UNDP Administrator joins UN Secretary-General to launch Report on the Task Force on Digital Financing of the SDGs 
 

New UN Women and UNDP data shows widening gender inequalities from COVID-19 
 

September 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic is widening gender disparities at an accelerated pace. Such is the overall finding of a newly released report: From insights to action: Gender equality in the wake of COVID-19. The estimates, commissioned by UN Women and UNDP, show that for 2021, for every 100 men aged 25 to 34 living in extreme poverty, there will be 118 women, a gap that could increase to 121 women per 100 men by 2030. The pandemic could bring devastating immediate and longer-term effects on women and girls in employment, health, unpaid care, and domestic violence. The Report identifies urgent policy actions, including ensuring access to sexual and reproductive health services, reduce the burden of unpaid care, and close gender gaps in social protection. Explore the Report.
 

UNSG releases Policy Brief: COVID-19 and Transforming Tourism 
 

No culpes a la playa: Tourism and the LAC economies during the pandemic (Aug 2020)
 

 

August 2020. A half-century ago, the UN General Assembly approved a resolution where richer countries committed 0.7 percent of their GNI to international development aid. Yet, a lot has changed since: for example, many developing countries have experienced sustained economic growth, while the number of low-income countries has declined sharply. In this op-ed, development economist Andy Sumner proposes a new framework for a "universal development commitment" (UDC) from all nations, richer and poorer. Its adoption could lead to greater resource availability to fight global poverty and increased participation of poorer countries in decision-making over development aid. Read more. 

As the COVID-19 crisis has revealed, globalization is not only about raising economic and social interdependence; it is also about the spread of disease and other ills, as it is about increasing coordination and interaction among governments and institutions worldwide. In this timely book, celebrated economist Jeffrey Sachs explores the long and complicated history of globalization, from the Paleolithic period to the current digital era. He argues that humanity has passed through seven distinct ages of globalization, each involving a different interplay of physical geography, human institutions, and technical know-how. Whether digital technologies will lead to sustainable development will depend on policy choices and coordination efforts to address crises and build forward better. Check out the book.

[Video] Bloomberg Interview: Temporary Basic Income for the Poorest Could Slow Pandemic 
 

September 2020. Do not miss this interview with Kanni Wignaraja, UNDP Asia-Pacific Director, on why introducing a Temporary Basic Income (TBI) can help alleviate the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemics on the world's poorest people. Ms. Wignaraja emphasized that a minimum guaranteed income may be an effective policy option for the short-run and towards longer-term social protection programs to shield the most vulnerable against external shocks. She also identified some of the key advantages of a TBI beyond social protection, such as increased incentives to go back to work and mental health benefits. Watch the interview here.