Tag: SDGS

UN DESA Voice February 2025: Putting people at the centre of development

Monthly Newsletter, Vol. 29, No.2 -February 2025

Strengthening solidarity and inclusion for social development

30 years ago, world leaders united around a groundbreaking commitment to put people at the centre of development. At the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen, they pledged to eradicate poverty, promote social integration, and achieve full and productive employment for all.

Efforts to make this promise a reality continue. Every year at the Commission for Social Development, the international community gathers to accelerate the commitments made in the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development, while addressing emerging global challenges.

This year’s session will convene from 10 to 14 February in New York under the theme: “Strengthening solidarity, social inclusion and social cohesion to accelerate the delivery of the commitments of the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development as well as the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”.

High-level panels and side events will bring together UN Member States, civil society, and experts to identify actionable strategies for building equitable and united societies.

As we approach the Second World Summit for Social Development taking place on 4-6 November in Doha, this year’s Commission highlights the importance of strengthening solidarity and social inclusion to achieve more cohesive societies, placing people at the centre of development. It is a call for renewed cooperation to ensure that no one is left behind in the global pursuit of social progress, justice and sustainable development.

As 2025 marks the 30th Anniversary of the 1995 Copenhagen Declaration, the Summit in Doha represents a pivotal moment for the global community to renew the commitment to inclusion, equality, and sustainability. It will be a chance to come together for a more resilient world, where everyone is included.

For more information: 63rd Session of the Commission for Social Development

Expert Voices

“Partnering as equals in co-creating a better future”

Expert Voices

“We will not be able to make progress on the Sustainable Development Goals without […] a full sense of partnership,” said ECOSOC President Ambassador Bob Rae, as we spoke with him ahead of the 2025 ECOSOC Partnership Forum on 5 February at UN Headquarters in New York. “The actual implementation of most of the agenda of the United Nations depends on the deep engagement and commitment of civil society.”

What does partnership mean to you?

“I think it means everything. One of the key lessons that I’ve learned over my political and diplomatic life is how to work in collaboration with Member States, with civil society representatives, and all kinds of groups and people who want to engage. It is really at the heart of ECOSOC’s mission.

The UN Charter makes it clear that we are the institution that has the primary responsibility for engagement with civil society. The record shows that our key role reflects the presence of many civil society organizations in the drafting process of the of the Charter itself, and in the hopes that people had for the UN organization as a body that would be operating on a different basis and with a different approach than the League of Nations.

For me, partnership means recognizing the legitimacy and the equality of civil society groups who are coming to engage with the organization about the work of the organization, and about the challenges facing the world. The reality of life is that we could not possibly deal with these challenges without the full engagement of civil society, labor organizations, business communities, and all kinds of non-governmental organizations.”

What advice would you give to emerging leaders looking to create impactful collaborations?

“The first advice is to be aware of the extent to which civic life in every country is driven, not just by political parties and by governments, but also by businesses, labor organizations, civil society organizations of every kind. They are an essential part of the activities of the United Nations.

Take for example the Sustainable Development Goals. We will not be able to make progress on the SDGs without them, without everybody, without a full sense of partnership. And it’s not just a matter of States listening and then saying thank you, we’ll go off and do what we’re going to do. No, the actual implementation of most of the agenda of the United Nations depends on the deep engagement and commitment of civil society.”

How do you address the power dynamics that can arise in partnerships, particularly between developed and developing countries?

“We need to appreciate that we’re the product of the end of these two horrific global conflicts – World War I and World War II. We are also the product of the critically important process of decolonization. It’s fair to say that although political decolonization has occurred, the necessary changes in economic systems, social structures, cultural perspectives, and attitudes are still far from fully realized.

I think we need a full appreciation of what it means to be an equal member of the global community. As sovereign states, we are all equal, but we’re also equal as human beings, and we’re equal, as all of us have as much right to be at the table as anybody else.

The principle of global solidarity, the principle of global equality, the principle that we’re all here together as every nation state and every part of the world has an equal right to be here.”

