Sustainable Recovery in practice

Excellencies,

Colleagues and friends,

It is an honour to join you today.

I wish to thank the co-organizers of this event, the Permanent Mission of Denmark, the Danish Institute for Human Rights and the Universal Rights Group.

While the world continues to struggle with the impact of the pandemic, a global food, fuel and finance crisis risks plunging millions more into food insecurity and poverty.

The World Food Programme estimates that the number of severely food insecure people will grow by over 40 million to 323 million people this year alone.

Marginalized groups, such as minority communities, the poor, indigenous peoples and informal sector workers will bear the brunt of the burden.

In this context it is tempting to slip into emergency mode and merely react.

Yet, we must not lose focus on addressing the conditions that cause these crises. Human rights are a powerful tool to counter political pressures for a quick fix.

In the Secretary-General’s Our Common Agenda and his Call to Action for Human Rights, human rights are recognized as not only obligations, but as providing solutions to complex problems.

With eight years to go until 2030, we need bold and urgent action with human rights at the centre.

In this spirit and guided by Our Common Agenda and the Call to Action, I will highlight five critical areas.

First, staggering inequality. Global inequalities are estimated to be as great today as they were in the early 20^th century.

More than 263 million may be pushed into extreme poverty this year because of the combined effects of COVID-19 and increased food prices.

Gender inequality is also rising.

Women remain less paid but more likely to be unemployed than men and are over-represented in informal and vulnerable employment but under-represented at all levels of political leadership.

Addressing inequalities and discrimination is at the core of our work.

In Guinea-Bissau, together with the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, we have supported the Government in organizing regional consultations to ensure voices of the most disadvantaged were heard during the country’s first Voluntary National Review process.

This is one example highlighted in the new guidance on human rights and VNRs which we will launch tomorrow under the Call to Action for Human Rights workstream.

Second, we need economies that invest in human rights. If national budgets allocate sufficient resources to economic and social rights for all, they can be a powerful lever for equality.

OHCHR’s Surge Initiative supports countries in bringing economic and social rights into macroeconomic policies, recovery plans and national strategies. We assist with budget analyses to help States create more fiscal space for economic and social rights.

Third, we need greater international cooperation and solidarity. Significant boost in financial resources is needed to achieve the SDGs, including a strengthening of fiscal systems and the redoubling of efforts to reach the 0.7 per cent ODA target.

Debt payments in low- and middle-income countries can often crowd out spending on education, health care and social protection. Working in closer partnership with the international financial institutions is critical if development financing is to help States meet their human rights obligations.

Fourth, we must protect the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. Protecting the environment and human life from the triple planetary crises of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss is essential for reaching the vision of the 2030 Agenda.

Along with other UN entities, OHCHR has increased its focus on climate justice. We actively supported the Human Rights Council’s ground-breaking recognition of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. We welcome the Stockholm + 50 outcome calls for universal recognition and implementation of the right and stand ready to support Member States, in close cooperation with civil society, regional organizations and those most affected by environmental degradation.

Finally – fifth -- we must do our utmost to safeguard civic space.

The UN needs to strengthen the implementation of the system-wide Guidance Note on Protection and Promotion of Civic Space.

We must do more to ensure that States protect human rights defenders and ensure freedom of assembly, association and expression for everyone. We support human rights defenders’ networks across the world and safe and enabling civic space continues to be a priority for the UN.

For all these reasons, the sustainable recovery pledge is more relevant than ever.

We call for leadership in recommitting to the SDGs. And in placing human rights at the heart of recovery - to build resilience and leave no one behind.

Thank you.