AFSVP

ARAB FOOD SECURITY Vulnerabilities and Pathways
2021

This report is a culmination of efforts by ESCWA and FAO regional office and departments at headquarters. The partners collaborated with other experts to assess and provide sound analyses, and to outline an appropriate course of action through an assessment of challenges and a simulation of the short- to medium-term food outlook towards 2030.

2020 was a challenging year, bringing human suffering to an unprecedented level socioeconomically but also health-wise. COVID-19, a novel infectious disease, spread fast and wide, distressing healthcare systems and unleashing one of the fastest and strongest recessions the world has witnessed in recent memory. In the Arab region, the pandemic added to many challenges that have prevailed for decades, including, among others, high population growth, conflicts and population displacements, poverty and unemployment, food insecurity and malnutrition, and high dependence on external food markets in an environment of growing scarcity of water and arable lands. How prepared was the region to address and adapt to these shocks, and what lessons have been learned?

ABLF

ARAB BUSINESS LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORKS
2021

he growing interest in legal and institutional reforms, business facilitation and better governance in the Arab region has led governments, donors and development agencies to increasingly focus their attention on improving the regulatory framework for doing business and ensuring a fair balance between the rights and obligations of various social players. Legal reform, however, is not merely about the production of legislation but also ensuring that such legislation is well understood, applied and integrated into the overall legal framework and snuggles neatly with the specific contexts of each Arab State. The Arab region faces a serious lack in the ability of various stakeholders to access laws pertaining to competition, anti-corruption, foreign direct investment (FDI) and consumer protection. Small firms, activists, political reformists, researchers and others face obstacles to access the most up-to-date legislation related to public policy adequately. The lack of a unified consolidated and accessible repository of legislation in the Arab region has negative knock-on effects on transparency, accountability and the rule of law.

ALDCs

Arab LDCs, Development Challenges and Opportunities
2021

Four member States of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) are classified as LDCs: Mauritania, Somalia, the Sudan and Yemen. The latter three are also plagued by conflict and face chronic challenges in meeting the Istanbul Programme of Action (IPoA) graduation criteria from the LDC category. Attempts by these governments to build sound systems of governance that would make their economies more resilient have been hampered by conflict and external shocks such as the global financial, food and oil price crises, weak human, technological and institutional capacities, limited technology transfer, a lack of domestic resources, inequality, and more recently the socioeconomic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. These factors together induce a vicious cycle of low productivity and investment and ultimately low levels of human development.

the present report provides an analytical overview of the progress and challenges faced by Arab LDCs, with a focus on the special vulnerabilities these countries are experiencing due to conflict and political instability. This report also builds on the lessons learnt from the IPoA decade to provide key findings and recommendations for the next decade which will be launched in Doha, Qatar in January 2022. The aim is to build back better, avoid pitfalls of the past decade and take advantage of the momentum presented by the implementation decade of the 2030 Agenda.

ISF

International Dialogue on the Role of Islamic Social Financing in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
2021

The International Dialogue on the Role of Islamic Social Financing in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals is a global discussion on unlocking the potential of Islamic social financing to support global efforts to end extreme poverty, boost economic development, respond to the impact of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic and help countries get back on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals – the world’s blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all by 2030.

We invite global leaders, Islamic institutions, government representatives to join the discussion. The Dialogue is part of the Initiative on Financing for Development in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond, which calls on the international community to utilize innovative forms of public and private finance to support pandemic response.

The Dialogue consists of a series of virtual Seminars designed to foster a better understanding of both Islamic social financing and existing UN platforms and initiatives.

Following the Seminars, the Dialogue will -
1. establish a knowledge database to serve as a longstanding repository of information and resources on Islamic social financing and the SDGs;
2. prepare a draft roadmap, with concrete recommendations, on the way forward to enrich existing mechanisms, identify gaps, and propose methods of using Islamic social financing to achieve the SDGs.

Putting a Price Tag on Happiness

Using Purchasing Power Parities to Compare the Price of Happiness within the Arab Region
2021

Does a higher income suggest a higher level of happiness? Can we compare happiness levels between different countries based on their average per capita incomes? Is there a cutoff level of absolute income that can keep us from being unhappy, or is happiness a relative concept which cannot be measured?

Although there exists an established relationship between income and happiness, studies have shown that happiness does not rise indefinitely with a rising income, but that there is a point after which more income does not significantly lead to greater happiness if we look at the life evaluation component of subjective well-being. This satiation point occurs at different levels of income in different regions and countries based on price levels and costs of living, and it also differs between genders and different educational levels (Jebb, Tay, Diener & Oishi, 2018).

Impact of COVID-19 on Women in Iraq

3 Studies by UN Women and ESCWA
2021

The aim of these reports is to provide a better understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on women’s economic and political participation and on their social protection in Iraq.

MoU7

The Power of Languages in Times of Crisis
2021

The MoU Conference is a forum for dialogue on the most effective methods of collaboration between the United Nations, as an employer of language professionals, and a group of universities, as providers of highly qualified candidates.

The United Nations is a welcoming environment for young language professionals, guiding them on a career path that places the power of languages at the service of humanity.

Members of the MoU Network meet periodically with representatives of DGACM to:
● Review collaboration within the MoU Network, and propose ways to strengthen and improve it;
● Share initiatives and innovations for the training of language professionals and trainers;
● Report on the outcomes of outreach and joint training activities;
● Discuss ways to align the academic training of language professionals with the requirements of the United Nations.

