed its contemporary legacies and ongoing manifestations.” The report provides an overview of a variety of measures that can contribute to achieving reparatory justice – with processes “tailored to the specificities of the situation in the country and to the demands of affected communities”. While there is no one-size-fits-all model of reparatory justice, what is clear is that efforts must be guided by people of African descent, particularly women and youth, through their effective and meaningful participation, it states. Those measures include truth-seeking and truth-telling processes, public apology and acknowledgment, memorialization, education and awareness raising, restitution, medical and psychological rehabilitation, compensation, as well as guarantees of non-repetition. While assessment of economic damage can be complex owing to the length of time that has passed and the difficulty of identifying perpetrators and victims, “such difficulties cannot be the basis for nullifying the existence of underlying legal obligations.” The report concludes that, ultimately, the greatest barrier to reparations for colonialism and enslavement may be that “the biggest beneficiaries of both lack the political will and moral courage to pursue such reparations.” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said it was paramount that “strong leadership and political will from States and the international community be galvanized to finally, comprehensively address the entrenched legacies of colonialism, enslavement and the trade in enslaved Africans.” “Reparatory justice is not just about addressing the wrongful acts of the past, it is about building societies that are truly inclusive, equal and free from racism and racial discrimination. A comprehensive approach should, therefore, address the past, present and future,” Türk said. The report cites examples of States and regional bodies that have acknowledged the need for reparatory justice for people of African descent, such as the CARICOM, the European Parliament and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The report also encourages States to actively engage in the elaboration of a draft UN declaration on the promotion and full respect of the human rights of people of African descent, which could provide a global framework to address the systemic nature of racism and racial discrimination. It adds that private actors, including business enterprises, the media and educational institutions, should also consider their own links to enslavement and colonialism in their ongoing and past operations and examine possibilities for reparations. “It is high time reparatory justice is made a priority, to address one of the biggest injustices in human history, and one that continues to negatively impact the daily lives of people of African descent across the globe,” Türk stressed. The report builds upon contributions and recommendations made by United Nations bodies and experts over decades, as well as the High Commissioner’s reports and Agenda Towards Transformative Change for Racial Justice and Equality.* ENDS * See the High Commissioner’s Agenda towards transformative change for racial justice and equality, which sets out a vision for dismantling systemic racism, including five concrete steps to confront past legacies *Guidance Note For more information and media requests, please contact: In Geneva Ravina Shamdasani - + 41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org or Jeremy Laurence + +41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org or Marta Hurtado - + 41 22 917 9466 / marta.hurtadogomez@un.org In Nairobi Seif Magango - +254 788 343 897 / seif.magango@un.org Tag and share Twitter @UNHumanRights Facebook unitednationshumanrights Instagram @unitednationshumanrights

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Press Release

18 September 2023

Responding to cascading global crises, SDG Summit launches new phase of accelerated action on the Sustainable Development Goals

