Cohesive societies fuel equal opportunity for everyone

Cohesive societies are characterized by political stability, in addition to flourishing economies and policies that empower people to thrive throughout their lives, regardless of their diverse backgrounds.
In today’s increasingly globalized and interconnected world, pockets of populations are facing fast-tracked and unprecedented demographic changes in the form of a diversity explosion. Such accelerated demographic shifts are changing the way societies commune and communicate, in addition to the world of work and the global economy at large.
Understanding these trends is key to tailoring preemptive policy responses that solidify community cohesion and maximize the value derived from that while embracing diversity from all corners of the globe and creating socioeconomic opportunities as well.
Many factors are driving this diversity boom, including global economic integration, foreign labor migration, the technological revolution, travel and tourism, cross-cultural convergence, and the refugee crisis. In many cases, the results have been laudable as economies and societies have flourished as a result of increased access to remarkable talent pools, boosted economic productivity, elevated innovation and creativity, and greater tolerance.
On the other hand, it has also created tensions on a number of levels as some communities protect their deeply rooted beliefs and shun extraneous groups from assimilation. Consequently, we have witnessed the emergence of sporadic incidents of hate crimes, racism, gender hostility, and religious and cultural discrimination. Inequalities in access to the job market, local services and life opportunities aggravate these tensions.
For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many Asian Americans were subjected to hate crimes or verbal assault; minority groups faced elevated mortality rates as a result of lack of equal access to healthcare facilities, and female workers had to shoulder a disproportionately high degree of the burden of caring for homes, children and vulnerable elderly family members during lockdowns.
Moving forward, it is critical that governments formulate well thought-out community-cohesion policies that solidify social connections among diverse groups, respect the diversity of people’s backgrounds, offer equal access to upward mobility and universal life opportunities, develop positive relationships with community members, and dispel the tensions that can lead to crimes, social unrest and other disturbances.
First and foremost, it is important to create a clear charter defining what community cohesion consists of. In 2007, the UK’s Commission on Integration and Cohesion devised a holistic definition for community cohesion that included: Bringing diverse groups together in a civic spirit to contribute to local or national visions; safeguarding people’s rights; ensuring diverse groups have similar life opportunities; instilling trust in public institutions; and fostering positive relationships among diverse communities.

Ensuring equal access to economic opportunities and high quality public services is key to ensuring upward mobility. 

Sara Al-Mulla

A charter on community cohesion should have a number of important dimensions. Devising a local and national vision to which local communities aspire can help to shape behaviors and attitudes. Moreover, deploying professional community facilitators and counselors to organize open and respectful discussions about common social issues, civic duties, values and rights can help direct key messages to target audiences.
A fantastic example of this can be found in the English borough of Blackburn with Darwen, where residents took part in a local campaign in which they relayed the wonderful message that everyone can contribute to the borough’s prosperity, regardless of background, using the slogan: “Many lives … many faces … all belonging to Blackburn with Darwen.” Additionally, a charter condemning all forms of racism, prejudice and intolerance was distributed to the community and people were invited to sign it.
Ensuring equal access to economic opportunities and high quality public services is key to ensuring upward mobility. It is imperative that communities of all backgrounds be able to access a host of essential amenities and services, such as education, healthcare, transport, sports and recreation, housing and justice.
In the realm of education, curricula should highlight the importance of community cohesion and shared values on issues of diversity, including cross-cultural understanding, tolerance, respect and curiosity. In some cases it is also wise to enact laws that safeguard the rights of individuals regardless of background and to punish unlawful discrimination.
Organizing a range of recreational activities can help bring together members of diverse communities in informal settings to foster meaningful interactions, develop positive connections, and improve understanding and respect for one another. Abundant examples of this include book clubs, film screenings, sports activities, art fairs and traditional festivals.
Furthermore, local governments should pay special attention to establishing, or improving, public spaces where diverse groups can meet, including public parks, museums, marketplaces, civic buildings, historical sites and public libraries. Organizing donation drives and opportunities to volunteer for local community causes can also promote inclusiveness and kindness.
Recruiting and training community advocates who are trained in conflict resolution, mediation and peace building can help to defuse or resolve potential incidents of community disturbance or disorder before they implode.
A brilliant idea on how to gauge a society’s sentiments about various social issues is to conduct an annual survey. For example, Singapore’s Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth carries out a Social Pulse Survey to aid understanding of public perspectives on building a caring, cohesive and confident nation.
It measures attitudes about a number of important themes revolving around issues such as caring about community causes, opportunities to mix with people from diverse backgrounds, and commitment to the development and advancement of Singapore. It provides insights on volunteering levels, charitable donations, youth engagement, support for disadvantaged groups, attendance at cultural events, participation in sports or other group activities, appreciation of local heritage, and religious organizations.
When authorities craft deliberate and thoughtful policy responses that solidify community cohesion, people can build meaningful communities that will surely elevate the quality of their lives. In addition, economies will prosper from political stability and access to a diverse talent base.

• Sara Al-Mulla is an Emirati civil servant with an interest in human-development policy and children’s literature. She can be contacted at www.amorelicious.com.