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Globesight is proud to be joining the Action Coalition on Technology and Innovation for Gender Equality as a Commitment Maker. The partnership is part of the Generation Equality Fourm convened by UN Women and co-chaired by the Governments of France and Mexico. As part of Action Coalition 5, we aim to close the gender digital divide across generations and will work diligently towards creating opportunities for women and girls to use, lead & design tech & innovation with freedom & boundless potential. Globesight looks forward to working diligently with our peers to advance the Coalition’s agenda and push for women’s digital rights and inclusion, with the start of the Mobilize Millions initiative.

As part of our Commitment to GEF, the Mobilize Millions initiative is dedicated to eliminating the stark mobile phone gender gap across low and middle-income countries, specifically in South Asia where it is most prevalent. To that effect, Globesight hopes to mobilize the private sector and other key stakeholders around the mobile gender gap as well as for accelerating progress on the four core Actions determined by the Action Coalition.

The Generation Equality Forum is a catalytic moment for gender equality. Convened by UN Women and co-chaired by the Governments of France and Mexico, with the leadership and participation of youth and civil society, the Forum is a once-in-a-generation moment to advance global gender equality. By bringing together governments, corporations, and changemakers from around the world, the Forum can define concrete, ambitious and transformative actions to achieve immediate and irreversible progress towards gender equality.

At Globesight, we strongly support the Forum’s vision of achieving gender equality across the globe. We are proud for this opportunity to make a difference alongside UN Member States, civil society, women’s rights organizations, international organizations, UN agencies, philanthropic entities, youth-led organizations, and other private sector entities.

Read more: (https://forum.generationequality.org/home)

Globesight is pleased to support fresh meals and livelihoods for displaced and vulnerable Palestinian families and those unable to access food in Gaza due to the long-standing humanitarian crisis in partnership with World Central Kitchen (WCK) and Anera (American Near East Refugee Aid). 

Working with Anera in Gaza, World Central Kitchen, and others are serving more than 3,000 meals each day to families impacted in Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, Jabailya, and Gaza City. They are also working with the Cooperative Society for Savings and Lending (CSSL), a women’s cooperative and vocational training center, local farmers, and restaurants to deliver the meals. The Anera/WCK initiative supports and sustains up to 100 workers at the women’s cooperatives, farms and restaurants to deliver the meals. 

For more information and to support the initiative visit: anera.org/gaza-meals

As the world emerges – unevenly – from a once-in-a-century pandemic and an extended period of challenge, it is unclear as to what world will be waiting on the other side. In the face of this unknown, it is important to reiterate our core purpose and principles at Globesight. We believe in our power to drive the next level of impact. Yet, we are also convinced that more of the same is no longer possible in the impact sector. Our foremost commitment is to do things differently and express ourselves to achieve lasting impact in the long-term even if it brings forth constructive confrontation in the short term.

Read our Commitment Letter to our peers, partners, and friends, where Globesight’s President, Taufiq Rahim, speaks to the current state of the impact sector and what commitments we can all make to ensure we build a better – more just, more decent, more equal, and more inclusive – world.

Read the letter:

Our Commitment at Globesight

The first quarter of 2021 saw a significant spike in COVID-19 case numbers in South Asia, especially in its three most populous countries- India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. India has been the worst-affected, experiencing the world’s highest recorded single-day increase in cases for every consecutive day of the past week. Severe oxygen supply shortages, fully-occupied hospital and ICU beds, an explosion in critical cases, and low testing capacities came together to produce a situation where health systems across India are steadily crumbling, with reported case and death numbers thought to be vastly lower than true figures. The situation is particularly concerning given the sheer magnitude of vulnerable populations across the country and region, combined with the inadequate supply and slow roll-out of vaccinations. This ongoing spike is also likely to slow down India’s economic recovery, pushing more individuals of the near-1.4 bn population into poverty and distress.

