Young people have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, compared to many other social groups. The pandemic's economic effects and the closure of educational institutions have already had a significant impact on the lives of young people. According to UNESCO, 194 countries had closed schools nationwide by mid-April 2020, affecting nearly 1.6 billion students.

There were still 105 nationwide closures in August 2020, affecting over a billion students. Many educators have worked hard to maintain student learning and well-being in this situation.

Additionally, COVID-19 has also posed an immense psychosocial impact on young people. Disruption in education and economic opportunities, family stress, social isolation, risk of domestic abuse, and uncertainty about the future have led to reduced well-being of young people globally.

Digital technologies have the potential to open up new doors and provide new ways of learning. They have the power to influence what people learn, how they learn, where and when they learn, and, most importantly, how teachers and students interact. However, the COVID-19 crisis occurred at a time when most educational systems were unprepared to take advantage of digital technology's potential. The nature, scope, and success of these efforts differ by country and economy, but digital technologies have emerged as a critical requirement for success.

“The end of the pandemic may now be in sight, at least in some parts of the world. But its effects on young people will last well beyond it.”

By 2030, 130 million people may join the ranks of those living in extreme poverty, dealing a significant blow to global efforts to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.

However, the pandemic could lead to a new normal, fundamentally altering human interactions, interdependence, trade, and globalization while hastening digitalization and automation.

More than three-quarters of the 128 million vaccine doses administered so far have been administered in just ten countries, which account for 60% of global GDP.

As of today, nearly 130 countries with a combined population of 2.5 billion people have yet to administer a single dose.

As COVID-19 demonstrated, we require global leadership to scale up vaccine production and achieve vaccine equity. Whether we win or lose, we will do so together.