Index

• Introduction
• Socio-Economic Inequalities and Discrimination
• Mental Health and Wellbeing
• Global Health and Healthcare Access Inequality
• The Interconnected Nature of Social Governance
• Forced Migration
• Macro-Economic Policies Globally: Addressing Inequality Between Regions
• Strong Institutions, Peace and Justice

Introduction

Social Governance is an extremely important part of a Thrivable society as it addresses the environmental threats to our global ecosystem. Humanity as a whole is affected, as is the natural world, by the many social issues we face, which are impacted by various economic, socio-political, and environmental factors. There are many aspects of Social Governance, these include economic equality, security, strong institutions, mental well-being, human rights protections, law and order, education, and regional inequalities. The Social Governance cluster has produced a White Paper on Animal Sentience and better protection laws. By looking at each of these areas holistically and systemically, regarding the THRIVE Framework, a clear path can be devised guiding us on how to address these complex and interconnected issues.

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Socio-economic Inequalities and discrimination

Complex phenomena, like global inequality cannot be effectively captured by a single measurement. Straightforward answers do not exist when evaluating whether the world is becoming more or less equal. It is important to understand the complex interactions and phenomena within different world regions and how these link to many equality indices.

Inequalities can be looked at in two ways: within a country, where we compare differences between households or individuals, and on an international level, which is based on a country’s macroeconomic indicators. Inequalities and discrimination exist in many forms including social, economic, and cultural gaps between different groups in a society. These disparities often stem from historical and systemic factors and are based on things like race, religion, and more.

 Source: GreenBiz

Socio-economic inequalities are differences in the economic and social status of individuals or groups in a society. These differences are frequently linked to variances in income, wealth, educational access, job opportunities, and the availability of crucial services (UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2013). These inequalities are influenced by a combination of factors, including economic systems, government regulations, historical legacies, and cultural norms.

definitions and perspectives to remember when discussing inequalities

Racial and Ethnic Discrimination

Racial discrimination happens when someone is treated unfairly or denied equal chances compared to others in similar circumstances, owing to race, ethnicity, or skin colour. This can result in being disadvantaged in areas like education, employment, and criminal justice.

Gender Inequality

Gender equality is the idea that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. It means valuing, both the similarities and differences between genders and the roles they play in society. Gender equality ensures that individuals’ rights, responsibilities, and opportunities are not determined by their gender.

Health Inequalities

Health inequalities are systematic differences in the health status of different population groups. Such inequalities have significant social and economic costs (WHO, 2018). Discrimination in healthcare can lead to disparities in health outcomes. It may affect access to care, quality of care, and health outcomes for marginalised groups.

Individuals in lower socio-economic positions experience more significant health issues and higher mortality rates than those in higher socio-economic positions. Health inequalities are a key concern for healthcare policy. (Mackenbach, J. P., & Kunst, A. E.).

Age Discrimination (Ageism)  

Age-based discrimination can impact individuals from the young to the elderly. This may concern restricted access to opportunities or discrimination in professional settings and healthcare. These prejudices can influence our health, lifespan, and overall welfare with significant economic implications.

Intersectionality

Intersectionality is when various systems of inequality and discrimination intersect and generate distinct dynamics and outcomes. It means that individuals with intersectional identities may encounter multiple forms of discrimination simultaneously. A black woman’s experiences will differ from those of a white woman or a black man. This highlights the nuanced interactions between various aspects of their identity.

How can we address inequalities?

Addressing inequalities and discrimination is a complex endeavour requiring legal, social, and cultural changes. It involves various stakeholders, including individuals, communities, governments, and organisations. Solutions include policy intervention, social protection systems, and anti-discrimination laws. Social movements like civil rights and feminism have also contributed to equality efforts. In order to reduce disparities, equitable resource distribution, education, social protection, anti-discrimination measures, and support for marginalised groups are crucial.

