# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We come to the end of Pride month, where worldwide we celebrate diversity and call for an end to discrimination against people because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. The need to continue to speak out in favour of LGBTI rights is as relevant as ever. Same sex realtionships are criminalized in 69 countries and can face the death penality in 11.

Pride month is an opportunity to bring the LGBTI community together and to honour the history of the movement. It is the occasion to celebrate what has been achieved and to demand what is yet to be done. It is also an opportunity to reflect on diversity and inclusion within the movement itself, and ensure that no one is left behind, particularly the trans community and those who are Afro-descendant.

Pride celebrations all around the world have a widely accepted origin in the events of the Stonewall Riots, also known as the Stonewall Uprising, a series of spontaneous demonstrations by members of the LGBTI community in response to a police raid at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighbourhood of New York in June 1969. It is often forgotten that the central figures in these events were, according to historical data, activists Marsha P. Johnson, an African-American trans woman, Sylvia Rivera, a Latin trans woman, and Stormé DeLarverie, a lesbian African American and biracial woman. Pride thus has its origin and exists precisely because of the diversity within the LGBTI community.

Efforts aimed at supporting the LGBTI community in its common challenges must take into account the different obstacles and demands of all its members.

UNDP develops activities aimed at strengthening and developing the capacities of civil society organizations, often with interventions focused on the most vulnerable groups. In Thailand, UNDP has worked with LGBTI groups to support the livelihoods and strengthen the resilience of their members, in particular, transgender people during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Zambia, UNDP in partnership with the Intersex Society of Zambia (ISSZ) is working on projects to advance intersex inclusion and equality. This effort is connected to the regional project "Linking Policy to Programming", which aims to strengthen HIV and sexual and reproductive health-related rights of young people in Angola, Madagascar, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Through the regional project "Being LGBTI in the Caribbean", UNDP, in partnership with other partners and governments has promoted high-level political dialogues to discuss advancing human rights and socio-economic inclusion of LGBTI people.

UNDP is also moving towards inclusion and diversity in its workforce, as well as toward a workplace free of discrimination. UNDP's People for 2030 Agenda Strategy builds on diversity as a key element to delivering better results as an organization. Drawing on resources such as the UN-GLOBE Recommendations for Inclusive Workplaces for Trans and Gender Non-conforming Staff, UNDP is ensuring greater inclusion of all gender identities. Other internal efforts, such as the creation of the Team on Anti-Racism and Racial Discrimination and related work, also contribute to ensuring an integrated approach towards a more inclusive workplace free from any type of discrimination.

We have so many accomplishments to celebrate and to be proud of but, equally, we still have a long way to go, and a lot of work to do. Beyond June, let us continue celebrating, advocating, and fighting for inclusion and diversity all year long.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Celebrating Pride, inclusion and diversity all year long | United Nations Development Programme

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We come to the end of Pride month, where worldwide we celebrate diversity and call for an end to discrimination against people because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. The need to continue to speak out in favour of LGBTI rights is as relevant as ever.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
press release

Disparities in multidimensional poverty among ethnic groups are consistently high across many countries and in nine ethnic groups more than 90 per cent of the population is trapped in poverty, according to new analysis on global multidimensional poverty released today.

The global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) produced by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative , measures poverty by considering various deprivations experienced by people in their daily lives, including poor health, insufficient education and a low standard of living.

Today's report examines the level and composition of multidimensional poverty across 109 countries covering 5.9 billion people and presents an ethnicity/race/caste disaggregation for 41 countries with available information. Worldwide, across 109 countries and 5.9 billion people, it reveals:

1.3 billion people are multidimensionally-poor.

About half (644 million) are children under age 18.

Nearly 85 percent live in Sub-Saharan Africa (556 million) or South Asia (532 million).

More than 67 percent live in middle-income countries.

Dr Sabina Alkire , Director of OPHI, says, 'Achieving a future where all people enjoy core capabilities they value and have reason to value requires the global community to fix the structural inequalities that oppress and hinder progress. Disaggregating multidimensional poverty data by ethnicity, race, caste and exploring gendered and intra-household patterns unmasks disparities and forms a vital guide to policymakers to leave no one behind in the last decade for action.'

Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator, says, 'The COVID-19 pandemic has eroded development progress around the world, and we are still grappling to understand its full impacts.

'This year's Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) reminds us of the need for a complete picture of how people are being affected by poverty, who they are and where they live, if we are to build forward better from this crisis and design effective responses that leave no one behind.'

According to the report, in some cases, disparities in multidimensional poverty across ethnic and racial groups are greater than disparities across geographical subnational regions. Indeed, when the MPI is disaggregated by ethnic group, the range in values is greater than that across all 109 countries and all other disaggregations tested.

An intra-household analysis of multidimensional poverty focused on gender is also included. Worldwide about two-thirds of multidimensionally-poor people (836 million) live in households where no woman or girl completed at least six years of schooling.

One-sixth of all multidimensionally-poor people (215 million) live in households in which at least one boy or man has completed six or more years of schooling but no girl or woman has. The report also finds that women and girls living in multidimensional poverty are at higher risk of intimate partner violence.

The report also shows how, within a country, multidimensional poverty among different ethnic groups can vary immensely. For example, the difference in the percentage of people who are multidimensionally-poor across ethnic groups is more than 70 percentage points in Gabon and Nigeria.

In Latin America, indigenous peoples are among the poorest. For instance, in Bolivia indigenous communities account for about 44 percent of the population but represent 75 percent of multidimensionally-poor people. The figures are also stark in India where five out of six multidimensionally-poor people were from lower tribes or castes.

The multidimensional analysis also maps out next steps. The MPI combines the incidence and the intensity of poverty. The two poorest ethnic groups in Gambia - the Wollof and the Sarahule - have roughly the same MPI value, but their deprivations differ, suggesting different policy actions are needed to reduce multidimensional poverty.

But what is the day-to-day reality of life for multidimensionally-poor people? The data paint a grim picture:

1 billion are exposed to solid cooking fuels, another billion live with inadequate sanitation and another billion have substandard housing.

788 million live in a household with at least one undernourished person.

568 million lack safe drinking water within a 30-minute roundtrip walk.

Though multidimensional poverty remains high, there were encouraging signs of progress in some countries, at least until the onset of COVID-19. Of the 80 countries and five billion people for which there is data over time, 70 reduced MPI in at least one period, with the fastest changes coming from Sierra Leone (2013-2017), followed by Togo (2013/2014-2017). Some countries saw the fastest absolute reductions in their poorest regions-helping to fulfil their pledge to leave no one behind. These areas include North Central in Liberia (2013-2019/2020) and Province 2 in Nepal (2016-2019).

