Presentation of UNESCO’s e-platform on Intercultural Dialogue

UNESCO e-Platform on Intercultural Dialogue

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to welcome you to the presentation of UNESCO’s e-Platform on Intercultural Dialogue,an inte ractive hub for knowledge and engagement. This fantastic project was made possible thanks to the generous support and commitment of Azerbaijan.

Inequalities, discrimination and violence are ongoing global concerns that were reinforced by the Covid pandemic. 99% of the global population lost income and over 160 million people were forced into poverty. Among those, women and girls were the worst hit.

Together, we have to rebuild trust and understanding – we need to talk! Intercultural Dialogue can help find solutions and build back better.

Currently, 1.5 billion people live in countries where poverty, terrorism, conflicts and forced displacement are widespread, and where Intercultural Dialogue is failing. These countries also score 77% lower in gender equality rankings. In turn, in countries where Intercultural Dialogue thrives, communities remain more stable and gender equality is high on the agenda.

But our societies are also affected by rapid technological developments. Digital technologies both have the power to bring us together and push us apart.

Collaboration and dialogue are, therefore, critical for fair, diverse and secure societies!

This is why we developed the e-Platform on Intercultural Dialogue: to provide resources and share knowledge to confront inequalities. The platform is driven by two objectives:

1. To promote good practices such as publications, artistic expressions or training material; and,
2. To promote knowledge-sharing and collaborative opportunities between stakeholders working in different areas where intercultural dialogue is key, such as youth, women’s empowerment, migration and the inclusion of marginalized groups.

Linked to the e-platform are the Intercultural Dialogue Talks that showcase powerful personal stories of how cross-cultural understanding is helping societies to tackle challenges more effectively.

Last September, we launched the data-led Policy Framework for Intercultural Dialogue. Through the data we produced for nearly 160 countries, we are now equipped with the knowledge needed to inform better policies to strengthen support for Intercultural Dialogue.

We have also developed intercultural competencies and capacities for social inclusion through our Story Circles project, and through the Art-Lab for Dialogue and Human Rights which invests in arts practice in processes of memory and reconciliation.

We will soon launch an initiative in Poland in collaboration with the IOM for women and youth on the move from Ukraine.

Finally, I would like to inform you that intercultural dialogue will be promoted through the second edition of the Global Forum against Racism and Discrimination, to be held in Mexico City on 28-29 November. It will provide a unique space for dialogue among stakeholders against racism and discrimination with a focus on the most vulnerable populations in the context of the global pandemic. On that occasion, we will launch a “Writers against Racism” network to leverage the power of literature and issue an outcome document for Member States with concrete recommendations.

I would like to conclude by thanking again Azerbaijan and Ambassador Elman Abdullayev for their support, which, I hope, will extend to future collaboration.

Thank you.

World Philosophy Day

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Every year, UNESCO celebrates World Philosophy Day and becomes a platform for philosophical reflection and debate.

I am convinced that philosophy makes an essential contribution to human well-being and is key to promoting a peaceful future.

This year’s edition is more than just critical, as it takes place in a period marked by health, environmental, economic and political crises.

Recent events have shaken the world and shown us that nothing is stable, constant or certain. In this ever-changing world, it is important to raise critical questions and to remain curious; this is what philosophy is all about.

One of the tragedies of our time is that we have given less and less space to the humanities.

Bruno Latour, a great anthropologist and philosopher, who sadly passed away this year, once said: “Change the instruments and you change the whole social theory that goes with it.”

Realizing that philosophy can improve decision-making can be a first step to changing the way we approach the world.

It is a multidisciplinary discipline that helps us to reflect on issues of great importance for the future of humanity such as gender, ecology, the ethics of artificial intelligence – and so many others.

This year, we worked in close collaboration with Le Fresnoy – Studio national des arts contemporains to deliberate on the future of humanity in light of the technological and scientific advances we are facing and the evolution of our lifestyles.

World Philosophy Day 2022 will ask philosophers, artists and scientists two simple questions: What do we call human today?

What will we continue to call human, given the obvious historical evolution of this concept and our uncertain future?

As the United Nations’ laboratory of ideas, UNESCO is well-placed to address the subject of humanity’s future.

Whether you are a scholar or not, World Philosophy Day is the starting point to discuss the ethical dilemmas of the present, and establish the foundations for a fairer and a more human-centred future.

On 16, 17 and 18 November join us at UNESCO Headquarter, Paris or online!