Mental Health and Well-being in Social Governance

Mental health and well-being are becoming a fundamental part of social governance to promote fair and equal human health for a sustainable society, economy and environment. Nations worldwide now see mental health as an integral aspect of transforming governance alongside societal structures. The world currently faces technological advancements, food insecurity, economic instability, political imbalances, and epidemics (COVID-19). All of these affect mental health. That is why nations must prioritise, educate, share awareness, and put support measures in place for mental health and well-being.

What is Well-Being?

Well-being is the state of being positive, feeling good, and functioning in society while navigating through challenging experiences and stressful situations in one’s daily life.

The Components of Well-Being

There is a vast range of components comprising well-being. These components combine to enhance an individual’s overall welfare and quality of life. The components interlink with, and mutually influence, each other in various ways. Here is a list of these five components:

Emotional Well-Being

Emotional well-being is the ability to properly regulate one’s thoughts, feelings and emotions constructively, especially during a stressful situation. Additionally, being involved with spiritual activities, such as yoga, meditation, prayer, and listening to uplifting gospel music can aid with positive beliefs and feelings, improving emotional well-being.

Physical Well-Being

Physical well-being is the ability to take care of and maintain a healthy physique through exercising, eating a balanced diet, keeping hydrated, and getting sufficient sleep. Maintaining physical well-being can improve mood, reduce stress and fatigue, prevent certain diseases, improve the performance of daily tasks, and improve emotional well-being.

Intellectual Well-Being

Intellectual well-being means having the opportunity to train and stimulate one’s mind in order to broaden one’s knowledge, capabilities, and, therefore, life prospects.

Financial Well-Being

Financial stability implies the state in which an individual can meet their present and future financial or economic commitments. Subsequently, this leads to an individual having less financial-related stress, which can be debilitating. Therefore, financial well-being has a beneficial impact on an individual’s overall well-being.

Social Well-Being

Social well-being is a large factor in overall well-being. Meaningful social relationships and communities are necessary for people’s overall happiness. There are five essential social well-being areas: social integration, social contribution, social acceptance, social coherence, and social actualisation.

• Social integration – a sense of belonging and connection within a community or social group.
• Social contribution – feeling one is positively contributing to society and within their community, whilst benefiting the overall well-being of others.
• Social acceptance – acceptance from one’s community regardless of race, gender, or beliefs.
• Social coherence – union with others in a society, sharing values which build positive interactions and relationships.
• Social actualisation – social empowerment towards reaching one’s full potential.

All these components of well-being are aligned with mental health. Physical well-being can impact on both mental and emotional well-being. Additionally, financial and social well-being play important roles in an individual’s mental health in that they reduce financial conflicts and social isolation, which will improve overall emotional well-being.

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What is Mental Health?

Mental health is the absence of mental illness and the promotion of well-being in a person’s life. It influences our thoughts, our behaviour toward others, and the choices we make. Therefore, it is important to approach mental health holistically.

Causes of Mental Health Issues

Today’s world is moving increasingly quickly with continuous technological advances, industrialisation, and digitalisation. Social media influences, and can be damaging to, mental health in the form of overloading information, spreading misinformation, and exposing people to violent and toxic content online.

Substance Abuse

Substance abuse is defined as the use of illegal drugs, prescription medication, or alcohol for purposes beyond those they were intended for. Typically this abuse occurs to a point where one’s daily life, work, and physical and mental health are impacted. Prolonged cases of this abuse can result in clinical mental health issues, making the individual more reliant on substance use and resulting in a vicious cycle.

Toxic Social Interactions or Relationships

A toxic social environment is a setting comprised of interactions in which there is bullying, discrimination, and even abuse. If individuals become trapped in these settings, this can impact their self-esteem, happiness, and well-being. This can also damage other relationships and lead to isolation. All of these can lead to a deteriorating mental well-being.

