Economic and Social Development

Public debt can be vital for development. Governments use it to finance expenditures, protect and invest in their people and pave the way to a better future. However, when public debt grows excessively or its costs outweigh its benefits, it becomes a heavy burden. This is precisely what is happening across the developing world today.

Research and data indicate that wealth inequality is more concentrated than income inequality and that there is a high correlation between both variables. Yet, most empirical studies on the determinants of economic inequality focus on income and not wealth inequality and they rarely examine the nexus between the two variables. Against this backdrop, this paper examines the impact of income inequality on the distribution of wealth using panel data and controlling for the roles of financial inclusion and other potential drivers of wealth inequality. We find evidence that lagged wealth and savings rates increase wealth inequality globally as well as in the developed and developing countries samples. We also find that income inequality and return on deposits are dis-equalizing in developing countries while financial inclusion is equalizing in developed countries. In both the global and developing countries samples, financial inclusion has a negative relationship with wealth inequality, but the coefficients are not statistically significant. The findings of the paper have important policy implications for national efforts to address wealth inequality.

In a context marked by declining trust in public institutions and reduced fiscal space in many countries, supreme audit institutions (SAIs) play a key role in strengthening transparency and accountability in public institutions. The mandates of SAIs are generally aimed at promoting the transparency, efficiency, effectiveness and accountability of the public sector and improving the performance of government institutions. Initially focused on government compliance and financial auditing, SAIs’ mandates have been expanded to assess the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of public spending and government performance. SAIs can use their mandate to assess government efforts to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), complementing other accountability institutions and actors (such as parliaments, civil society and the media) and governments’ internal monitoring and evaluation systems. Before the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the engagement of SAIs with internationally agreed development goals was limited. Since 2016, this has changed significantly. Individual SAIs at the national level and groups of SAIs working under the umbrella of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) have engaged in supporting the implementation of the SDGs in various ways, including through conducting audits of progress on SDG targets or their national equivalents, as well as audits of national programmes supporting SDG implementation. This work has resulted in tangible impacts on national policies, programmes and institutional arrangements in support of the SDGs. This brief highlights how the work of SAIs is informing SDG implementation, follow up and review. It provides a brief overview of SAIs’ engagement with the SDGs. This is followed by a snapshot of the current work of SAIs on SDGs and of their impacts. Finally, it reflects on the role of SAIs in national SDG follow-up and review systems.

Beginning with the premise that measurement is not a neutral or power-free process, this discussion paper reviews seven key examples of how social norms are being measured in efforts to achieve gender equality. The examples include studies by the OECD, UNDP, World Bank, and UN Women. The aim is to take stock of these approaches, identify emerging lessons, and assess gaps and limitations in order to produce improved social norms measures. The authors identify four cross-cutting shortcomings from the examples such as: inconsistencies in definitions and measures of social norms; unclear causal pathways; poorly evidenced or conceptually under-justified recommendations, especially about legal reform and the positive role of private sector actors within interventions to shift social norms; and failure to consider collective agency and contentious politics. These all limit the effectiveness of norms-based work in improving gender equality outcomes. The paper concludes by outlining components of a future framework for measuring social norms and gender equality, suggesting what should be measured, why, how, and by whom. The authors put forward two clusters of priorities: improving the internal consistency of measures; and incorporating emerging best practices through long-term, participatory norms measures that encompass gender equality outcomes and address institutional dimensions of social norm change. A focus on these should result in a more nuanced and effective approach to measuring and addressing social norms towards the achievement of gender equality.