Digital Anthropology – Open Design Challenge

Hello, I am Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences at UNESCO.

According to the Web Foundation, globally, half of all young women have experienced some form of abuse online. This abuse includes threatening messages, sexual harassment, and the sharing of private images without their consent.

Ending all forms of gender-based discrimination and violence is a priority for UNESCO. For this reason, we support scientific innovations that bring us closer to achieving this goal.

During the next 72 hours, you are called on to create methods and technological innovations to prevent, alert, stop and, ultimately, understand the cultural and social causes of online discrimination and violence – in order to take action against them.

We have great hope in the community we have gathered together today. We trust in its capacities and the possibilities opened up by the collaboration of like-minded and forward-thinking researchers and practitioners from different disciplines and countries.

Also, with the LiiV Center, we believe in the value of anthropological perspectives to face this, as well as other global challenges. In the challenge we will be addressing this weekend, digital anthropology has a long tradition of analysing human communication in depth, and unravelling the rituals, shared beliefs and identities underlying the behaviours and discourses we see online.

The event we are launching today is part of a larger project to increase the influence of digital anthropology in building fair, inclusive and ethical societies, to which you are also contributing.

The ideas you propose will be studied and evaluated to become part of a toolkit of innovations we will offer on an open-sourced platform to be used by students and inspire new approaches to global social problems.

This event is the first of, hopefully, many encounters that will allow us to continue to develop and expand this toolkit so it becomes a valuable and sustainable research resource over time.

I would like to thank you for giving your time and talent to create collective knowledge. With your help, we can make digital anthropology a force for good that will drive real and lasting change in an increasingly digital world.

Together, I am sure that we can produce meaningful change. 

MONDIACULT 2022: Artes para la Dignidad, la Justicia y la Paz

Me complace mucho darles la bienvenida al evento “Artes para la Dignidad, la Justicia y la Paz” de la edición de 2022 de MondiaCult en México, organizado por la UNESCO junto a la Oficina del Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos.

Quiero felicitar a Alejandra Frausto, Ministra de Cultura del Gobierno de México, por la celebración de MondiaCult 2022 y por brindarnos la oportunidad de organizar este evento.

Permítanme también saludar calurosamente a Alexandra Xanthaki y Maria Rosario Jackson, quienes compartirán su experiencia y su compromiso con la cultura a partir de un enfoque basado en las comunidades locales, la diversidad cultural y el papel de las artes en el desarrollo social.

“Artes para la Dignidad, la Justicia y la Paz” es también el título de la propuesta de proyecto de la ONU – cuya implementación ha sido confiado a la UNESCO por el Secretario General de Naciones Unidas, António Guterres. Este plan se basa en el enfoque y los logros del programa Art-Lab de la UNESCO para los Derechos Humanos y el Diálogo.

El programa Art-Lab para los Derechos Humanos y el Diálogo de la UNESCO nació de una amarga observación. Si bien el poder transformador de las artes se ha documentado durante más de un milenio, la práctica artística todavía no se ha incorporado de forma generalizada en los procesos de desarrollo.

Sin embargo, las artes desempeñan un papel clave a la hora de propiciar las transformaciones necesarias que nos lleven hacia un desarrollo sustentable. Participar en actividades musicales, teatrales o de danza, por ejemplo, contribuye a reforzar la confianza, la esperanza en el futuro, la autoconciencia, el cuidado de los demás y el sentimiento de reconocimiento social y personal. Además, contribuye al diálogo intercultural y a la lucha contra los prejuicios entre grupos sociales. En definitiva, reúne a las personas en el respeto de la diversidad y reintegra a las comunidades que han quedado atrás.

La práctica artística sostenida trae cambios hormonales y alivio del estrés asociado, paz emocional y resultados de aprendizaje. Para los músicos y los bailarines, incluso trae cambios estructurales a sus cerebros y habilidades superiores en la expresión y comprensión de la emoción.

Permítanme darles este ejemplo verdaderamente llamativo: Después de tres semanas de un taller de baile con refugiados en la República Democrática del Congo en el año 2018, los hombres del Campamento Mole abandonaron las armas y la violencia de género y sexual disminuyó del 76% al 16%.

Las artes ayudan a crear cohesión social y a apoyar la resolución de conflictos mediante el desarrollo de aptitudes cognitivas, emocionales y sociales para abordar los conflictos de manera constructiva.

