We Must Make It Happen Together

According to Antonio Guterres, 2021 must be the year to change gears and put the world on track.  “We need to move from death to health; from disaster to reconstruction; from despair to hope; from business as usual to transformation.”  He outlines these four priorities:

Coronavirus

The first priority is to respond to COVID-19. 

Vaccines are a moral test and science is succeeding – but solidarity is failing.  The Secretary General believes that If the virus is allowed to spread like wildfire in the Global South, it will inevitably mutate. “There is only one victor in a world of vaccine haves and vaccine have-nots: the virus itself,” Guterres says. Vaccines must be seen as global public goods, available and affordable for all.

Guterres outlined a six specific step process to deal with Covid 19.

  1. Prioritize healthcare workers and those most at risk everywhere.
  2. Protect health systems from collapse in the poorest countries.
  3. Ensure enough supply and fair distribution, including by having manufacturers prioritize supply to COVAX.
  4. Share excess doses with the COVAX facility.
  5. Make licenses widely available to scale up manufacturing.
  6. Boost vaccine confidence.

Guterres believes we must take the scientifically proven steps that reduce transmission along with wearing masks, practicing social distancing and regularly washing hands to defeat COVID-19. 

We must make it happen Together.

The Second priority is massive investments in health systems everywhere.

  • Universal health coverage.
  • Mental health care.
  • Social protection.
  • Decent work.
  • Children need to safely go back to school. 
  • Recovery must be inclusive. 

The 2030 Agenda points the way. A sustainable and inclusive recovery is possible. 

We must make it happen Together.

The third priority invites us to make peace with nature implementing five key milestones by COP26 in November.

  1. First,  keep building the global coalition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
  2. Second, governments must cut global emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 
  3. Third, we need to achieve a breakthrough on adaptation. 
  4. Fourth, meet all finance commitments. Developed countries must fulfil their pledge to mobilize $100 billion annually for climate action in developing countries.
  5. Fifth, adopt transformational policies. 

It is time to put a price on carbon. Stop building new coal power plants as well as promote, fund and implement just transition plans. COP26 in November will be a moment of truth for climate action. Let’s not forget that 75% of new and emerging human infectious diseases are zoonotic. To reconcile with nature is possible. 

We must make it happen. Together.

A fourth priority is to tackle the pandemic of poverty and inequality.

More than 70% of the world’s people are living with rising wealth inequality.

We need a New Social Contract within countries – to ensure that all people have protection. Education and digital technology must be the two great enablers and equalizers. To keep our promise to leave no-one behind is possible. 

We must make it happen.  Together.

To hear the full report please click onto the link here.

Generation Equality Forum

UPDATE on Commission on the Status of Women

This year’s commission is open for all women. The Priority theme is: 

‘Women’s full and effective participation and decision-making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence, for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.’

To register go to the Indico link https://indico.un.org/event/35605/registration/ Please email me at ngo@domlife.org after you register so I can approve your registration. There is no limit on registrations however, it closes February 22nd and you must register. It’s a great opportunity to network with women from around the world.

There will be Conversation Circles for girls under 18 on March 16th. Two students from Regina Dominican,  Wilmette, Il., students from Fe Ye Alegria in the Dominican Republic and girls from South Africa have agreed to facilitate a Conversation Circle on the Six Action Coalition Themes:

  1. Gender-Based Violence
  2. Economic justice and rights 
  3. Bodily autonomy and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)
  4. Feminist action for climate justice 
  5. Technology and innovation for gender equality
  6. Feminist movements and leadership

We are so glad that the girls will participate in a world-wide conversation on these issues.  It is an opportunity to bring their concerns into the public forum.