UN Development Programme

1% Of India’s Richest Control 21% Of Country’s Wealth: UN Report

The average life expectancy at birth in India decreased by nearly three years over the first two years of the pandemic.

New Delhi: The UN Development Programme (UNDP) released a sobering report on various indices of human development on September 8. The report, which describes the Human Development Index (HDI) for all countries, said COVID-19 has reversed decades of progress and has called for a “jolt” so countries can exit a “global policy paralysis”.

While the values of many indicators have slipped across the planet, India also dropped a rank, to stand at #132 on the list of countries ordered by HDI.

For the first time in 32 years (i.e. since the UNDP has been publishing the HDI), the value of the HDI has declined worldwide for two consecutive years. HDI measures a nation’s health, education and standard of living. “Human development has fallen back to its 2016 levels, reversing much of the progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.” The HDIs of 90% of the world’s countries dropped either in 2020 or 2021.

The decline is not nearly uniform, however. The HDIs of 40% of the countries declined both in 2020 and 2021 – “signalling that the crisis is still deepening for many”. Countries of Latin America, the Caribbean, Subsaharan Africa and South Asia have been particularly affected.

“There is a nagging sense that whatever control we have over our lives is slipping away, that the norms and institutions we used to rely on for stability and prosperity are not up to the task of today’s uncertainty complex.”

Here is a list of eight important takeaways vis-à-vis India.

Medium HDI – India’s HDI score is 0.633. The maximum score is 1 and the minimum is 0. The HDI is calculated as a geometric mean of 12 indicators in three dimensions: “long and healthy life”, knowledge and “standard of living”. India’s HDI score has dropped for two consecutive years, although it still lies in the “medium HDI” group along with most of Southeast Asia and Africa. However, India is also behind Bangladesh, Iraq and Brazil.

Poverty – The report also discusses a “multidimensional poverty index” (MPI), which tries to capture how people experience poverty in multiple ways. It accounts for 12 indicators of health, education and schooling. A little more than a quarter of India’s people (27.9%) live in multidimensional poverty, the report concluded while 22% live with less than Rs 160 a day. India’s MPI score is 0.123 – just ahead of Indonesia and behind Haiti. The lower the score, the better it is.
Wealth inequality – That India is home to so many people experiencing multidimensional poverty – which affects every aspect of life – is only one side of the story. The report also said that India’s richest 1% control 21.7% of the country’s wealth – while 40% of the country’s population controls only 19.8% of the wealth.
Gender-based inequality – In India, the gender inequality index (GII) was 0.490 in 2021; 0.493 in 2020; and 0.486 in 2019. That is, in 2021, it was worse than it was in 2019 but better than in 2020. The GII includes three factors: reproductive health, empowerment and participation in the labour market. India ranked 132 in this category, between Ghana and the Marshall Islands. Note: 13.4% of seats in parliament are occupied by women in India while their participation in the labour market was 19.2%.

Better for men – The Gender Development Index (GDI) is based on the average number of years of schooling of females (6.3) and males (7.2), the gross national income per capita of females ($2,277 dollars) and males ($10,633 dollars) and life expectancies of females (65.8 years) and males (68.9 years). Overall, the HDI score for India’s women stood at 0.567 and for men, at 0.668.
Pressures on the planet – The planetary-pressures adjusted HDI (PHDI) is the level of human development adjusted by carbon dioxide emissions per person and the material footprint per capita. Ideally, when there are no pressures on the planet, the PHDI equals the HDI; as the pressures increase, the PHDI falls below the HDI. India’s PHDI was 0.609 – only 3% less than its HDI score. The difference was highest for the UK – 12%.
Good initiatives – The report hailed Delhi government’s policy to reserve 20% of seats for the poor in “elite schools” to render space for diversity, inclusion and de-stigmatisation. The report also lauded a community initiative in Bengaluru, where 1,200 households have been working together to manage waste. Finally, the report was appreciative of the idea of universal basic income – currently a pilot project in some states – but expressed concerns about it being tax-dependent.
Polarisation – The report hasn’t singled out India in its deliberation on growing polarisation around the world, but it is no secret that India has become a highly polarised society. Polarisation adversely affects human development by leaving “large numbers of people … frustrated by and alienated from their political systems”.

Economic Gap Between Men and Women May Not Close for Another 170 Years

The WEF said that over the past year, efforts to close discrepancy in pay slowed so dramatically that it will take 170 years to reach equality.

Women and men will require 118 more years to come on the same wage level. Credit: Olivia Harris/Reuters

Gender gaps in pay and workforce participation may not reach equality for 170 years. Credit: Olivia Harris/Reuters

New York: Efforts to close gender gaps in pay and workforce participation slowed so dramatically in the past year that men and women may not reach economic equality for another 170 years, the World Economic Forum(WEF) said on Tuesday.