En este contexto, nosotros, en el Sector de Ciencias Sociales y Humanas de la UNESCO, hemos decidido que esas historias de éxito no se conviertan en elementos irregulares de la programación del desarrollo, sino que trabajamos para que sean parte integrante de una estrategia real para el desarrollo sostenible.

En febrero de 2020, junto con la Oficina del Alto Comisionado para los Derechos Humanos, establecimos una Plataforma integrada por “artivistas” para apoyarnos y asesorarnos en este viaje. Son profesionales, trabajadores humanitarios, artistas, expertos en derechos humanos y culturales y en el diálogo intercultural.

Sobre la base de las recomendaciones presentadas en diciembre de 2020 de un ejercicio de cartografía de ocho meses de duración, ahora estamos trabajando en lo siguiente:

1. La elaboración de un “Marco para las prácticas artísticas éticas en apoyo de los derechos humanos y la dignidad”, que se publicará junto con la Oficina del Alto Comisionado para los Derechos Humanos (ACNUDH) para 2023. Este marco detalla los principios éticos necesarios para apoyar los derechos culturales que conduzcan a la inclusión social, ilustrados por intervenciones artísticas recientemente documentadas. Estamos convencidos que este enfoque será ampliamente adoptado por nuestros colegas que trabajan sobre el terreno, además de muchos operadores socioculturales.
   1. Paralelamente, nuestra “Art-Lab Fabrique” promueve talleres de co-creación en el diseño de políticas inclusivas involucrando a las poblaciones en riesgo en intervenciones artísticas para la cohesión social y los procesos de reconciliación. La Fabrique comenzó en Camerún en 2021, con la comunidad albina y pueblos indígenas. En 2022 en Chad con refugiados, antiguos integrantes de BokoHaram y con mujeres afectadas por la violencia doméstica. Y ya estamos trabajando para que pronto se realice otro taller en Polonia con mujeres y jóvenes en situación migratoria que huyen de Ucrania en colaboración con la OIM.
   1. Finalmente, nuestro “Observatorio de Arte-Laboratorio” trazas prácticas artísticas en torno a la palabra, para el avance de los derechos humanos. Hemos desarrollado un prototipo para una exposición interactiva que también apoyará a los trabajadores socioculturales y a los responsables políticos en esta importante labor!    

Señoras y señores:

Los dos últimos años han planteado muchos desafíos en nuestra vida diaria. La pandemia ha sido disruptiva para todos, para el arte, para las mujeres, los jóvenes, para la sociedad en general, y traído el recrudecimiento de la violencia, particularmente contra las mujeres, y el incremento del racismo.

El evento de hoy es un testimonio de resistencia y esperanza ante tales desafíos para construir sociedades justas, inclusivas y resilientes que nos beneficien a todos. A esto añado el Foro mundial contra el racismo, Mentalidades y la ruta de las personas esclavizadas.

A través del poder catártico de distintas expresiones artísticas, nuestro objetivo es transformar los caminos personales y las realidades locales, mientras que fomentamos nuevos patrones para un futuro más inclusivo.

Finalmente, quiero agradecer su presencia en este foro a nuestros “artivistas” mexicanos. A través de sus testimonios únicos, tendremos la oportunidad de conectar con el poderoso impacto de sus actividades artísticas a la justicia social. De hecho, asociaciones como Batallones Femeninos, Grupo in Situ, Colectivo Plan Acalli y la Escuela de artes escénicas y zancos no solo abordan la opinión pública sobre cuestiones sociales críticas como la violencia de género; las mujeres y los jóvenes encarcelados; personas en situación de vulnerabilidad que viven en barrios marginales; o los derechos de uso de la tierra para la protección de la “cosmovisión chinampera”. También involucran a los “marginados” por la sociedad en actividades artísticas, respetando su patrimonio cultural, incluidas las técnicas agrícolas indígenas, y contribuyendo así al reconocimiento de sus derechos y a su reintegración social en igualdad de derechos y dignidad.

¡Merecen nuestro apoyo y nuestra atención! ¡Escuchémoslas!   

¡Muchas gracias!

Ceremony of the Avant-garde Painting Exhibition of Works from the National State Museum of Arts of Karakalpakistan, Uzbekistan

Ambassador Shadiev,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a pleasure to address you today at the opening ceremony of this exciting avant-garde exhibition from the Savitsky collection of the State Museum of Arts of Karakalpakistan in Uzbekistan.