New York, 18 September – Gathering at the SDG Summit on 18 to 19 September, world leaders agreed today to urgently step up their efforts to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), our global roadmap out of crises, by 2030. World leaders made an historic global promise to secure the rights and well-being of everyone on a healthy, thriving planet when they agreed to the 2030 Agenda and the 17 SDGs in 2015. However, at midpoint of SDG implementation, the SDGs are in peril. Tens of millions have fallen into poverty since 2020. Over 110 million people are forcibly displaced. Inequalities have worsened, strikingly so for women and girls. Many governments are forced to choose between debt payments and investing in healthcare and education. The climate emergency is wreaking havoc on lives and livelihoods. Developing countries and the world’s most vulnerable people continue to bear the brunt of these crises. “The SDGs aren’t just a list of goals. They carry the hopes, dreams, rights and expectations of people everywhere,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “Yet today, only 15 per cent of the targets are on track. Many are going in reverse. Instead of leaving no one behind, we risk leaving the SDGs behind.” The Political Declaration Leaders adopted a decisive, action-oriented political declaration at the Summit, highlighting their collective commitment to build a sustainable, inclusive and prosperous world by 2030. With a strong focus on the means of implementation, and in particular, on financing for development, the declaration acknowledges that without a quantum leap in investments to enable just and equitable energy, food, digital transitions, and a transformation in education and robust social protection in developing countries, the goals simply will not be met. Additionally, the Declaration urges immediate action to deliver an SDG Stimulus proposed by the UN Secretary-General, which calls for a massive increase in financing for the achievement of the SDGs to the tune of $500 billion each year. It also conveys strong support from all countries for a much-needed reform of the international financial architecture to better reflect today’s global economy. “I am deeply encouraged by the detailed and wide-ranging draft political declaration under consideration here today — especially its commitment to improving developing countries’ access to the fuel required for SDG progress: finance. This can be a game-changer in accelerating SDG progress,” stated the Secretary-General. Global and National Commitments Over 100 Countries will present national commitments to SDG Transformation that include priority transitions and areas for investment, setting national benchmarks for reducing poverty and inequalities by 2027 and strengthening institutional frameworks to support SDG progress. In addition to these national commitments, developed countries and other countries who have the capacity, are expected to make individual global commitments drawing on the Secretary-General’s proposal for an SDG Stimulus and broader means of implementation, such as fulfilling ODA commitments, suspending debt payments and agreeing on innovative finance mechanisms. SDG Action Weekend The SDGs cannot be delivered by governments alone. The SDG Action Weekend on 16 to 17 September gave an opportunity for over 3000 people from all sectors of society to outline their commitments to accelerate progress on the SDGs. The SDG Mobilization Day on Saturday 16 September saw business, civil society, science, local authorities and young people making meaningful contributions to SDG implementation. The SDG Acceleration Day on 17 September highlighted UN High-Impact Initiatives that show that transformation is possible and will help to drive momentum for action on the ground in the coming years. The initiatives focus on six major transitions that will drive progress across the SDGs: i) Social Protection; ii) Energy; iii.) Education; iv) Food Systems; v) Digital Transformation; vi) Biodiversity and Nature, underpinned by greater financing and other supports, as well as action to advance gender equality. About the Summit The opening of the Summit featured statements by the President of the General Assembly Dennis Francis, UN Secretary-General António Guterres and President of the Economic and Social Council Paula Narvaéz. The 2-day Summit will feature a short plenary segment to hear the actions and commitments delivered on behalf of groups of States. Six Leaders' Dialogues will allow Heads of State and Government to report on progress and set out concrete national commitments to SDG transformation. SDG Media Zone, 18-22 September, 10:30 am – 4:30 pm The SDG Media Zone is a key feature of the UN General Assembly’s High-Level Week, bringing together world leaders, influencers, activists, experts, content creators and media partners to highlight actions and solutions in support of the SDGs. Organized by the UN Department of Global Communications, in collaboration with the PVBLIC Foundation, the Zone takes the conversation on advancing the 2030 Agenda into the public discourse through impactful in-depth interviews and conversations on global issues that matter to people everywhere. All sessions will livestream on UN WebTV. SDG Pavilion, 15-22 September The SDG Pavilion is a beacon for the Sustainable Development Goals. It was created to mark the halfway point of the Goals. To use a sporting analogy, we are down at halftime. However, the good news is that any given match is won in the second half. Organized by the UN Office for Partnerships, in collaboration with Project Everyone, the SDG Pavilion will host a series of Halftime Talks and a high level gathering of women leaders to mobilize the world to keep the promise of the SDGs. Sessions will be livestreamed on UN WebTV. Follow the SDG Summit Please follow us on the SDG Summit, using the main hashtags: #GlobalGoals and #SDGs. On Facebook: United Nations, Global GoalsUN, DESA, Sustainable Development On Twitter: @UN, @GlobalGoalsUN, @UNDESA, @SustDev, @UN_Partnerships For more additional information, please visit key links below: The SDG Summit 2023 website and SDG Summit Programme The SDG Summit Media Corner The SDG Action Weekend High-Level Week of the UN General Assembly Snapshot The Sustainable Development Goals Website Follow key events live on UN WebTV. Media contacts (interviews available upon request): Francyne Harrigan, UN Department of Global Communications, harriganf@un.org Sharon Birch, UN Department of Global Communications, birchs@un.org

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Press Release

20 September 2023

Two-thirds of global goals for children’s rights and well-being off-pace to meet 2030 target - UNICEF

NEW YORK, 18 September 2023 – At the halfway mark towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), two-thirds of child-related indicators are off-pace to meet their targets, according to a new UNICEF report released today.

