UN DESA Annual Highlights Report 2022-2023
The UN DESA Annual Highlights report is a tool to communicate the contributions of the Department to the realization of internationally agreed development goals and shared social, economic, and environmental aspirations. It showcases the Department’s role in gauging trends, building capacities, and shaping solutions. UN DESA Highlights 2022-2023 covers activities over the period of the 77th Session of the General Assembly (September 2022 – August 2023) and reflects the Department’s response to the set priorities and expressed needs of Member States. Seven (7) thematic chapters showcase how UN DESA put its expertise to the task of supporting Member State efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda amidst multiple, intertwined, compounding crises, building their capacities to respond effectively and shape a transformative recovery that builds their resilience for the future. The report also showcases four (4) cross-cutting approaches used by the Department to attain the expected results.
Responding to the call for a Rescue Plan for People and Planet
Introduction
by Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs
Over the course of the 77th session of the General Assembly, the world continued to suffer significant setbacks in terms of development progress, triggered by inter-related shocks – the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts in many regions including the war in Ukraine, a cost-of-living crisis and debt distress in many parts of world, in addition to longer-term threats and challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and demographic change. Against this backdrop, UN DESA’s work continued to address the 10 priority action areas committed to by Member States at the SDG Summit in 2019, while also responding to the Secretary-General’s vision outlined in Our Common Agenda to turbocharge action on the SDG progress. The Department also looked ahead to supported Member States in preparing for the SDG Summit in September 2023, as well as the Summit of the Future in 2024.
Chapters
Accelerating action on the SDGs at the national and international level
At the half-way point to 2030, the world is faced with complex and interconnected challenges. However, they also present opportunities for integrated recovery strategies and systemic progress. In 2022-2023, UN DESA continued to support Member States in accelerating the recovery from the pandemic and getting back on track to achieve full implementation of the SDGs.
Download Chapter 1 (PDF)
Reducing poverty and inequality
While the world was building back from the COVID-19 pandemic and grappling with ongoing interlinked food, fuel and financing crises, UN DESA’s work in 2022-2023 sought to tackle the multidimensional challenges of poverty and inequality; shaping evidence-based policies to realize the 2030 Agenda’s central promise to “leave no one behind”.
Download Chapter 2 (PDF)
Ensuring sustainable financing
Prospects for achieving the SDGs by 2030 remain dim without mobilizing stable and long-term financing and investment at sufficient scale to help countries and people most in need. Throughout the year, UN DESA continued to support the international community in navigating these challenges.
Download Chapter 3 (PDF)
Making data count
Countries and international partners cannot identify priorities and respond to interlinked crises and sustainable development needs without solid data. High-quality data are needed to “make the invisible visible” and ensure that efforts to accelerate action toward the SDGs benefit the people and places most in need.
Download Chapter 4 (PDF)
Strengthening national institutions and accountability
Effective, inclusive and accountable public institutions and digital government are key to people's well-being in every society across the world. UN DESA, through its support to public institutions in the design and implementation of public policies and the delivery of services, ensured their efforts are directed towards the achievement of all the SDGs.
Download Chapter 5 (PDF)
Ending the war on nature
As policymakers strive to urgently address the triple planetary crises, they are becoming increasingly aware of the need to simultaneously address the interrelated socioeconomic challenges while protecting key natural resources. UN DESA continued to support countries in addressing these challenges by ensuring synergistic and integrated policymaking and action globally.
Download Chapter 6 (PDF)
Framing the future of development
Recurring and overlapping crises continue to strain the capacity of countries to respond, introducing uncertainty and undermining longer-term investments in development priorities. Faced with this reality, UN DESA has supported countries by offering policy options for countries to address challenges, enhance resilience and put forward fresh ideas to solve our global problems.
Download Chapter 7 (PDF)
