Surayya Walters: The 4I Matrix withIN for Global Governance 2050

Introduction

The year 2030 is soon approaching. For some of us, 2030 represents a new horizon, a time to turn a new leaf after our current decade’s ills. From navigating the COVID-19 pandemic in the momentous turn of the decade and the year 2020, to navigating a contentious sociopolitical climate rife with misinformation, political polarization, and more. With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) serving as a threat to democracy and human rights globally, bearing the potential to upend or destroy current progress towards the sustainable development goals (SDGs), it is time to think critically about how to build the right type of coalitions to withstand the negative effects of rapid globalization and industrialization. When will we close the infamous knowing-doing gap by spurring sustained and effective action towards the accomplishment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) over time?

From our climate crisis to lack of access to accessible healthcare and sustainable housing, to the human rights ills of racism and gender parity, there is still work to be done. However, as our society becomes more interconnected and the issues we face become more complex, there is an increased need for innovation in the way we understand and aim to implement potential solutions. In moments like these, it seems like we have too many agenda points, and too little time. With limited resources and a smaller amount of time; our prehistoric mind is programmed to make significant trade-offs, emblematic of our economic focus on scarcity. Should we make greater investments into gender parity or scientific discovery?

In this essay, I argue boldly that due to the overlapping of these issues, there is no need to choose; only to become efficient and nimble in how we accomplish our objectives. This is an ode to the great aphorism “kill two birds with one stone.”

The United Nations (UN) Summit of The Future represents an opportunity for diverse groups to congregate and work together to connect the dots between the earth’s past, present, and future. The diversity of groups, whether by ethnicity, nationality, or identity, present; all serve to create an amalgamation of ideas that can shape our present and future in exciting ways. My time working in the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) field, another subset of human rights work that is currently under political duress, has taught me that while diversity is a positive thing, it must be managed constructively to ensure that every working group gets the benefit from the unique perspectives that lie amongst its ranks. In the past ten years, the Harvard Business Review has published extensive research on this front, suggesting that diverse teams are smarter, more innovative, and subsequently, more agile. This agility is key to engaging with the diverse and interrelated issues and agenda points that organizations such as the UN tend to discuss openly. While the Summit represents a critical opportunity to create an inflection point for our international systems of governance, ensuring cooperation, equity, and equality amongst participating members with differing agendas and backgrounds, can be a challenge.

Introducing the 4I Matrix withIN

The 4I Matrix withIN is an empirical tool I created to synthesize the different ways that global governance and solidarity can occur to further the UN’s SDGs and assist them in their journey towards future-proofing their agenda points and objectives for future generations to enjoy greater prosperity, equity, and justice than what current generations experience now. Building on the “people, planet, purpose” framework, I decided to look deeply into the holes and gaps that exist in the current governance environment. These gaps are not limited to areas unaddressed by the UN or the Summit of the Future, but rather common unacknowledged areas in spaces that call for impact through global solidarity and cross-cultural coalition building. I noted a few major ones – such as a lack of coordination to address multiple issues concurrently, the separation of task forces and committees in circumstances where interdisciplinary collectives could lead to breakthrough solutions, and an over-reliance on policymakers when grassroots solutions could prove to be more effective. By mapping out two dimensions critical to successful and action-oriented governance, understanding issues and addressing them, the Summit can emerge an innovative space and groundbreaking opportunity that spurs outsized change after the event. In the matrix lie four socio-political cooperation tactics that can be used to spur effective governance on a situational basis—intercultural, interdisciplinary, interrelated, and intergenerational.

Understanding Issues

My quick foray into entrepreneurship has taught me one thing: before we solve a problem, we must understand it. Having numerous agenda points and objectives is great; but a hallmark of understanding is clarity and conciseness. It brings me back to those days in college, where a professor adamantly declared the proverbial magic between the Fenyman technique – when you understand something, you can teach it effectively. Teaching often requires us to become concise in our understanding, and to aim for depth over breadth. We are forced to find creative ways to bridge the gaps, to enhance someone else’s understanding through our own. On the side of the matrix that lists “understanding issues,” there are two socio-political cooperation tactics: interrelated, and intercultural. Both operate at the intersection of highlighting differences vs. bridging through similarity, and identifying niches vs. aiming for innovative approaches. As stated prior, each particular global governance situation will call for a different approach. However, the matrix helps us to visualize the approaches theoretically and aim for the type of understanding that sets the stage for tangible actions and improvements.