What legacy do you hope to leave through your work in advancing partnerships for sustainable development?

“The ECOSOC year with real public engagement starts in February and lasts until July. During that period, we have a key opportunity to engage with civil society on some very important issues around the Sustainable Development Goals and how we can create more dynamism behind those goals. I think it’s critically important for us to really focus on the goals as the overarching theme of everything that we try to do.

Within those goals to emphasize a few things that matter for me. The issue of displacement and the issue of the impact of war and conflict and climate change on people, is something that we need to better understand. We have more people who are displaced and who are living in refugee camps of one kind or another around the world, than we’ve had since 1945. We have a greater human challenge here and sometimes we say, well, that’s a Geneva issue, it’s a UNHCR issue. No, it’s a global issue.

The other one is the impact of artificial intelligence as it is now clearly affecting our economies, our life, and our work. We’re just beginning to understand better how impactful the development of these new technologies is going to be on our countries.

As we navigate these shifts, it is essential to approach this in a spirit that reinforces the fundamental equality between men and women, and between all those who are working in the world, and that we need to break down barriers and sources of discrimination between us.

This mindset must guide us as we move from the Partnership Forum to more detailed and expert panels on tax matters, accountability and a whole range of other topics. It also underpins our engagement in milestone public events like the Commission on the Status of Women, the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the Youth Forum, the High-level Political Forum and […] some other events that are happening like the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development and the Second World Summit on Social Development in Doha.

These are all part of the ways of recommitting to the Pact for the Future and to the agreements that we made last year with respect to how we go forward.

One of the things that I learned during my work in government, is about the importance of making people feel that they are co-creating policy or co-creating legislation. How can we really commit as equals to co-create the progress we need to make? This is something that the Partnership Forum is all about. A meeting of partnership, based on a relationship between equals who are co-creating a better future.”

The 2025 ECOSOC Partnership Forum will focus on the 2025 ECOSOC and High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) theme: “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for leaving no one behind,” placing a special emphasis on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that will be reviewed at the 2025 HLPF, namely Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being); Goal 5 (Gender Equality); Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth); Goal 14 (Life Below Water); and Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Follow the UN ECOSOC President on social media, via Instagram and X, and be sure to sign up for the ECOSOC Newsletter here.

Photo: UN Photo/Loey Felipe

Things You Need To Know

6 things you should know about the global economy in 2025

Promotional image for World Economic Situation and Prospects Report

“Let’s make 2025 the year we put the world on track for a prosperous and sustainable future,” urged UN Secretary-General António Guterres, as UN DESA released its global economic outlook last month in the World Economic Situation and Prospects 2025. Here are 6 things you should know about the global economy:

1. Global economic growth remains below the pre-pandemic average.
The report projects global economic growth to remain at 2.8 per cent in 2025, below the pre-pandemic average of 3.2 per cent. While easing inflation and monetary easing offer some respite, challenges such as trade tensions, geopolitical conflicts, and elevated debt burdens threaten the outlook.

2. Regional growth prospects vary widely.
East and South Asia will remain global growth drivers in 2025, with projected expansions of 4.7 per cent and 5.7 per cent respectively. Africa’s growth is forecast to improve slightly to 3.7 per cent but is restrained by high debt costs and climate-related challenges.

3. The outlook is precarious for many countries.
Many vulnerable economies are seeing downward revisions to their growth outlook, which remains well below pre-pandemic trends. This weak performance is compounding risks to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, with progress in reducing poverty continuing to be slow and uneven.

4. Falling inflation creates room for monetary easing, though challenges persist.
Global inflation is projected to decline further, from 4 per cent in 2024 to 3.4 per cent in 2025, offering relief to households and businesses. However, many developing countries continue to grapple with elevated inflation, particularly in food prices.

5. Governments are adopting gradual fiscal consolidation to improve debt sustainability and rebuild fiscal space.
Fiscal pressures are particularly severe in Africa, where rising debt-servicing burdens are increasingly diverting resources away from essential public services and investment. On a GDP-weighted basis, African governments allocated 27 per cent of revenues to interest payments in 2024, up from 19 per cent in 2019 and 7 per cent in 2007.