While complete data on COVID-19's impacts on the MPI are not yet available, the pandemic has exposed cracks in social protections systems, education, and workers' vulnerability around the world. These cracks, the report shows, are deepest in countries with higher levels of multidimensional poverty. For instance, millions of children around the world stopped attending school during the pandemic but that disruption of formal education was more prevalent in higher MPI countries. In Zambia for example, the difference between the share of households with children attending school before the pandemic and those who participated in teacher-assisted learning during the pandemic was around 80 percentage points. Experiences from past health emergencies suggest that many of these children may never go back to school.

Access full data and publication: hdr.undp.org/en/2021-mpi and
https://ophi.org.uk/multidimensional-poverty-index/
UNDP is the leading United Nations organisation fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.

The Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) is an economic research and policy centre within the Oxford Department of International Development at the University of Oxford. OPHI aims to build and advance a more systematic methodological and economic framework for reducing multidimensional poverty, grounded in people's experiences and values

Oxford University has been placed number one in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for the fifth year running, and at the heart of this success is our ground-breaking research and innovation. Oxford is world-famous for research excellence and home to some of the most talented people from across the globe. Our work helps the lives of millions, solving real-world problems through a huge network of partnerships and collaborations. The breadth and interdisciplinary nature of our research sparks imaginative and inventive insights and solutions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Africa: Oxford-UNDP Poverty Index Reveals Stark Inequalities Among Ethnic Groups

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Press Release - Disparities in multidimensional poverty among ethnic groups are consistently high across many countries and in nine ethnic groups more than 90 per cent of the population is trapped in poverty, according to new analysis on global multidimensional poverty released today.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Pope Francis is the unlikely champion of a pioneering green debt relief plan for Argentina, but it is a politically sensitive issue in his home country
When Argentinian president Alberto Fernandez met with Pope Francis in Rome in May, they talked about the coronavirus pandemic and how to alleviate poverty.
The encounter lasted around 25 minutes and took place in a side study of the Vatican's auditorium, a location often used for less formal meetings between the head of the Catholic Church and international dignitaries.

Pope Francis, an Argentinian Jesuit and advocate for social justice, pressed the president on one point: whether Argentina would consider a green debt swap, two sources familiar with the discussion told Climate Home News.

Debt is a sensitive issue in Argentina. A troubled record of defaults and austerity packages is linked to widespread poverty and unemployment. The hope is that investing in climate action and ecosystem preservation can satisfy creditors without hurting the poor.

"We need to renew the financial architecture," including by "swap[ping] debt for environmental actions," Fernandez said at a climate summit hosted by the US in April.

But the green debt swap concept brings its own controversies: many observers are wary of commodifying nature and sceptical of how rigorously the environmental benefits will be counted.

"I am worried about translating the economic model that has caused climate change into how we deal with nature. I don't think it's the solution," Maria di Paola, head of research at Argentinian NGO Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (Farn), told Climate Home.

Want more climate news? Sign up to get updates straight to your inbox

The concept of debt for climate and nature swaps has risen up the agenda of low and middle-income countries squeezed between mounting debt to respond to the pandemic and the need for longer-term investments to address the climate crisis.

Argentina was in fiscal trouble before Covid-19 and the pandemic only exacerbated the problem as revenues from commodity exports collapsed.

The idea of repaying some of its creditors in environmental benefits has been maturing for several months.

Economics minister Martín Guzmán has a chance to advance the proposal in a meeting with the IMF's Julie Kozack on the sidelines of a G20 climate conference in Venice on Sunday.

Advocacy group Avaaz has thrown its weight behind the idea. In a full page advert in the Financial Times , the group photoshops Guzmán and Georgieva into a gondola in Venice. The caption urges both leaders "to work together to make Argentina the model for a new way forward".

It calls on the IMF "to agree to clearing all debts, and ensuring that instead of unsustainable debt repayments, countries like Argentina can use their funds to protect the ecological wealth that is essential for the whole world's survival".

Ocean fire exposes weak regulation of Mexico's oil and gas sector

The IMF is working with the World Bank to present a set of options for green debt swap instruments by the Cop26 climate talks in Glasgow, UK, in November.

Argentina could be the pioneer, if the government is able to bring the plan to fruition before parliamentary elections in the autumn. But the public has low trust in the IMF, after previous debt relief came conditional on painful austerity measures - and that jeopardises a deal.

Oscar Soria, campaign director at Avaaz, described discussions around debt in Argentina as "emotionally charged".

"People in Argentina know what the IMF is because debt has been part of their lives," he told Climate Home.

Debt is an integral part of Argentina's economic history. And governments have been judged on their ability to reduce the debt or add to it.

The Paris Club of creditors was created in 1956 as Argentina sought to renegotiate its debt with its public creditors.

In 2001, Argentina faced an economic crisis that resulted in one of the largest public insolvencies in history. It defaulted on $132 billion of sovereign debt and lost access to global financial markets. Relations with the IMF were strained as the fund cut off its support, leading to social unrest.

By 2002, an estimated 57% of Argentinians lived below the poverty line and unemployment affected nearly a quarter of the workforce .

In 2018, Argentina received the biggest lending package in IMF history in a bid to halt a slide in the value of the local peso currency - which it is now unable to repay in full.

In May last year, Argentina defaulted on its debt payments for the ninth time . The crisis was reminiscent of 2001 and poverty rates rose to 42% in the second half of 2020.

Pakistan explores debt-for-nature scheme to accelerate its 10 billion tree tsunami

The Vatican has offered a space to facilitate discussions between the government and the IMF.

A spokesperson for the Holy See told Climate Home the issue of debt relief "was very dear" to the pope, who saw first hand the impacts of the debt on Argentina's social fabric in the early 2000s.

In in February 2020, Pope Francis called for "new forms of solidarity" to emerge to deal with developing countries' debt. He later said developed nations " owed an ecological debt " to the developing countries for exploiting their natural resources - an idea widespread in Argentina.

But allowing creditors to monetise Argentina's natural wealth is a source of concern among campaigners like Farn's Di Paola.

With no details published on how the swap will be implemented, Di Paola questioned who would hold the government accountable for ensuring the money was invested in meaningful climate solutions.

Di Paola expressed concern debt payments written off by creditors could be used to further prop up the gas industry, particularly fracking activities in Vaca Muerta.

"As civil society, we are worried that global financial institutions speak good on climate but really just want their money back with interest," Di Paola said.

For her colleague Enrique Maurtua Konstantinidis, senior advisor on climate change at Farn, a debt swap could work if it enables investments in carbon-cutting infrastructure projects, such as electrification of transport and rolling out renewable energy.

"This could be a big opportunity to incentive the energy transition. We need incentives, for the moment we don't have them," he said.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Argentina pitches green debt swap, with the Pope's blessing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Pope Francis is the unlikely champion of a pioneering green debt relief plan for Argentina, but it is a politically sensitive issue in his home country When Argentinian president Alberto Fernandez met with Pope Francis in Rome in May, they talked about the coronavirus pandemic and how to alleviate poverty.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
African Development Bank President Dr Akinwumi A. Adesina has said that a concerted effort to change the narrative on Africa in the United States is necessary to attract increased investments into the continent.

