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Add to Preferred SourcesWorld leaders unite to commit to global equitable access for COVID-19 vaccines, investment and support for women and girls impacted by COVID-19 in India and improvement of access to higher education for young refugees. Here is what you missed from last week’s headlines in the international development sector:
World leaders unite to commit to global equitable access for COVID-19 vaccines
World leaders joined forces at the “One World Protected”- Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) Summit hosted by Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide and Gavi Board Chair, José Manuel Barroso to pledge their support to the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) securing US$ 2.4 billion, reaching a total of US$ 9.6 billion for COVID-19 vaccine procurement. In addition, donors have pledged US$ 775 million for vaccine delivery.
This funding will allow the COVAX AMC to secure 1.8 billion fully subsidized doses for delivery to lower-income economies in 2021 and early 2022. This is enough to protect nearly 30% of the adult population in AMC-eligible economies. The funds raised will also support COVAX to diversify its vaccine portfolio in times of supply uncertainty and new variant emergence and to plan the scenarios and strategies for public health needs for 2022 and beyond.
“Bringing an end to the COVID-19 pandemic is the most pressing challenge of our time – and nobody wins the race until everyone wins. Today, as we looked back on one year of COVAX, we saw that global leaders clearly recognize the need for equitable access and support the principle that ability to pay should not determine whether someone is protected from this virus,” said Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi.
The European Investment Bank is stepping up to support African Union countries with an additional EUR 300 million financings to access vaccines via the COVAX cost-sharing scheme – leveraging domestic resources to procure safe and efficacious vaccines through COVAX.
UN Women drives investment and support for women and girls impacted by COVID-19 in India
Since January 2020, India has reported over 27 million cases of COVID-19 infection and more than 300,000 fatalities – figures that many believe are substantial underestimates. As infection rates peak, hospitals have run out of beds and oxygen, medication is running low, and there are vaccine shortages. Last week, the country also saw massive flooding and displacement in its coastal areas, as Cyclone Yaas made landfall.
The scale of the emergency is unprecedented and as with every crisis, women and girls, especially those from poor and marginalized communities, are among the hardest hit. Data from at least seven states indicate that women constitute 34 – 42 per cent of COVID-19 infections. The needs are exponential – from basic needs for food, personal protective equipment, hygiene and sanitation products, and vaccines, to longer term support to get women back into the workforce and access start-up financing.
Worldwide, COVID-19 has led to more job loss for women, and India is not an exception. Female labour force participation was on a downward trend even before the pandemic and women’s earned income was just one-fifth that of men’s – well below the global average. In the informal sector, the situation is worse and 91 per cent of women in India are engaged in informal and home-based sectors. The time that women in India spend on unpaid domestic chores is 10 times more than men. As the pandemic rages on, many women have had to stop paid work to care for their families.
Stronger international support urgently needed to improve access to higher education for young refugees
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency launched on May 28 a new campaign called ‘Aiming Higher’ seeking to enable talented refugees to get into higher education by funding their scholarships for university and technical skills training. The fundraising campaign aims to address the urgent and massive need among young refugees. It coincides with the 70th anniversary year of UNHCR and 70 years of the 1951 Refugee Convention, the bedrock of international refugee protection.
Across the world, only 3 percent of young refugees are enrolled in some form of higher education. This is shockingly low and UNHCR aims to increase that proportion to 15 percent by 2030. The Aiming Higher campaign will contribute to the achievement of this goal.
Currently, UNHCR’s refugee tertiary scholarship program (DAFI) is heavily underfunded. The current budget for the program for the campaign’s duration (2021-2023) is $75 million. At present, private and government funding contributions for this period are at $52 million, leaving a funding gap of $23 million to reach our projected goals by 2023.
Aiming Higher calls on the private sector to bridge this gap and help raise the additional capital. If realized, this contribution will fund 1,800 refugee scholars for their entire higher education and meet UNHCR’s target of 9,200 scholars enrolled and studying at any one time by 2023.
DevelopmentAid Editorials
Food hub: a business model strengthening cooperatives in Uganda to overcome poverty
Africa Development Promise has been supporting female cooperatives in Uganda for years and is now assisting them to transition from producer cooperatives to the hub model which places cooperatives at the centre of the value chain. The growth and success of cooperatives has been proven to reduce poverty but, above all, it means both food and better prospects for families. In a conversation with DevelopmentAid, the US-based non-profit shared their experience of working with cooperatives in Africa and, in particular, the new business model they are building.
Poland among countries contributing the least to development aid
Poland is still among the countries that channel the least amount of resources towards development aid amongst the members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) despite the fact that it slightly increased its contribution in 2020 compared to 2019.
Global poverty statistics and facts
Poverty can be defined as the situation when a person lacks the necessary resources to meet basic needs including food, clean water, clothing, and shelter. Moreover, taking into consideration the multi-dimensional aspect of poverty, the concept cannot be limited simply to income-related issues since a person may have income but lack other crucial elements such as access to decent healthcare, education, or essential amenities.
Here’s what else has happened
Finland: At the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) Summit on 2 June 2021, Finland pledged to donate EUR 10 million to global vaccine solidarity. To ensure improved availability of COVID-19 vaccines in developing countries and equitable and fair access to vaccines, Finland will channel its support via the COVAX AMC Facility, administered by Gavi.