Moderated by Globesight analyst Rika Kumar, the briefing provided an overview of the crisis in India, especially focusing on its specific drivers of the pandemic, and in particular why the second wave was so severe. The briefing covered the political, economic, and social challenges that India would face in the months ahead, and suggested specific ways to overcome the dire health crisis, focusing on how external actors could play their part in helping India meet upcoming challenges.

With GiveIndia as a key stakeholder in the on-ground COVID-19 response, Atul offered a comprehensive and candid overview of the situation, highlighting specifically the need to solve for the dire shortage of oxygen supply. He discussed the different needs for urban and rural areas, citing the housing crisis in urban-poor areas as well as the absence of healthcare infrastructure in rural areas that makes responding to the crisis even more difficult. 

The briefing further broke down the oxygen supply crisis plaguing India during this current wave of COVID-19. While medicinal capacity has run out, it is difficult to figure out the logistics to efficiently transform industrial capacity oxygen for use in time. the discussion highlighted that oxygen imports are slow to come in, given it is not easy to transport oxygen. As for the government’s response, Atul commended the central power’s quick action to suspend the GST tax on oxygen, making it relatively affordable. State governments that control healthcare in their specific constituencies are also responding quickly but the scale of the crisis is beyond existing capacity. On the role of those outside India, Atul emphasized the importance of responding to the crisis with whatever means and not being dismayed that the contribution is small in face of the problem at hand. The next six to ninth months will be crucial in India, but it is imperative to contain the wave before it spreads to other parts of the country. 

During the briefing, Globesight Executive Director Taufiq Rahim also announced a call to action for attendees to “step up with your partners, your friends, your colleagues, your organizations, to do that much more” and, in that light, announced Globesight’s contribution of $10,000 to GiveIndia to aid their oxygen supply fundraising efforts. He further emphasized, “we’re doing this not just to make a contribution, but to encourage our partners to join us.”

You can watch the briefing on our youtube channel here. 

During the Global Refugee Forum, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced the Clean Energy Challenge, a multi-stakeholder platform of more than 200 partners. As a core founding member of the Challenge, Globesight committed to mobilizing the private sector around the Challenge in a number of countries with significant refugee populations through high-level convenings. Turkey—home to the world’s largest refugee population—is the first country in which this process was initiated, leading to a roundtable convening in partnership with TÜRKONFED (Turkish Enterprise and Business Confederation), and with the support of the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI). 

This high-level, solutions-driven roundtable served as an opportunity for convening key players in the Turkish energy sector and beyond to discuss solutions and opportunities to elevate the Turkish private sector’s skills to work towards the development of clean energy within refugee settlements and host communities. The roundtable further explored the context of access to clean energy for displaced people in Turkey, discussed challenges and conditions to create a conducive environment, contemplated opportunities for collaboration, and reflected on solutions to advance and strengthen the role of the private sector in achieving the goals set out by the Clean Energy Challenge. The event provided a platform to amplify diverse voices across sectors in Turkey in order to inspire action and activate capacities and innovation to catalyze progress towards clean energy access in refugee settlements. Broadly the discussion also covered the current state of clean energy, refugees, and gender equality in Turkey, alongside the identification of challenges. The participants also explored the role of the private sector in helping to spur innovation and scale to ensure clean energy access, especially in displaced settings, and the role of collaboration and partnerships in amplifying projects.

The discussion also touched on the renewable energy sector where it is estimated that jobs will increase from over 10.3 million today to 29 million by 2050 worldwide. The share of renewables in the total installed energy capacity exceeds 51%, and with regards to total energy production, has increased from around 14% in 2002 to 36% today. Turkey has a strong renewable energy sector with prominent producers, investors, equipment manufacturers, a facilitative regulatory environment, and financing mechanisms. In the past, large power plants were owned by the state; that has gradually changed over time alongside privatization. Hence, private sector investments supported by strong incentives have had a key role to play in this trend, accounting for around 21% of the production increase.