He said the need for advocacy in the United States made having an African Development Bank office in Washington a matter of importance, and that he would be pursuing approval with the Board of the African Development Bank Group.

Meeting with African ambassadors at the chancery of the Embassy of the Republic of Congo in Washington on 1 October, Dr Adesina said: "We are a responsive and solutions bank at the heart of Africa's development, and at the core of our work as a multilateral development bank, there is a very clear strategy to fast-track Africa's development."

In a comprehensive tour d'horizon of the Bank's priority agenda, Dr Adesina began by thanking the ambassadors for their strong support for his re-election to a second consecutive five-year term last year under the leadership of their Dean, Ambassador Serge Mombouli of the Republic of Congo.

Speaking to the Bank's core objectives, he drew the ambassadors' attention to the UNDP's assessment, which showed that if Africa achieved the Bank's High 5 priorities, it would have achieved 90% of both the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Promising results at scale
The African Development Bank chief told the ambassadors that the results already spoke for themselves. In the past five years, he explained, the Bank, through its High 5s, had positively impacted the lives of 335 million people. He said that 21 million people had gained access to electricity, 76 million people to agricultural technologies to ensure their food security, and 12 million people had gained access to finance through the investee companies the Bank itself had invested in. He also revealed that 69 million people had benefitted from improved transport infrastructure, while 50 million people had benefitted from improved water and sanitation.

"This is the kind of scale on which we work," Dr Adesina said, explaining that the desired level of development will not come about by small projects but by those of scale.
Countering Covid
The Bank chief said the Covid-19 pandemic had made the challenge of development tougher, with 5 million Africans infected by the virus and more than 200,000 lives lost. The Bank, he explained, had moved quickly, launching a $10 billion crisis response facility to provide fiscal support to countries, and going to the international capital markets to launch a $3 billion fight Covid-19 social bond - the largest social bond denominated in US dollars ever done in the world.

Dr Adesina decried the vaccine nationalism by developed countries. He said Africa had only fully vaccinated 24 million people, a mere 2% of its population. "In Africa we have 4.4% of the population receiving one dose, and 1.8 % of the population receiving the second dose. Compare this to 70% in Europe and 56% right here in the United States, respectively," he said. "So, while developed countries are moving to booster shots, Africa is still struggling to just get basic shots."
An African healthcare defense system
The African Development Bank president said Africa must learn some critical lessons from this experience. "Africa cannot, and Africa must not, outsource the health security of its 1.3 billion people to the generosity and the benevolence of others," he stressed. "Africa must ensure health security for its people with a good healthcare defense system. Another virus will come, and we cannot be in this situation where we are not able to respond or where we are the last to be able to get access to vaccines."

Dr Adesina said Africa must develop its indigenous pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity. He said this was important not only for Covid-19, but also for other viruses to come after Covid-19. As part of efforts to revamp Africa's quality healthcare infrastructure, the African Development Bank is investing $3 billion dollars to support pharmaceutical and vaccine production on the continent.
Debt management
The issue of debt sustainability also had resonance. The Bank president and the envoys agreed that the75% rise in Africa's debt to GDP and the continent's quantum $845 billion of debt was a matter of grave concern. The share of Africa's debt from private and commercial debt has risen from 17% in 2002 to 40% today. Most of this is high yield short-term debt.
SDRs
Dr Adesina said the recent issuance of $650 billion special drawing rights (SDRs) by the IMF offered a unique opportunity to support countries going forward. He commended IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva for her role in making this possible, as well as support from US President Joe Biden and US Treasury Janet Yellen.

While Africa is the least resourced region to tackle the continual effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the continent only stands to receive $31 billion out of $650 billion in SDRs. Dr Adesina advocated a reallocation of SDRs by developed countries to developing countries, and to Africa in particular. He commended French President Emmanuel Macron for his leadership by example in recently announcing France's donation of 2% of its own allocation of SDRs to Africa.
Climate
The group learned that the Bank was spearheading efforts to help Africa tackle climate change; and that it had doubled its allocation for climate finance to $25 billion by 2025 with 40% of its total financing going to climate finance. While Africa contributes less than 4% of greenhouse gases, it does suffer from it and has been found - by the International Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - to be heating up faster than the rest of the world - 10 years faster than originally projected.

"This is why the Bank is responding. We are increasingly applying more of our resources to climate adaptation," Dr Adesina said. "Today, 67% of all our climate finance is in adaptation, which is the highest of any international financial institution in the world." He quoted UN Secretary-General António Guterres' recent commendation of the Bank's leadership when he said at the UN General Assembly: "The African Development Bank has set the bar in 2019 by allocating half of all its climate finance to climate adaptation. Some donors have followed their lead. All must do so."

Dr Adesina also spoke about the Bank's collaboration with the Global Center on Adaptation to mobilize $25 billion for African climate adaptation.
Energy
Outlining the Bank's efforts to light up and power Africa, Dr Adesina spoke about how the institution was harnessing the extensive sources of solar, hydro, wind and geothermal power. He highlighted the Desert to Power project, a $20 billion investment by the Bank and its partners to create the world's largest solar zone in the Sahel. It will help to develop 10,000 megawatts of electricity and provide electric power to 250 million people.
Environment
On the environment, the Bank president spoke of efforts to protect very fragile and vulnerable regions of the continent from the impact of climate change. He talked about the Great Green Wall initiative launched by the Bank and the African Union, designed to provide an environmental defence shield in the Sahel and the Sahara against desertification.
Trade and investment
On trade, Dr Adesina said the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) represented a huge opportunity to transform Africa with a combined GDP of $3.3 trillion, the largest free trade zone in the world. He said the size of consumer and business expenditures in Africa would rise to $6.7 trillion by 2030. "Africa is no longer a continent that can be ignored," he said. "And if you are not investing in Africa, the question I would ask is: where in the world are you investing?"
Infrastructure
The ambassadors were presented with several examples of Bank-financed infrastructure projects that were impacting development across the continent. The Bank has invested over $40 billion in infrastructure, working closely with the African Union's New Partnership for Africa's Development.

"The African Development Bank is the largest financier of infrastructure in Africa - far above the World Bank and far above any institution that you can find," Dr Adesina told his audience.
Investment opportunities
Dr Adesina said Africa's massive infrastructure needs presented viable economic investment opportunities for institutional investors in Africa and those from the United States.

"This is the time to change the investment narrative on Africa in the United States," he stressed. "The African Development Bank is developing strategic alliances and partnerships, taking advantage of the new outlook of new US administration.

"We are working closely now that the US Development Finance Corporation, The Millennium Challenge Corporation, the Corporate Council on Africa, the United States Trade Development Agency, USAID, and of course, the Department of Energy, PROSPER Africa, and the US Exim Bank to launch a new approach of working together to massively direct US capital investments to infrastructure in Africa."

