Overview

Part two of the World Economic and Social Survey, 2001 discusses various aspects of vulnerability at the level of the country. Vulnerability may be defined as the “risk of being negatively affected by shocks”. There are shocks that come from nature, such as cyclones, earthquakes, droughts and locust invasions, and economic shocks that are outside a country’s control, such as the rapid decline in the price of a major export, changes in interest rates on international capital markets and reduced access to credit. At the level of the country, vulnerability has been one of the criteria used, within the United Nations system, in determining whether a country should be classified as “least developed”.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Decent Work and Economic Growth

Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Climate Action