6. Critical minerals play a vital role in advancing the energy transition and supporting sustainable development.
Resource-rich developing countries can benefit from rising global demand for critical minerals to create jobs and boost sustainable development. “Critical minerals have immense potential to accelerate sustainable development, but only if managed responsibly,” according to Li Junhua, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs.

Learn more in the World Economic Situation and Prospects 2025 here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

UN DESA Voice December 2024: Building our digital future together

Building our digital future together


There is now little distinction between our offline and online lives. The Internet and digital technologies are so woven into the everyday fabric of societies that losing access—or trust—can feel like the ground shifting beneath us. Yet, 2.6 billion remain offline, left out of opportunities for education, healthcare, and economic growth.

Those who are online face growing threats to their privacy, security, and rights, while rapid changes driven by AI create uncertainty and unease about the future.

This December in Riyadh, the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) convened by the UN Secretary-General will address these issues head-on. The aim? To build a digital ecosystem that works for everyone, everywhere, based on multistakeholder exchanges among diverse communities navigating digital transformation.

Questions like how digital tools can foster peace and sustainability, how we close the connectivity gap, how we mainstream human rights across the digital landscape, and how we ensure AI serves society—not exploits it—are on the agenda. Whether they are government ministers, legislators, youth activists or technical experts, participants come to the IGF as equals. The Forum will foster actionable policy recommendations and deliver impactful messages worldwide.

This year’s Forum comes at a pivotal moment, just months after the adoption of the Global Digital Compact (GDC), which envisions a safer, fairer digital future, and ahead of the WSIS+20 Review in 2025, which will set out new targets for digital development and governance. Both frameworks emphasize the same core idea: digital technologies should be people-centred and approached cooperatively.

As socioeconomic and digital trajectories become interlinked, the need for risk mitigation is clear. But so, too, is the need to tap into the vast ocean of digital possibilities that will help translate technological progress into progress for people and planet.

The IGF holds out promise that global governance and cooperation, harnessing digital solutions for the climate crisis, and combatting threats like misinformation and disinformation – just some of the topics that will be discussed in Riyadh – are all possible.

For more information: Internet Governance Forum (IGF)

Expert Voices

Reflections from the SDG Pavilion at COP29

The SDG Pavilion organized by UN DESA on the sidelines of the UN Climate Change Conference has become an annual stop for many interested in climate and SDG synergies. We spoke with two veterans of the past six SDG Pavilions—Ariel Alexovich, Sustainable Development Officer in UN DESA’s Office of the Under-Secretary-General, and Nadine Salame, Senior Programme Management Assistant in the Division for Sustainable Development Goals—about their recent experience at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Set the scene for us: What was the energy like at COP29 and the SDG Pavilion?

AA: “Truly, the energy was fantastic. People were very positive and seemed very happy to see us representing the SDGs with our colourful branding and full programme connecting the world’s climate work with its sustainable development work.

That said, the workday could be quite chaotic. Each day there were multiple sources demanding your attention at once. For instance, there’s the tech team you’ve just met and are trying to get up to speed, there are partners from the event currently on stage asking for a new microphone, there are people from the next event asking about their upcoming PowerPoint, all the while you’re taking photos, distributing headphones to the audience, and fielding hundreds of requests for free SDG pins—it’s a lot. Fortunately, we have each other to rely upon for support.”

There was a vibrant array of voices represented. Can you tell us about the diversity of perspectives and how they enriched conversations?

NS: “With more than 300 applications for about 50 slots, we were grateful that our partners saw the value in holding their events at the SDG Pavilion. Of course we have a good number of UN DESA-led events, but we open our stage to Member States, partners in the UN system and other stakeholders including youth groups and Indigenous organizations.

