COVID-19 is like a rainstorm, a thunderous and powerful rainstorm all over the world. If we didn’t know before, we certainly know now just where the holes are in our roofs, or where there are no roofs. We see ever more clearly who is getting drenched and who is dying, and who remains dry.
By the end of 2020, COVID-19 had killed nearly 2 million people and left many millions more with lasting injury. It also led to larger crises in health, jobs, education, domestic violence, migration, and more. That’s a lot of fires to put out. But the United Nations is built to deal with many challenges at once.
In his first major speech of the year, the UN Secretary-General underlined the need for global cooperation to address today’s challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.
As the world wraps up 2020, we recognize the continued coordinated efforts of the UN teams worldwide. Today, we highlight some of the work taking place across the globe.
Clement Ejim, 33, already had a fulfilling career as a teacher in the school of health in the small town of Abuochiche, Nigeria. Then, about a year ago, he came across an opportunity to expand his work. Clement became part of the Spotlight Initiative.
We are facing a devastating pandemic, new heights of global heating, new lows of ecological degradation and new setbacks in our work towards global goals for more equitable, inclusive and sustainable development.