As you may know, the works displayed here are just a small selection of what is a vast and unique collection of Central Asian avant-garde art, collected on the initiative of the great artist Igor Vitalievich Savitsky. Moreover, the museum from which these works originate is home to one of the largest general art and artefact collections in Central Asia, with approximately 100,000 items spanning more than four millennia of human history.

We are very fortunate to see it displayed here in Paris at UNESCO Headquarters. I think today, contemporary artists and art enthusiasts alike continue to draw considerable creative inspiration from the avant-garde movement of the 20^th century and especially the avant-garde of the 1920s and 30s.   

I think this collection also represents the rich culture and heritage of Central Asia that has been forged and developed through the centuries of dialogue and encounters along the Silk Roads. It testifies also the long-lasting important role that Central Asia has played in cultural, scientific and commercial exchanges between the East and the West.

Thus, it is a pleasure for me that the Social and Human Sciences Sector has contributed to the promotion of the rich heritage and historic importance of the region through two major initiatives: the ‘History of Civilizations of Central Asia’; and the Silk Roads Programme.

Dear friends,

I am also delighted that this exhibition commemorates the first anniversary of the Khiva Declaration – developed during the international forum ‘Central Asia, Crossroad of the Worlds Civilization’ in September 2021, held in Khiva, Uzbekistan.

As you might be aware, this declaration paved the way for the launch of the Khiva Process, which aims to facilitate policy dialogue for equitable and inclusive societies in Central Asia. I am very pleased that the Social and Human Sciences Sector is the leading sector for assisting the Government of Uzbekistan in the implementation of this initiative, through a number of programmes including the Silk Roads, Intercultural Dialogue, Anti-Racism, Youth and Sports.

I would like to extend my gratitude to the Government of Uzbekistan and to my colleagues in the UNESCO Office in Tashkent for organising this wonderful exhibition.

I look forward to extending our collaboration with them within the context of the Khiva Process.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I hope you enjoy this wonderful collection of avant-garde art and thank you for your attention.

L’Appel pour l’Égalité : « Tout.es mobilisé.es pour l’égalité des rêves »

Madame la Ministre,

Mesdames et Messieurs,

Bienvenue ! C’est un plaisir de vous accueillir aujourd’hui à l’UNESCO.

J’aimerais remercier Gwenaelle et Valérie, fondatrices du Think Tank Marie Claire « Agir pour l’égalité » pour l’organisation de cette journée en partenariat avec l’UNESCO.

J’aimerais également remercier Madame la Ministre Isabelle Rome, chargée de l’Egalité entre les femmes et les hommes, de la Diversité et de l’Egalité des chances.

Vous avez du remarquer, en venant jusqu’ici, de nombreux Ambassadeurs et Délégués permanents auprès de l’UNESCO.

Nous sommes actuellement au cœur de la 215ème session du Conseil exécutif de notre Organisation et c’est la raison pour laquelle, exceptionnellement, cet événement ne se tient pas en salle I mais en salle XII.

Vous le savez, cette réunion annuelle est l’occasion de faire le point sur nos avancées et nos défis pour faire progresser l’égalité.

Malheureusement, elle semble encore loin devant nous.

L’année dernière, je disais déjà que la pandémie de COVID-19 était un signal d’alarme pour revoir et transformer nos sociétés. Même si la crise n’a pas créé les inégalités, elle les a accentuées et aggravées. Un an plus tard, nous devons poursuivre nos efforts.

Un exemple flagrant est l’inégale distribution des vaccins à travers le monde.

D’un point de vue économique, l’écart entre les plus riches et les plus pauvres s’est encore creusé.

573 nouvelles personnes sont devenues milliardaires durant la pandémie.

Pendant ce temps-là, 263 millions de personnes supplémentaires sont en train de tomber dans l’extrême pauvreté.

Notre sujet aujourd’hui est avant tout la question de l’égalité entre les femmes et les hommes. Vous savez comme moi que les femmes ont été touchées les premières, et le plus fortement, par les crises actuelles.

Elles ont été en première ligne de la lutte contre la pandémie en occupant 67% du personnel soignant dans le monde – tout en gagnant 24% de moins que les hommes en moyenne.  

Elles sont surreprésentées dans les emplois essentiels faiblement rémunérés qui sont aussi les plus touchés.

