Women and Gender Issues
Foreword
Our world is changing in fundamental ways. One key trend is the gradual and largely irreversible shift towards an older population already underway in most countries.
Introduction
We live in a world of rapid social and economic change. People in the twenty-first century have and will continue to have on average a noticeably different life experience compared to earlier generations. Amid abundant change and diversity in the human condition there are nevertheless common features of life in all human societies and similar changes affecting all populations including a shift in population age structure towards older ages.
Acknowledgements
The World Social Report is the flagship publication on major social development issues of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) of the United Nations Secretariat.
World Social Report 2023
The report takes a lifecycle approach to the ageing process. The report looks at the situation of older persons while addressing links between population ageing and selected Sustainable Development Goals with the underlying focus on the commitment of the 2030 Agenda on leaving no one behind promoting equitable and inclusive ageing. The report also looks at Covid-19 and its aftermath and its effects are addressed through all chapters. The report uses a social perspective and expands analysis on the social aspects of ageing—including its implications for poverty and inequality healthcare and long-term care.
Executive summary
Population ageing is a defining global trend of our time. People are living longer and more are older than ever before. Spectacular improvements in health and survival and reductions in fertility have driven this momentous shift which has begun or is expected to begin soon in all countries and areas. This change brings both challenges and opportunities as countries strive to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Measuring the creative economy
Creative industries are among the most dynamic sectors in the world economy. Measuring them can provide beneficial insights for governments and policymakers for planning and implementing policies targeting the creative economy and industries. Statistics about the creative economy can help understand the economic social and cultural contribution of creative industries and its contribution the SDGs. They can also help to identify important clusters in the creative economy that have the highest potential to lead to economic growth increase export revenues create job opportunities and attract foreign and domestic investment. Considering these benefits the chapter highlights different measurement frameworks for the creative economy presents case studies about how developing countries are measuring their creative economies and discusses measurement challenges and ways forward.
Main findings and recommendations
The creative economy can build more inclusive connected and collaborative societies. It can help diversify production build competitive advantage attract investment stimulate entrepreneurship and innovation support the growing sector of services and promote cultural diversity and well-being. The 2021 International Year of Creative Economy accentuated the critical role of creativity in overcoming global challenges. In the meantime the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted some creative industries and highlighted their vulnerabilities.
Introduction
The 2021 International Year of Creative Economy put creative economy front and centre at a time when creative solutions are needed to overcome global challenges. Culture and creativity contribute significantly and increasingly to the global economy and international trade. The creative economy can foster income generation export earnings and job creation while promoting social inclusion cultural diversity and human development. Creative industries embrace economic cultural and social aspects interacting with technology intellectual property and tourism objectives. It is a feasible development option calling for innovative multidisciplinary policy responses and inter-ministerial action (UNCTAD 2008). The concept of the creative economy is closely linked with the “knowledge economy” a key driver of endogenous growth through investment in human capital.
Creative Economy Outlook 2022: Overview
The report looks at the current state of the creative economy. It examines the evolving definition of the creative economy and its contribution to sustainable development. Based on a 2021 UNCTAD survey the report shows how countries govern and promote their creative economies and what national strategies and policies they have implemented. The report looks at the latest data on international trade in creative goods and services and finds that trade in creative goods and services generates increasing revenues for countries with services having a dominant role. The report presents different measurement frameworks for the creative economy discusses measurement and data challenges and presents case studies from developing countries. It also discusses how new and emerging technologies especially increasing digitalization since the COVID-19 pandemic contribute to fundamentally changing creative industries. As requested by the General Assembly resolution 74/198 the report includes a special section on implementing the International Year of Creative Economy and how it advances the 2030 Agenda. The report notes that the concept and definition of the creative economy are diverse representing countries’ cultural diversity but also due to different economic structures statistical methodologies and classification used. It encourages governments to recognize the importance of the creative economy by conceptualizing it based on existing definitions and classifications. The report highlights the importance for countries to map and measure the creative economy and industries including their contribution to international trade.
Special section on the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development, 2021
In December 2019 the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 74/198 on the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development 2021. The resolution “requests the secretariat of UNCTAD and in consultation with UNESCO and relevant entities of the United Nations system to inform the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session of the implementation of the present resolution through a dedicated section of the Creative Economy Outlook elaborating in particular on how the resolution is aligned with and advances the 2030 Agenda”.