UN urges greater social inclusion amid rapid change

UNITED NATIONS (ANTARA) — A report released by the United Nations (UN) on Thursday (15 October) urged all parties to strengthen social inclusion amid rapid economic, digital and energy changes that could leave billions of people behind.

The World Social Report 2026, launched by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, warned that billions of people still lack access to the jobs, skills, services and protection they need to benefit from these transformations.

Although progress has been made in income, education, health and access to services, significant gaps remain.

In 2025, 58 per cent of workers worldwide were in the informal sector, 27 per cent of young women aged 15 to 24 were not in employment, education or training, and 26 per cent of the global population had no internet access.

Income inequality also increased in more than 50 countries between 2000 and 2024, including 23 high-income countries, the report said.

These gaps hamper productivity and resilience, the report warned, while unequal access to digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI) skills could further widen disparities in education, income and economic opportunities.

The report estimates that delaying investment in social protection for 10 years could leave countries with economic output 12 per cent lower than in countries that invest earlier.

To ensure that the benefits of transformation are widely shared, the report sets out four priorities: strengthening people’s capacity to adapt, connecting everyone to the new economy, ensuring labour markets work for people, and promoting shared prosperity.

In a video message accompanying the report’s launch, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said social inclusion was not only a moral imperative but also an economic necessity. Inclusive societies, he stressed, are more productive, resilient and prosperous.

“Transformation is inevitable. Inequality and exclusion are not,” he said.

“Let us work together to ensure that the profound transformations reshaping our world help build societies grounded in justice, dignity and opportunity for all.”