sukuk have been playing a growing role in this process, along with
waqf. But in the grip of the pandemic, different responsibilities and priorities have taken precedence. Of course, this has not brought an end to sustainability initiatives. On the contrary, the financial markets continue to expand their contribution in this sphere.
16. The concern is rather about the impact of the pandemic on the most vulnerable groups of the global community. Already marginalized sections of society face deepening poverty, because economic lockdowns have reduced employment and incomes in the sectors in which they predominate. The United Nations Development Programme has declared that Covid-19 is “ruthlessly exposing the gaps between the haves and the have-nots, both within and between countries”.