Any initiative at the nexus of displacement, clean energy, and gender equality in Turkey will need to plan its partnerships, approach, and investments in a manner that accounts for not only the current needs of local communities, but also the future needs that may arise due to wider concerns such as population growth, conflicts, health crises, and socio-economic suffering. Clean energy is a crucial pillar in this respect and understanding where displacement flows will be concentrated in the near and long-term will be key to planning for the right investments and partnerships.

You can find the highlights and key findings from the roundtable in our Outcomes Report.

Globesight’s Virtual Conversation convened The Global Fund’s Head of Private Sector Engagement, John Fairhurst, and President and COO of (RED), Jennifer Lotito to discuss the role of the private sector in moving to a healthier post-pandemic world. As the world steps into 2021 and with the advent of successful treatments and vaccines,  the global conversation is shifting towards recovery, rebuilding, and resilience. Activating the capacities and innovative thinking of the private sector will be crucial to achieving a sustainable, holistic recovery in 2021, as well as building stronger health systems in the years to come. Moderated by Globesight’s Executive Director, Taufiq Rahim, the discussion explored how global health institutions, such as The Global Fund are approaching the changing response and looking to the future, as well as how the private sector can aid in maintaining the momentum and awareness of global health. 

Jennifer Lotito stressed the importance of a concerted global effort, explaining that, “The roll-out in ending COVID will be the biggest global health effort in the history of the world. That means that governments need to step up, and the private sector needs to step up.” 

For leaders in the UAE private sector, they will be at the forefront of that conversation, particularly as it relates to the  Middle East, South Asia, and East Africa. When it comes to domestic responses, John Fairhurst highlighted that, “the global response must invest in local resilience. The skill transfer, investment, and support for building the resilience of the domestic private sector is also very important to build world-class capabilities to address crises like COVID. The private  sector has an incredible role to play in building the private sectors in other countries.” As Jennifer Lotito concluded, “Until all of us are safe, none of us are safe.” 

Watch the full recording on our YouTube channel.

Amidst a global pandemic, world leaders convened virtually last week for the 75th Session of #UNGA. The High-Level Meetings have stressed the need for ‘transformative action’ and ‘solidarity’ for a world in crisis. Yet five years into the implementation of the 2030 Agenda we are further than ever from meeting the #SustainableDevelopmentGoals. The same ideas and institutions are simply not going to be enough. We need new thinking. We need new solutions.

We are announcing today a new platform, 2030.solutions/, that will provide a space to challenge existing assumptions and promote new solutions for a more just, equal, decent, and inclusive world. Incisive commentary will aim to provoke discussion and critical thinking to help ensure the world reaches the outcomes set out by the #SDGs by 2030.

Find out more at: 2030.solutions/ and join the conversation

In January 2020, the start of the United Nation’s 75th anniversary, Secretary-General António Guterres launched the world’s biggest conversation on building a better future for all. Guided by the vision of building greater solidarity around the world and the articulation of #TheWorldWeWant, the UN’s goal was to spark conversations, the UN75 dialogues, in diverse settings globally. From classrooms to boardrooms, parliaments to village halls, and ultimately on computer’s and mobile screens with the advent of COVID-19, global citizens exchanged their ideas on priorities for the future, obstacles to achieving them, and the role of international cooperation in making progress. As of late September, over a million people from all countries and all walks of life had already participated. Each dialogue presented a unique opportunity to encourage local action and build greater trust between groups and sectors. In a time of great disruption and uncertainty, as well as waning international cooperation, the UN sought to uncover shared priorities and outlooks for getting through the still-unfolding health crisis, and subsequent social and economic crises, together. 