We especially enjoy working on the SDG Pavilion because we get to work with different teams across UN DESA. Over the years we’ve had events highlighting the special climate challenges facing small island developing States, forests, sustainable transport, climate finance and the climate impacts related to population growth, among others. This year, the special Forest Pavilion was hosted within the SDG Pavilion, making the conversations even more enriching, lively and diverse.”

What were some memorable moments that stood out to you?

NS: “Even though we prepare for the SDG Pavilion for months, a lot of the memorable things happen the day before COP starts, during the set-up. Every year we get to the venue and see firsthand what we’re working with. This year, we had a beautiful booth in a prime location next to UNFCCC and near the host country. However, we were missing a wall, some artwork and the label that actually said, “SDG Pavilion.” So, we do a lot of troubleshooting.

I will also remember Baku. It’s a beautiful city and the COP was very well organized in terms of reliable transport shuttles and very little security queues. We had some excellent meals in the city, too. “

AA: “For sure, I will remember the people we met, like our crew on the ground from India and Germany, and some of the SDG Pavilion visitors who traded pins with us, especially these three women from Uganda with whom I really made a connection.

Otherwise, some highlights were USG Li Junhua’s engagements in the Pavilion on the first day, and I enjoyed interviewing the Special Envoy for the Ocean, several Resident Coordinators, and explorer Bertrand Piccard in our social media space.”

Watch the events broadcast on UN DESA’s YouTube platform here.

A recap of events can also be obtained via the SDG Pavilion newsletter here.

Photo credit: UN DESA

Things You Need To Know

5 things to know about the leadership of persons with disabilities
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On 3 December, we celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) under the theme, “Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future.” The commemoration will highlight the strides made and the challenges ahead. Here are 5 things you should know about the leadership of persons with disabilities:

1. The leadership of persons with disabilities is based on the principle of “nothing about us without us”

This phrase highlights the crucial need for their participation, representation and inclusion. It emphasizes the importance of their active involvement in decision-making processes to influence the conditions affecting their lives, ensuring that policies and initiatives consider their viewpoints and priorities.

2. Over the years, persons with disabilities and organizations representing them have led important community-driven efforts

These initiatives aim not only to advocate for their rights and well-being but also to promote inclusive development. By using both specific and general approaches, they help improve universal access to essential services and resources. Recent global climate change conferences have demonstrated a growing advocacy for disability inclusion and the rights of persons with disabilities, especially youth with disabilities, in climate action.

3. The global disability rights movement has achieved significant milestones, including the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and UN Security Council Resolution 2475

The CRPD is especially important because it incorporates development objectives for persons with disabilities into international human rights frameworks and highlights their leadership in creating this treaty. Resolution 2475 was the first instance where the Security Council focused on the protection and circumstances of persons with disabilities in peace and security situations, highlighting their crucial impact on shaping international policy.

4. The Second World Summit for Social Development in 2025 offers opportunities to enhance leadership among people with disabilities.

The Summit aims to address social development gaps, revitalize the 2030 Agenda, and stress the importance of including persons with disabilities in achieving sustainable peace and development. This year, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution entitled “Inclusive development for and with persons with disabilities”, calling upon Member States, the UN system and other partners to promote the participation and perspectives of persons with disabilities in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, and continue to advance disability inclusion across the pillars of the UN’s work.

5. Leadership will be front and center at the commemoration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities

On 3 December, 2024, we celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) under the theme, “Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future.” The commemoration at UN Headquarters in New York will highlight the strides made and the challenges ahead, including upcoming key global milestones like the Second World Summit for Social Development in 2025. By harnessing the leadership of persons with disabilities, we can advance towards a future that ensures sustainable peace and inclusive development for all.

For more information: International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Photo Credit: UNDP/Duško Miljanić

MORE FROM UN DESA

Read more here: https://desapublications.un.org/un-desa-voice/december-2024

UN DESA Voice November 2024: We must urgently act to advance social development

Social development in times of converging crises: A call for global action

Social development in times of converging crises: A call for global action
Global shocks and crises have become more intense, widespread and interlinked, creating consequential challenges to social development. Pandemics, violent conflicts and a spate of climate-related disasters have hit the most vulnerable people and societies the hardest.

