Cities worldwide are facing key challenges in ensuring that the basic needs of people living in hardship are met. Persons with disabilities are often the poorest and most vulnerable in cities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As cities implement actions to strengthen public services in the face of the pandemic, they must also provide equal access to technology, education, livelihoods, and services that strengthen all health and well-being, with particular focus on the most vulnerable social groups to leave no one behind.
Early this year, the UN World Social Report reported that even before the COVID-19 pandemic impact, our world faced historically high levels of inequality. Persons with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to rising inequality and poverty. Of the nearly 1 billion persons with disabilities, an estimated 80% live in cities across developing countries, often in poverty.
Innovation and dialogue can be catalysts for change to ensure that our cities and communities are resilient, particularly in crises like the present COVID-19 pandemic. A webinar on “Leaving No One Behind – Persons with Disabilities and Inequalities in our Cities and Communities” will examine current trends, responses, and lessons to accelerate SDG progress for citizens living with disabilities and make inclusion and empowerment a reality for all.
The webinar is organized by the United Nations Department of Economic Affairs (UN DESA) Division for Sustainable Goals (DSDG), and it’s United Nations Office for Sustainable Development (UNOSD) in partnership with the UN DESA Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD).
