ESCWA WEEKLY NEWS No. 69

UN75 Pan-Arab Survey: The Future We Want and the UN We Need

To mark the 75th anniversary of the UN, ESCWA launched a pan-Arab survey on the Future We Want and the UN We Need to voice the priorities of citizens of Arab countries.

ESCWA aims to get responses from citizens of the 22 Arab countries. It has included questions on the region and the UN that people would like to see in 2045. Young people’s responses will be the object of a special analysis, as they are the group most concerned by the future. 

Results are published instantly, with respondents accessing most pertinent live results once they submit their answers. The survey is open till June 2020. Findings will be submitted for integration in a global report and shared with Arab and other world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2020.

Take the Survey
 

Policy responses to protect women and girls from the impact of COVID-19

In response to rising rates of domestic violence and unemployment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ESCWA held a special online meeting of its Committee on Women on 23 April.

The meeting was held in coordination with the regional offices of UNDP, UNFPA and UN-Women and attended by Arab ministers and high-level officials responsible for women’s affairs. Participants reviewed government policies aimed at protecting women and girls in these difficult times.

Staff from ESCWA, the World Health Organization (WHO) and UN-Women presented assessments of the impact of COVID-19 on the world and the region, offering targeted technical assistance to support Arab States in increasing the effectiveness of their emergency responses.

Photo credit: Istock/ronstik

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Arab social protection experts meeting
to face the COVID-19 crisis

ESCWA held the first meeting of its Expert Group on Social Protection Reform online, on 22 April, in coordination with ILO ROAS, to discuss social protection in the COVID-19 era.

More than 30 experts from Arab States reviewed national measures taken to increase social protection, particularly for the most vulnerable. They concluded that, while some States are rolling out generous welfare programmes and stimulus packages, the scope and depth of social protection responses vary significantly across the region.

ESCWA presented the preliminary results of its mapping of policy responses to the COVID-19 crisis around the globe, which encompasses 160 countries. The mapping will be made available on an electronic platform to facilitate access and use by Arab policymakers.

Photo credit: Istock/freemixer

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Did you know...

… that the impact of COVID-19 combined with a dramatic plunge in oil prices will lead to a historic decline in foreign direct investment (FDIs) inflows to the Arab region in 2020? The estimated drop will be even bigger than the 2011 decline associated with political unrest in the region.
 

Photo credit: Istock/nespix

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