The Great Disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has turned the global economy upside down, destroying millions of jobs and livelihoods. The global economic decline of 4.3 per cent in 2020 was the worst since the Great Depression and three times as bad as the contraction suffered during the Great Recession in 2009, found UN DESA’s World Economic Situation and Prospects 2021 report.
Migration has the potential to reduce inequalities. By moving within or across national borders, migrants contribute to inclusive growth and sustainable development. In their home countries, international migrants promote investment, trade and financial inclusion and their remittances have lifted millions of migrant families out of poverty and improved their access to health, education, adequate housing and other basic services. In destination countries, migrant workers fill labour market gaps and contribute to public pension systems. Migration has empowered millions of migrant women and promoted gender equality around the world.
As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is witnessing first-hand how digital technologies help to confront the threat and keep people connected. At the same time, some communities are facing tremendous technological challenges, with almost half of the world’s population having no access to the Internet. “The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that access to the internet should be a basic right that helps protect people’s health, jobs, and lives. Unfortunately, considerable gaps remain in realizing universal and affordable access to the digital world,” said María del Carmen Squeff, Chair of the 59th Session of the UN Commission for Social Development.
The UN Food Systems Summit is a turning point in the world’s journey to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Over the course of the year, the Summit will deepen our understanding of the problems we must solve, and set a course to radically change the way we produce, process, and consume food.
UN DESA has just revealed the latest data on international migration, showing that 281 million people currently live outside their country of origin and that they represent about 3.6 per cent of the world’s population. But how do we know how many migrants there are in the world? What work goes into tracking human mobility? Clare Menozzi, Population Affairs Officer in UN DESA’s Population Division, explains.
How can the world take nature into account in the decision-making process, moving beyond GDP? At a recent Forum on the benefits of natural capital accounting, the Indian Government demonstrated how a new statistical framework is helping them combat environmental degradation and promote sustainability.
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