Un tiers des femmes ayant perdu leur emploi en 2020 travaillent normalement à nouveau en 2022 – c’est beaucoup moins que les hommes, pour qui 40% ont retrouvé un emploi.

Plus de 47 millions de femmes ont plongé dans la pauvreté parce qu’elles manquaient de moyens financiers pour résister aux chocs.

Ce n’est pas étonnant quand on sait qu’en France, 82% des parents isolés sont des femmes, et que 36% des familles monoparentales vivent sous le seuil de pauvreté.

L’insécurité touche aussi inégalement les femmes âgées. À la retraite, la pension mensuelle des femmes est inférieure de plus de 400 euros à celle des hommes en moyenne.

En cette période d’inflation exponentielle, ce sont les femmes qui sont les plus à risque.

Les politiques de relance mises en place n’ont pas été suffisamment inclusives.

Parmi toutes les mesures de travail et de protection sociale mises en place dans le monde, seulement 12% visaient la sécurité économique des femmes, et à peine 7% soutenaient le travail domestique et les soins non rémunérés.

Nous ne pouvons pas non plus ignorer la question des violences contre les femmes qui elles aussi ont augmenté, et ce malgré le mouvement #MeToo.

Les études sur la “pandémie de l’ombre” révèlent qu’une femme sur deux a subi des violences directes ou indirectes depuis 2020.

En France, on compte un viol ou une tentative de viol toutes les 6 minutes.

C’est sans compter les zones de conflit du monde entier qui menacent quotidiennement les droits des femmes et des filles, comme en Ukraine, en Afghanistan ou au Burkina Faso.

Au-delà de leur survie, cela touche particulièrement la santé des femmes. Partout dans le monde leur santé mentale et physique s’est dégradée.

Nous pourrions placer notre confiance dans les générations futures et nous dire qu’elles feront le reste du chemin, mais nous savons que 11 millions de filles risquent de ne jamais retourner à l’école.

Cela aura des conséquences irréversibles sur leurs carrières, leur liberté personnelle et leur estime de soi.

Il faut œuvrer tout de suite et maintenant pour lutter contre ces retours en arrière.

Plus que jamais aujourd’hui l’UNESCO continue d’alerter sur la nécessité de placer l’égalité des genres au centre de tous nos projets.

Nous devons agir dans la sphère publique et privée, au travail et à la maison, dans le cadre de nos fonctions professionnelles et auprès de nos proches, pour faire progresser les droits des femmes et changer les mentalités.

Nous devons aussi mettre en place des systèmes de protection sociale sensibles au genre.

Nous devons garantir un salaire égal pour un travail égal, une répartition équitable du travail non-rémunéré et des responsabilités familiales, qu’il s’agisse des tâches ménagères à l’éducation et au soin des enfants.

Nous devons adopter des politiques favorables à un équilibre entre vie professionnelle et vie familiale au moyen de congés parentaux équilibrés et d’accès abordable à des structures de garde d’enfants.

Si nous voulons obtenir un réel changement, nous devons aller l’essentiel et lutter contre la stagnation voire la régression des droits des femmes.

Partout dans le monde nous observons des femmes exemplaires et courageuses se battre pour les droits qu’on menace de leur retirer, ou qu’on leur a déjà retirés. Nous devons les soutenir, les encourager.

Les programmes de l’UNESCO soutiennent les femmes dans leurs ambitions – en promouvant une éducation de qualité dès le plus jeune âge, mais aussi en démystifiant les stéréotypes sexistes et normes sociales de genre.

Notre projet “Fit for Life” par exemple participe à l’autonomisation des femmes via le sport, qui est un outil connu pour favoriser le bien-être et la confiance en soi.

Notre projet “Women 4 Ethical Artificial Intelligence” vise à faire progresser l’égalité des genres dans le domaine de l’intelligence artificielle.

Notre initiative “Transformer les MEN’talités” met en avant le rôle des hommes et des garçons dans la lutte contre les normes de masculinité toxiques, les inégalités et les violences.

Enfin nous avons joint nos forces à celles de l’IOM pour développer un projet “Art-Lab” en Pologne pour offrir aux femmes et  jeunes réfugiés une plateforme artistique pour renforcer leur résilience.

Cet événement aujourd’hui est l’occasion de nous recentrer sur nos objectifs communs, de la mise en place de politiques innovantes pour les droits des femmes à l’engagement de toutes et de tous pour les atteindre.

