Tuesday, July 5, 2011

[EQ] The Global Social Crisis - UN Report on the World Social Situation 2011

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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