Work-Related Stress

According to the WHO, work-related stress is the mental, emotional, and physical strains an individual experiences owing to high job demands, job dissatisfaction, lack of support, and even burnout. Positive mental health in the workplace is a human right that is still neglected in many sectors and countries across the world. Companies must develop interventions that limit employee conflicts, social isolation, and other factors contributing to stress, reduction of productivity, and mental health.

Unemployment and Poverty

The definition of unemployment is lack of paid employment for individuals who are actively available for work. Unemployment can be caused by many social and economic factors. In some cases this leads to poverty and can negatively impact mental health.

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Lack of Sleep, Rest, and Recuperation

The lack of sufficient sleep and time for relaxation impacts overall physical and mental well-being. Having time to recoup, reflect, and rejuvenate leads to a better work-life balance and improved quality of life.

Global Health and Healthcare Access Inequality

The overarching goal in moving towards global health is achieving worldwide health equity in an increasingly interconnected world. While there is increasing concern to narrow the significant disparities in health outcomes–global health inequality–it remains a problem worldwide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), health inequality is health disparities that stem from unjust systemic policies and practices which limit opportunities for good health. Various parameters can be used to measure global health inequality. This includes disparities in healthcare access and services, healthcare resources, life expectancy, and disease prevalence, among different countries and populations.

Inequalities Between Countries and Social Governance

The gross inequalities in health within and between countries (geographic inequality) present a challenge to the world as inequality is prevalent in both high and low-income countries. For example, a study published in The Lancet shows a spread of life expectancy of 48 years among countries and 20 years or more within countries. Furthermore, the study highlights a significant disparity in adult mortality rates between high-income countries and low to middle-income countries. Specifically, regions such as Africa and Southeast Asia exhibit notably higher adult mortality rates compared to the Western Pacific regions for both genders (see the figure below).

Source: Marmot M. Social determinants of health inequalities; The Lancet 2005

Causes of Health Inequality

The root causes of health inequity are diverse, complex, evolving, and interdependent. Understanding the determinants of healthcare access is instrumental to ensuring proper social governance and policies are designed. Briefly, the determinants of healthcare access inequality can be classified into three types: individual, structural, and systemic factors. The WHO has also developed the Social Determinants of Health (SDH) conceptual framework. This is to help understand the multi-layered factors for subsequent health and healthcare access inequality. 

In 2019, Tezenios N highlighted three key factors affecting healthcare access: individual (socioeconomic, education, health awareness), structural (availability and accessibility of healthcare services), and systemic (government laws, expenditures, healthcare systems) implicating that these factors have a cumulative influence on a person’s access to medical care. However, health disparities are often systematically associated with social determinants of health – indicative of health disparities, though they do not always imply causal links. Therefore, it is crucial to comprehend the risk factors, their underlying mechanisms, and potential policy interventions to ensure equitable healthcare access and reduce social disparities.

Social Governance in Reducing Global Healthcare Inequality

Social governance in healthcare is the process of integrating social and environmental health determinants into institutional objectives to reduce health disparities, through democratic, fair, and sustainable interventions. It is the third pillar of healthcare governance, alongside financial and clinical governance. Social governance and social justice are intricately linked and help to ensure a more equitable and just society, particularly in services such as healthcare and education, where both concepts play a vital role in fostering a fair society, healthy lives, and inclusivity. For example, socially governed fair healthcare funding, inclusive policies, and private healthcare models provide equal healthcare access to all citizens.

SDGs’ Role in Inequality Reduction

Given the fact that inequalities persist across the world, several SDGs are closely linked with addressing healthcare access inequality. SDG3 is directly related to healthcare access that seeks universal access to quality healthcare services. Similarly, SDG5 underscores that gender equality is crucial for healthcare access. This goal reduces gender-based violence and promotes equal healthcare access for all, including sexual and reproductive health. Moreover, SDG10 reduces inequalities and aims to close the gap in healthcare access. Finally, SDG16 focuses on building peace, justice, and strong institutions. These specific targets within the SDG framework directly contribute to improving healthcare access.