The African Development Bank president applauded the US government's Build Back Better World launched by President Biden. He enjoined the ambassadors as African diplomatic envoys in Washington to help to make this initiative a huge success, describing it as a unique opportunity for Africa. "It is time to expand US investments in Africa at scale," he stressed.
Africa Investment Forum
While on the subject shoring up US investments in Africa, Dr Adesina spoke about the forthcoming Africa Investment Forum, an annual forum organized by the African Development Bank, which has become Africa's premier investment marketplace. He said it presented the perfect opportunity to attract greater US investment in Africa.

The ambassadors learned that the maiden edition of the forum in 2018 mobilized $30.7 billion of investment commitment interests to Africa - and this in less than 72 hours.

The Bank president said: "Some people used to think that Africa was not bankable, I know Africa is bankable. I just don't know where your bank is. You should bring your bank to Africa."

He said that in 2019 the African Development Bank mobilized $40 billion in investment interest - again, in less than 72 hours. This included a $24 billion transaction for liquefied natural gas in Mozambique and will make Mozambique the third-largest producer of liquified natural gas in the world.
The African Development Fund 16th Replenishment
The African Development Bank president called on the ambassadors to support the 16th replenishment of the African Development Fund, the Bank's concessional lending window, which it uses to support low-income and fragile states. He said it was desirable that the African Development Fund be allowed by donors to go to the capital market, just like the World Bank Group's International Development Association (IDA) had gone to the capital market.

"We have equity in the African Development Fund of $26 billion. But we can go to the capital market and raise an additional $33 billion that we can use to scale up support for African economies, especially low-income countries," Dr Adesina told the ambassadors. "Your advocacy with donor countries, especially the United States Treasury, and the mobilization of strong support for this is crucial."
A physical presence in Washington
Finally, the African Development Bank chief said the need for advocacy and for changing the narrative on Africa in the United States made having an African Development Bank office in Washington a matter of importance, and he would be pursuing approval of this with the African Development Bank Board. "It is very important that Africa's voice be heard. It is very important to have the mindset on Africa change," he said.

Dr Adesina concluded by emphasizing that "Africa was not begging for help. Africa is an investment destination for the United States, and it must be respected by all, as the frontier of investment in the world."
Enthusiastic support
The African ambassadors showed enthusiastic support for the Bank's agenda and commended Dr Adesina for his leadership. They decried the imposition of vaccine passports by developed countries, which was found to be discriminatory against travellers from Africa. They agreed on the need to change the mindset of Africa as a welfare continent that only received but rather one that had a lot to offer.

The ambassadors thanked Dr Adesina for his guidance and welcomed the continued technical support of the Bank, which they felt would make up for the technical expertise that they did not necessarily have in the areas of the Bank's comparative advantage. There was broad agreement that a Bank office in Washington was timely.

The group said they were engaging with the new administration in Washington and found that there was a new mood in Washington - an interest in doing business with Africa.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Japan, Hitachi and UNIDO to train construction equipment operators in Zambia - Modern Diplomacy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Government of Japan, the Government of Zambia, and Hitachi Construction Machinery company are joining forces to address the growing demand for skilled construction equipment operators in Zambia's construction and mining industries. With the shift in Zambian economy towards more capital- and skill-intensive sectors such as mining, construction, [...]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ireland is second only to Norway on a United Nations annual ranking of 189 countries measured according to average longevity, education and income.

The measure puts Ireland ahead of countries including Germany (6), Sweden (7), Australia (8), and the UK (13), and is a stark improvement compared with when the country was assessed when the index was first drawn up in 1990.

That year Ireland was outranked by Spain, Belgium, Italy, New Zealand, Germany, Finland, the UK, Denmark, France, Australia, Norway, Canada, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden and Japan in the Human Development Report.

Now Ireland is in the "very high" camp, ranked joint second with Switzerland and behind only Norway in the ranking.

Overall Ireland's Human Development score has increased 23.5 per cent since 1990, a much faster rate of improvement than comparable countries, according to the measure.

Pedro Conceição, the lead author of the report, said Ireland's improved ranking was due above all to advances in education.

"The Irish economy has almost doubled since 1990, but the biggest driver was actually education. That was the indicator that made relatively more progress since 1990," Mr Conceição said.

Average life expectancy at birth was 74.8 in Ireland in 1990 and has risen to 82.3, while average years of schooling were 9.7 and are now 12.7.

When the index was introduced 30 years ago it was designed to capture a more well-rounded picture of development than simply measuring for economic growth, as was the norm at the time.

Similar profile

In 1990, Ireland had a similar profile to countries such as Italy and Slovenia. But a comparison of the countries' fates over the last three decades shows the countries have diverged, with Slovenia now at 22 and Italy 29.

"I think what explains faster improvement in the case of Ireland is the economy - certainly the Italian economy and Slovenian economy didn't grow as quickly as the Irish economy - but improvements in education were much faster in the case of Ireland," Mr Conceição said.

When adjusted for inequality within the country, Ireland drops three places in the index to be overtaken by Iceland and Finland. However, the level of inequality in Ireland is lower than the average among comparable countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) .

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ireland ranked second in the world for quality of life, beating Sweden, Germany and UK

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ireland is second only to Norway on a United Nations annual ranking of 189 countries measured according to average longevity, education and income. The measure puts Ireland ahead of countries including Germany (6), Sweden (7), Australia (8), and the UK (13), and is a stark improvement compared with when the country was assessed when the index was first drawn up in 1990.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Liberia: Ireland, UNDP Sign Agreement to Fund Liberia Electoral Support Project

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Government of Ireland has agreed to contribute €1.5 million (US$1.7 million) for the period from 1 August 2021 to 31 July 2024 to the Liberia Electoral Support Project (LESP).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The world has lost more than two million people to the Covid-19 pandemic, including over 5,000 lives in Ireland.

ur lives were dramatically changed, and humanity was forced to rethink its relationship with the environment and climate. With economies in countries all over the world brought to a standstill, millions of jobs, people's incomes, and savings were affected.

During this period, significant global progress that had been made in previous years in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), took a massive hit. Despite this, in 2020 the sustainable finance agenda surged. The economic crisis brought on by the pandemic has only stressed the relevance of prioritising sustainability within financial markets, to avoid, or at least soften, the impacts of future global threats.

Addressing the climate emergency will be hard, but it can be done as long as multiple partners get stuck in. Over the coming decades, governments will spend billions, if not trillions, of euro to avoid future climate catastrophe.

But private capital is essential too, otherwise projects that will address the world's needs in energy, food, infrastructure, and the protection of increasingly scarce resources like water simply will not happen.

As MD of the UN's Financial Centres for Sustainability Network (FC4S), I have seen the real global impact that sustainable finance is having on economies as investors, shareholders and populations demand greener, more resilient economies and a fair transition for society.