For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic caused the first global increase in extreme poverty in 20 years and contributed to growing inequalities between and within countries. While macroeconomic recoveries are under way, the setbacks to social development are lasting longer, especially in countries in special situations.

The recently launched World Social Report 2024 estimates that the shocks and crises of the last few years could result in a cumulative economic output loss of more than $50 trillion between 2020 and 2030, reflecting lost opportunities for investing in social development. The report finds that people in countries with strong social protection systems have fared better during recent crises. However, only half of the world has access to at least one social protection benefit. To increase coverage, the report calls for a human rights-based approach to social protection, prescribed by law, that can guarantee its continuity and predictability in times of crisis.

Yet, many developing countries lack the necessary fiscal space to achieve universal social protection. International support is needed to free up and mobilize resources, including through debt treatments and additional financial and technical support. The report suggests exploring debt swaps for SDG investments that could secure long term, resilient pathways for social development.

Global action is needed to reduce systemic risks and build universal resilience against these interlinked crises. This includes developing early warning systems, accelerating climate change mitigation, ensuring global financial stability and preventing pandemics and spillovers of violent conflict.

Building on the recent Pact for the Future, the World Social Report 2024 recognizes the fourth International Conference on Financing for Development and the Second World Summit for Social Development in 2025 as opportunities to commit to further actions to advance social development.

Access the full report here.

EXPERT VOICES

EVAdvocating for better data to measure sustainable development

This month, the United Nations will hold the fifth World Data Forum attracting 3,000 participants to Medellin, Colombia to discuss the latest progress in data and statistics to advance sustainable development. The Forum will champion four themes – innovation and inclusivity, data use and value, trust and protection and partnership and coordination across four days and over 100 different events. Ahead of this biennial event, UN DESA’s Ian Rutherford tells us more.

Advocating for better data to measure sustainable development
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This month, the United Nations will hold the fifth World Data Forum attracting 3,000 participants to Medellin, Colombia to discuss the latest progress in data and statistics to advance sustainable development. The Forum will champion four themes – innovation and inclusivity, data use and value, trust and protection and partnership and coordination across four days and over 100 different events. Ahead of this biennial event, UN DESA’s Ian Rutherford tells us more.

What are the biggest data challenges that the Forum aims to tackle?

“Data are becoming more and more common in our lives. But oftentimes, they are not used effectively to benefit people, and the capacity to take advantage of the information they provide varies widely within different groups of society. The Forum brings together governments, academia and professional associations, civil society, the private sector and international and regional agencies to improve this situation. Within governments, the Forum is directed by National Statistical Offices and the data and statistical system they operate in as a key enabler of turning data into useful and actionable statistics for measuring sustainable development.”

How can the biennial Forum encourage continuous action on the whole range of data issues?

“The Forum’s programme gives a flavor of the wide range of activities being driven by different stakeholder groups. For example, two-thirds of the sessions in the programme are focused on the future of data and statistics covering issues related to youth, gender, climate and environment, digitalisation and modernization, capacity development, data literacy and data science including AI. The Forum is equally an opportunity to showcase the adoption and scaling up of new methods and sources including the expanded use of citizen generated data, geospatial, administrative data, household surveys, earth observation data, censuses, mobile phone and social media data with over 40 sessions in the programme. These activities are nourished by their appearance at the Forum and their work will continue beyond and perhaps into future Forums as they develop and evolve.”

What legacy do you hope the fifth Forum will leave?

“The Forum’s community has grown from 2,000 people who attended the first and second Forums in Cape Town and Dubai, to an active list of over 20,000 interested stakeholders. The Forum in Medellin is likely to be the biggest in-person gathering yet with 3,000 people in attendance. This Forum will be an opportunity to launch a renewed global action plan for sustainable development data to serve the remainder of the 2030 Agenda. The plan introduces twelve new priorities, and these priorities are complemented with new and stretching actions and matching commitments.

