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TWN Info Service
on Health Issues (Jul20/07)
26 July 2020
Third World Network
UN Monitor #18
24 July 2020
Heard at the 2020
UN High-level Political Forum
Download
UN Monitor #18 (pdf version).
By Barbara Adams,
Carter Boyd and Karen Judd
“The world is going
through a public health crisis which is turning into a global economic
and social crisis. The HLPF is one of the first major intergovernmental
meetings with universal participation and broad stakeholder engagement
since the onset of the crisis.
“It is critical that
the United Nations send a strong message to all people demonstrating
that we can forge consensus and give a multilateral response to the
COVID-19 pandemic, and that we are committed to rebuilding better
after the pandemic, with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
as our roadmap. Countries, societies, youth and the media will all
be looking to the United Nations for its guidance.”
How did the 2020 HLPF,
which met 7-17 July 2020 in virtual format, respond to these words
from the ‘presiding officer’, the President of ECOSOC Mona Juul, who
said in her concluding remarks: we “cannot revert to the old normal…normal
was part of the problem–all of our discussions have underlined recovery
presents a rare opportunity to shape the new normal”.
Here are some of the
voices heard at the 2020 HLPF, reverberating around the themes of
building back better, leave no one behind, COVID-19, inequalities,
data and accountability.
********
Building back better
risks going backwards
- We
cannot go back to normal. Normal is what got us into this mess,
but also this financial crisis and climate crisis… [and] weakened
state capacity after decades of hollowing it out through … austerity,
outsourcing, and privatization. — Mariana Mazzucato, UN CDP
- The
reality is that we have a lot of challenges achieving the world
we said we wanted in 2015 and we are actually backtracking. We need
solutions that include the informal labor sector, debt relief, and
agricultural development. — Alice Kalibata, Alliance for a Green
Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
- I’m
tired of hearing building back better. What is better? We need to
build back differently, with more diversified economies that are
greener, more inclusive. Who are we building back better for? Big
economies, for profit, and big business, or for sustainable development?
– Isabelle Durant, UNCTAD
- Building
back better for SIDS is not going back to what they had. When we
were encouraged to diversify our countries and markets, we took
what we were really good at and exchanged it for something else,
not a true diversification. — Sharon Lindo, Belize
- To
build back better we need to foster an open and innovative dialogue
with a comprehensive and inclusive financing for development system
to address the challenges MICs are facing. — Philippines
- …align
the build back better principle in the context of sustainable financing
strategies through increased liquidity, concessional financing and
debt swaps. — Armida Alisjahbana, UN ESCAP
- As
we join online conversations like this, vulnerable populations are
not at the table and are unable to participate. To build back better
the world must focus on improving digital access, not a digital
dream world that excludes those most vulnerable. —Elenita Dano,
ETC Group
Leave No One Behind
< Addressing inequalities
Leave no-one behind
has become the official slogan of the 2030 Agenda and the HLPF. Multiple
statements of efforts to be inclusive, while welcome, are pro forma,
selective and neglect many disadvantaged groups – and ignore the dynamics,
policies and practices that push many behind.
- Rich
countries and corporations are pushing everyone else behind….’leave
no one behind’ is SDG-washing. –Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS
- Most
voluntary national reports [in 2019] mention leave no one behind
(45 of the 47) but it’s the depth of that principle we are concerned
about with only 7 recognizing what policies might be pushing people
behind. — Sakiko Fukuda-Parr, UN CDP
- When
the system fails, we see that those most vulnerable will suffer
most. This is why inequality is at the center of the 2030 Agenda.
It’s at the intersection of economic, social and environmental constraints.
We risk seeing a new generation of inequalities around digitalization
and climate change in the European consensus on development. — EU
and EU member states
- This
pandemic will result in millions more cases of gender-based violence.
