International Human Solidarity Day

  Its objective is to eradicate poverty and promote human and social development in developing countries, in particular among the poorest segments of their populations.  

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Breaking the gridlock: Reimagining cooperation in a polarized world.

The UNDP released its Human Development Report 2023-24 highlighting that after 20 years of steady progress, inequality between countries at the upper and lower ends of, the HDI has reversed course, ticking up each year since 2020. The 2023-2024 Human Development Report reveals that human development recovery is uneven in nature. While wealthy countries are showing signs of robust recovery, the poorest are struggling. All the member countries in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD ) have surpassed their 2019 HDI level. But among least developed countries, only one in two have recovered their already low pre-crisis HDI levels. The Human Development Index and its components, ranks countries by 2022 HDI value and details the values of the three HDI components: longevity, education (with two indicators) and income per capita. The table also presents the difference in rankings by HDI value and gross national income per capita, as well as the rank on the 2021 HDI, calculated using the most recently revised historical data available in 2023.

Table: 1 Human Development Index and its components (Top 10 countries) Compiled from Human Development Report 2023-24.

According to the Human Development Report 2023-24, the top 10 countries are Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Hong Kong, China (SAR), Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Ireland, Singapore, Australia, and the Netherlands. Switzerland and Norway continue to hold their positions as the leading nations with a high level of human development. Denmark has made significant progress, moving up from the 8th to the 5th rank. Conversely, Australia has witnessed a decline, now ranking 10th after previously being placed 5th.

Table: 2 India Outlook Compiled from Human Development Report 2023-24

In 2022, India saw improvements across all HDI indicators – life expectancy, education, and Gross National Income (GNI) per capita. Life expectancy rose from 67.2 to 67.7 years, expected years of schooling reached 12.6, mean years of schooling increased to 6.57, and GNI per capita saw an increase from $6,542 to $6,951. After a drop in Human Development Index (HDI) value in 2021 and following a flat trend over the past few years, India’s HDI value has increased.

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What human development entails?

The Human Development Index (HDI) is the geometric mean of normalized indices for each of the three dimensions.

The health dimension is assessed by life expectancy at birth, the education dimension is measured by mean of years of schooling for adults aged 25 years and more and expected years of schooling for children of school entering age. The standard of living dimension is measured by gross national income per capita. The HDI uses the logarithm of income, to reflect the diminishing importance of income with increasing GNI. The scores for the three HDI dimension indices are then aggregated into a composite index using geometric mean. The HDI can be used to question national policy choices, asking how two countries with the same level of GNI per capita can end up with different human development outcomes. These contrasts can stimulate debate about government policy priorities. The HDI simplifies and captures only part of what human development entails. It does not reflect on inequalities, poverty, human security, empowerment, etc. The HDRO provides other composite indices as broader proxy on some of the key issues of human development, inequality, gender disparity and poverty. A fuller picture of a country's level of human development requires analysis of other indicators and information presented in the HDR statistical annex.

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Emphasize that people and their capabilities should be the ultimate criteria for assessing the development of a country, not economic growth alone.

The HDI was created to emphasize that people and their capabilities should be the ultimate criteria for assessing the development of a country, not economic growth alone.

Learn more about the Human Development Index (HDI)!

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Priorities of ECOSOC 2025 Session - Press Conference.

ECOSOC President Robert Keith Rae (Canada) on priorities of ECOSOC 2025 Session - Press Conference

Press briefing by newly elected President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Ambassador Robert Keith Rae (Permanent Representative

Press briefing by newly elected President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Ambassador Robert Keith Rae (Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations).

ECOSOC President Robert Keith Rae (Canada) on priorities of ECOSOC 2025 Session - Press Conference.

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Happy Human Solidarity Day!

A call for solidarity and action.

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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN THE 54 AFRICAN COUNTRIES.

Poverty - End poverty in all its forms everywhere.

Food - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.

Health - Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

Education - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Women - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

Water - Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

Energy - Ensure access to aff ordable, reliable, sustainable and clean energy for all.

Economy - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

Infrastructure - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.

Inequality - Reduce inequality within and among countries.