Interrelated: Where Similarity Meets Niche

When reading the documents precluding The Summit of The Future, it dawned on me: many of these issues are interrelated, i.e they have areas of overlap that can be addressed concurrently. I define interrelated as where “similarity meets niche,” because interrelated understanding requires a niche approach—one that goes beyond prevailing wisdom and into the nooks and crannies of a particular problem. Interrelated understanding helps us to break the veil, bond groups with similar preferences, and look for niches and crevices of particular issue groups where there is overlap. This further sets the stage for niche solutions to occur, those that speak to the particular struggles faced by multiple groups in a way that reflects as close to a personalized solution as possible. For example, the “Peace & Security” objectives in counterterrorism directly point to the Summit’s focus on addressing the “Risks Posed by Advancements in AI.” Leveraging similar drivers in leaders in both spaces could lead to breakthroughs in understanding these complexities.

Intercultural: Where Difference Meets Niche

Building on this interrelatedness is a concept of intercultural communication (bridging) and its role in global governance. When we embrace an intercultural mode of cooperation, we are operating at the intersection of “finding strength in differences” while “identifying niches.” Take the Melting Point vs. Salad Bowl analogy often referenced in racial equity assimilation literature, as an example. Authentic intercultural cooperation is a salad bowl, not a melting point. While there are times for equality, equity in addressing and acknowledging the differences amongst groups is key for fostering cooperation amongst distinct groups. This goes beyond a simple solution that is interrelated (i.e concurrently integrates disparate issue areas), and into one that can mobilize individuals of different backgrounds to synthesize their understanding for a common cause. When considering “Transforming Global Governance” for “Inclusive Democracy and Human Rights,” drawing parallels between gender-based violence in the United States and in a country such as India, for example, could be powerful. While one group exists in a less patriarchal society than the other – working across this divide can lead to solutions that have overarching themes, but are targeted to address particular contexts uniquely.

Addressing Issues From gaining an in-depth understanding, there needs to be an emphasis on action. “Knowledge for action,” should be the Summit’s emphasis to move from in-depth understanding to fluid addressing of agenda points in an actionable manner. Under the umbrella of addressing the issues lies two main approaches “identifying niches,” and “championing innovation.” Addressing niches is an obvious one. A niche represents a key and untapped area for opportunity. Untapped areas are those where implementation can have broader effects. When it comes to “championing innovation” – if we define innovation as the “the process of creating and implementing new ideas, products, services, or processes that generate value and drive positive change,” then it is clear that innovative approaches should take precedence when considering which ideas and strategies to implement. Building on the understanding of the myriad of ways we can understand the issues facing organizations like the UN and those discussed at the Summit of the Future; we can address them in a similar manner, by using the 4I Matrix to consider which global governance strategy should be the primary focus of a particular implementation effort.

Interdisciplinary: Where Difference Meets Innovation

Interdisciplinary solutions are those where diverse disciplines—or ways and modes of thinking—are united to lead to a more holistic result. Interdisciplinary thinking drives our future, as the lines between sectors, industries, and even academic fields of study continue to blur. Our knowledge economy is making it far easier to access ideas from fields and sectors that are foreign to us; and consider ways to unite with subject matter experts (SMEs) in different areas to solve individual aspects of the same problem concurrently. This mode of implementation lies at the interaction of “championing innovation” and “finding strength in differences,” because it requires groups like the UN and the Summit to commit to driving progress through sustained value creation; and to create that value through interdisciplinary working groups and coalitions. These groups can go beyond the traditional or surface-level approaches, and can be as radical as matching gender equality activists with AI practitioners, for example. When considering the summit pillars of “Science, Technology, and Innovation” and “Women and Peace and Security,” an interdisciplinary working group can be established between gender equity advocates and cybersecurity leaders, equipping women globally with the ability to safeguard cybersecurity. This accomplishes a multitude of goals: economic empowerment for women, lessened gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and an active stake for women’s digital safety in cyberspace.

Intergenerational: Where Similarity Meets Innovation

Intergenerational solutions unite traditionally divided age groups in service of a common cause. Think about creating initiatives that leverage the youth and energy of Gen Z and Gen Alpha with the wisdom and politically savvy of Gen X and Baby Boomers. When we talk about future proofing and anticipatory thinking, we stress the need for solutions that can be passed down through generations. However, when considering intergenerational implementation, we look into the unique ways that generations can work together – in tandem – to create necessary solutions and lead change.

Whether it involves using Gen Z to serve as educators on artificial intelligence to older generations to combat misinformation, equipping millennial parents with the digital literacy needed to volunteer and teach classes to elementary school (Gen Alpha) students on ethical digital consumption—the opportunities are endless. The goal is to find ways to appeal to the strengths, values, and interests of each generation to further the dissemination of the SDG goals in a cooperative manner. This can ease intergenerational mistrust as well—another barrier to the implementation of large scale change.

Conclusion

Overall, The 4I Matrix withIn can be a welcome companion to this year’s UN Summit of the Future by encouraging understanding and implementation of SDGs in a manner that is intercultural, interrelated, interdisciplinary, and intergenerational. This essay is a start towards influencing organizations like the UN and their stakeholders to be holistic and aim for multi-pronged solutions in their quest for a better planet for all.