In line with the UN75 vision, Globesight hosted a virtual dialogue, “Championing Gender Equality amidst a Pandemic: Catalyzing Innovative Solutions to Narrow a Widening Gap,” bringing together diverse international stakeholders to explore how women have been particularly impacted by the pandemic and what the world can do, as a global community, to respond. The international community needs to prioritize gender equality, and particularly local solutions that help to achieve it. Community-based solutions, funded and empowered by governments, international organizations, and the private sector, are the most effective ways of solving the most pressing problems the world is facing today. Local expertise and credibility go a long way, and thus international actors must tap into this wealth of knowledge and talent, especially during the pandemic, to help end gender inequality which has been seriously exacerbated in the past year. Given that women have been most negatively impacted by the pandemic, any efforts and initiatives must take a gendered lens at all stages to ensure the issue of gender inequality is not further exacerbated when responding to the pandemic in our economy, health, labor, education, financing, and other responses. 

Participants believed women will be better off in 2045 than they are today given that so many efforts across individuals, CSOs, private sector organizations, governments, multilateral organizations, and international organizations are working across so many different dimensions (e.g., education, health, finance, etc…) to help women succeed and achieve greater equality with their male peers. Gender inequality existed long before the pandemic, but COVID-19 has simply removed the veneer and is helping to move the conversation about gender equality into the mainstream.

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoT9y0InqaE

The devastating explosion in Lebanon’s capital killed at least 150 people, injured more than 5,000, and left hundreds and thousands of people homeless. The Lebanese people are left dealing with injuries, loss of loved ones, and damaged homes as they look towards rebuilding their lives. 

To help rescue efforts and support the strong people of Lebanon, Globesight supported the Global Aid for Lebanon Campaign, led by Global Citizen, which called on the global community to help the Lebanese people.

The campaign was kicked off by a $250,000 donation by Sal & Rima Slaiby, Sal being the manager of artists including The Weeknd, French Montana, and more. The campaign directed funds to Red Cross Lebanon, the United Nations World Food Programme, as well as the Children’s Cancer Center Lebanon (CCCL). 

Lebanon was already facing economic trouble before the August 4 explosion that destroyed the Port of Beirut, which handles 80% of the country’s imports, including food. The country has been experiencing high rates of unemployment, and COVID-19 further made day-to-day life for many a struggle. Human Rights Watch issued a report a week before the explosion warning of mass hunger across the country due to COVID-19.

As part of our commitment to the campaign, Globesight also called on its partners to join the campaign and help support the people of Lebanon during such trying times.

To read more about the campaign visit: https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/info/global-aid-lebanon/

Syria remains afflicted by violence and war. As the years have passed since the conflict began in 2011, the focus of conversation has recently turned to the issue of reconstruction of the country. While the United States, European Union, and most international organizations have largely refrained from any substantive support for reconstruction in Syria without a political transition, many other countries have begun to engage, with varying degrees of intensity, in coordination with the Syrian government. There is a growing lack of overlap between the needs of Syrians on the ground, and the priorities and engagement in reconstruction of not only the Syrian government, but also of these external actors who are now involved in these efforts.

The report puts forward a framework highlighting the priority needs of Syrians in reconstruction across four dimensions: livelihoods, housing, infrastructure, and services. These sectors are analyzed in terms of previous lessons learned in cases of post-conflict reconstruction, as well as the pre-conflict reality in Syria. The external priorities and engagement in Syria of Russia, Iran, China, Turkey, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and various additional actors are addressed in particular, according to the framework of needs.

Russia, Iran, and China are largely focused on infrastructure that they believe will be financially and politically beneficial for their countries, with a limited lens on the development needs of the local Syrian population. Iran has also focused on financially rewarding infrastructure while also investing in strategic locations in Syria aligned with its political priorities in the region. Turkey’s efforts have concentrated in areas in the north over which they have varying degrees of control, motivated in part to see the return of Syrian refugees. Other countries also have varying levels of involvement, albeit currently limited.

There is a need for overall reconstruction of Syria to be guided along a core set of principles that improve livelihoods, build sustainable infrastructure, provide affordable housing, and enhance services. Through this lens, national and international institutions and policymakers can engage with countries, whether informally or formally, to adjust their efforts where possible to better serve the development outcomes for the local population.

Read the full report: http://globesight.com/gs_reports/framework-for-engaging-external-actors-in-reconstruction-in-syria/