Republic of Moldova: The European Commission announced an Economic Recovery Plan for the Republic of Moldova, which will mobilise up to €600 million in macro-financial assistance, grants, and investments, supported by blending and financial guarantees. This new funding will be mobilised over the next three years to promote investment that underpin a sustainable and inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 crisis in the country.
UNICEF: UNICEF’s global procurement and supply operations grew by 17 percent in 2020 to reach a record US$4.468 billion, underscoring the organization’s role in supporting governments’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
WFP: WFP and partners have so far delivered food to some 43,000 displaced people in Sake, Minova, and Rutshuru, towns close to Goma that have seen an influx of people fleeing their homes. Thousands of displaced people remain scattered across the region amid warnings of further eruptions. Those who have had to flee their homes have been receiving 10-day rations of flour, pulses, oil, and salt.
Reports
Forty years on and new UNAIDS report gives evidence that we can end AIDS
UNAIDS urges world leaders to adopt a bold political declaration on HIV at the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on AIDS, being held in New York and online next week, and to commit to achieving a new set of targets for 2025 to end AIDS by 2030. Four decades after the first cases of AIDS were reported, new data from UNAIDS show that dozens of countries achieved or exceed the 2020 targets set by the United Nations General Assembly in 2016—evidence that the targets were not just aspirational but achievable.
Global energy investments set to recover in 2021 but remain far from a net zero pathway
There is about a 40% chance of the annual average global temperature temporarily reaching 1.5°C above the pre-industrial level in at least one of the next five years – and these odds are increasing with time, according to a new climate update issued by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
There is a 90% likelihood of at least one year between 2021-2025 becoming the warmest on record, which would dislodge 2016 from the top ranking, according to the Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update, produced by the United Kingdom’s Met Office, the WMO lead centre for such predictions.
Pests destroy up to 40 percent of global crops and cost $220 billion of losses
The Scientific Review on the Impact of Climate Change on Plant Pests – A global challenge to prevent and mitigate plant pest risks in agriculture, forestry, and ecosystems by Professor Maria Lodovica, University of Turin (Italy), and ten co-authors from around the world was prepared under the auspices of the Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention, hosted by FAO, and is one of the key initiatives of the International Year of Plant Health, which is coming to an end this month.
New World Bank report covering 10,000 cities shows shape of urban growth underpins livability and sustainable growth
A first-of-its-kind World Bank analysis, of the shape and growth of nearly 10,000 cities between 1990 and 2015, finds that the most successful urban areas are those that connect their growth to economic demand and then support this with comprehensive plans, policies, and investments that help avoid uncontrolled sprawl. The new report, Pancakes to Pyramids – City Form for Sustainable Growth, analyzes the dynamic, two-way relationship between a city’s economic growth and the floor space available to residents and businesses. It finds that a city is most likely to be its best version when its shape is driven by economic fundamentals and a conducive policy environment – namely, a robust job market, flexible building regulations, dependable public transit and access to essential services, public spaces, and cultural amenities.
Events
How to Write a Technical Proposal: The Only Guide You’ll Ever Need | Webinar
📅 24 June 2021🕐 4 PM (Brussels Time) /10 AM (Washington DC Time)
Virtual
Join DevelopmentAid for this free webinar on How to Write a Technical Proposal: the only guide you’ll ever need.
The main speaker at this webinar is Cynthia Zurita with more than 8 years of experience as Tendering Project Manager, with a strong academic and professional background in the energy and natural resources sectors projects. She has managed successfully tenders for infrastructure (EPC projects included) as well as consultancy services, for multilateral funds such as IDB, CAF, World Bank, among others, as well as public projects with national budgets or private clients of the industrial sector.
You will have the possibility to ask questions directly at the webinar during our Q&A session.
HOST: Sergiu Casu, Business Development Director, DevelopmentAid
Speaker: Cynthia Zurita, consultant at S317 Consulting
Other speakers:
Rita Andrade, Teresa Cordeiro, Ana Gonçalves and Denisse Escalante, consultants at S317 Consulting.
European Development Days (EDD 2021) | Virtual
📅 15-16 June 2021 🕒
Virtual
Organised by the European Commission, the European Development Days (EDD) bring the development community together each year to share ideas and experiences in ways that inspire new partnerships and innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. The EDD is a participatory programme.
EBRD Green Cities Annual Conference 2021 | Virtual
📅 8-9 June 2021 🕒 09.00 – 10.15 AM & 10.30 AM – 12.30 PM BST (London-time)
Virtual
Cities are critical to delivering on the Paris Agreement. With COP26 fast approaching, it is critical to explore how cities can lead the transition to low carbon and climate-resilient economy.
You will hear from mayors, private sector experts, and thought-leaders about the work they are doing to address the gravest challenge we face: the climate emergency.
This year’s EBRD Green Cities annual conference will further explore this theme, focusing on the role cities and the private sector play in accelerating climate action. The two-day virtual event (8-9 June) will feature discussions and exchanges between mayors, Green Cities Officers, and private sector partners from across the EBRD regions.