Statistics just a year ago predicted the economic gap between genders could close in 118 years, but progress has decelerated, stalled or reversed in nations around the world, the Swiss non-profit WEF said in its annual gender gap index.

“These forecasts are not foregone conclusions. Instead, they reflect the current state of progress and serve as a call to action,” Saadia Zahidi, a member of the WEF executive committee, said in a statement.

Overall, Iceland and Finland ranked highest among 144 nations measured on progress inequality in education, health and survival, economic opportunity and political empowerment.

Next were Norway and Sweden, followed by Rwanda, which has improved economic participation and income equality and has the highest share of female parliamentarians in the world, the WEF said.

At the bottom was Yemen, then Syria, Saudi Arabia and Iran, with a wide array of progress in between, it said.

The gap in political empowerment, it said, was particularly pronounced in the US, which may soon elect its first female president. In most polls, Democrat Hillary Clinton leads Republican Donald Trump ahead of the November 8 election.

The US ranked 73rd in political empowerment, which measured the ratio of men to women in the highest levels of political decision-making, the WEF said. It ranked 45th in the global list overall.

Nations with significant political gender gaps stand to lose out, the WEF said in a 391-page report accompanying the index.

“In the political sphere, women‘s engagement in public life has a positive impact on inequality across society at large,” it said. “In addition, there is a range of evidence to suggest that women‘s political leadership and wider economic participation are correlated.”

Earnings

Globally, the political gender gap is slowly but steadily improving, it said.

On the other hand, the economic gap this past year reverted back to where it was in 2008. It measures how many men and women participate in the labour force, their earned incomes and their job advancement.

It stands at 59%, meaning women‘s economic participation and opportunity is a little more than half of what men have, Zahidi said.

At the current rate, and given that the gap widened last year, women and men will not be equal economically for another 170 years, the report said.

Around the world, 54% of working-age women on average participate in the formal economy, compared with 81% of men, it said.

Women‘s average annual earnings are roughly half those of men, estimated at $10,778 versus $19,873, it said.

“Ensuring the healthy development and appropriate use of half of the world’s total talent pool has a vast bearing on the growth, competitiveness and future readiness of economies and businesses worldwide,” the WEF said.

The gap between men and women in terms of education – literacy and school enrolment – is so small that they could be at equal levels within the next 10 years, it said.

But closing the gap in political empowerment, at current rates, could take 82 years, it said.

A nation’s score reflected how much it has closed the gaps between men and women, using data from organisations such as the International Labour Organisation, UN Development Programme and WHO, it said.

(Reuters)

Refugee and Migrant Diasporas Might Be the Answer to the Development Puzzle

Getting assistance to populations in need demands new ways of doing development that are smarter, faster and more efficient.

Women sit inside a tent at a camp for internally displaced people near Sanaa, Yemen, August 15, 2016. Reuters/Khaled Abdullah.

There are more displaced people in the world than ever before. And humanitarian crises across the globe are often in unreachable and volatile places. For example, the UN estimates more than 5.47 million internally displaced Syrians are scattered across the country.

Getting assistance to populations in need demands new ways of doing development that are smarter, faster and more efficient. The status quo is no longer an option.

One group whose efforts are gaining recognition are diasporas. Diasporas are composed of former migrants and refugees who can play a role in assisting their countries of origin through fundraising, development work and, in some instances, political action.

What contributions are diasporas making?

With one of the largest South Sudanese diasporas in the world, Australian organisations have been working hard to train and support Australians of South Sudanese origin who can assist with the urgent task of rebuilding their homeland and encouraging peace initiatives.

The Syrian diaspora has been praised for getting aid to parts of Syria inaccessible to the UN and international NGOs.

In closed-off countries such as Eritrea, diaspora organisations play a vital role in raising awareness about human rights in their country of origin.

So, are diasporas the missing piece of the development puzzle? What makes them so valuable? And what can be done to help them to bring aid to people in need?

Remittances

One of the most visible ways diasporas can assist development is through remittances.

The World Bank reports officially recorded remittances to developing countries reached US$427 billion in 2014. This figure does not include informal remittances transferred through private money transfer groups and goods shipped or sent through family members and friends.

Remittances exceed the aid budgets of many countries. They can provide a quick source of funding in times of humanitarian crisis.

After the 2009 tsunami in Samoa, it was estimated 90% of affected households received international remittances. Of these, 72% received them within a week of the disaster. Formal aid systems are rarely able to achieve such timely results.

During the ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, diaspora groups rallied and even created a Diaspora Ebola Task Force in the UK to help people in need.

And, in Syria, 75% of all aid is being delivered through local organisations that are supported by diaspora groups.