We don’t have to let this happen. — Natalia Kanem, UNFPA
- Latin
America is the most unequal region of the world and the efforts
made to decrease poverty are now at risk of receding…. The health
crisis has shown us that universal access to healthcare services
is only part of the challenge. The lack of jobs, gender inequality,
lack of social protection systems, education, environmental problems
all have a direct impact of increasing the level of poverty worldwide.
We believe acting in silos will return us to the ‘business as usual’
scenario…. For Mexico…our priority is to address the needs of vulnerable
groups, with more intersectoral and multilateral responses. …In
doing so, the government has partnered with the private sector and
out civil society. — Camila Zepeda, Mexico
- We
may end up with more inequality…. Gender equality is a prerequisite
to build back better. — Erna Solberg, Norway
- The
VNRs show the main strategy of governments to address leaving no
one behind is social protection. They stress violence against women
but rarely unpaid work and childcare. — Roberto Bissio, Social Watch
- Young
people pointed to the longstanding inequalities among and within
countries, as well as continued gender-based violence, ethnic and
racial discrimination, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia and other
types of minority targeted policies that contradict values of dignity
and human rights. Young people also expressed their need to recognize
diversity in languages, cultures, indigenous knowledge and heritages
that enrich our humanity. — Jayathma Wickramanayake, S-G’s Envoy
on Youth
COVID-19: New crisis
or systemic failure?
- The
COVID-19 pandemic actually puts the principles of multilateralism
and multi-stakeholderism to the test because the principles, among
others talk about the need for a strong public sector, for strong
government, and for a strong state. — Geraldine Joslun Fraser-Moleketi,
UN CEPA
- COVID-19
has exacerbated the systemic risks and fragilities in our economic
and financial systems and development models. It has also highlighted
the cascading impact of disasters crossing economic, social, environmental,
dimensions of sustainable development, and affecting all countries,
especially developing countries. — Munir Akram, Pakistan
- Inequality
and climate change are driving the agenda backwards – COVID-19 builds
on both drivers. – UN CDP Communique
- The
landscape has changed significantly since we last met in 2019, and
it is clear that COVID-19 presents a significant challenge to achieving
the SDGs. But our message is that we must not be consumed by the
challenge alone we must use this as an opportunity to rebuild better.
— James Roscoe, UK
- The
COVID-19 pandemic is a global shock that has exacerbated existing
challenges and created new vulnerabilities for middle-income countries,
setting back progress and development gains made during the past
years. Recent data generated by various UN entities and reflected
in the S-G Policy Briefs have highlighted that the substantial drop
in remittances, loss of full-time employment, loss of employment
in the informal sector, debt risks, pressure on health systems and
food security due to the pandemic are specifically being felt in,
and will acutely impact, middle-income countries. — Philippines
- COVID-19
comes at a time when we were already off track to deliver on the
2030 Agenda, and at the time when we are backtracking on some issues,
including hunger, inequalities, climate change, or biodiversity
…. We need to propel our efforts towards first aligning both public
and private finance with the SDGs and the Paris Agreement. Second,
to promote sustainable investments and shifting finance away from
fossil fuel. Third, to invest in the protection of biodiversity
and natural ecosystems. And fourth, to strengthen regional and local
supply chains while reducing their climate footprints. — Cyrille
Pierre, France
- If
one piece fails, negative consequences are felt elsewhere in the
whole system…. This time it has been health. Next time, it could
be environmental degradation. We have agreed to a set of interlinked
SDGs, and it’s an opportunity to address issues in an integrated
manner…. when the system fails, we see that those most vulnerable
will suffer the most. This is why inequalities are at the center
of the 2030 agenda…. We risk seeing a new generation of inequalities
around digitalization and climate change. — EU and EU member states
- COVID-19
has exposed the hardship of the informal economy, care workers and
the need for adequate universal social protection. … Respect for
workers’ rights must be at the center of the recovery, and that
new transformative agenda for gender equality is urgent. Ratification
of the new ILO Convention on Violence and Harassment should be a
priority. Involvement of trade unions and not only business is required.