Underlying Challenges of Social Governance

Social governance encompasses the structures, policies, and systems through which a society organises itself, and addresses any issues. At the core of social governance lies the challenge of equitable distribution and allocation of resources. Economic disparity remains a pressing concern, with staggering inequalities between the affluent and the impoverished. The distribution of wealth, access to food, education, healthcare, and opportunities can significantly impact social cohesion. The lack of equitable resource distribution often leads to social unrest, magnifying the divide between different segments of society.

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Political Governance

Political governance is a critical component of social governance and faces challenges of representation and inclusivity (Inclusive Political Participation and Representation, 2013). The rise of populism and polarisation has strained democratic systems, challenging the ability to address diverse societal needs. Furthermore, the tension between individual freedoms and societal norms, particularly in an increasingly globalised world, poses complex challenges.

Technological Advancement and Regulatory Frameworks

Moreover, the rapid advancement of technology often outpaces regulatory frameworks, creating challenges in maintaining a balance between innovation and accountability. Issues, such as online misinformation, digital privacy, and the influence of social media on public opinion necessitate adaptive governance structures. Conversely, technology plays a crucial role in supporting the well-being of the community by transforming the way social workers approach their work and making it easier to provide high-quality care and support to those who need it the most.

Climate Change and Holistic Solutions

Climate change, resource depletion, and environmental degradation impact societies globally, exacerbating existing social and economic disparities. Mitigating these challenges requires coordinated efforts and policy implementations that balance economic growth with environmental sustainability and Thrivability.

The complex nature of these issues necessitates a holistic approach to social governance. Collaboration among diverse stakeholders—government, private sector, civil society, and individuals—is crucial. Policy frameworks must be adaptive and responsive to the evolving landscape, incorporating feedback and insights from all sectors of society.

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The Interconnected Nature Social Governance

The path to effective social governance requires a re-evaluation and adaptation of systems and mindsets to address the interconnected challenges. The interconnected nature of the Sustainable Development Goals underscores their collective efforts in addressing social governance challenges in various forms.

• SDG1, SDG3, and SDG4, are foundational for social stability and equitable access to resources, directly impacting governance by reducing socioeconomic disparities.
• Similarly, SDG5, emphasises that gender equality is fundamental in creating inclusive governance structures to represent diverse perspectives.
• SDG8 promotes economic growth and is critical for reducing inequalities and influencing the fairness of governance.
• SDG10 is intrinsic to creating a more just and participatory governance framework, ensuring all are involved in the decision-making process.
• Ultimately, SDG16 focuses on peace, justice, and strong institutions and is the linchpin of the SDG’s, as it explicitly addresses governance challenges by promoting accountability, transparency, and inclusive decision-making processes, serving as the bedrock for sustainable development.

FORCED MIGRATION

Forced migration is the involuntary movement of people who fear harm or death. Conflict-driven causes arise from human conflicts that can escalate to violence, war, or persecution based on religion or ethnicity. Disaster-driven causes arise from natural events such as droughts, famines, or natural disasters.

People who have to migrate under these conditions are looking for safer conditions for survival. Forced migration can occur locally, regionally, or internationally.

Forced migration greatly impacts the refugees themselves, who suffer physically and mentally, and even may experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as the countries receiving refugees or asylum seekers.

Conflict-Driven Causes

Conflict-driven causes arise from human conflicts that can escalate to violence, war, or persecution based on religion or ethnicity. These conflicts can stem from political institutions or criminal organisations.

Political conflicts, such as wars between countries, civil wars, and coups can cause hazardous conditions for people. An example is the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Millions of Ukrainians have fled or are internally displaced within the country. Other instances are displacement by criminal syndicates, civil wars, and conflicts in politically unstable regions, such as within parts of Africa and the Middle East. The recent Israel-Hamas conflict is another example of conditions that create forced migration.

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Disaster-Driven Causes

Disaster-driven causes arise from natural events, such as droughts, famines, or natural disasters. For instance, major flooding can destroy homes and communities, forcing people to move away. In some cases, these events can also be human-made.