Ces objectifs ambitieux seront au cœur de chacun des panels, et j’ai désormais le plaisir de laisser la parole aux organisatrices, Gwenaelle et Valérie, qui pourront vous en dire davantage avant l’élocution de Madame la Ministre.

Merci.

“Arabic Language, Beyond the Legacy”

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you on behalf of UNESCO to this special event celebrating Arabic language’s legacy, present and future.

By its very Constitution UNESCO has great responsibilities in the field of enhancing multilingualism and building intercultural dialogue. And with these responsibilities comes the privilege of surrounding ourselves, as we have done today, with experts and expert advice.

Arabic may be seen as a tool for communication, but as you all know, it is much more than that. As a UNESCO report rightfully states “Arabic language is a gateway to knowledge”; I would add that it is a gateway to understanding the other.

Indeed, Arabic plays a major role in promoting social cohesion, knowledge production and spreading the values of peace and mutual understanding. These benefits may be hard to quantify, but their impact is immeasurable, and they are essential for all societies today.

This December, UNESCO will mark the 10^th anniversary of the celebration of World Arabic Language Day. We will commemorate the centuries of priceless knowledge brought to us thanks to Arabic; the pioneering discoveries made in Arabic; and the culture, the music, the traditions and values transmitted to the world through this beautiful language.

It is, however, not enough to simply preserve the legacy of Arabic. I believe that we can all agree that this legacy must be an inspiration for us to build a more resilient and peaceful future.

Moreover, we should look for the right tools to address the challenges and create opportunities for Arabic to be of greater service to humanity.

For example, the age of digital communication has opened up opportunities for quick and easy access to information, but it also presents many challenges to preserving multilingualism. This is why UNESCO has launched initiatives such as the Arabic Chapter of UNESCO’s Atlas of Languages, and spares no effort in promoting Arabic on all its online platforms.

Moreover, re-thinking the role of Arabic can be a valuable asset in our efforts to achieve quality and inclusive education for all. In fact, as UNESCO’s latest report on inclusive education in the Arab Region has shown, strengthening educational systems and building positive collaboration can provide a pathway to educational excellence.

In addition, UNESCO endeavours to explore creativity in the Arab region, particularly by gauging the influence of Arabic, specifically among young people. Our recent study on that topic has confirmed the unifying force of the Arabic language, the numerous ways in which it sustains the cultural landscape and the potential which it represents in the region.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today is a very special day, as 24October marks United Nations Day. And as part of the UN family, UNESCO is proud to say that, together with the Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Foundation, we have achieved great results in strengthening Arabic,  thereby reinforcing global dialogue.

In conclusion, allow me to thank our host, the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences in Rabat, as well as the National Commission of Morocco, all UNESCO teams and, of course, our, I may say, our great friends, at the Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Foundation, for making this event possible.

I thank you for your attention.

Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipation (GESDA) Summit: Panel on Reviving the Human Right to Science

I am delighted to contribute to your deliberations on Reviving the Right to Science, and would like to thank GESDA for the invitation.

Let me start with the good news. Today, we have a stronger normative framework, and we are proud of the central role of UNESCO instruments in expanding protection. Our 2017 Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers pushes us to go beyond economic growth to share scientific benefits with society’s most marginalized segments – and all that in an environment where scientists can work without interference. Our 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence aims to “crack the algorithm” for greater equality and social justice in AI technology, with gender equality featuring prominently. Moreover, we have more robust operational guidance and a fast-expanding literature.

And yet, despite the extraordinary progress, we are far from being able to consider the right revived. Many of the new and persisting challenges in this field are human rights issues. For instance:  

• Scientific freedom faces increasing obstacles, with 332 attacks on higher education documented in 2021 alone by Scholars at Risk.
• Access to scientific benefits remains highly unequal. As of this April: 71.93% of people living in high-income countries had been vaccinated against COVID-19 with at least one dose – compared to only 15.21% in low-income countries.
• The Internet divide persists, impacting on access to vital information. 96% of the 2.9 billion people who do not have Internet access live in developing countries.
• Gender disparities remain deeply rooted. Women are significantly underrepresented: with 28% in the STEM community and only 22 % in AI. Leadership positions are particularly hard to reach for women.

So, we need to move more decisively towards implementation, building on the positive momentum that I described.

