ABSTRACT
Globally, views on equity and inclusion vary greatly and are impacted by governance and legal structures, national population diversity, societal inclusion, workplace inclusion, and governmental inclusion. Gender equity remains a significant issue reflecting unpaid caregiving roles, which predominately fall to women and girls. As a result, women and girls are disproportionately represented in the global poor. The Human Development Index, an economic growth model that incorporates measures of population freedom and opportunity, reveals that many leading global economic powers including the U.S. have significant work to improve the education, health, and quality of life for its people. Global refugees fleeing natural disasters, violence, and civil unrest experience exclusion from new countries. Their plight is often impacted by their inability to earn a living because of lack of access to legal and credentialing systems. Indigenous peoples’ rights are continuously under threat as they are often displaced from their land, traditional practices, community, and natural resources. We need to acknowledge their rights and to redesign our systems to honor their rights and traditions.