The Difference Between Voluntary and Forced Migration

The difference between voluntary and forced migration is that forced migration is migration compelled by violence, force, or threat to safety. Voluntary migration is based on the free will to choose where to live, usually for economic or educational opportunities.

Consequences of forced migration

Slavery and human trafficking are types of forced migration where people don’t have free will or choice in their movement. They are forced to move or remain in a place through coercion.

Forced Migration Examples

1) Refugees relocating as a result of Military conflicts:

a) Syrian Civil War:

The Syrian Civil War began in the spring of 2011 as an uprising against the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad which expanded into conflict with both Western and Russian intervention.

The Syrian refugee crisis (otherwise known as the 2015 European migrant crisis) was a period of increased refugee claims in 2015. Over a million people crossed borders at this time to get to Europe. Although the majority of people who made it were Syrians, there were also asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Libya, and Iraq. The majority of migrants settled in Germany, with over a million refugee requests granted.

b) Ukraine-Russia conflict:

Ukraine became a battleground in 2014 over disputed territory in Crimea, which was subsequently annexed by Russia. The conflict occurred mostly in the Donbas region in the country’s southeast. The war was renewed with a further invasion by Russia in 2022. Greater advancement into Ukraine has occurred since and annexation of further territory with huge losses on both sides.

c) Israel-Hamas conflict:

On October 7 2023, conflict ignited between Hamas and Israeli forces when Hamas forces pushed through the Israeli border. Hamas called the operation “Al-Aqsa Storm”, stating it was in response to what it described as Israeli attacks on women, the desecration of the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem and the ongoing siege of Gaza. This led to mass shelling by Israeli forces against Palestine resulting in huge Palestinian losses. This has been part of an ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas for decades, over disputed territory.

Climate Refugees

Many people in the world live along coasts and are at risk of losing their homes and livelihoods due to sea level rise. Bangladesh is considered the most vulnerable country to climate change effects as it experiences frequent and extreme flooding. Despite it’s small population and area, it has one of the highest displaced populations from natural disasters. For instance, many parts of Bangladeshi’s Bhola Island are completely inundated due to sea level rise, displacing half a million people.

Macro-economic Policies Globally: Addressing Inequality Between Regions

In our globalised world, macro-economic policies play a pivotal role in shaping the economic landscapes of nations. These policies, often influenced by international financial institutions and governments, profoundly impact the distribution of wealth, development, and living standards within and between regions. The issue of inequality between regions is closely linked to macroeconomic policies, as they can either exacerbate or alleviate regional disparities. This delves into the effects of macroeconomic policies on global inequality and how they can contribute to creating a more equitable world aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

1.     Macro-economic Policies

Macro-economic policies encompass fiscal, monetary, and trade policies that governments and international financial institutions implement to manage the overall health of an economy. These policies are designed to maintain price stability, ensure sustainable growth (SDG8: Decent Work and Economic Growth), and manage employment levels while aiming to eradicate poverty (SDG1: No Poverty).

2.     The Impact on Regional Inequality

2.1. Fiscal Policies:

Fiscal policies involve government spending and taxation. The way these policies are designed and implemented can have a profound impact on regional inequality. For example, when governments prioritise infrastructure (SDG9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), education (SDG4: Quality Education), and healthcare investments (SDG3: Good Health and Well-Being) in economically disadvantaged regions, they can help bridge the gap between prosperous and underdeveloped areas, directly contributing to reducing inequalities (SDG10: Reduced Inequality).