Habitation - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

Consumption - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Climate - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

Marine-ecosystems - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

Ecosystems - Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, manage forests sustainably, combat desertifi cation, halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss.

Institutions - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build eff ective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

Sustainability - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

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Urging global action and solidarity with people forced to flee.

UNHCR launches ‘Hope Away from Home’ campaign urging global action and solidarity with people forced to flee.

UNHCR launches ‘Hope Away from Home’ campaign urging global action and solidarity with people forced to flee | UNHCR

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, today launched a new global campaign entitled ‘Hope Away from Home’ calling for renewed solidarity and firm co

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Strengthening social cohesion and inclusion.

The project aims to strengthen the social cohesion of children under temporary and international protection and children of the host community through sports, and to identify children at risk through activities to be conducted under the Project and refer them to the relevant institutions.

Let's strengthen social cohesion and inclusion through sports among refugees and Turkish youth

Sport for Solidarity | The Global Compact on Refugees | UNHCR

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Uniting for climate peace in solidarity with refugees.

The moment religious leaders from around 40 faith-based organisations worldwide agreed to keep defending the individual right to seek asylum during a gathering in Geneva marked a high point on the eve of the Global Refugee Forum, the world's biggest such international gathering.They met at a one-day event on 12 December at the World Council of Churches (WCC), chaired by an Armenian archbishop and a UN diplomat who was once a Turkish legislator.

Religious leaders uniting for climate peace in solidarity with refugees, boost UN conference

The moment religious leaders from around 40 faith-based organisations worldwide agreed to keep defending the individual right to seek asylum

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Investing in solidarity.

With UNHCR, UNDP co-leads the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP) to the Syria Crisis.

Investing in solidarity refugee hosting countries deserve greater support.

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Sport in Solidarity.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach today announced the Joint Sport Pledge on behalf of the Sport for Refugees Coalition at the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva, addressing heads of state, ambassadors, refugees and the wider humanitarian sector. The pledge commits USD 45 million to benefit 500,000 displaced people.

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Our global solidarity is imperative to defend human rights. 

Education International puts teachers in the spotlight at the Global Refugee Forum

The Global Refugee Forum is taking place in Geneva from 13 to 15 December. Education International (EI) is spearheading global efforts to su

Education International also submitted an individual pledge committing to rally support for an international financing mechanism to provide ‘bridge funding’ for teacher salaries when crises occur, to support education union engagement in policy and social dialogue around the inclusion of refugees in national education systems, and to support peer-learning among member organisations in countries facing a large influx of refugees.

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How might speculative storytelling based in solidarity play a role in initiating change and generating futures based in justice and belonging?

Moving from the inequity embedded in aid to the reciprocity and mutuality of solidarity would require disentangling a web of deep-set and seemingly immutable policies and practices. Storytelling, as a potent discursive force in shaping our perception of the world, can play a vital role in destabilising these views and the power asymmetries that characterise these orientations. Whereas some stories and myths establish and entrench dominant perspectives — maintaining and validating the way things are — others imagine alternative possibilities that reach beyond the given. In moving beyond the stories of damage, resilience, and heroism that characterise humanitarian aid, how might speculative storytelling based in solidarity play a role in initiating change and generating futures based in justice and belonging?

Coordinates of Speculative Solidarity

Empathy, care and help narratives in the humanitarian sector.

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CERF High-level Pledging event for 2024.

The High-level Pledging Event (HLPE) on the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for 2024 aims to mobilize financial resources to ensure the CERF is well-placed to effectively provide time-critical, life-saving humanitarian assistance in response to the exponentially growing humanitarian needs.

CERF High-level Pledging event for 2024

The High-level Pledging Event (HLPE) on the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for 2024 aims to mobilize financial resour

Agenda:

Opening segment: This will include opening remarks by UN Secretary-General Mr. António Guterres and remarks by Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (USG/ERC) for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Mr. Martin Griffiths.

High-level panel: a distinguished panel will focus on CERF's role in meeting the urgent life-saving needs of people in crises.

Statements and announcements: Member States and partners to announce support and pledges to CERF for 2024 and potential additional top-ups for 2023. Interventions should be limited to two minutes each.