— Sweden
- The
2030 Agenda must not be another victim of the COVID-19. — Camila
Zepeda, Mexico
Social protection
to the fore
- To
leave no one behind after COVID-19, we must ensure access to the
health system and social protection as well as the quality food
and nutrition for the poor. We must prevent increased prevalence
of undernourishment and stunting. The greatest impact is through
economic stimulus policy, a strengthened social safety net programme.
— Indonesia
- Underinvestment
in social protection has left many homeless. Countries in conflict
are already struggling. Lower income countries need USD 50 billion
in addition to the USD 100 billion to cope and overcome COVID-19.
There is catastrophic destruction of gains made.
— Rola Dashti, UN ESCWA
- COVID-19,
has exposed the hardship of the informal economy, care workers and
the need for adequate universal social protection…. Respect for
workers’ rights must be at the center of the recovery, and a new
transformative agenda for gender equality is urgent. Ratification
of the new ILO Convention on Violence and Harassment should be a
priority. Involvement of trade unions and not only business is required…
Maybe some global fund for social protection to ensure that you
are leaving no one behind. — Sweden
The pandemic and
the SDGs put multiple commitments to the test, not least how we measure
progress, how we define poverty and how we underplay or ignore potential
existential threats and growing inequalities.
Who measures what?
What data counts?
- [There
is] limited attention on a need for disaggregated data, where work
on reducing inequalities really begins…Two very important goals
are going in the wrong direction: Inequality and Climate Change.
When they go backwards, they compromise all the other SDGs. – Sakiko
Fukuda-Parr, UN CDP
- We
do not have the right indicators – care work implies health and
education, thousands of caregivers are dying but as unpaid household
workers, not part of GDP – this presents a huge challenge to measure
progress another way…. — Roberto Bissio, Social Watch
- …the
importance of changing our classification … if we stay within our
traditional sort of GDP per capita definitions of the crisis we
will not be addressing the countries. — Vera Songwe, UN ECA
- Measures
for GDP or human development do not tell our story and path. COVID-19
stopped the economy. Decades of global development and progress
have been halted…. pay more attention to this notion of vulnerability.
It’s not about GDP per capita. What is our capacity to absorb new
technology, composition of our population, levels of education and
skills that allows us … to really take advantage of the resources
that we have? – Marsha Caddle, Barbados
- Getting
the data right to guide policy responses will have life and death
implications in this crisis and will support the SDG acceleration
efforts over the coming decade. Therefore, investing into good,
timely and disaggregated data and data and innovation at this point
is urgently needed. — Stefan Schweinfest, UN DESA
- [Data
gaps] include new and emerging vulnerabilities, along with what
we already typify as being risky poverty categories. We have to
examine these, including workers who have lost their jobs in this
experience, who already were precariously close, and those with
low wages and as involuntary returned migrants and migrant workers.
–Rochelle Whyte, Jamaica
- Education
and the digital divide. Those without access have no access to schooling,
this is a new educational divide. The ‘digital equality paradox’
means more people are more excluded. Digital technology doesn’t
give us more equal access but furthers the divide. –Anriette Esterhuysen,
Internet Governance Forum, South Africa
Partnerships?