Greater mainstreaming of the sustainable finance agenda will be key. Sustainable finance was, until recently, regarded as a boutique topic. However, investments integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors outperformed the rest of the market during the pandemic.

The sustainable finance agenda is now found right across the spectrum of financial services. No part of the financial or capital markets has remained untouched.

Two factors appear central in explaining this movement: first, there is climate change. The reports of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) have been laying out, in ever starker terms, the consequences of present trends. The cause of these trends, including the role of finance in generating the negative impacts, can no longer be ignored.

In parallel, evidence increasingly shows that investment that respects sustainable development requires no sacrifice in terms of earnings; indeed, in many ways it outperforms traditional investment. Increasingly, also, financial services customers demand that investment respect sustainability criteria.

The FC4S network is helping all financial centres move towards net zero goals, funding transformative technology and innovations, and turning the billions committed to climate investment through public channels into trillions of total climate investment.

We must focus on building the right tools, skills, frameworks, and markets so that the financial sector can manage the risks and seize the opportunities in the transition to net zero. This will be crucial to meeting Article 2.1c of the Paris Agreement: making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emission and climate-resilient investment.

Ireland's fourth Climate Finance Week (CFWI) is of heightened importance this year, taking place just weeks before COP26 in Glasgow. The event is an output of the Irish Government's Ireland for Finance strategy. Forming part of this year's Irish Road to COP26 campaign, CFWI21 will highlight the progress that supports Ireland's European ambitions under a renewed sustainable finance strategy.

At the policy and regulatory level, recent years have seen significant momentum, including substantial action by the private sector with real leadership demonstrated by AIB and Irish Life Investment Managers, to name two such actors. Some of that momentum sprang from previous Climate Finance Weeks , such as Ireland's Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures campaign, as launched by Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe in 2020.

A substantial increase in financial flows is still needed to ensure emissions reduction commitments and net zero targets at the national level are underpinned by climate action on the ground.

Developing Ireland's talent base in sustainable finance is a priority and, together with Skillnet Ireland, some of the biggest players in Ireland's financial sector are upskilling staff. In fact, a new Sustainable Finance roadmap for Ireland's entire financial sector will be launched during Climate Finance Week.

Stephen Nolan is chair of Climate Finance Week Ireland 2021 and Managing Director of the UN Financial Centres for Sustainability Network (FC4S), whose European secretariat is based in Dublin.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Addressing the climate emergency will be hard, but is an achievable goal

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The world has lost more than two million people to the Covid-19 pandemic, including over 5,000 lives in Ireland. ur lives were dramatically changed, and humanity was forced to rethink its relationship with the environment and climate. With economies in countries all over the world brought to a standstill, millions of jobs, people's incomes, and savings were affected.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
UNDP is a global knowledge network advocating for human development and connecting countries to knowledge, experiences and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP works with countries to develop and implement their own solutions to development challenges.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Instrucciones para la aplicación de las pautas y procedimientos del PNUD en Proyectos de Implementación Nacional

El IDH 2020 apoya la hipótesis de que la capacidad de actuación y el empoderamiento de las personas pueden impulsar las medidas necesarias para que vivamos en equilibrio con el planeta y en un mundo más justo. A su vez, pone de manifiesto que nos encontramos en un momento sin precedentes en la historia, en el que la actividad humana se ha convertido en una fuerza dominante que afecta a los procesos clave del planeta.

En Argentina, el PNUD cumple un programa de cooperación y asistencia técnico-financiera que se enmarca en las prioridades del país; impulsa y provee apoyo técnico sustantivo y de gestión a proyectos ejecutados por organismos gubernamentales y de la sociedad civil.

PNUD conecta a los países, con una red global de experiencias, conocimientos y recursos, con el fin de crear más y mejores oportunidades para el crecimiento de las personas y sus comunidades, en el marco de un desarrollo inclusivo y de calidad, con una institucionalidad sana y democrática.
El PNUD enmaca su estrategia de acción en la Agenda 2030 y los 17 Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible.

El desarrollo humano va camino de retroceder este año por primera vez desde 1990. Los efectos de esta crisis sin precedentes podrían contenerse con acción
concertada y un enfoque de equidad.

Trabajar en el PNUD

¿Interesado en trabajar para el PNUD en América Latina y el Caribe? Conoce nuestras oportunidades de empleo en la región.
Oportunidades

Seguinos

Síguenos

Descubre el impacto de nuestro trabajo en la región

Respuesta a emergencias

El PNUD anuncia un paquete de apoyo técnico de US$ 200.000 para la recuperación de las Bahamas

44.938.712

Población total estimada de Argentina (INDEC 2019)

35,4 %

Indice de Pobreza (INDEC)

US$ 12,370

Ingreso per capita (Fuente Banco Mundial 2018)

0,825

Indice Mundial de Desarrollo Humano (Actualización Estadística 2018)

Leer mas

© 2021 Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Instrucciones para la aplicación de las pautas y procedimientos del PNUD en Proyectos de Implementación Nacional El IDH 2020 apoya la hipótesis de que la capacidad de actuación y el empoderamiento de las personas pueden impulsar las medidas necesarias para que vivamos en equilibrio con el planeta y en un mundo más justo.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
UNDP and India's journey to a more sustainable future

Join us

Join us

Interested in working for UNDP in India? Check out our job opportunities in the country.

Connect

Connect

Talk to us and help us advocate for change.

UN Volunteers India

UN Volunteers, India

Find out more about United Nations Volunteers, the nodal UN agency that contributes to peace and development worldwide through volunteerism.

1.67 MT

CO2 Emission Per Capita

120 (of 131)

Female Labour Force Participation

0.624

Human Development Index

Learn more

© 2021 United Nations Development Programme

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
UNDP and India's journey to a more sustainable future Join us Join us Interested in working for UNDP in India? Check out our job opportunities in the country. Connect Connect Talk to us and help us advocate for change.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Gross national income (GNI) per capita (constant 2017 PPP$)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Lesotho. National Dialogue on Corruption: harnessing political will to fight corruption

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) held its first ever national dialogue on corruption involving about 250 stakeholders drawn from all key sectors; public, private, academia, civil society and the media, in Maseru, Lesotho 23 - 25 July, 2013. The dialogue sought to explore and formulate ways of tackling corrupt practices.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Lesotho Reduces Poverty, but Nearly Half of the Population Remains Poor

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A new Lesotho Poverty Assessment finds that poverty fell over a 15-year period, but poverty remains widespread with nearly half of the population living in poverty and 75 percent of the population either poor or vulnerable to poverty, according to a joint report...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Lesotho is a small, mountainous nation surrounded entirely by South Africa. Since gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1966, Lesotho has been plagued by political instability and slow economic development. A high prevalence of HIV further complicates efforts to end poverty in Lesotho. Despite an attempted military coup in 2014, conditions have been improving in the country in recent years. Here are 7 factors that affect poverty in Lesotho.