International instruments

Recognising the skills and knowledge of diasporas, agencies such as the International Organisation for Migration and UN Development Program run practical programs to assist qualified diaspora members to return temporarily to their countries of origin and provide training in areas of expertise.

The Danish Refugee Council supports diasporas by co-ordinating emergency responses and providing small grants for development assistance. In Australia, Diaspora Action is pioneering work with communities from countries affected by war and conflict to help them promote peace, development and human rights in their countries of origin.

However, this effort is not without its challenges. Formal aid organisations have raised concerns that diaspora groups may sacrifice fundamental principles of neutrality, humanity, impartiality and independence in their work. The integrity of aid work depends on the fulfilment of these principles, particularly at a time marked by attacks on aid workers.

In response, diaspora organisations highlight their deep knowledge of local contexts and closeness to communities. They say international NGOs and UN agencies often treat them merely as service providers, rather than true partners, and that excessive bureaucracy hinders aid responses.

Political importance

What can be done to bridge the divide?

Migrant-receiving countries such as Australia can recognise the sizeable diasporas residing within their own communities. This includes recognising the political importance of diasporas, which may function as an early warning system for changing developments in countries of origin.

Work can be done at the foreign policy level to help affected countries develop policies that allow them to tap into their diasporas. For example, Kenya launched a diaspora policy in 2015. This is a major development for a country that obtains at least 3% of its GDP from remittances sent by its estimated 3 million diaspora members.

And, building on lessons from Syria, the Overseas Development Institute has called for creative ways of working in complex humanitarian emergencies.

Imperatives for investment and innovation

This echoes calls during the recent World Humanitarian Summit for closer and principled partnerships with local actors.

For example, if diaspora groups lack the know-how and staff capacity to participate in what can be many and complex co-ordination meetings, closer partnership with international NGOs and UN agencies could bridge this gap.

Funding is one of the most important pieces of the diaspora-development puzzle. Diaspora organisations often miss out on funding from traditional donors because they lack the skills to write proposals, or because of donor perceptions about their politicised nature.

Despite adaptations and changes, diaspora groups have shown their longevity as humanitarian and development actors. They bring immense goodwill alongside their specialist knowledge of local contexts. Their efforts can be supported in many ways, including working to improve the knowledge base upon which diasporas, as development partners, are built.

Melissa Phillips, Honorary Fellow, University of Melbourne

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Christiana Figueres, Key Architect of Paris Climate Deal, Joins Race for UN Top Job

Twelve candidates are vying to replace Ban Ki-moon. Climate change, especially ensuring the Paris deal is fully implemented, and sustainable development goals will have to be a top priority for the eventual winner.

Twelve candidates are vying to replace Ban Ki-moon. Climate change, especially ensuring the Paris deal is fully implemented, and sustainable development goals will have to be a top priority for the eventual winner.

Photo: Christiana Figueres, outgoing Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC. Credit: CarbonBrief

Costa Rica has nominated Christiana Figueres to join the race to replace Ban Ki-moon as UN Secretary-General. Credit: CarbonBrief

Berlin/New York: The nomination of Christiana Figueres for the position of the UN Secretary-General one day after her term as executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) ended on July 6, comes as a checkmate to five other female and six male candidates vying for the world’s top diplomatic post.

Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solís announced on July 7 that his government is nominating Christiana Figueres because “the United Nations, and the world, needs a Secretary-General who is a bridge builder, who can listen and consult, who can help resolve disputes, build agreements and anticipate problems”.

Making the announcement in Costa Rica’s National Theatre, which is known to present high quality performances, Solís declared, “Christiana Figueres has proven to be that person . . . who can help the world’s most relevant multilateral body reclaim its standing among the people of the world – the people for whom it was created to protect and defend.”

Solís highlighted Figueres’ widely acclaimed merits as the former head of one of the UN’s main agencies, the UNFCCC, adding that she was the individual responsible for steering governments – against all odds – to conclude the historical climate change agreement in Paris in December 2015.

This view is shared by The Guardian, which said, “Christiana Figueres . . . won plaudits from around the world at the successful conclusion of the Paris talks . . . The summit saw all of the world’s nations agree for the first time to a binding commitment to avoid dangerous levels of global warming.”

Climate change in general and the need to ensure that the Paris Agreement can be fully implemented will – in addition to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – have to be a top priority of the successor of Ban Ki-moon, who completes his second five-year term as Secretary-General on December 31, 2016. Ban has also made climate change and SDGs his top priority for the coming months.

Speaking in front of a banner for her campaign, which read ‘Planting the seeds of hope today to harvest peace tomorrow’, Figueres said, “Being nominated by my country as a candidate for UN Secretary General is a huge honour and a great responsibility. Costa Rica is a small country with a proud history and I thank the president and government for this nomination”.