Family-oriented policies and programmes involve families in their design and implementation. They promote the wellbeing of family units and their members in areas such as child education and development, intergenerational care and support, and work and family reconciliation, thus contributing to several SDGs. The upcoming Second World Summit for Social Development provides an opportunity to take stock of the importance of family-oriented policies for social development and demonstrate that further advancement of family policy in the context of the 2030 Agenda depends on how well issues of family policy are integrated into the overall development planning at national levels. This brief presents a global analysis of 171 Voluntary National Reviews (2020–2024) from 141 countries addressing core aspects of family well-being by focusing on policies related to: poverty reduction (SDG1), food security and nutrition (SDG2), health and well-being (SDG3), quality education (SDG4), and gender equality (SDG5). It also considers complementary goals that influence the well-being of families, including access to water and sanitation (SDG6), housing, transportation, and inclusive urban development (SDG11), reduced inequalities (SDG10), as well as peaceful and inclusive societies (SDG16). Notably, the period under scrutiny spans five years and is marked by the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery efforts. Moreover, the reporting countries vary in levels of development and state capacities.

Over the next decades, most small island developing States (SIDS) are projected to experience a rapid increase in both the share and the number of people aged 65 years or over. In half of the SIDS, the size of the older population will double between now and 2055. All SIDS, even those with youthful populations today, should embrace forward-looking strategies to capitalize on the opportunities that population ageing will bring, while also addressing the context-specific challenges it may pose.

The immediate humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine is of utmost importance and at the center of global attention. Early estimates by the Humanitarian Country Team indicate that nearly 30 percent of the population are likely to require life-saving humanitarian assistance. In its current scale and direction, 18 million people are projected to become affected and more than 7 million people internally displaced. The development impacts of the war in Ukraine remain too much below the waterline of public visibility, in Ukraine, regionally and globally. Early UNDP projections suggest that already in the short- to medium term, the development setbacks for Ukraine will be significant. Poverty and inequalities will rise; the country’s economy, its social fabric, and the environment will suffer.

ألحقت حرب 2024 على لبنان أضراراً جسيمة وخلّفت تداعيات عميقة طويلة الأمد. ويقدّم هذا التقرير تحليلاً شاملاً لهذه الآثار، بهدف رسم مسار واضح للتعافي الفوري وتوجيه جهود الإصلاح على المديين المتوسط والطويل. ويتناول التقرير الخسائر المباشرة التي ألحقتها الحرب بالبنية التحتية والنظم الاقتصادية، ويكشف عن التكاليف البشرية والاجتماعية الباهظة. كما يقيّم التداعيات على الاقتصاد الكلي، مسلطاً الضوء على تفاقم التحديات البنيوية، وما أسفر عنها من مخاطر اقتصادية واجتماعية. ويختتم التقرير بسلسلة من التوصيات على مستوى السياسة العامة، هي بمثابة أساس صلب لجهود التعافي الشامل وبناء المستقبل.

The Arab region is facing significant challenges in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, with progress towards gender equality being particularly slow and uneven. Despite a doubling of data availability, substantial gaps persist in various areas. The present statistical brief provides a snapshot of gender disparities across various sectors, and presents data-driven insights for policymakers, researchers and advocates. The key topics covered include women in politics, finance, education, employment, child marriage, and violence against women. The statistical brief underscores both the progress achieved and the critical need for further efforts to accelerate change.

تواجه المنطقة العربية تحديات كبيرة على مسار أهداف التنمية المستدامة، والتقدّم المُحرَز في تحقيق المساواة بين الجنسين بطيء ومتفاوت. وعلى الرغم من توفُّر البيانات بكميات مضاعفة، لا تزال فجوات كبيرة قائمة في مجالات مختلفة. يقدّم هذا الموجز الإحصائي لمحةً عن التفاوت بين الجنسين في مختلف القطاعات، ويعرض رؤية تسترشد بالبيانات، يستفيد منها واضعو السياسات والباحثون ومناصرو قضايا النوع الاجتماعي. ويستعرض مواضيع تتناول المرأة في السياسة، والتمويل، والتعليم، والعمل، وزواج الأطفال، والعنف. ويسلّط الموجز الضوء على التقدّم المُحرَز والحاجة الماسة إلى بذل مزيد من الجهود لتسريع التغيير.