The Forum will also continue to be a rallying point to advocate for high-quality, timely, open, and inclusive data to accelerate progress on the SDGs and to address the multiple crises that threaten our world. It will support countries, especially those in fragile contexts, to advocate for strengthening their own data and statistical systems, improving data quality, and expanding data coverage to leave no one behind.”

For more information: UN World Data Forum

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

4 things you should know about the SDG Pavilion at COP29

Showing how climate action and sustainable development support one another is critical to achieving the shared ambitions of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since 2018, the SDG Pavilion organized by UN DESA at the annual UN Climate Change Conference (COP) has grown into a premiere showcase for these connections. Here are four things to know about this year’s SDG Pavilion:

1. All eyes are on Baku, Azerbaijan, host of this year’s COP

More than 30,000 policymakers, scientists, representatives of civil society organizations and young people are expected to attend COP29 in the Azerbaijan capital, Baku, nestled on the Caspian Sea, from 11 to 22 November. COP29 is being called “the finance COP” because climate finance will be a central theme, as trillions of dollars are needed to help countries drastically reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and protect lives and livelihoods from the worsening impacts of climate change.

2. Forests will be in focus at the SDG Pavilion

Issues such as forest data, forest-based bioeconomies and legal frameworks for forests will be highlighted through the special Forest Pavilion at the SDG Pavilion. Each day will feature dedicated discussions about ways to amplify investment in forests in order to halt and reverse deforestation and accelerate collective action to achieve the Global Forest Goals.

3. The SDG Pavilion will feature 50+ other events related to energy, the ocean, transportation, gender equality and more

Some of the high-level speakers expected to participate include UN DESA Head Li Junhua, UN Forum on Forests Director Juliette Biao, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean Peter Thomson, and explorer and innovator Bertrand Piccard.

4. You can watch all the SDG Pavilion action online

Check out the events live from Baku on UN DESA’s YouTube channel—or watch the recordings on your schedule—and be sure to follow UN DESA’s social media accounts for updates, too.

For more information, including the full programmes, please visit the website for the SDG Pavilion at COP29 and the UN Forum on Forests website.

MORE FROM UN DESA

Turbocharging SDG progress: 7 ways UN DESA leaves no one behind

Read more here: https://desapublications.un.org/un-desa-voice/november-2024

UN DESA Voice October 2024: Together, we remain committed to advance the SDGs

International tax cooperation: advancing equality and sustainable development
Taxation is critical to financing the SDGs. Fiscal policies can mobilize resources, reduce inequalities, contribute to macroeconomic stabilization, and create incentives for investment and sustainable production and consumption.

Expanding tax capacities is primarily a domestic challenge. However, globalization, financial liberalization, and digitalization have made it easier for businesses and individuals to shift profits and assets to other jurisdictions. No one country can eliminate tax evasion and avoidance on its own. Effective and inclusive international tax cooperation is critical.

International tax rules affect everyone as they shape the global economy and influence all governments’ ability to fund public services. The 2015 Addis Ababa Action Agenda sets principles for international tax cooperation to be universal in approach and scope and to fully consider the different needs and capacities of all countries.

LDCs chart

While there has been an acceleration of international tax cooperation since 2015, existing efforts have been criticized as not responding to the needs, priorities, and capacities of developing countries.

In 2022, the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Conference of Finance Ministers made a clarion call for change in the global tax system, calling on UN Member States to begin negotiations for an international convention on tax matters.

In 2023, a groundbreaking initiative followed: the General Assembly decided to establish an ad hoc intergovernmental committee to draft terms of reference (ToRs) for a UN framework convention on international tax cooperation. The goal? Ensuring all countries have an equal voice in setting the international tax agenda, shaping and deciding on rules.

In August 2024, the committee adopted the draft ToRs for the framework convention. These are now with the General Assembly for consideration during its 79th Session.

This initiative represents a shift towards an inclusive, fair, and effective international tax system that addresses inequality and supports global sustainable development.

