* Any views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
We know that the needs and costs for infrastructure development are huge. We all have an imperative to ensure we leave no one behind in this massive investment.
Grete Faremo is under-secretary-general and executive director of Unops, the United Nations infrastructure specialists. UNOPS has worked with the Government of Japan and the European Union to define G20's position on quality infrastructure.
As leaders come together to discuss the most pressing global challenges at the G20 this week, it is only right that the world’s increasing infrastructure needs are receiving due attention at this year’s summit which, among other things, will examine how quality infrastructure is key to sustainable development.
The organization I lead, UNOPS, has a mandate in infrastructure. From roads and schools, and homes and hospitals, to water and waste management and digital communications, we know that infrastructure forms the backbone of a functioning society. It provides the basic physical facilities essential to business and society. It connects populations with education and job opportunities. It drives economic growth and job creation, and so can help to reduce income inequality.
Last year, research by UNOPS and the University of Oxford found that across all 17 Sustainable Development Goals, 92% of targets rely on infrastructure.
Importantly, because infrastructure is built to last, it can influence development far into the future, both positively and negatively. This is why our infrastructure choices matter immensely if we want to reduce inequality and protect our environment over the long term.
It is estimated that more than $90 trillion in global infrastructure investment is required by 2040 to support sustainable development. Two-thirds of this will need to be in the developing world. This is a huge investment. We need to get this right, because we simply cannot afford to spend this amount again. But how do we ensure that the opportunities provided by infrastructure truly leave no one behind? To get this right, we need to build quality infrastructure that is sustainable, resilient and inclusive.
The debate around financing infrastructure, using both public and private sources, is extremely timely and needed. But it is important to not just spend more, but spend better, so that infrastructure investment achieves maximum impact.
When we plan, design and deliver infrastructure, we need to ensure equitable access to all the opportunities it provides, such as jobs and training opportunities. We need to engage all stakeholders, particularly the local community, at all stages of the project lifecycle. But importantly, we need to consider the needs of all the end users, including the most marginalised and vulnerable.
Women and girls, for example, can often get left behind when infrastructure does not consider their needs. Infrastructure can be gender-blind, blind to the inequalities it creates and perpetuates for a long time. Transport infrastructure designed without understanding women’s needs can hamper their safety and security. Sanitation infrastructure not designed with women in mind can hinder equal access to education and jobs.
In Pakistan, lack of safe transport severely affects women’s employment and education opportunities. Less than a quarter of Pakistan’s women work, and the lack of safe and secure public transport is a key reason for this. Providing safe and secure transport options, such as women-only buses, could help women access education and jobs.
But women are not just the beneficiaries of projects. They are the workforce too. Infrastructure, while not traditionally known as the realm of women, can create valuable employment opportunities if recruitment practices truly provide opportunities for all.
In Afghanistan, through providing local jobs for women in infrastructure, we not only provide training, expertise and livelihoods, but also challenge stereotypes, and pave the way toward gender equality.
But being gender-sensitive is only one way to reduce inequalities. Quality infrastructure should address other vulnerabilities too. It should consider disability needs, respect human rights and international labour standards, including those of local communities and indigenous people. Inclusive, pro-poor infrastructure can unlock opportunities for the marginalized and excluded populations, and act as a catalyst for poverty alleviation and economic growth.
We know that the needs and costs for infrastructure development are huge. We all have a moral, as well as financial, imperative to ensure we leave no one behind in this massive investment.