7 Factors Affecting Poverty in Lesotho

1. Agriculture: Sixty-six percent of Lesotho's population lives in rural areas where the economy is largely based on small scale agriculture. Many of these people engage in subsistence farming, meaning they rely on a good harvest to be able to feed their families. The success of each harvest makes a huge impact on the lives of millions in Lesotho. A drought from 2015 to 2016 crippled poverty reduction efforts for the next few years, proving the delicacy of this system.

2. Gender: Households run by women have a poverty rate of 55.2%, compared to 46.3% for households run by men. This is because women are typically denied the same opportunities as men in Lesotho's highly patriarchal society.

3. Urbanization: Poverty in Lesotho is more prevalent in rural areas than in urban areas. Urban areas have a 28.5% poverty rate while rural areas face a 60.7% poverty rate. Despite Lesotho's economic development in recent years, most improvements have been made in urban areas while rural areas have been left behind.

4. Education: Achieving a college education is extremely rare in Lesotho - only 4.4% of people live in households with someone who has gone to a college or university. Those that do receive higher education have a low poverty rate of 8.7%.

5. Government programs: Over the past 20 years, the government in Lesotho has been working with international organizations to expand protections for the poor and increase economic opportunity. As a result, the national poverty rate decreased from 56.6% to 49.7% from 2002 to 2017.

6. HIV: Poverty and HIV are clearly connected in Lesotho. Almost 24% of adults are living with HIV and treatment is essential to stopping the spread and helping these people live normal lives. Lack of resources and awareness means that on average only 57% of people with HIV are currently getting help. This directly impacts their quality of life and makes it harder to land above the poverty line.

7. NGOs: Though poverty in Lesotho is an important issue for the country's government, NGOs are stepping in to fill gaps. Many international nonprofit groups such as Caritas Lesotho operate in the country. Caritas Lesotho is a group which seeks to help individuals escape poverty by teaching them technical skills. They focus on vulnerable children and teach them a trade such as farming or woodworking. Groups like Caritas Lesotho are slowly helping to improve the economic situation in the country.

Examining the causes of poverty in a country is essential in deciding how best to address the issue. It is clear that poverty in Lesotho will continue to be an issue for many years. However, the country is on the right track and will improve as education and economic opportunity increase.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
7 Factors Affecting Poverty in Lesotho - The Borgen Project

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Lesotho is a small, mountainous nation surrounded entirely by South Africa. Since gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1966, Lesotho has been plagued by political instability and slow economic development. A high prevalence of HIV further complicates efforts to end poverty in Lesotho.

# data[].attributes.body
These projects on the app, help educate young women, feeding school children and helping ease the loss of families impacted by Covid 19. Examples of how to donate is users can engage with short ads to generate revenue for UNDP and use wallpapers to increase ad-earnings while the phone is charging. #poweringdigitalinida aims to empower the next generation of young India.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Samsung India and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have announced an updated Samsung Global Goals (SGG) app that will empower Indian Galaxy smartphone users to donate to India specific projects that matter to them most. All projects are linked to causes that help further the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or Global Goals.
The Global Goals address some of the biggest challenges faced around the world, including those related to inequality, climate and environmental degradation, and education.
With the updated SGG app, Galaxy users in India will now be able to donate to projects using the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). These projects include educating young women, feeding school children, protecting children's rights, supporting the fight against poverty and helping ease the loss of grieving families impacted by Covid-19. The projects listed on the app support Global Goals such as No Poverty (Goal 1), Zero Hunger (Goal 2), Good Health and Well-being (Goal 3), Quality Education (Goal 4), Clean Water and Sanitation (Goal 6), Sustainable Cities and Communities (Goal 11) and Responsible Consumption and Production (Goal 12).
Galaxy users will soon be able to also contribute towards UNDP projects in India such as supporting women artisans working on Warli folk paintings, helping Safai Saathis who are frontline sanitation workers, conserving Snow Leopards in the Himalayas, one of the world's rarest cats, and supporting the lives and livelihoods of people impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
"At Samsung, we believe in using the power of technology to address the world's most pressing challenges. The updated Samsung Global Goals app will now provide Galaxy smartphone users in India, including Gen Z and millennial users, an easy way to learn about the Global Goals and support causes in India that are most important to them. The app furthers our vision of #PoweringDigitalIndia that aims to empower the next generation of young India," Partha Ghosh, Vice President & Head, Corporate Citizenship, Samsung India, said.
The Samsung Global Goals app, an education and donation-based mobile application, offers ways for users to support and give back to the Global Goals. Users can engage with short ads to generate revenue for UNDP and use wallpapers to increase ad-earnings while the phone is charging. To help maximize the impact of these small acts, Samsung matches all proceeds through in-app advertisements.
Developed in 2015, the 17 Global Goals were set by the United Nations General Assembly and agreed upon by world leaders to help tackle some of the globe's most pressing challenges. These are a set of 17 interlinked goals that provide a blueprint to achieve a better future for all by 2030.
The Samsung Global Goals app, which came to life in 2019 as a partnership between Samsung and UNDP.

By taking part in small actions with the #SamsungGlobalGoals App, you can raise funds to help & support the causes... https://t.co/FBZ2GnqyZI
- SamsungNewsroomIN (@SamsungNewsIN) 1634111414000

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Samsung and UNDP update Global Goals app for India - Times of India

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Samsung India and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have announced an updated Samsung Global Goals (SGG) app that will empower Indian Galaxy smartphone users to donate to India specific projects that matter to them most. All projects are linked to causes that help further the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or Global Goals.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The latest report on the multidimensional poverty index revealed that the Scheduled Tribes comprise 9.4 per cent of the total population and are the poorest in the country. A total of 129 million people live in multidimensional poverty in the nation, and a whopping 65 million of them belong to the scheduled tribes. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative released the global multidimensional poverty report. The Scheduled Caste (SC) followed the ST group with 94 million out 283 million, about 33 per cent living under multidimensional poverty conditions.

Similarity In OBC Group

According to The New Indian Express, the report further mentioned that 27.2 per cent of people from the other backward classes (OBC), which accounted for 160 million of the total OBC population of 588 million residing in India, fell under the poverty category. The OBC group showed a lower incidence but a similar intensity compared with the Scheduled Caste group. The newspaper further mentioned, "Overall, five out of six multidimensionally poor people in India live in households whose head is from a Scheduled Tribe, a Scheduled Caste or Other Backward Class".

500 Million From Seven Countries

Excluding women from education has a far-reaching impact on societies worldwide. Globally 1.3 billion people live in multidimensional poverty, and almost two-thirds at 836 million live in a household in which no female has completed at least six years of schooling. A maximum of the 836 poor belonged to the Sub-Saharan Africa and South-Asian region. Seven countries accounted for more than 500 million, which included India (227 million), Pakistan (71 million), Ethiopia (59 million), Nigeria (54 million), China (32 million), Bangladesh (30 million) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (27 million).

