Overcoming systemic vulnerabilities and financing challenges for a fairer and sustainable future- intentional collaborative actions to address hunger, unemployment and healthcare in the context of COVID-19
A virtual conversation organized by the NGO Committee on Financing for Development-NY
Panel discussion: 8:00 – 9:00 am New York Time
Breakout session: 9:00 – 9:30 am
Register by July 12: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUuf-ihrjkvHdblKZvD5FxOqkbpFnnjd1U_
According to recent figures from the World Food Program (WFP), lives and livelihoods of 265 million people in low and middle-income countries will be under severe threat as a result of corona virus pandemic. This is nearly double the 135 million people in 55 countries that the Global Report on Food Crises 2020 has estimated as facing acute hunger as a result of conflict, the impact of climate change and economic crisis prior to the onset of COVID-19. ILO estimates that as many as 25 million people could become unemployed, with a loss of workers’ income of as much as USD 3.4 trillion due to COVID19 globally. The evidence from the drastic effects of the pandemic clearly speaks to a broken system , social safety nets, health care, and social protection systems, that are either severely lacking or completely missing and that will continue to amplify poverty and income, wealth, health, gender, trade, debt and market inequalities in many of the developing and least developed countries.
As Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus shared, “The best defense against disease outbreaks and other health threats is preparedness, which includes investing in building strong health systems and primary health care. […] If we don’t invest in both, we will face not just health consequences but the social, economic, and political fallout that we’re already experiencing in this pandemic.” Now is the time to reevaluate, invest where it is needed the most, and fix these broken systems, because if we do not nobody else will.
The panel will explore financing challenges in the aftermath of COVID -19 and strategize on how best to build effective collaboration and partnerships between, pubic private and civil society organizations to address hunger, unemployment and healthcare. Panelists will share specific challenges faced by migrants, women, workers in the informal and agricultural sectors, and micro small and medium enterprises as they strive to revive their livelihood and economy. We will hear voices from the communities most impacted by the lock downs and fall-out from COVID-19. Panelists will also share positive impacts of measures they have taken to address the challenges and propose further action to reevaluate, reinvest and rebuild.
Moderator:
Anita Thomas, Chair, NGO Committee on Financing for Development
Speakers:
Harsh Mander, Director, Center for Equity Studies, India
Ziada Nabembezi Zalwango, Co-Founder and Programs Director at ZACHEDO, Uganda
UN Member State Representative (TBC)
Representative from ILO (TBC)
Representatives from Sub-national Government / Planning Forum, Kerala, India (TBC)
Cosponsoring organizations:
Virginia Gildersleeve International Fund (DBA Women First International Fund), Salesian Missions Inc., New Humanity Focolare Movement, Global Foundation for Democracy and Development
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CoNGO Notes: The NGO Committee on Financing for Development is a substantive committee of the Conference of
NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations. To learn more about the work of the Committee, visit ngosonffd.org.