2.2. Monetary Policies:

Monetary policies, including interest rates and money supply management, can affect regions differently. For instance, policies that control inflation may inadvertently hinder economic growth in poorer areas by making borrowing more expensive, which could affect efforts to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education (SDG4: Quality Education) and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

2.3. Trade Policies:

International trade policies can be a double-edged sword for regional inequality. While trade can stimulate economic growth, it can also lead to income disparities. Developed regions with access to advanced technology and capital often benefit more from international trade than less-developed regions, which may need help to compete, thus impacting the goal of building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and fostering innovation (SDG9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure)

3.     Neo-Colonial Influences/Colonial Legacies: Deepening the Divide

Neo-colonial influences and colonial legacies are key factors contributing to regional inequality. Historical colonisation had long-lasting effects on regions regarding resource extraction, wealth transfer, and infrastructure development. Neo-colonialism refers to the continued exploitation or control of areas by former colonial powers or multinational corporations, affecting the ability to end hunger (SDG2: Zero Hunger) and ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all (SDG7: Affordable and Clean Energy) Furthermore, this promotes sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and work for all (SDG8: Decent Work and Economic Growth).

3.1. Resource Extraction:

Historical colonialism often left resource-rich regions impoverished. The extraction of valuable resources without fair compensation continues today, benefiting wealthy nations and multinational corporations while leaving the resource-rich regions with little economic benefit. This impacts the goals to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts (SDG13: Climate Action) by ensuring the sustainable management of resources.

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3.2. Infrastructure and Development:

Colonial powers often built infrastructure and institutions that primarily served their interests. Post-independence, many former colonies struggled with underdeveloped infrastructure, limited access to education, and inadequate healthcare systems, which challenged the objectives of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all ages (SDG3: Good Health and Well-Being).

3.3. Unequal Global Trade:

Neo-colonial influences can be observed in global trade patterns. Powerful nations often set international trade rules to favour their interests, further disadvantaging less-developed regions. The legacy of such practices continues to hinder the economic growth of former colonies and other vulnerable areas, undermining the goal of revitalising the global partnership for sustainable development (SDG17: Partnerships for the Goals).

4.     A Path Towards Equity

Addressing regional inequality through macro-economic policies and confronting neo-colonial influences/colonial legacies is essential for creating a more equitable world. To achieve this, a multi-faceted approach is needed:

Reforming Macro-Economic Policies: Governments and international institutions must prioritise policies that promote equal development and address the specific needs of disadvantaged regions, aligning to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls (SDG5: Gender Equality).

International Cooperation: Global collaboration is crucial to ensuring fair trade, reducing neo-colonial influences, and providing technical assistance to less-developed regions (SDG17: Partnerships for the Goals).

Education and Capacity Building: Empowering communities in disadvantaged regions through education and skill development can help them participate more effectively in the global economy (SDG4: Quality Education).

Investment in Infrastructure: Targeted investments in infrastructure, healthcare, and education can mitigate the impacts of historical colonialism and encourage economic growth, contributing to building sustainable cities and communities (SDG11: Sustainable Cities and Communities).

In conclusion, regional inequality is intricately linked to macro-economic policies and neo-colonial influences/colonial legacies. Addressing these issues is paramount as we work towards a more just and equitable world. By prioritising inclusive economic policies and global cooperation, we can help bridge the gap between regions and build a prosperous future for all, advancing all Sustainable Development Goals.

Strong Institutions, Justice and Peace

Justice systems, law enforcement, and corrections remain an important part of a democratic society in upholding individual protections and human rights. Partly, this is through ensuring strong judicial and correctional institutions, in which the rule of law, Habeas Corpus, the right to a fair trial, an impartial jury, and justice are apparent. It is also through ensuring that proper protections of society exist, from those who seek to enact violence, whilst ensuring proper rehabilitation, and concrete procedures are followed within institutions to ensure individual protections, human rights, and decreased recidivism alongside justice and fairness are apparent.     

(Image source: United Nations)

Law Enforcement and Justice

Where law enforcement and civic control face issues globally, there have been extreme examples of violence and threats to human rights. Cases involving extra-judicial punishment and torture have been seen in many countries globally. Civic control and law and order are paramount to a civilised society, and a Thrivable one, and are integral in preventing these occurrences. On the other hand, we also see excessive law enforcement, involving police brutality, in some countries and brutality within prison systems. Even more concerning is where police corruption, or corruption and violence, are able to exist within prison systems, which needs to be systematically addressed.