India is amongst the top five countries concerning the highest population of people under multidimensional poverty. The report mentioned that nearly half of the poor population comprises families that have at least one woman. However, in India, close to 12 per cent of the population lives in female-headed households. Achim Steiner, the UNDP Administrator, said, "The COVID-19 pandemic has eroded development progress around the world, and we are still grappling to understand its full impacts".
Also Read: Interesting To Watch! DC Comics Bring Forth Bisexual Superman

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
65 Million From Scheduled Tribes Subjected To Multi-Dimensional Poverty: UN Report

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The latest report on the multidimensional poverty index revealed that the Scheduled Tribes comprise 9.4 per cent of the total population and are the poorest in the country. A total of 129 million people live in multidimensional poverty in the nation, and a whopping 65 million of them belong to the scheduled tribes.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), produced by the UN Development Programme ( UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative, also found that in nine specific ethnic groups surveyed, more than 90 per cent of the population is trapped in poverty.

In some cases, disparities across ethnic and racial groups are greater than across regions within a country. More than that, the disparities across the Index for ethnicity, is greater than that across all 109 countries, and all other variables tested.

Besides income, the Index measures poverty using various indicators, including poor health, insufficient education and a low standard of living.

The research for the report was conducted across 109 countries, covering 5.9 billion people, and presents an ethnicity/race/caste disaggregation, for 41 nations.

Regional differences

Within a country, multidimensional poverty among different ethnic groups can vary immensely.

For example, in Latin America, indigenous peoples are among the poorest. In Bolivia, indigenous communities account for about 44 per cent of the population, but represent 75 per cent of multidimensionally poor people.

The figures are also stark in India, where five out of six people in this situation were from "lower tribes or castes", according to UNDP.

Solutions

Proposing solutions for this problem, the authors point out the example of the two poorest ethnic groups in Gambia, that have roughly the same value in the Index, but have different deprivations, to show that different policy actions are needed to find effective solutions for different cases.

Focusing on gender, the report shows that, worldwide, about two-thirds of multidimensionally poor people, or 836 million, live in households where no woman or girl has completed at least six years of schooling.

Besides that, one-sixth of all people in this situation, about 215 million, live in households in which at least one boy or man has completed six or more years of schooling, but no girl or woman has.

The report also finds that these women and girls are at higher risk of suffering intimate partner violence.

Main findings

Across the 109 countries studied, a total of 1.3 billion people are multidimensionally poor.

About half of them, 644 million, are children under age 18; and nearly 85 percent live in Sub-Saharan Africa or South Asia. More than 67 percent live in middle-income countries.

Living in multidimensionally poverty can mean very different things.

Around 1 billion people, for example, are exposed to health risks due to solid cooking fuels, another billion live with inadequate sanitation, and another billion have substandard housing.

Around 788 million live in a household with at least one undernourished person, and about 568 million lack improved drinking water within a 30-minute roundtrip walk.

For UNDP Administrator, Achim Steiner, this is a reminder "of the need for a complete picture of how people are being affected by poverty, who they are and where they live."

Mr. Steiner also highlighted the COVID-19 pandemic factor, saying the international community is "still grappling to understand its full impacts."

Progress

Even though multidimensional poverty remains high, there were signs of progress in some countries, at least until the beginning of the pandemic.

Of the 80 nations and five billion people for which there is data over time, 70 reduced their Multidimensional Poverty Index in at least one period. The fastest changes happened in Sierra Leone and Togo.

The director of OPHI at the University of Oxford, Sabina Alkire, stressed the need to fix the structural inequalities that oppress and hinder progress.

For her, disaggregating multidimensional poverty data by ethnicity, race, caste and gender "unmasks disparities and forms a vital guide to policymakers to leave no one behind in the last decade for action."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Inequalities between ethnic groups are stark, new UN report reveals

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), produced by the UN Development Programme ( UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative, also found that in nine specific ethnic groups surveyed, more than 90 per cent of the population is trapped in poverty.

# data[].attributes.body
Ireland is ranked 2nd in the HDI, with quality of life increasing rapidly since 1990, based on GNI, life expectancy, and expected years of schooling. Ireland has raced ahead of countries it was on par with in 1990, with Italy for example ranking 29th. This is largely down to improvements in education and subsequent economic growth. Income inequality is also quite low despite dropping 3 places when this is taken into account.

# data[].attributes.body
"UNDP develops activities aimed at strengthening and developing the capacities of civil society organizations, often with interventions focused on the most vulnerable groups. In Thailand, UNDP has worked with LGBTI groups to support the livelihoods and strengthen the resilience of their members, in particular, transgender people during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Zambia, UNDP in partnership with the Intersex Society of Zambia (ISSZ) is working on projects to advance intersex inclusion and equality"

# data[].attributes.body
" Pride thus has its origin and exists precisely because of the diversity within the LGBTI community."

# data[].attributes.body
the Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Zambia for 2012 by the United States Department of State noted that in general, the government's human rights record remained poor.

# data[].attributes.body
UNDP connects countries, with a global network of experiences, knowledge and resources, in order to create more and better opportunities for the growth of people and their communities, within the framework of inclusive and quality development, with a healthy and democratic institutionalism.
Argentina in question has poverty at 35.4% with a population of 44.94 million people leading to vast amounts of poverty.

# data[].attributes.body
-27.2 % of Other Backward Classes (OBCs, or how the Indian government classifies socially disadvantaged people) are below the poverty line, out of 588 million people. These Scheduled tribes make up 9.4% of the population.
-129 million Indians live in multidimensional poverty, making it one of the top five countries in terms of population with multidimensional poverty

# data[].attributes.body
75 percent of the population is poor or vulnerable to poverty.

poverty rates fell from 56.6 to 49.7 from 2002  to 2017, not good, this is due to the countries disparities in wage gaps and access to basic services

Thlohelang Aumane, Lesotho minister of development planning “Every measure possible must be considered in order to wipe out poverty in our nation.”

Urban areas saw a significant decrease in poverty while rural areas stayed stagnant.
The report states that they want to improve private sector job environment.
They want to move to commercial farming in lowland areas and improve upon highland agricultural areas.

Their aims is to build more profitable and stable relationships between farmers and industries with the aim to make their agricultural sector more productive, climate resilient and lower emissions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Buenos Aires is a charming city - rich with history, magnificent architecture, and a soul and music that can pull you to tango in a heartbeat.

But the city's staggering beauty and its abundant culture comes along with some serious challenges. Argentina's poverty rate stands at 25.7 percent today. Hard-core poverty has averaged around 20 percent in the last few decades, unequally distributed around the country and concentrated in urban areas.

Argentina is in a need of a new development paradigm, to combat a slew of development challenges. At UNDP, we believe those development challenges require a platform approach, using technology and innovation to hack development challenges even faster.

One of the favourite maxims of development experts is that everything is complex and interconnected. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that were adopted by all nations manifest those strong linkages. To contend with those complex linkages, we are developing a platform in Argentina to facilitate connections between an unprecedented range of actors, to help the country achieve the SDGs.