Progress on Children's Well-Being: Centring child rights in the 2030 Agenda warns that as of today, only 6 per cent of the child population – or 150 million children – living in just 11 countries have reached 50 per cent of child-related targets met – the highest level of achievement globally. If expected progress continues, only a total of 60 countries – home to just 25 per cent of the child population – will have met their targets by 2030, leaving around 1.9 billion children in 140 countries behind. “Seven years ago, the world pledged to eradicate poverty, hunger, and inequality, and to ensure that everyone – especially children – has access to quality basic services,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “But at the halfway mark of the 2030 Agenda, we are running out of time to turn the promise of the SDGs into reality. The consequences of not meeting the goals will be measured in children’s lives and the sustainability of our planet. We must get back on track, and that starts with putting children at the forefront of accelerated action to reach the SDGs.” The report – issued ahead of High-level Week of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the SDG Summit in New York – provides a snapshot of progress to date on child-specific indicators in the SDGs*, which were adopted by UN Member States in 2015 with the aim of ending poverty, reducing inequality, and building more peaceful, prosperous societies by 2030. The analysis weaves together over 20 years of data across more than 190 countries, comparing where countries stand today against where they aim to be in the next seven years, and identifying the challenges and opportunities for accelerated action. The findings show a mixed picture of both progress and backsliding against the global goals. According to the report, accelerated development is possible with strong national commitment, effective policies, and adequate financing, with some low and lower-middle-income countries making the fastest rate of progress. For example, based on available data up to 2021, Cambodia, India, Morocco, Rwanda, and Uganda, among others, performed consistently across multiple child-related SDGs, primarily when efforts were invested in areas that yielded results across several indicators. However, even these countries still have much ground to cover to reach the targets and must maintain their pace or accelerate further. The world is still grappling with the effects of multiple crises – COVID-19, climate change, conflict, and economic crises – halting or reversing years of progress. Notably, over the past few years, the pandemic directly contributed to a historic breakdown in immunisation services, and learning poverty increased by a third in low- and middle-income countries. Goals related to protection from harm, learning, and a life without poverty are the furthest from their targets. To achieve the 2030 targets, countries that are currently off-pace will need to accelerate progress to historically unprecedented levels. Evidence shows that investing in child rights drives and sustains results for all societies, people, and the planet, as interventions in children’s early years go the furthest toward eradicating hunger, poverty, poor health, and inequality. As world leaders prepare to gather this week to discuss the halfway mark of the SDGs, UNICEF is calling on countries to put child rights at the heart of their agendas and take historic steps to accelerate progress by: Building political commitment at the national level. Governments should significantly increase and safeguard social spending in areas such as health, education, and social protection. Setting ambition and realistic targets and taking action. Adapt global targets to local contexts, considering technical, policy, governance, and financial capabilities to help ensure achievable actions and change the arc of trajectory towards increased acceleration towards the SDGs. Prioritising knowledge and evidence for children. Promote strong partnerships and collaboration among stakeholders to facilitate data collection, sharing and use, to determine the concrete actions needed to reach the SDG targets. Strengthening commitment toward building a liveable planet for every child. Governments and the international community should increase investments to develop and implement climate mitigation and adaptation strategies. Ensuring financing systems work to accelerate progress. Explore innovative domestic and international financing options that prioritise results, emphasise equity and effectiveness, and target investment in cross-cutting areas. “A lot can happen in seven years,” added Russell. “We can renew and refocus our efforts and make the world a fairer and healthier place for all. But to do so, world leaders must become champions for children and put child rights at the heart of their domestic policy and budgeting agendas.” Media contacts Sara Alhattab UNICEF New York Tel: +1 917 957 6536 Email: salhattab@unicef.org

