The world faces a growing dignity crisis, as many countries have not been able deliver on the basic indices of development like tackling hunger, infant mortality rates, malnutrition and poverty etc, says a new report released by Social Watch International.

The “inaction” of the governments  of these countries “and the mal-action of business as usual are amassing a mountain of social and ecological liabilities,” stated the report titled ‘The right to a future’. Those hurdles have provoked “social and political tension and unrest […] from Cairo to Manhattan to New Delhi,” says the report.

“If fulfilment of basic dignity levels of enjoyment of social, economic and cultural rights is not incompatible with sustainability and achievable with existing resources, not doing so is not just an ethical fault but also a threat to the global system…,” wrote the coordinator of Social Watch, Roberto Bissio, in the overview of the report.

The report also says that high ecomonic had little bearing on setting aright social disparities. “In rich and poor countries alike, only a small minority benefitted from the excellent economic performance of the world up to the financial crisis of 2008,” Bissio points out.

It also says, “The world as a whole is more unequal than any country, with a Gini value of around 70.”

The report says that several governments have cut down their social sector spending since the financial crisis began in 2008. “Austerity fiscal policies that cut on social spending started to be implemented in debt-affected countries and are now spreading even to countries that do not suffer from debt problems or fiscal deficit,” said Bissio.

“Citizens around the world are demanding change… people have right to a future and the future starts now,” the report held.

Read the report

India’s overview