As the socio-economic toll of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to deepen, global leaders and development advocates have renewed urgent calls to protect the world’s most vulnerable populations—those at greatest risk of being left behind.
At a high-level event hosted during the 2020 United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), alongside key international partners, warned that more than half of the global population lacks access to basic social protection systems.
The event, themed “Half the World: The Many Faces of Social Protection,” highlighted a stark reality: approximately 55 percent of people worldwide are not covered by social insurance or assistance, according to data from the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Joining the conversation from Lagos, Nigerian Afropop star Yemi Alade brought a human perspective to the crisis, drawing attention to those bearing the brunt of the pandemic’s economic fallout.
“We are here to talk about half the world—the half that wakes up every morning to go to work despite and because of the global pandemic,” Alade said. “It’s about the young woman struggling to make ends meet and risking her health to provide for her family.”
She urged global leaders not to overlook the billions living on the margins. “Let’s not let the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people fall through the cracks in our society,” she added.
UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner echoed the urgency of the moment, calling for coordinated and bold action to strengthen social protection systems worldwide.
“We cannot afford to become inured to worsening poverty, hunger, and job losses,” Steiner said. “We must not sleepwalk into a new normal. Unprecedented action is needed—and it is needed now.”
Steiner pointed to emerging efforts in developing countries, including cash transfer programmes, nutritional support initiatives, and care systems designed to support working women. However, he warned that without fresh ideas and sustained commitment, global responses risk remaining fragmented and insufficient.
“Successful action cannot depend on an uneven patchwork of social assistance and care systems,” he added.
The event brought together influential voices from government and the international development community, including Cina Lawson, Togo’s Minister of Postal Affairs and Digital Economy; Reema Nanavaty of the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA); Houlin Zhao of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU); Dr. Guy Standing of SOAS University of London; and Guy Ryder, Director-General of the ILO.
Together, participants underscored the need for inclusive policies that protect informal workers, empower women, and ensure that no one is excluded from critical safety nets.
As the world grapples with the long-term consequences of COVID-19, the message from global leaders is clear: without decisive action, the pandemic risks widening inequality and pushing millions further into poverty.