- The
partnerships that we do remain very critical. We need to strengthen
the partnerships across governments and between governments, private
sector development, foundations. Partnerships are going to need
to be very structured. They need to be timely, very purposeful and
sustained over the short to the medium term. — Rochelle Whyte, Jamaica
- Business
can and should play a major role in reinvigorating multilateralism
through inclusive business models and by demonstrating ethical leadership
and good governance. … Never before did so many different stakeholders,
including business, have a seat at the table. The resulting SDGs
offer companies a powerful blueprint for societal transformation
and for business benefit… Growing numbers of companies awakening
to the importance of responsible business…. — Sandra Ojiambo, UN
Global Compact
- It
is interesting to see that year after year the level of trust in
governments and established institutions like church and media,
et cetera, is decreasing whereas the expectations they are expressing
with respect to companies and NGOs are increasing. …Brands are now
confronted with questions that … touch upon very critical topics
of living together, of society, of addressing common global challenges,
racial injustice, social injustice, black lives matter. …they realize
that they don’t have the level of trust and legitimacy to advise
on policies and therefore they need partnerships with those entitled
to have a view… And this is why partnerships, public-private partnerships
are so essential. — Stephan Loerke, World Federation of Advertisers
- In
the post COVID-19 world, opportunistic multilateralism is just not
good enough. Holistic and inclusive multilateralism at the UN is
a vital component of a people-centric approach whereby international
norms in relation to fair trade, sustainable development and human
rights are given equal precedence to other global priorities….Civil
society plays a key role in making people’s voices count and ensuring
no one is left behind. Enabling an environment for civil society
where civic freedoms are respected are crucial to realizing the
promise of the UN Charter. We look to the UN to protect and promote
the rights of civil society, to maximize their contribution to peace,
security and development. — Julia Sanchez, Civicus
Policies, reporting
and accountability don’t end at the border
- COVID-19
exposed the limits and risks of the current markets and supply chains;
risks of deepening the digital divide; environmental breathing space;
momentum for debt forgiveness; and stresses how much we depend on
each other and what we can do if we coordinate action. — Isabelle
Durant, UNCTAD
- We
need a complete paradigm shift and a transformation…. we need to
keep linking climate change, the biodiversity and the land degradation
together. That is the heart of the sustainable development goals.
— Yasmine Fouad, Egypt
- No
country is on its own. Africa as a continent is affected by global
imperatives, good or not … Resilience alone without a holistic approach
to well-being and broader development needs is counter-productive.
— Ibrahim Mayaki, NEPAD
- Many
countries lack universal health care and social protection systems
though it is these situations that lead to a route back to social/economic
inclusion…. we need a fundamental post pandemic review of fiscal
policy, an international commission on fiscal policy for SDGs to
improve progressivity of wealth including taxes and strengthen social
health and protection systems. The current system undermines our
ability to achieve the SDGs. – Paul Ladd, UNRISD
- …
universal Social Security and service systems and good educational
opportunities for all are the key in preventing exclusion and before
anybody has even time to think about the cost. Let me underline
that this goes hand-in-hand with a broad based and effective tax
system. — Sofie Sandström, Finland
- Young
people see the start of the Decade of Action as an opportunity to
stop, to rethink or to dismantle systems of oppression, realign
our values and enact meaningful structural reforms which will put
in place the proper mechanisms to galvanize the UN Member States,
private sector and civil society….Our main message across the board
was that there must be no going back to normal….Many young people
feel that the needs and rights of marginalized groups should be
better represented given their unique vulnerabilities.
— Jayathma Wickramanayake, S-G’s Envoy on Youth
********
The HLPF continues
to be among the most attended of all UN meetings, with broad participation
from civil society and the corporate sector along with Member States.
However, the quantity in participation has not been matched by the
quality of policy commitments and actions from Member States to ensure
the transformation needed.
Most Member States
reporting on their progress to achieve the SDGs including in the VNRs
focus exclusively on their domestic efforts and ignore their cross-border
and global responsibilities. This is misleading in light of climate
change, rising inequalities, debt crises, global pandemics, and the
drivers of these challenges lie more heavily with the major economic
players, public and private, while “those left behind” have little
means of protection with the current rules of the multilateral game.
Member States have
it in their power to correct these weaknesses by transforming the
UN from a stage on which to perform to a political space in which
to be held accountable.
Contact
Social Watch
Avda. 18 de Julio 2095/301
Montevideo 11200, Uruguay
socwatch@socialwatch.org
www.socialwatch.org
Global Policy Forum
205 E 42nd St. | 20th Floor | New York, NY 10017 | USA
Koenigstrasse 37a | 53115 Bonn | Germany
gpf@globalpolicy.org
www.globalpolicy.org
For comments, suggestions
contact us at: editors@globalpolicywatch.org
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