Expert Voices

Digital government: Delivering services and the SDGs

Have you experienced the ease of switching from paper forms to online forms and tracking their progress? E-government offers many such conveniences, ensuring the most vulnerable can access essential services. With the launch of the new E-Government Survey 2024, Vincenzo Aquaro, Chief of Digital Government Branch in UN DESA’s Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government, describes the benefits and challenges of e-government.

How does e-government help us achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

“The concept of e-government or digital government is no longer new but is becoming progressively more complex with the advent of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI).

At the same time, the imperative to digitalize institutions and public services has never been more urgent. This is particularly critical given the complex nature of shocks, crises and other challenges, in particular the effects of intersecting and compounding crises related to food, fuel, health and sustainable development.

Digital government plays an important role in accelerating the implementation of the SDGs. By leveraging technology, governments can become more effective, inclusive and accountable, strengthening service provision and accessibility and contributing to the achievement of all 17 SDGs.”

Can you tell us more about the innovations used by the top-ranked countries that make their digital governance effective? 

“The top-ranked countries in the UN E-Government Survey 2024 are distinguished by their innovative digital governance frameworks.

Some countries are delivering a wide range of online services and fostering e-participation, while others lead on integrated digital ID systems. We also see nations who are spearheading initiatives, leveraging cutting-edge technologies like AI, data analytics and the Internet of things (IoT) to enhance public services. Countries have also developed open data platforms that promote transparency and provide easy access to government datasets, fostering greater trust in government actions.

We also see significant investments being made in digital infrastructure, e-services and smart technologies, as well as in digital development by moving public data and services to secure cloud platforms, while maintaining uninterrupted internet connectivity via satellite connections. AI-driven platforms are also transforming services such as smart waste management and public safety.”

What can countries who face hurdles in implementing e-government do to leverage its strengths and bridge the digital divide?

“While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, the UN E-Government Survey 2024 highlights key drivers to strengthen capacities and bridge the digital divide. The digital transformation journey is fueled by political will.

At the same time, improving the legislative environment for digital development, particularly on frontier technologies like AI, cloud, open data licensing and digital identity, can benefit all countries.

Regional and international collaborations are essential for driving digital transformation, emphasizing the need for strategic regional and sub-regional frameworks and roadmaps to create an integrated digital economy across nations.

Investment in ICT infrastructure, public-private partnerships and digital public infrastructure programs are expanding broadband networks, ensuring reliable and accessible digital services. E-government platforms are transforming citizen-government interactions, promoting transparency, citizen engagement and service delivery. These efforts are bridging social and economic gaps, fostering inclusive development and poverty reduction across nations.

Data governance is also becoming increasingly important, with regulatory frameworks focusing on data protection and cybersecurity to ensure safe digital platforms and protect citizen data.

Widespread mobile penetration combined with a generation of young people increasingly comfortable with new technologies, offers a unique opportunity for rapid digital adoption, driving e-government services and financial inclusion. Increasing investments in human capital, particularly in STEM education, are equipping the workforce for the demands of the digital economy. Various initiatives are focused on improving digital literacy and providing technical training, ensuring that vulnerable groups, such as women and youth, can fully participate in the digital revolution.

Last but not least, improving e-participation policies and practices is essential for advancing e-government development globally.”

Read the E-Government Survey 2024 here: https://bit.ly/EGovSurvey

UN Photo/Evan Schneider

Things you need to know

3 things to know about the state of gender equality across the SDGs in 2024

Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The Gender Snapshot 2024, the sixth joint publication by UN DESA and UN Women, was launched during the Summit of the Future week. The report reveals that none of the SDG 5 indicators have been met to date, while it examines progress on gender equality across all the 17 SDGs. Here are three things you should know about the latest global progress towards gender equality:

1. There have been some advances towards gender equality globally
Women hold one in every four parliamentary seats, a significant rise from a decade ago. The share of women and girls living in extreme poverty has finally dipped below 10 per cent following steep increases during the COVID-19 pandemic years. Up to 56 legal reforms to address gender disparities have been enacted worldwide since 2019.

