2025 ECOSOC Partnership Side Event - Improving Health of Our Children and Future Generations

Future of health and education sectors is digital, in each and every country, rich and poor alike. In view of the scale of today’s global challenges and the great potential of science, technology and innovation to deliver responses, it is essential to mobilize financial and knowledge resources from governments, businesses, academia and civil societies. It is necessary to accelerate and achieve all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Both public and private sectors play an important role in financing, research, and development. There is need for a balanced strategy that leverages the strengths and weaknesses of both.
In order to democratize digitalization and its benefits for public and social value, Women’s Health and Education Center (WHEC) and its associates believe that a dedicated place is needed in the United Nations to develop and refine appropriate norms, policies and pilots; promote future-ready human capabilities; and mobilize financing for public innovation ecosystems. Openness in science is an essential component of the scientific process. When Open-science, artificial intelligence and big data management meet the social reality of human cooperation and governance, it becomes more sustainable, and help to close digital divide.
We must implement comprehensive and inclusive policies, change our way of thinking, and prioritize efforts to eliminate poverty and bridge the digital divide. It is crucial for governments to integrate social, economic, and environmental policies to promote social justice. If we wish to leave no one behind, we must ensure that we give voice and decent-work to all.
An institutional home in the form of a One-UN Joint Program - that fully builds on existing UN system work with expertise - could give important impetus to a digital transformation pathway for a sustainable, just and equal future. WHEC’s capacity building efforts and targets in the pursuit of a One-UN Program on Digitalization and Sustainability, in support of developing countries, with special focus on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are:
1. Public innovation infrastructure in developing countries doubled by 2030;
2. 50% value from the digital economy must go to the bottom 50% of the population, nationally and globally by 2030;
3. Data and digital networks nationally and globally have appropriate guardrails; and market dynamics in the digital economy, and society are in alignment with a bold vision for our common futures.