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UN chief says people must come first during pandemic recovery
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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attends a press conference in Beirut, Lebanon, December 21, 2021. /CFP

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attends a press conference in Beirut, Lebanon, December 21, 2021. /CFP

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Tuesday told at a meeting examining the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 crisis that people must be at the center of the post-pandemic recovery.

Although COVID-19 caught the world unprepared, "we cannot let this happen again," he said in a video message to the Global Forum for a Human-Centered Recovery organized by the International Labor Organization (ILO).

The three-day online forum brings together world leaders, heads of international organizations and representatives of employers and workers groups from around the world.

"We need a human-centered, green recovery that puts people first," the UN chief said. 

"Putting people first means achieving universal social protection, the best line of defense against shocks of all kinds and critical to a just transition."

Guterres commended the ILO for convening the forum, which comes at a crucial time for countries, economies, families and workers.

In the wake of the pandemic, poverty is rising, inequalities are widening, and household income is declining while billionaires' profits are soaring, he said.

UN workers check a shipment of COVID-19 vaccine doses at the Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, July 9, 2021. /CFP

UN workers check a shipment of COVID-19 vaccine doses at the Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, July 9, 2021. /CFP

The secretary-general said that the situation is worse for women, as they face rising unemployment and shoulder most of the burden for care.

Many women, he said, will be unable to re-enter the workforce without "robust" safety nets and decent job opportunities.

Meanwhile, vaccine inequity persists, meaning that richer countries are preparing for recovery as many low-income nations face spiraling debt as well as a massive and enduring jobs deficit.

Additionally, the secretary-general emphasized the pressing need for climate action, noting that countries are "dramatically off-target" on limiting global warming.

He said that putting people first means renewing social contracts and making massive investments in their future well-being.

Among the topics for discussion at the forum is the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for a Just Transition, which the UN chief launched in September 2021.

The goal is to create at least 400 million jobs, especially in the "green" and care sectors, and extend social protection to some 4 billion people without coverage.

Guterres urged countries to act now to achieve a just recovery, stating that the balance between a global breakthrough and a global breakdown depends on today's choices.

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