Tackling inequalities in public service coverage to "build forward better" for the rural poor

Overview

Globally, four out of five people living in extreme poverty – i.e., below $ 1.90 a day – reside in rural areas, and 84 per cent of people experiencing multidimensional poverty also live in rural areas. The rural poor are among the populations at risk of being particularly negatively impacted by the concurrent health, social, economic, humanitarian and human rights crises caused by COVID-19. In response, this policy brief specifically focuses on tackling rural inequalities in public service coverage. Led by WHO in coordination with FAO and IFAD, the production of this policy brief benefitted from inputs from 12 additional UN agencies (ILO, IOM, ITU, OHCHR, UNDCO, UNDESA, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UN-Habitat, UN Peacekeeping Support Office, UN Women) that are members of the United Nations HLCP Inequalities Task Team (ITT). HLCP established the ITT in 2019 to strengthen the United Nations system’s leadership, coordination and impact on reducing inequalities and supporting SDG 10.

Link to the policy brief on the ITT Web site