Education, welfare and the gender gap were at the top of the agenda of discussions at this international roundtable, which featured guest speaker Khalid Malik, Director of the UNDP\u2019s Human Development Report Office. The Office\u2019s 2014 report sets out to measure progress in long-term human development against three main areas of achievement: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge, and a decent standard of living. Also taken into account are the capacity to enjoy equal opportunity of access, and to exercise the universal right to the same opportunities in life.<\/p>\n
It was emphasized that success in development does not merely turn on income and gross domestic product, since, as Robert F. Kennedy famously put it, gross national product does not fully account for everything that makes a human being\u2019s life worthwhile. While it was conceded that economic factors clearly play an important role, statistics show that even those who are destitute value their safety and dignity above income. The fact remains, however, that \u2013 especially in emerging countries \u2013 globalization has given rise to many opportunities and a burgeoning middle class. Yet it has left unresolved the fundamental challenges of making welfare universally accessible and education widely available, the persistent disparity between the numbers of men and women in leadership roles within the business and political spheres, as well as the growing gender discrepancy in salaries and pension benefits. In this regard, the participants pointed to Italy as emblematic of the position prevailing in developed countries.<\/p>\n
At this point in the discussions, the move towards universal social security in China was raised, with the participants noting that while the system is obviously overly expensive, it has nevertheless managed to open up a profound debate within the Chinese Communist Party culminating in such coverage being considered a \u201cfundamental right\u201d. It was suggested that welfare likewise represents a cause for reflection and a challenge for the entire Western world. While it might seem a vexing issue, there is a need to rethink the welfare system. Indeed, there were those who argued that even its nomenclature needs revisiting, and that new foundations should be laid to deal with the crisis that will probably not take too long to materialize.<\/p>\n
In terms of education, Costa Rica was cited as an example where universal access has been granted. Many of the participants attributed the country\u2019s spending power in this area to the fact that the nation\u2019s neutrality means it is not burdened by defense costs. In this regard, there was a perceived need for a concerted effort \u2013 including with the involvement of civil society \u2013 to combat new sources of vulnerability, perhaps by adopting a different approach. It was submitted that identifying vulnerabilities \u2013 such as poverty \u2013 would enable preventive steps to be taken to overcome them.<\/p>\n
It was acknowledged, however, that efforts are already underway to enable shocks to be absorbed. Nevertheless, it was felt that there is also a need to build \u201cresilience\u201d against the gender gap, which deprives society of \u2013 especially a young \u2013 female workforce. The phenomenon was deemed to be widespread in Italy, and was seen as being essentially grounded in poor awareness on the part of small and medium-sized business owners, who continue to cling to old prejudices, old-fashioned mindsets, and cultural taboos. The gender gap was thus seen as representing a risk factor, and an exceedingly pervasive structural vulnerability.<\/p>\n
Finally, significant focus was placed during the discussions on the issue of inequality, both as a product of capitalist society, and as an ethical and social yardstick. The participants were encouraged by decreasing inequalities in access to health, due in part to widespread growth in the middle classes, particularly in emerging countries. There was however concern expressed regarding growing levels of inequality within most developed societies, as well as with respect to disparities that exist globally. It was concluded that the challenges posed by health, education and gender will persist into the future, with the participants stressing that in the long journey of human progress, it should always be borne in mind that more socially just societies have tended throughout history to be the ones that perform better.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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