Costa Rica has indeed a proud history: It is among the most stable, prosperous, and progressive nations in Latin America. It is the first of only a few sovereign nations without a standing army.

The Central American country has consistently performed favourably in the Human Development Index, ranking 69th in the world as of 2015, but among the highest of any Latin American nation. It has also been cited by the UN Development Programme as having attained much higher human development than other countries at the same income levels, with a better record on human development and inequality than the median of the region.

Costa Rica is known for its progressive environmental policies, being the only country to meet all five criteria established to measure environmental sustainability. It was ranked 42nd in the world, and third in the Americas, in the 2016 Environmental Performance Index. Costa Rica officially plans to become a carbon-neutral country by 2021.

Like her 11 contenders, Figueres presented her vision statement, titled ‘Restoring Hope’, which sets out the priorities that will underpin her leadership of the UN if elected. It will be sent to the Security Council and the General Assembly.

Figueres stressed the need for “a new model of collaborative diplomacy” based on the tenet that “the gain of some can no longer come at the expense of others”. In this context, she refers to the Paris Agreement that, she says, has taught us the fundamental importance of respecting national circumstances, needs and interests. “But it has also taught us that we can honour national priorities while finding ways of joining efforts for the common good, and focusing on our common humanity”.

Figueres recalled that at its birth last century, the UN’s strength rested on the three main pillars of its Charter: peace and security, human rights, and development. In this century, she says, “its strength must be built on the integration of these three pillars – such that success in one fosters success in the others”.

Her core priorities are:

Peaceful settlement of disputes and strengthening the crisis response capacity. “The Secretary-General must be tireless in encouraging states to see that, just as we need laws to regulate life within a state, we must give primacy to international law in relations between states.”
Planting the seeds today to achieve a sustained peace tomorrow: “The arc of peace-building also extends over the transformational and inspiring goals for action that the international community agreed in 2015, as therein lie the seeds of long term peace and conflict avoidance.”
Forging an inclusive model of multilateralism: Collaborative Diplomacy – “The Paris Climate Agreement was not an accident; it was the result of a strategy and an attitude. It was the culmination of six years of patient rebuilding of a broken system that had lost all trust and confidence, into one that was capable of entering an upward spiraling of commitment and ambition.”
Strengthening the UN: “Organizational change is hard and adjustments can be uncomfortable. It should always be led in a manner that is appreciative, respectful and committed to the continued well-being of all those who have sacrificed so much to support the UN and its mission.”

Figueres is of the view that there is “a transformational opportunity over the next few years to advance toward a better world”.

The UN cannot work miracles, but it is indispensable, she says. “The path ahead is untested and fraught with trials, some now predictable, many still unknown. But an approach that brings optimism instead of despair, and a perspective that looks for possibilities instead of resignation, can create a cycle of increasing confidence and hope. I believe that together we can precipitate this change on the basis of the fundamental conviction that collective human ingenuity and dedication can and should be harnessed for the common good.”

While the General Assembly and sections of the public are for the first time being involved in the selection process, a decision on who will be the next Secretary-General will depend on the consensus achieved among five permanent members (P5) of the Security Council: US, Russia, China, France and Britain. A candidate favoured by them will be recommended to the General Assembly, which will elect Ban’s successor before the end of 2016.

With 12 candidates aspiring to succeed Ban, who was formerly the foreign minister of South Korea, the P5 are faced with a tough task. While countries fielding candidates have opted out of the traditional geographical rotation that would ensure the choice of next UN chief from Eastern Europe, the ambitious goal of selecting for the first time in the 70-year history of the UN a woman for the world’s top post has not been abandoned.

There are six competent women to choose from. In addition to Figueres, the female candidates are: UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova of Bulgaria; Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand and current administrator of the UNDP; Natalia Gherman, former foreign minister of the Republic of Moldova; Susana Malcorra, Argentina’s foreign affairs minister who has also served as UN under-secretary-general and chef du cabinet of the UN Secretariat; and Vesna Pusic, former foreign minister of Croatia.

Their male competitors are: Antonio Guterres, the former UN high commissioner for refugees and ex-Prime Minister of Portugal; Vuk Jeremić, Serbia’s former foreign affairs minister and ex-president of the UN General Assembly; Srgjan Kerim, formerly minister of foreign affairs of Macedonia and UN General Assembly chief; Miroslav Lajčák, former high representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina and foreign minister of Slovakia; Igor Luksic, former prime minister and current foreign minister of Montenegro; and Danilo Turk of Slovenia, former assistant secretary general of the UN for political affairs and ex-president of Slovenia.

This article was originally published on InDepthNews. Read the original article.