The objective of such a platform is to intensify support to the government in dealing with development challenges, while providing space for building relationships beyond traditional partners. The idea is to partner with so-called 'unusual suspects' to convene, connect, engage in co-creating innovative solutions, and raising much needed resources to finance those solutions.

This will foster active collaboration between UN agencies as well as a range of institutions including government agencies, the private sector, international financial institutions, academia, unions, faith-based institutions and civil society organizations.

René Mauricio Valdéz, UN Resident Coordinator in Argentina, sees UNDP as a platform to interconnect different actors, sectors and even other platforms to generate sounder policies and programmes. "The world of digital economies is dynamic, and speed and flexibility in decision making are imperative. Mobile technologies have enabled millions to live their lives online. A platform approach is vital if we are to keep up with this ever-shifting development landscape," he says.

Our vision is to try to focus on so called 'wicked problems' - problems that seem impossible to resolve. In Argentina, this means, for example, taking on the challenge of Matanza-Riachuelo River, which meanders around the southern edge of Buenos Aires.

That once sleepy and muddy river - as the Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges described it - on whose banks more than 5 million people reside is now a toxic waterway, contaminated by factories, tanneries and sewage. It has high levels of arsenic, cadmium and other pollutants that are affecting the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, especially children who live along the riverbanks. They have lead in their bloodstreams, and suffer from a host of respiratory and gastrointestinal problems.

UNDP is supporting the Government's efforts to transform the lives of the people living by the river.

It is the kind of problem that befits platform thinking. It requires giving up control and opening up the space for creative processes to thrive. This will mean moving away from business as usual in an organization steeped in traditions and processes, which allows for unprecedented openness and freedom, to harness integrated responses to economic, social and environmental issues.

We are up for that challenge, as adapting and innovating to a shifting development landscape has long been part of our raison d'etre. A platform approach to our work represents that evolution. It would ensure that programmes and projects are implemented more efficiently, and with greater transparency and accountability. And it would spawn a growing archive of knowledge, experience, and best practices from the region and from across the world.

UNDP's new Strategic Plan sets out a vision for UNDP's ambitions over the next four years, reflecting the people-centred nature of the 2030 Agenda. UNDP Argentina has already contributed to mapping available information on sustainable development through the country's 2017 National Development Report, and developed an online platform (in Spanish) with statistical information on baselines and targets for select indicators. Assessments of the country's resources to meet SDGs targets will allow for identification of funding gaps for prioritized goals and help raise resources to bridge those gaps.

This will further strengthen and accelerate the process of integrating the 2030 Agenda into Argentina's plans and policies. The aim is to create a more prosperous Argentina at every level. Argentina is showing that when the goal is "to leave no one behind", it takes more than two to tango.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
It takes more than two to tango | United Nations Development Programme

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Buenos Aires is a charming city - rich with history, magnificent architecture, and a soul and music that can pull you to tango in a heartbeat. But the city's staggering beauty and its abundant culture comes along with some serious challenges. Argentina's poverty rate stands at 25.7 percent today.

# data[].attributes.body
Lesotho has vast similarities to a pre-industrial revolution England and there are many characteristics of underdevelopment. 66% of people live in rural areas where the economy is based on small scale agriculture. The systemic issue of an over reliance on the primary industry coupled with a reliance of a good  harvest has left many subsistence  farmers and their families in vast poverty leading to a 60.7% poverty rate in rural areas (just 28.5% urban). They also face challenges in education as just 4.4% receive third an level education. Additionally, they are an immensely patriarchal society as homes run by women have a 9% higher poverty probability. While Government schemes have begun to reduce poverty there still is a necessity for NGOs to help deal with other issues like distribution of medicines for HIV, and teaching them technical skills to aid them in growing out of poverty.

Other useful stats:
1.Those that do receive higher education 2.have a low poverty rate of 8.7%
The national poverty rate decreased from 56.6% to 49.7% from 2002 to 2017
3.Almost 24% of adults are living with HIV while just 57% of people with HIV are currently getting help

NGOs Are:
1.Caritas Lesotho

# data[].attributes.body
The Government of Ireland has agreed to contribute €1.5 million (US$1.7 million) for the period from 1 August 2021 to 31 July 2024 to the Liberia Electoral Support Project (LESP).

WHY?
MAIN AIMS/GOALS

1. Develop country & its democratic process

2. "strengthening bilateral relations with Liberia where Ireland’s values and interests are advanced."

Expanding on Point 1.

Develop through implementation and success in Sustainable Development Goals

strengthening of electoral and democratic institution and processes

achieve gender equity and inclusion in all aspects of society. Civic and voter education

the usual  - food security, proteciton of rights

Conflict prevention

Expanding on point 2.

"Seek support for Ireland’s campaign for election to the UN Security Council in 2021-2022"

"Seek opportunities to raise awareness of Ireland and Irish culture."

" Build people-to-people and institutional linkages and share expertise in areas of mutual interest. "

" Support Irish businesses to invest in Liberia as the operating environment for the private sector improves. "

" Use our voice and influence to shape EU policies and engagement in Liberia", " Build Ireland’s profile"

(take credit for the actions it helps participate in, like this article by the dfa artlcle)

(Quotes here taken from DFA mission strategy for Liberia 2019-2023)

HOW ACHIEVE

The €1.5M for the LESP

Built new embassy in 2018 in  Monrovia

Partnership with the UNDP

Through "effective consular assistance and services to Irish citizens in Liberia and actively monitor security and disaster risks to inform crisis preparedness plans"

" Make strategic use of fellowships for study in Irish higher education institutions"

My CONCLUSIONS
The UNDP enables the Irish government to exert influence in a foreign country. Whether this involvement is good or neocolonialism is up to you. The Irish government is bringing in the necessary requirements for development as sited by Walt Rustow. However if you look at the Irish governments objectives it paints a picture of exploitation. Gaining influence through neocolonialism - the actions taken by the Irish government all have influence as the payoff.

We must also observe the role of the UNDP in this country. They have given Ireland the access required to create influence over Liberia. Hence the UNDP must have an even larger influence over the country and is just using Ireland to implement its policies such as the Sustainable Development Goals.

Sweeden as announced while I write this (18/10/21) is engaging in a similar program as Ireland with similar objects - notably the same UNDP sustainable development goals.   "Sweden, UNDP sign US$ 4.8 million Financing Agreement to support local Electoral Process".

END

So is the UNDP's actions in Liberia (using countries like Ireland & Sweeden to achieve their policies - in return for some influence in the country) a NECESSARY EVIL of the process in DEVELOPMENT (theory). Considering they develop the country and provide a base for future democratic elections protecting the people of Liberia with political freedom and hence safety.
Or is it just the implementation of neocolonialism in order to have control over the country, considering the use of economic factors and the reward of influence?