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The launch of the World Social Report 2025 on Thursday highlights a troubling sentiment among people globally: a pervasive lack of confidence in the future.
In an era where individuals are living longer, gaining better education, and experiencing unprecedented levels of connectivity, many still perceive that life has deteriorated compared to five decades ago.
Close to 60 percent of respondents described their life satisfaction as “struggling,” with an additional 12 percent identifying as “suffering,” according to the findings.
Widespread Financial Insecurity
The report underscores that economic instability is not confined to the world’s less affluent areas anymore.
High-income nations are also grappling with increasing job uncertainty, the prevalence of gig work, and the pressures of digital transformation.
While such jobs may provide flexibility, they frequently compromise job security and workers’ rights, transforming laborers into service providers in a commodified job market.
The situation is exacerbated by a significant rise in informal employment. In numerous low and middle-income countries, the absence of a safety net remains standard, trapping workers in cycles of low wages, instability, and no benefits.
Even those who successfully secure formal employment face substantial threats of regressions into the informal sector during economic downturns.
For approximately 2.8 billion individuals living on less than $6.85 daily—the threshold marking extreme poverty—“even minor shocks can plunge individuals into severe poverty; moreover, any improvements in their circumstances are often fleeting,” the report cautions.
This predicament is further complicated by escalating impacts from climate change and escalating conflicts that deepen inequalities and undermine local economies, particularly in developing regions.
Erosion of Trust
As financial hardships intensify and stability diminishes, public trust in institutions, as well as among individuals, is experiencing a significant decline, particularly among the younger generation.
More than half of the global population (57 percent) reports low confidence in government. This trend is even more pronounced among those born in the 2000s, raising alarms about potential long-term civic disengagement and political instability.
Trust among individuals is also faltering. Fewer than 30 percent of people in countries with available data believe most others can be trusted, undermining social solidarity and complicating collective efforts for change.
The report attributes much of this decline to the spread of misinformation and disinformation facilitated by digital technologies, which exacerbates divisions and fosters distrust. It warns of the potential for digital platforms and social media to disseminate falsehoods, hate speech, and conflict.
“Often, users are ensnared in isolated ‘echo chambers’ where they are only exposed to news and opinions that reinforce their beliefs, potentially radicalizing their perspectives,” the report states.
Furthermore, platform algorithms enhance the formation of these echo chambers, promoting more extreme content and engagement that attracts higher visibility, as noted in the report.
Call for Bold Policy Changes
In response to these urgent challenges, the report advocates for a decisive shift in policy approach—one that prioritizes equity, economic security, and solidarity.
Governments are encouraged to enhance investments in public services, including education, healthcare, housing, and comprehensive social protection systems.
These investments are framed as not merely optional but critical to fostering resilience and inclusive economic growth.
Additionally, rebuilding trust in institutions through inclusivity and accountability is highlighted as essential. Reducing the concentration of power and wealth at the top of society is a crucial step towards achieving this.
Uniting for Collective Action
The need for unity and collaborative efforts is more pressing than ever, as reiterated by UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his remarks. He emphasized the importance of concerted action to tackle these pressing global issues.
As the world anticipates the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha this November, global leadership will play a pivotal role in driving transformative changes.
Guterres remarked, “The global challenges we face demand collective solutions.” He concluded with a clarion call for enhanced determination in creating a more just, secure, resilient, and united world for all.
Source
news.un.org