LWO SIBS Seminar – Mr Stephen Pursey

Title:  Social Inequality and the UNSDGs: Global Trends, Prospects and Consequences

Date: Wednesday 7th June 2023

Time: 14:00-15:30

Location:  NUBS.1.04

Guest Speaker: Stephen Pursey

Abstract

The pace of social change has accelerated over the past thirty years all around the world improving well-being but leaving too many behind. Income inequalities have widened in many countries heightening social and political tensions. The drive towards gender equality has slowed. Those suffering from multiple forms of discrimination and disadvantage are often left the furthest behind.  The paper aims to take stock of trends in social inequality since around 2000 and prospects for the future. It concludes with an assessment of the consequences of the likelihood that inequalities will remain wide. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), set in 2015 with a target date of 2030, are used to benchmark progress and regress. While focussing on social inequalities, the paper offers an integrated approach highlighting interconnections between the social, economic and environmental pillars of the 2030 Agenda and the importance of mutually supportive policies.

Speaker Biography

Stephen Pursey worked for the International Labour Organization from 1999 to his retirement in 2017, serving as senior policy adviser in the Cabinet of the Director-General. Amongst the issues he has worked on are international policy coherence, sustainable development, the impact of globalization on poverty reduction and decent work, measuring decent work, multinational enterprises and social policy, freedom of association and the right to bargain collectively, and trade and investment issues. Since retiring from the ILO he has undertaken several consultancy projects on international economic and social policy issues as well as becoming a Visiting Fellow Newcastle University Business School.

If you would like to attend please register using the following link:

Social Inequality and the UNSDGs: Global Trends, Prospects and Consequences