Before the pandemic, progress was being made on the implementation of some important areas of the Sustainable Development Goals – including on reducing poverty; improving maternal and child health; increasing access to electricity; and advancing gender equality.

But more than a year since the start of the COVID-19 global pandemic, its devastating socio-economic impacts have threatened to eradicate years of development progress. Despite the challenges, the Report highlights the need to use the pandemic as a much-needed wake-up call to spur a decade of truly transformative action.

Latest Figures at a Glance: 

• Up to 124 million people have been pushed back into poverty in 2020.
• An equivalent of 255 million full-time jobs have been lost.
• Violence against women and girls has intensified and child marriage is expected to increase.
• Over 100 million additional children and youth lack minimum reading proficiency.
• Inequalities continue to worsen between and within countries.

According to the UN Population Fund, the COVID-19 pandemic has compromised health care systems particularly in the area of sexual and reproductive health. Today, an estimated 12 million women experienced disruptions to family planning services. It has also exposed and exacerbated gender-based inequities – gender-based violence, the risk of child marriage and female genital mutilation as programmes to abolish the harmful practices were disrupted. This World Population Day, the United Nations calls for efforts to prioritize reproductive health and the rights of all people.

This year’s World Youth Skills Day will again take place in a challenging context, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and with education and training systems yet to return to pre-crisis conditions. The United Nations will mark the day, celebrating the resilience and creativity of youth throughout the crisis. It will focus on how technical and vocational education and training (TVET) systems need to adapt to the changes brought about by the pandemic, participate in the recovery, and imagine priorities they should adopt for the post-COVID-19 world.

Nelson Mandela International Day celebrates and reflects on his life and legacy, focusing on his values and dedication to making this world a more peaceful and fairer place for everyone. On the day, people are encouraged to take action and inspire change by devoting time for community service – be it helping a neighbour or volunteering in a community garden or soup kitchen.

The UN General Assembly will mark the day with an event on 21 July, featuring remarks from the President of the General Assembly, UN Secretary-General and other officials.