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Press Release

07 September 2023

The world is failing girls and women, according to new UN report

New York, 7 September 2023 – Despite global efforts, the world is falling short of achieving gender equality. This year’s edition of the UN Women and UN DESA “Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The Gender Snapshot 2023” launched today, paints a worrisome picture halfway through the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Gender Snapshot 2023 warns that, if current trends continue, over 340 million women and girls – an estimated 8 per cent of the world’s female population – will live in extreme poverty by 2030, and close to one in four will experience moderate or severe food insecurity. The gender gap in power and leadership positions remains entrenched, and, at the current rate of progress, the next generation of women will still spend on average 2.3 more hours per day on unpaid care and domestic work than men. The annual publication provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of gender equality across all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and highlights prevailing trends, gaps, and recent setbacks on the journey towards achieving gender equality by 2030. This year’s report includes sex-disaggregated data on the intersections of gender and climate change for the first time, and projects that by mid-century, under a worst-case climate scenario, climate change may push up to 158.3 million more women and girls into poverty (16 million more than the total number of men and boys). Sarah Hendriks, UN Women Deputy Executive Director ad interim., said: “In this critical midpoint moment for the SDGs, this year’s report is a resounding call to action. We must collectively and intentionally act now to course-correct for a world where every woman and girl has equal rights, opportunities, and representation. To achieve this, we need unwavering commitment, innovative solutions, and collaboration across all sectors and stakeholders.” With a special focus this year on older women, the report finds that older women face higher rates of poverty and violence than older men. In 28 of the 116 countries with data, less than half of older women have a pension; in 12 countries less than 10 percent had access to a pension. Halfway to 2030, progress on SDG 5 – Gender Equality – is clearly way off track. The report shows that the world is failing women and girls with a mere 2 Goal 5 indicators being “close to target” and no SDG 5 indicator at the “target met or almost met” level. The Gender Snapshot 2023 underscores the urgent need for concrete efforts to accelerate progress towards gender equality by 2030, revealing that an additional $360 billion per year is needed to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment across key global goals. The report also includes calls for an integrated and holistic approach, greater collaboration among stakeholders, sustained funding, and policy actions to address gender disparities and empower women and girls worldwide, concluding that failure to prioritize gender equality now could jeopardize the entire 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. “Gender equality is not just a goal within the 2030 Agenda. It is the very foundation of a fair society, and a goal upon which all other goals must stand. By breaking down the barriers that have hindered the full participation of women and girls in every aspect of society, we unleash the untapped potential that can drive progress and prosperity for all”, said Maria-Francesca Spatolisano, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs of UN DESA. Further facts and figures highlighted in the report include: Under a worst-case climate scenario, food insecurity is projected to affect as many as 236 million more women and girls, compared to 131 million more men and boys, due to climate change. No country is within reach of eradicating intimate partner violence and only 27 countries have comprehensive systems to track and make budgetary allocations for gender equality and women’s empowerment. The number of women and girls in conflict-affected contexts has risen significantly, with catastrophic consequences. In 2022, the number of women and girls living in such contexts reached 614 million, 50 per cent higher than the number in 2017. Globally, at current rates of progress, an estimated 110 million girls and young women will be out of school in 2030. The labour and earnings gap remains persistently high. For each dollar men earn in labour income globally, women earn only 51 cents. Only 61.4 per cent of prime working age women are in the labour force, compared to 90 per cent of prime working age men. For more information on the report: https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2023/09/progress-on-the-sustainable-development-goals-the-gender-snapshot-2023 Media contacts: Janine Kandel, UN Women – janine.kandel@unwomen.org, media.team@unwomen.org Ines Esteban Gonzalez, UN Women -ines.esteban.gonzalez@unwomen.org Kiri Jo Ginnerup, UN Women – kiri.ginnerup@unwomen.org Francyne Harrigan, UN Department of Global Communications – harriganf@un.org Predrag Vasic, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs – vasicp@un.org

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Press Release

05 September 2023

Latin American and Caribbean Economies Will Maintain Low Growth Levels in 2023 and 2024