The Arab Forum for Sustainable Development (AFSD)

Accelerating progress on the 2030 Agenda post-COVID
2021

The Arab Forum for Sustainable Development (AFSD) brings together Arab Governments and a broad range of stakeholders to address sustainable development priorities from a regional perspective, discuss progress, review national experiences, and enhance the region’s voice at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.

AFSD advocates an inclusive and participatory approach to the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda, providing a platform for dialogue among government representatives, parliamentarians, academia, the private sector, regional intergovernmental bodies, civil society organizations, and young people, among others.

AFSD is organized annually by ESCWA, in collaboration with the League of Arab States and other United Nations entities operating in Arab countries.

The Arab Gender Gap Report 2020

Gender Equality and the Sustainable Development Goals
2020

The promise of leaving no one behind holds the potential to transform the lives of women and girls in the Arab region. However, gender inequalities manifest themselves in each dimension of sustainable development. Despite significant progress in recent decades, the human rights of women and girls are still far from being a reality. Daunting challenges hinder their ability to enjoy a healthy lifestyle and engage in education, work, and public life. The ‘last mile’ remains to be covered before girls and women can enjoy full equality and realize their rights.

Realities and Prospects

Survey of Economic and Social Developments in the Arab Region
2020

Providing an analysis of the global situation in mid-2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, is a difficult task. The outbreak has exerted tremendous pressure on the global economy, the scale of which is still unclear.
Consequently, the present report sets out two scenarios: a moderate one projecting that the crisis will end and the economy will rebound in the last quarter of 2020; and a pessimistic one in which the crisis will persist throughout 2020 and continue in the first quarter of 2021.
The COVID-19 shock began in the context of a global economic slowdown. Tensions between China and the United States persist, and the United Kingdom has negotiated its exit from the European Union. International trade was negatively impacted by fears of protectionist measures, which also affected supply chains, global demand and manufacturing activities, especially in China, Africa and the Middle East. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in broad lockdowns that exerted extensive pressure on the global economy, which is expected to contract by at least 3.2 per cent in 2020. The 2021 recovery is conditioned on the effectiveness of the stimulus packages enacted by Governments in response to the COVID-19 crisis and the speed of business recovery.

STRENGTHENING WOMEN’S POLITICAL PARTICIPATION
2020

The Iraq Foundation is an independent nongovernmental organization working in Iraq since 2003. With support from the United Nations Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI) and technical assistance from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), the Iraq Foundation is conducting a project to strengthen women’s participation in political life at the national and subnational levels, and to strengthen the capacity of women seeking public office. The project comprises two phases. The first phase, which ran from 1 October 2019 to 15 February 2020, conducted needs assessments and research aimed at documenting and understanding the challenges and unmet needs of women who run for elected public office. This information will serve as a foundation for strategies and action plans to provide women with training and tools to successfully run for elected office.

PURCHASING POWER PARITIES AND THE REAL SIZE OF ARAB ECONOMIES
2020

In the Arab region, the 2017 ICP cycle was managed and implemented by the regional ICP office located at ESCWA. Appreciation is extended to the global ICP office at The World Bank for the support, coordination and funding of ICP activities in the Arab region. The success of the programme would not have been possible without massive efforts exerted by the national statistical offices of the 12 Arab countries that participated in the 2017 ICP cycle. This report, including the regional results and associated analysis, was prepared by Majed Skaini and Sadim Sbeiti.

SYRIA AT WAR
2020

Almost a decade of conflict has radically transformed all aspects of Syrian society. The purpose of this report is to trace these transformations at social, economic and governance levels. It provides a framework for moving forward, proposing principles, priorities and pragmatic steps toward an inclusive and sustainable economic recovery and peacebuilding process.

ARAB SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2020
2020

The 2030 Agenda calls for transformative change and paradigm shifts. Mobilizing domestic and external resources is a pressing challenge in the Arab region, and the pace of efforts on the SDGs must accelerate. However, transformative change not only requires financial resources and an acceleration of efforts but, above all, demands a shift in orientation and approach towards policy integration, environmental sustainability, and universal human rights with their emphasis on equality, justice, inclusion, fundamental freedoms and participatory politics.

SITUATION REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION 2019
2019

Migration has become a defining feature of our globalized world, with numbers of international migrants growing exponentially over the past couple of decades. Migration has been recognized as a key accelerator for development in both countries of origin and destination; however, it also poses challenges. Consequently, a holistic approach to migration governance is crucial to optimize its overall benefits, offset the risks and challenges it may pose, and make migration work for all individuals and communities in countries of origin, transit and destination. Given the scale of international migration and its transboundary nature, cooperation between countries at the bilateral, subregional, regional and global levels has become an urgent necessity. Recognizing these facts, the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) was adopted at an Intergovernmental Conference held in Marrakech, Morocco, on 10 December 2018.

Prevalence of COVID-19 in the Arab ​Region
2020

The 2030 Agenda calls for transformative change and paradigm shifts. Mobilizing domestic and external resources is a pressing challenge in the Arab region, and the pace of efforts on the SDGs must accelerate. However, transformative change not only requires financial resources and an acceleration of efforts but, above all, demands a shift in orientation and approach towards policy integration, environmental sustainability, and universal human rights with their emphasis on equality, justice, inclusion, fundamental freedoms and participatory politics.