Bhutan, ESCAP & MPPN Multidimensional Poverty Side Event to UNGA 81
High-Level Side Meeting to the UN General Assembly.
About this Event
The Kingdom of Bhutan, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Multidimensional Poverty Peer Network (MPPN), with its Secretariat, the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) at the University of Oxford, are honoured to co-host a high-level discussion on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, to be held on Tuesday 22 September 2026, 15:00-16:30 ET, CR2 UN Headquarters.
As the international community enters the final years of implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, attention is increasingly turning to the future of global development cooperation and the priorities that will guide action beyond 2030. While significant progress has been achieved in many parts of the world, poverty remains one of the defining challenges of our time. Progress has been uneven, and recent years have been marked by multiple and overlapping crises, including conflict, climate-related disasters, economic uncertainty, displacement, and social fragmentation, all of which threaten to reverse hard-won gains.
In this context, there is an urgent need not only to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but also to begin reflecting on how the international community can renew and strengthen its commitment to poverty eradication in the decades ahead. Poverty must remain at the centre of global development efforts beyond 2030.
This high-level discussion will convene Heads of State, senior government representatives, leaders of international organisations, and development partners to examine how multidimensional approaches to poverty and leaving no one behind can contribute to this objective. The discussion will provide a platform to reflect on lessons learned, showcase successful country experiences, and initiate a forward-looking dialogue on the role of multidimensional poverty in shaping future international development priorities.
The discussion will feature remarks by His Excellency the Prime Minister of Bhutan Dasho Tshering Tobgay and Nobel Peace Laureate and former President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos. It will also include interventions from distinguished leaders representing countries and institutions that have demonstrated strong commitment to poverty reduction and multidimensional approaches to development. During the discussion, attendees will hear about an innovative gendered, individual-level analysis using global MPI data revealing disparities within the household, including children, allowing for further tailored policies and programmes targeting the most vulnerable.
High-level speakers will be invited to reflect on three broad questions:
- In today’s context, how are governments and institutions working to reduce multidimensional poverty during the implementation of the 2030 Agenda?
- How can multidimensional approaches strengthen policy responses to the interconnected challenges of poverty, inequality, conflict, climate vulnerability, and social exclusion?
- What role can multidimensional poverty measurement and policy frameworks play in informing future international development priorities beyond 2030?
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 0.00
