Higher unemployment rates, gender disparity, income and wealth inequality: these are some of the side effects of the coronavirus pandemic. While a number of vaccines against Covid-19 was developed in record time, it might take decades to undo the social and economic damage caused by the virus. The crisis has exacerbated inequalities across all major fault lines in society and undone hard-won gains in poverty reduction across the globe.
Inequality is the gift the keeps on taking. While wealthy nations have been able to secure enough Covid-19 shots to inoculate their populations several times over, the People s Vaccine Alliance an international watchdog that includes Amnesty International, Oxfam and Global Justice estimates that poor countries will only be able to vaccinate one in 10 people during 2021. Rich nations, needless to say, will be able to save more lives and help their economies recover faster.
UN urged to end abuses of anonymous shell companies
by The Associated Press
Last Updated Dec 9, 2020 at 10:43 pm EDT
TANZANIA, Tanzania More than 20 organizations and several economists urged the U.N. General Assembly on International Anti-Corruption Day on Wednesday to put an end to abuses by anonymous shell companies that cover up financial crimes.
They said in a letter that scandal after scandal over decades has demonstrated that “anonymous shell companies have been used to divert public funds, channel bribes and conceal ill-gotten gains, as part of corruption and money laundering schemes stretching across borders.”
The organizations and economists said the decision by the 193-member world body to hold a special session on fighting corruption next June provides “a historic opportunity … to put an end to the abuse of anonymous companies and other legal vehicles that facilitate cross-border corruption and other crimes.”