Bangladesh believes that “responsible trade and humane treatment” of the migrant workers are “imperative” to eradicate poverty in developing countries during the Covid-19 crisis.
This is because export earnings and remittances are “critical” for the poverty eradication in the developing countries.
Bangladesh Permanent Representative to the UN Rabab Fatima urged the development and trading partner countries to demonstrate those practices to protect the rights and livelihoods of the migrants and the migrant workers during this COVID crisis.
“The gains we had made in poverty eradication and women’s empowerment are at serious risk. This is not the time for economic and trade protectionism; rather this is the time for amplifying global solidarity,” she said while addressing a virtual side event of the High-Level Political Forum entitled “Preserving and Advancing Global Progress on Eradicating Poverty: Responding to the COVID 19 Crisis” hosted by the government of Canada.
Ambassador Fatima shared with the participants different poverty reduction strategies such as expanded social safety net for the vulnerable people, financial inclusion, education of women and youth, gender equality, use of ICT and digitalization, strong disaster risk reduction programmes, and resilience building against climate change impacts.
Stating that Bangladesh’s SDG implementation and poverty eradication plans are likely to suffer setbacks from the pandemic, Ambassador Fatima reiterated that poverty eradication would be the cornerstone of Bangladesh’s post COVID recovery plans.
She urged the development partners, multilateral donors and the private sector to come forward to support developing countries in sustaining and building productive capacity, growth of resilient infrastructure, diversification of the economies, and job creation. She also underscored the need for separate stimulus packages and innovative support measures for the graduating LDCs such as Bangladesh to preserve their gains in poverty eradication and prevent a slide back.
Catherine Adam, Senior Associate Deputy Minister, Strategic and Service Policy Branch Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) warned the participants of the widening inequalities induced by the COVID 19 pandemic and highlighted the importance of putting in place inclusive systems. Several speakers lauded Bangladesh for attaining rapid poverty eradication with the help of pragmatic measures.