In particular:

• We need to strengthen monitoring and implementation. At UNESCO, we promote a better understanding of scientific freedom to generate operational guidance and also advance the issue in UN mechanisms. Also, we are developing a comprehensive indicators framework to support the implementation of our 2017 Recommendation.
• We should do our utmost to raise the profile of this right – and cutting-edge content is critical. Just this week, we launched the first ever Massive Open Online Course on Science and Human Rights, that I would invite you to explore and disseminate.
• We absolutely must redress gender inequalities. Hence our new project “Women 4 Ethical AI”, which addresses inequalities of access, representation and leadership in AI development and use; it also counters gender biases and prejudices in AI datasets.
• Finally, we must expand alliances. We need the human rights community to embrace the right to science, as it has done with all other rights; and we need the scientific community to open up to the world of legal obligations and entitlements.

UNESCO is keen to work with you to create bridges and take this agenda forward.   

Thank you!

STRENGTHENING STI FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA

HIGH LEVEL MINISTERIAL FORUM ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STI4SDGS ROAD MAP AND 2017 UNESCO RECOMMENDATION ON SCIENCE AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCHERS FOR THE ECOWAS SUB-REGION

Excellencies, Distinguished representatives,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

UNESCO is strongly committed to strengthening rights-based STI systems for sustainable development in Africa, and contributes to the collaborative UN efforts to promote STI for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

UNESCO’s approach is to foster science, technology and innovation that aim to increase productivity and growth, measured by material well-being, and to serve the broader purpose of more inclusive and sustainable societies in the spirit of the SDGs.

This requires a rights-based approach to the science and technology framework, including through the promotion of science for evidence-informed decision-making in the public and private sectors; the protection of scientific freedom; and by ensuring that the benefits of science are widely shared.

Areas in need of improvement include scientific freedom, with 332 attacks on higher education staff documented in 2021 alone by Scholars at Risk; gender equality, with only 28% of the STEM community being women; and equal access to scientific benefits, with 71.93% of people in high income countries bring vaccinated against COVID-19, compared to only 15.21% in low-income countries (as of April 20, 2022).

Thanks to the generous support from the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), UNESCO has been helping six African countries design or reframe their STI policies and governance in accordance with its 2017 Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers.

UNESCO has also collaborated with UN agencies as part of the UN Technology Facilitation Mechanism to support countries in developing STI for SDGs Roadmaps, and I commend the Government of Ghana for finalising their “STI for SDGs Roadmap” and for promoting this initiative in the sub-region. This was an essential step for embracing the principles of the UNESCO science recommendation.

The 2017 Recommendation offers a normative and monitoring framework for well-functioning, rights-based national STI systems and provides a vision of how science can be mobilized for a better world.

Working closely on a pilot with Ministries of Science and other key stakeholders in Ghana, Congo, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, it has been demonstrated how STI systems can become agents of transformation for sustainable development. We are exploring how this initiative can be further built on and expanded to benefit more countries.

To illustrate this, following assessments of the national STI systems and capacity-building provided by UNESCO, several pilot countries have revised or drafted new and inclusive STI policies and implementation plans focusing on gender equality or the science-society interface through the inclusion of indigenous peoples and open science.

Studies on scientific freedom are also ongoing, including in two countries from the ECOWAS region involving experts from the Institute of Statistical, Social, and Economic Research in Ghana and the National Commission for Social Action in Sierra Leone. Their reports will identify common trends, challenges and gaps and formulate recommendations for the benefit of other countries.

UNESCO is, moreover, improving the online Global Observatory of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Instruments, the GO-SPIN platform. It includes information on STI policies, legal frameworks and instruments in 90 developing countries. It also categorizes policy and legal instruments by key area of the Recommendation and features 12 national African reports.

Finally, UNESCO has reached out to regional partners, such as UNECA at the Africa Regional STI Forum in Kigali, and the African Union to further garner interest. Warm thanks go to the Ghanaian Government for its support in raising awareness, including at the Ghana Science Day on the margins of the UN General Assembly, and today at this event.

UNESCO hopes to expand this project in Africa to further take national and regional measures to implement the 2017 Recommendation to achieve the SDGs, but we cannot do it alone. We need strong regional partners such as ECOWAS to sensitize their Member States and encourage them to work together.

That is why I appreciate today’s meeting, which aims to identify realistic mechanisms for collaborations; create a strong commitment at ministerial level; and strengthen regional partnerships and investments in science, technology and innovation.

Given our shared vision for science in Africa, I hope you will think of UNESCO as a key partner in the region. Together, we can harness the potential of STI to build a strong, resilient and prosperous Africa for today and tomorrow.

