Why
Why a Global Accelerator?
Countries made a global promise to secure the rights and well-being of everyone on a healthy, thriving planet when they adopted the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015. Yet, half of the world’s population has no access to social protection and over half of the people employed are working in low-income and insecure jobs.
According to the ILO Monitor on the world of work, in 2023, the global jobs gap was projected to stand at 453 million people and 4 billion people were still excluded from social protection.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused an unprecedented loss of jobs and livelihoods and exacerbated income insecurity around the world. The impact has been particularly adverse for people without access to social protection, including those working in the informal and care economies, women, children, youth and those without access to digital technologies. In addition, the conflict in Ukraine has exposed fragilities in the global food and energy systems, as well as in the global economic and financial systems, triggering a cost-of-living crisis around the world unseen in at least a generation. This has to be set against the backdrop of the accelerating climate crisis and its adverse impacts on economies and societies. Constrained by rising debt burdens and shrinking fiscal space, many countries now face an even more daunting policy landscape. The Global Accelerator aims to respond to these complex challenges and chart a human-centred green recovery out of the present crisis and facilitate the inclusive structural transformations needed to achieve the SDGs by 2030.
The response
The Global Accelerator was launched in September 2021 by the UN Secretary-General with the aim of fast-tracking much-needed global actions to promote a job-rich recovery, as well as just ecological, technological and societal transitions to more sustainable and inclusive economies.
How
How does the Global Accelerator operate?
The Global Accelerator operates through three complementary and mutually supportive pillars: Integrated and evidence-based national strategies and policies; Integrated financing combining domestic resources and international financial support; and, enhanced multilateral cooperation.
These three interlinked pillars aim to increase the level and coordination of the multilateral system’s efforts to help countries create 400 million decent jobs, including in the green, digital and care economies, and to extend social protection coverage to the 4 billion people currently excluded.
Integrated and evidence-based national strategies and policies
Integrated financing combining domestic resources and international financial support
Enhanced multilateral cooperation
Our goal
The Global Accelerator brings together Member States, UN agencies, international financial institutions, public development banks, social partners, civil society, and the private sector to create a virtuous cycle of sustainable development that generates economic and social returns and facilitates just transitions.
Pathfinder countries
At the initial stage, the Global Accelerator will be implemented in a selected number of pathfinder countries that have considerable potential and are committed to amplifying investments in jobs and social protection. Based on a solid human rights foundation, including a strong reference to international labour standards, and the systematic promotion of social dialogue and participation, the Global Accelerator proposes a coherent framework for action bringing together relevant policy solutions and the necessary investments through enhanced multilateral cooperation.
To be considered official pathfinder countries of the Global Accelerator, countries must secure political support at the highest level, establish a cross-ministerial coordination mechanism, and start the design and development of the national implementation roadmaps.
HOW IS THE GLOBAL ACCELERATOR MANAGED?
The Global Accelerator hosts a multi-stakeholder governance structure that supports countries through multilateral cooperation and effective coordination. The Global Accelerator governance structure is comprised of three main bodies:
Steering Group
At the global level, a Steering Group composed of Pathfinder Country governments, UN, social partners, public development banks, donors, and civil society will provide the strategic direction for all engagements on the Global Accelerator.
Read the Steering Group Terms of Reference.
Technical Support Facility
The Technical Support Facility is composed of a Coordination Team (FAO, ILO, UNDP, UNICEF, UN Women and WFP), global/regional hubs of experts, and country teams in charge of a portfolio of development cooperation activities. The TSF operates at the global, regional, and country level to facilitate and support the implementation of the GA, leverage existing capacity, and enhance support when needed in UN Country Teams led by the UN Resident Coordinators.
Read the Technical Support Facility Terms of Reference.
National Steering Committee:
The National Steering Committees are composed of participating ministries, social partners, civil society, and supported by UN Resident Coordinators and participating UN agencies, development banks, donors, and others as appropriate. NSCs are chaired by the leading Ministry or governmental institution, which should have strong convening power. Social partners and civil society organizations must be effectively involved. Where feasible, the NSC should build on existing coordination and national dialogue structures and can include political level (at Ministerial level) and technical level committees.
Read the Implementation Strategy for the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions.