Digital inclusion a necessity: Commission for Social Development

NEW YORK: At the opening session of the Commission for Social Development in New York, Munir Akram, President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), said that the COVID-19 pandemic is a stark reminder of the key role that social development plays in protecting people’s lives and livelihoods, and the planet. As per the UN, COVID-19 has pushed 131 million people around the globe into extreme poverty and this number could climb to 800 million by 2030, unless the world reshapes its societies. Munir added that social development is also one of the critical pillars for making the world more sustainable and resilient.

Akram pointed out in the session that despite 25 years of efforts and progress made in human and social development, 26 people own half the world’s wealth today. He said, “The recent crisis has thrown light on existing vulnerabilities and inequalities.” Addressing the session, he said that there is urgent need for the world to foster transformative resilience by choosing policies that tackle high and rising inequality. He said the governments need to introduce policies that empower people and communities to become more resilient and offer numerous opportunities for decent work and social and economic transformation.

Akram addressed the possibility of today’s digital divide becoming the new face of the development divide in coming years, and how necessary it is to invest in infrastructure that connects people and strengthens international cooperation in order to build a digitalized global economy, which ought to be guided by regulation and fair competition.

Volkan Bozkir, President of the UN General Assembly, talked about how the world faces the largest setback in socio-economic development since the second World War. He mentioned that the decades of gains and untold resources stand at risk of being wiped away if the world does not act. He said, “This is unacceptable” and encouraged the members attending the session to act with urgency while advising them to drive people-centered recovery to mitigate and overcome the negative impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused, especially on vulnerable populations. He stressed the need to reach remote, disadvantaged people, and those who were hit the hardest, during recovery.

Maria del Carmen Squeff, Commission Chair, established how this session was very special for it followed up on the objectives of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme to Action, which involves fighting poverty, achieving full employment and promoting social inclusion. She also stressed on the significance of working on digital inclusion. She said, “The way out of the pandemic is by creating in solidarity, fairer, egalitarian, diverse, and inclusive societies.”