2. Progress is far too slow and widespread gender gaps persist across all SDGs
At current rates, gender parity in parliaments remains a distant dream, potentially not achievable until 2063. It will still take a staggering 137 years to lift all women and girls out of poverty. About one in four girls continue to be married as children. Women and girls spend 250 million hours per day on water collection, over three times more than men and boys.

3. Targeted investments can have transformative results, and the world must prioritize six key investment areas
The report outlines investments in food systems, energy, digital connectivity, education, jobs and social protection, and climate resilience to accelerate progress towards gender equality. For example:

Closing gender gaps in agriculture would add $1 trillion to global GDP and lift 45 million people out of food insecurity.
If left unaddressed, the digital gender divide could cost low- and middle-income countries an estimated $500 billion in the next five years.
The annual global cost of countries failing to adequately educate their young populations is over $10 trillion.
For more information see: The SDG Gender Snapshot 2024

Photo: UN Women / Narendra Shrestha

SDG Blog

The world cannot afford the cost of gender inequality

By UN Women Deputy Executive Director Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda

In a global context where less than 30 per cent of parliamentary seats are held by women, 44 per cent of the world’s population live in countries holding presidential and parliamentary elections this year. Only two countries going to the polls in 2024, Mexico and Rwanda, have equal parliamentary representation of women and men. Harmful social norms and gender-based stereotypes perpetuate the idea that the leadership and voices of women are less worthy than those of men.

As of today, our data shows that that not a single indicator of Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls has been achieved, and only two out of 18 are close to being met. We are racing against time, with only six years left to close this gap.

Today, close to 120 million girls remain out of school, while the annual education skills deficit is over $10 trillion – more than the GDP of France and Japan combined. Over the next five years, low- and middle-income countries will lose $500 billion in economic activity if they don’t address the gender digital divide.

Without acceleration, a girl born today will be 39 years old before women hold as many seats in parliament as men; 68 years old before child marriage ends; and an extraordinary 137 years old before extreme poverty for women and girls is eradicated.

Last year, 612 million women and girls lived within 50 kilometers of an armed conflict, with a shocking 50 per cent increase in conflict-related sexual violence crimes, mainly perpetrated against women and girls.

Simply put, a future where the full potential of women and girls is not unleashed is a world of missed opportunities.

This year’s Gender Snapshot, prepared by UN Women and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, is not just about aggregation of data: it must drive us to connect, discuss and advance solutions and seize opportunities.

We know that with concerted effort, gender equality is achievable. Women’s poverty is declining. Girls have made important strides in education. We see a push for positive legal reforms that promote women’s rights, with huge benefits. For example, countries that have enacted domestic violence legislation have lower rates of intimate partner violence than those without such legislation (9.5 per cent compared to 16.1 per cent).

However, the reality is also that progress is far too slow. Inequalities are increasing, poverty is rife, and the lives of women and girls are being wrecked by violence around the world.

The solutions are tried and tested—invest in women and girls, shift social norms, and the world will thrive, communities will be resilient, and households will prosper.

A package of policies that includes social protection could reduce extreme poverty for 115 million women by 2050. Closing gender gaps in farm productivity and food system wages could raise women farmers’ incomes and increase global GDP by nearly $1 trillion. Investing in the care sector and in infrastructure could create 300 million new decent low-carbon jobs. Having more women in decision-making is the way to move the needle on SDG 5.

We have a clear path ahead. The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted in 1995 during the Fourth World Conference on Women, remains the most visionary blueprint for women and girls’ rights. As we approach its 30th anniversary in 2025, we highlight the importance of accountability to the commitments adopted by world leaders three decades ago, which must be recommitted to and resourced.

It is high time to accelerate progress and take bold action around women’s leadership, green economies, ending violence against women, peace and security, and closing the gender digital divide, among others.

Let us remember that gender equality is not just a goal but a fundamental human right and a means to a better future for all. Together, we have the power to create real, lasting change for women and girls.

* The views expressed in this blog are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of UN DESA.

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