Thank you for your commitment.

Meeting of the MOST Bureau

Good afternoon, and welcome to this meeting of the Bureau of the MOST Programme.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Professor Head for his very inspiring presentation earlier because it highlighted the extent to which solving wicked problems requires much more than policy improvements,; it requires hard work, collaboration and resilience, and most of all, finding ways to harness socio-economic and ecological perspectives altogether.

At this very time last year, I mentioned here that we could not ignore the many warnings we have been given regarding the loss of social cohesion and the increasing divisions fuelling distress, including negative political outcomes.

In reality, facts have spoken for themselves:

The pandemic is leaving us a legacy of rising poverty and widening inequality – with the world economy left in a fragile state. Today 60% of workers have lower real incomes than before the pandemic; 60% of the poorest countries are in debt distress – or at high risk of it – and developing countries are  $1.2 trillion short per year to fill the social protection gap.

But I have mentioned that, in a time for bold changes, to stay relevant and effective the new MOST Strategy had to reflect this new reality.

This is exactly what we have started to do with an intense workplan in this first semester, planned to support Member States in their ambitions for new social contracts, and inclusive and resilient societies. For example, the MOST programme has delivered a range of activities focused on contemporary policy design in 49 countries, from all regions 12 of which are in Africa and 19 are SIDS.

Furthermore, SHS activities in the Field have played a key role in producing the substantive deliverables of the MOST programme. For instance, in the revised Action Plan for July 2022- March 2023, the Field is responsible for 47% of research deliverables; 17% of events; and 28% of publications.

However, given the critical nature of contemporary global challenges and the need for greater development of knowledge and ideas as a common good, Member States and the Secretariat of MOST need to further strengthen their collaboration to attain sustainable outcomes.

In that sense, we are currently developing a new initiative, the “MOST Thought Leadership Programme” to partner and advance joint knowledge with individuals and institutions working in the social and human sciences. The idea is to engage with them in activities of the MOST Programme and address, together, current challenges affecting our societies, (i.e., inequalities, climate change, demographic trends, digital transformation…)

The world is at the crossroads of cooperation or confrontation, and building trust in multilateralism is showing that it can deliver tangible improvements in people’s lives and well-being which our economic model has failed to deliver.

In that vein, MOST has successfully partnered with leading organizations to deliver cutting-edge research in this field during this challenging period. For example, our partnership with La Caixa Foundation (Spain) is focused on challenging the equality-efficiency trade-off of analytical models for public policymaking,
and will enable us to find more effective solutions on our way forward.

Similarly, our partnership with the LiIV Centre is delivering new thinking about the role of social and human sciences in the digital world, especially digital anthropology.

In conclusion, I would like to say how important it is for members of the Bureau and the IGC to participate in highlighting the relevance of MOST, taking advantage that the forthcoming 215th session of the Executive Board of UNESCO that will examine for approval the Comprehensive Strategy of MOST 2022-2029.

Dear participants, I do not want to take up any more of your time, and wish you fruitful exchanges. Again, a very warm welcome to every one of you for being here with us today.

Thank you.

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Dear all,

The world has spent many decades investing in frameworks for economies, businesses and wealth that assume that ‘Homo economicus’ will simply survive; thus, ignoring the creation of inequalities that devalue people and diversity.

In MOST, aware that our current traditional policy frameworks may not be able to deal with larger and deeper inequalities, we are focusing on tackling inequalities with a pre-distributional approach and innovative frameworks that question the underpinning of analytical models through “out of the box” thinking.

Moreover, in MOST we are also looking at social science and humanities, as they have much to offer by being also the key to unlocking solutions to some of the world’s greatest challenges.

To achieve our full potential, and provide the most human-centred approach, we need a world with greater interdisciplinarity, pluralist approaches and a better appreciation of heterogeneous outcomes – that is also the philosophy behind MOST. 

Let me very briefly express my sincere appreciation to Ms Khimulu, who has been working hard this year to guide MOST in designing a strategy striving for excellence, creating new value, and reflecting on increasing its international visibility.

I would also like to take the opportunity to congratulate the Bureau for its hard work, and invite all its members to work closely with the secretariat in the preparation of the 16th Ordinary Session of the Intergovernmental Council of MOST – which will take place next 18-19 April.

Finally, let me also remind you all that MOST will also present a report to the next General Conference, in November 2023.

Thank you.