International Approaches

Additionally, there are many examples of legislation linked to correctional institutions, as seen in the United States, where harsh laws and lengthy sentences were introduced in the 1980s and ’90s, often linked to less extreme offences (Tonry, et al, 2017). In contrast to this, in parts of Northern Europe, such as Germany, we can see examples of highly effective institutions resulting in lower crime rates overall. The effectiveness of models of corrective services should guide legislation and policies within the public sector.  

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Media Influences Upon Institutions 

The impact of the media and social media on institutions, such as corrections and justice systems is also of concern, whereby media and social media can impair a fair trial and influence proceedings (Garfield-Tenzer, 2019, St Eve, et al, 2013, Browning, et al, 2021). This includes, ‘trial by media’, and incendiary content online to provoke extra-judicial responses. Added to this is the glorification of violence as a cultural norm and where this contrasts with, different cultural mores promoting a society in which redemption, a civilised approach, and rehabilitation may occur.

Another concern regarding the impact of media, and regressive cultural mindsets, is the example of misinformation (Alcott, et al, 2019). Obscuring facts through emotions is one example when it links to pre-existing socio-cultural attitudes, including allowing injustice to occur where it corroborates certain cultural mores. Defending police misconduct or crimes that corroborate parental rights are examples of this. The cultural narratives around crime and punishment, when divorced from actual reality, can be stoked by political interest and lobbying. 

Inequalities and Institutions

Where these issues link to inequalities, and intergenerational issues is another factor of importance, oth in the way the climate is affected and the exacerbating effects of this, but also social climates broadly. Intergenerational transfer of trauma and the unfair or unequal socio-economic standing a person is born into can make it more difficult for some people. Irrespective of any classifiable demographic necessarily; some homes simply struggle more than others for a variety of social reasons. These issues need to be addressed systematically and holistically, to create a fair and equal society, and to negate many of the issues that may exist later on with law enforcement and corrections.

Child Welfare

Child welfare and protection is part of this. Disadvantaged homes need further support, both material and psychological, as well as through behavioural modelling. This allows for improved child rearing and minimising child maltreatment owing to compounded examples of socio-economic oppression.

By ensuring adequate child rearing through economic and behavioural modelling means (Berger, et al, 2015), many social issues can intergenerationally be addressed. This is where institutional integrity also occurs, the assurance of strong institutions is integral. By ensuring that institutions, such as family and child protection services are informed by the best science, psychological studies (Berger, e al, 2015) and therapeutic approaches, these issues can be better addressed. 

Threats to Strong Institutions 

A constant threat however is politicised, corporatised and media-based narratives and how these influences can affect and alter the effectiveness of institutions (Shulz, et al, 2013). This can even be seen at the parliamentary committee level, and by lobby groups. This leads to questions about media and social media, including political and economic lobby groups undermining deliberative democracy and democratic institutions more broadly (Alcott, et al, 2019). Viewpoints based on science and deliberated expertise which should shape policy, are undermined by other less reputable actors. 

Social Governance and the THRIVE Framework

The way the THRIVE Framework is relevant to social governance is in the myriad of interconnected, systemic issues that social governance faces. The THRIVE Framework is able to appraise many of the approaches taken to tackle the social issues we face globally, systemically and holistically, using the Systemic Holistic Model made up of 12 Foundational Focus Factors. Areas such as poverty and crime, relate strongly to systems thinking and regenerative economies, as two of the Foundational Focus Factors. Issues like corporate or institutional accountability on social issues connect to The Entity Model and Integral Thinking within the THRIVE Framework. The way in which social issues and social governance connect to the natural world, and areas such as mental health and well-being as a consequence, connects to Strong Sustainability. By utilising the THRIVE Framework to assist and evaluate different Social Governance approaches, clear paths can be paved toward a Thrivable future.