Closing segment: Closing remarks by Mr. Martin Griffiths, USG/ERC, OCHA.

CERF is a dependable and predictable funding mechanism for the most urgent and critical humanitarian action. It is often the first funding source in new and rapidly escalating emergencies, and one of the few funding sources in underfunded emergencies. Strong, reliable and inclusive donor support is essential for CERF to remain fit for purpose and be able to adapt continuously.

In the context of an unprecedented growth of humanitarian needs, a fully-resourced CERF at US$1 billion, as endorsed by the General Assembly in 2016, is essential to ensure efficient, coordinated assistance reaches the people most in need.

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Cities of solidarity in the Americas.

The initiative has developed a aimed to provide diagnostics and prioritization of public policy issues connected to the inclusion of the people UNHCR.

Let's highlight the role of cities in responding to refugees.

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One World, Shared Goals: Collaborative Actions for SDG Implementation.

One World, Shared Goals: Collaborative Actions for SDG Implementation (SDG Action Weekend, Side Event)

Bringing partners from the education sector, private industry, government, children, youth, and student organizations. Together, they will e

Bringing partners from the education sector, private industry, government, children, youth, and student organizations. Together, they will explore the best practices for building effective partnerships to speed up the SDGs implementation. 

Side Event at the SDG Action Weekend organized by Permanent Mission of the Federal Republic of Germany to the United Nations in New York/Planning Institute of Jamaica/HH MSII SDG Challenge/UNESCO IESALC/UN MGCY/ Danish UN Youth Delegation / Future Perspectives/ German UN Youth Delegation/ Global Student Forum/Global Youth Biodiversity Network/One Million Teachers/UNESCO SDG4 Youth and Student Network/Save the Children/Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities/The Millennials Movement/World Food Forum/.

To maximize the SDG Summit's impact, the Secretary General is convening an SDG Action Weekend, which will generate opportunities for stakeholders, UN entities, and Member States to convene inside the United Nations Headquarters and set out specific commitments and contributions to drive SDG transformation between now and 2030.

The SDG Action Weekend will consist of the SDG Mobilization Day on Saturday, 16 September, and the SDG Acceleration Day on Sunday, 17 September at UNHQ in New York.

The SDG Action Weekend includes a select number of high-level side-events identified through an open call that concluded in August. They are jointly organized by coalitions of Member States, UN agencies and other international organizations, and global stakeholder networks.

SDG Summit – One World, Shared Goals: Collaborative Actions for SDG Implementation

SDG Summit – One World, Shared Goals: Collaborative Actions for SDG Implementation

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Agenda 2030, and the solidarity need to accelerate progress.

At the beginning of 2023 UNDP  commenced a process of creating an informal partnership with different societal actors in North Macedonia, a loose network of enthusiastic organizations and institutions that we believed would be interested to share ideas, organize activities and processes jointly to both memorialize the 60th anniversary of the Skopje earthquake, but also to continue the conversation about the role solidarity plays in the development processes today, and how we can tap into the principle to accelerate the development of our communities, and achieve the Agenda 2030. 

The informal group consists of more than thirty representatives from national and city institutions, museums, embassies and international organizations, civil society organizations and members from the academic community have regular monthly meetings to share ideas, inform members of their activities, as well as develop new processes together, either linked to the memorialization of the Skopje earthquake, or adjacent to the broader theme of solidarity in development work. Today we are happy to report that organizations that are a part of our loose network have organized activities ranging from: search and rescue demos; lectures and exhibitions; scientific conferences; publications; training programs on disaster readiness and response; rapid assessments and studies all adjacent and reinforcing this common theme of solidarity in development work. 

What we are now hoping to do next with our informal group of partners is look beyond the memorialization activities for the 60th anniversary of the Skopje earthquake [#Skopje60 processes] and strengthen existing as well as design and implement new processes that are informed by the principle of solidarity but have the goal to accelerate development processes and the achievement of the Agenda 2030. We are confident that there is a renewed role that solidarity can play in the development of our communities, and we would like to tap and explore that potential to help us reach our aspirations reflected in the Sustainable Development Goals.

Agenda 2030, and the solidarity needed to accelerate progress