Opening remarks for the Australian High Commissions Launch of the Individual Deprivation Measure (IDM) and the South Africa IDM Study

06 August 2020 – (As Delivered): Good morning to Her Excellency Ms Gita Kamath, Australian High Commissioner, Dr Helen Suich, Associate Professor Janet Hunt and Professor Sharon Bessell all from the Australian National University – as well as all the invited guests in attendance this morning.

The launch of the Individual Deprivation Measure Report comes at a watershed time in South Africa as the country deals with the far-reaching impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the National Income Dynamics Coronavirus Rapid Mobile survey, conducted by 30 social science researchers from five South African universities;

• 3-million people lost their jobs during the nationwide lockdown. Two million of whom are women.

• 47% of households reported that they ran out of money to buy food this April, compared to 21% in 2018.

Pre-existing inequalities in South Africa have been further exacerbated.

During the past four years, the results of the Individual Deprivation Measure studies demonstrate the value of individual-level measurement of multidimensional poverty, and the critical importance of gender sensitivity. It is an important measure to reference as we work on developing an urgent response and recovery plan.

As the health and socio-economic impact of Covid-19 on South Africa continues to worsen, the UN system has pivoted to respond to the growing needs of South Africans as well migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

Together with our partners the UN has launched an Emergency Appeal seeking $136 million to target 9.9 million people in need across all sectors from Education to WASH with three strategic priorities:

• Supporting the public health response;

• Assisting vulnerable communities;

• Supporting the government response for the COVID-19 through immediate interventions to improve governance, human rights and gender equality, coordination, social cohesion and service provision.

With the generous support of the European Union and the governments of Japan, Norway and Ireland the UN has begun its response work, but it is critically underfunded, with only _______ contributed to date.

At the onset of the pandemic, UN Agencies in South Africa immediately reprogrammed about 10-million US Dollars funds and activities to increase their support. For example:

• ILO and UNHCR have undertaken cash transfers to migrants, refugees and asylum seekers;

• UNDP has signed agreements with SALGA to provide support to informal, micro and small businesses;

• UNEP and UNIDO have established 4 working groups to coordinate action on the management of Covid-19 waste;

• UNFPA is providing material support to victims of GBV during the pandemic and partnering with the private sector on communication campaigns.

• UNICEF and private and civil society partners have reached 3,700 000 children – and parents with distance/home-based learning support.

• UN Agencies including OHCHR, UNDP, FAO, UNICEF and UNFPA continue to play a key role in advising government, civil society and the Solidarity Fund on adapting and responding to Covid 19 and advocating for the inclusion of vulnerable populations in assistance.

• Perhaps most importantly as the world convulses from a zoonotic pandemic UNEP is accelerating its work to help fight the illegal trade in wildlife and contributing to trying to prevent the next pandemic.

The UN, through the leadership of UNDP completed a comprehensive Rapid Needs Assessment and a Socio-Economic Impact Assessment to help inform response’s in South Africa.

As soon as the findings have been briefed to government, we will share it more broadly. But it will come as no surprise to you that the findings indicate that the poorest, most vulnerable and most marginalized communities have been most affected and the hardest hit.

It has become clear that this pandemic will not recede quickly, and that while our emergency response must continue and expand, we need to broaden our horizon to link it to the vital recovery work that will be essential to help lift South Africa back onto its feet.

Two weeks ago, the UN secretary-general delivered the 18th annual Nelson Mandela lecture. He likened COVID-19 to an x-ray, revealing fractures in the fragile skeleton of the societies we have built. He said that the pandemic has exposed the delusion that we live in a post-racist world and that we are all in the same boat. Because while we are all floating on the same sea, it’s clear that some are in superyachts while others are clinging to drifting debris.

The UNs commitment to assist the government and people of South Africa remains resolute despite the grip of this awful pandemic. There has never been a greater need for international cooperation and for international institutions to facilitate it. We must seize this opportunity to play our part in preserving life, dignity, livelihoods and to help South Africans build back a better, safer country.

We need more help, more resources and more commitment from donors. South Africa is amongst the countries worst affected by this pandemic and this is the moment when solidarity, compassion and humanity matters most.

I want to reinforce our SG’s message – We belong to each other.

We stand together, or we fall apart.

We must decide now.

Thank you.