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) released today its annual report entitled Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean 2023. Financing a sustainable transition: investment for growth and climate change action, in which it forecasts that the region’s economies will maintain low levels of growth this year and next year, affected by a negative global and very complex regional economic outlook. According to the document – one of the institution’s main economic reports, which has been published since its beginnings in 1948 – average regional Gross Domestic Product is expected to grow by 1.7% in 2023. Meanwhile, a slight decline is projected in the growth rate for 2024, leading to an increase of 1.5% of the regional GDP growth. According to the United Nations regional organization, the global economy’s dynamics remain on a path of low economic and international trade growth. Despite declines in the inflation rate, developed countries will likely continue with their contractive monetary policies, which means no significant cut to external interest rates is expected this year and financing costs for our countries will remain high. Although the public debt of the region’s countries has fallen, it is still elevated as a proportion of GDP, which, coupled with the increase in external and internal interest rates and an expected decline in tax revenue due to lower growth, will result in limited fiscal space for the region as a whole. In addition, less dynamism in job creation is anticipated, along with growing social demands. “Latin America and the Caribbean’s low growth may be aggravated by the negative effects of an intensification of climate shocks, if the investments that countries need in climate change adaptation and mitigation are not made,” stated ECLAC’s Executive Secretary, José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs. In 2023, ECLAC forecasts that all the subregions will have lower growth than in 2022: South America is seen growing by 1.2% (versus 3.7% in 2022), the group made up of Central America and Mexico by 3.0% (3.4% in 2022), and the Caribbean (excluding Guyana) by 4.2% (6.3% in 2022). The projections for 2024 indicate that low economic dynamism will persist in the region. It is forecast that the international context will continue to be unfavorable, with growth in global GDP and trade far below the historical averages. At the same time, in the domestic arena, fiscal policy space will continue to be limited, although reduced inflation in the region creates more room for countries’ monetary policies. In these circumstances, ECLAC forecasts average growth in 2024 of 1.2% for South America, 2.1% for Central America and Mexico, and 2.8% for the Caribbean (excluding Guyana). The Economic Survey 2023 indicates that the low growth in economic activity in 2023 and 2024 will result in a deceleration of job growth, which is seen expanding by 1.9% in 2023 and 1.1% in 2024. Furthermore, there are concerns over employment quality in this context of low growth, since it is very likely that workers will become more vulnerable, have lower levels of social protection and be employed in less productive sectors. “Given the challenges of boosting growth and tackling climate change, it is essential to enhance public and private investment. Public investment in the region is low in comparison with advanced economies, and even other developing regions. This low level of investment has translated into a stock of public capital – infrastructure – that is insufficient for boosting economic growth and promoting productive development,” ECLAC’s report emphasizes. The macroeconomic impacts of climate change could be very significant for the region’s countries. The estimates presented in the Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean 2023 indicate that by 2050, the GDP of a group of six countries could be between 9% and 12% lower than what would correspond to a scenario of trend growth if investments are not made to offset climate shocks. The volume of additional investment needed is exceptionally large, between 5.3% and 10.9% of GDP per year. This would represent a significant increase from current investment levels. However, the ability to invest will depend both on access to financing as well as the cost of financing. “There must be a considerable increase in concessional financing that would allow for sustaining investment trajectories over time. These efforts must be accompanied by domestic macroeconomic policies that favor resource mobilization,” José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs asserted. Finally, the report warns that in order to confront the macroeconomic effects of climate change, national, regional and global efforts will be needed in four main areas: 1) Fiscal space, through an increase in revenue and in the progressivity of the tax structure, green public spending and access to new financing mechanisms, such as thematic bonds; 2) Management of financial and foreign-exchange risks through macroprudential policy; 3) Mobilization of concessional financing and development banking, to deepen climate finance, through multilateral, regional and national development banks and to foster Official Development Assistance (ODA) flows to fight climate change; and 4) Debt relief mechanisms, such as the establishment of institutional mechanisms for restructuring, and the inclusion of clauses linked to disasters and hurricanes, and achievement of climate targets.

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