UNITED NATIONS, July 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) – UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, on Saturday, called for a New Social Contract and a New Global Deal to address inequality across the world.
COVID-19 is a human tragedy. But it has also created a generational opportunity to build back a more equitable and sustainable world, said Guterres, in his Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture address, which was delivered virtually. “The response to the pandemic, and to the widespread discontent that preceded it, must be based on a New Social Contract and a New Global Deal that create equal opportunities for all and respect the rights and freedoms of all.”
This is the only way that the world will meet the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement on climate change and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on financing for development — agreements that address precisely the failures that are being exposed and exploited by the pandemic, he said.
A New Social Contract within societies will enable young people to live in dignity, will ensure women have the same prospects and opportunities as men, and will protect the sick, the vulnerable, and minorities of all kinds.
However, he said, the global political and economic system is not delivering on critical global public goods: public health, climate action, sustainable development, peace. The COVID-19 pandemic brought home the tragic disconnect between self-interest and the common interest, and the huge gaps in governance structures and ethical frameworks.
“To close those gaps, and to make the New Social Contract possible, we need a New Global Deal to ensure that power, wealth and opportunities are shared more broadly and fairly at the international level.”
A new model for global governance must be based on full, inclusive and equal participation in global institutions, he said. “Without that, we face even wider inequalities and gaps in solidarity, like those we see today in the fragmented global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
In his address entitled “Tackling the Inequality Pandemic: a New Social Contract for a New Era,” Guterres said, COVID-19 laid bare risks that have been ignored for decades: inadequate health systems, gaps in social protection, structural inequalities, environmental degradation, the climate crisis.
People want social and economic systems that work for everyone. They want their human rights and fundamental freedoms to be respected. They want a say in decisions that affect their lives, said Guterres.
The New Social Contract, between governments, people, civil society, business and more, must integrate employment, sustainable development and social protection, based on equal rights and opportunities for all.
The gradual integration of the informal sector into social protection frameworks is essential. A changing world requires a new generation of social protection policies with new safety nets, including universal health coverage and the possibility of a universal basic income.
Taxation has also a role in the New Social Contract. Everyone — individuals and corporations — must pay their fair share. Governments should also shift the tax burden from payrolls to carbon. Taxing carbon rather than people will increase output and employment, while reducing emissions.
He also asked for efforts to break the vicious cycle of corruption, which is both a cause and effect of inequality. “Corruption reduces and wastes funds available for social protection. It weakens social norms and the rule of law.”
Guterres’ address was delivered on Mandela Day, an international day in honour of Nelson Mandela, celebrated each year on July 18, Mandela’s birthday.
