PHM-Exch> The Global Social Crisis - UN Report on the World Social Situation 2011

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Ted Schrecker <tschreck at uottawa.ca>

This is a very important report.  I have just sent it, with a few of my own
annotations, to all the members of the Scientific Resource Group on Health
Equity Analysis and Research (
http://www.who.int/social_determinants/implementation/srg/en/), which WHO
has inexplicably and inexcusably decided to 'sunset' after the Rio
conference in October.

Ted Schrecker
 ------------------------------

 From: Ruggiero, Mrs. Ana Lucia (WDC) <ruglucia at paho.org>
crossposted from: EQUIDAD at listserv.paho.org


 *The Global Social Crisis*

*Report on the World Social Situation 2011

*

*Department of Economic and Social Affairs - ST/ESA/334*

United Nations - New York, 2011

 Available online PDF [129p.] at: http://bit.ly/jgdUOk

 ‘….The global economic downturn has had wide-ranging negative social
outcomes for individuals, families, communities and societies, and its
impact on social progress in areas such as education and health will only
become fully evident over time. During times of financial and economic
crisis, households often adopt coping strategies, such as making changes in
household expenditure patterns; however, these can negatively influence
education, health and nutrition outcomes, which may lead to lifelong
deficits for the children affected and thus perpetuate the intergenerational
transmission of poverty.


Given the fragility of the economic recovery and the uneven progress in
major economies, social conditions are expected to recover only slowly. The
increased levels of poverty, hunger and unemployment will continue to affect
billions of people for years to come. Meanwhile, austerity measures in
response to high government debt in some advanced economies are also making
the recovery more uncertain and fragile….”



*Contents*

Overview

Beyond recovery: addressing the social crisis

The continuing social crisis

Addressing the crisis: the way forward

Role of Government

Focus on employment growth

Need for social protection

Poverty and food security

Rethinking social policy

 *I. The Global Economic Crisis: Causes and Transmission*

Impact, response and recovery

International response averts deeper recession

Recovery: tepid, uneven and uncertain

Background

United States crisis becomes global

Trade

Tourism

International " nance

Development aid

Remittances

Concluding remarks: bleak prospects for social development

*II. The Great Recession and the Jobs Crisis *

Employment impacts

Informal and vulnerable employment

Working poor

Impact of the crisis on wages and salaries

Adverse impacts on demographic and social groups

Impacts on household dynamics and human development

Concluding remarks: the jobs crisis persists

*III. Incomes, Poverty and Well-being *

The context of the crisis

Income poverty

Health

Education

Impact of crises on social indicators

Evidence from previous crises

! e impact of the food crisis

Much depends on the pace of recovery

Social integration and crime

Concluding remarks: full impact unfolding

*IV. The Global Food Crises *

Food prices remain volatile and high

Social impacts of the food crisis

Underlying causes of the global food price spike

Speculation in commodity futures

Higher energy prices and demand for biofuels

Trade liberalization

Long-term problems

Other longer-term trends

U-turn in Washington?

Concluding remarks: urgent action needed

*V. Crises, Fiscal Space and National Response *

Impact on fiscal space

Effects on social spending

Education spending

Spending on health and social protection

Spending on infrastructure and agriculture

Policy responses to the crisis: an overview

Social protection and labour market measures

Policy responses to the food crisis

Concluding remarks: policy space is crucial

*VI. International Responses *

Crisis response of the Group of Twenty

Responses of the International Monetary Fund

Policy responses to the food crisis

Concluding remarks: a balance between stimulus and austerity

Bibiliography



* *
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