JAPAN CALLS FOR REVITALIZATION OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
Press Release
SOC/4392
JAPAN CALLS FOR REVITALIZATION OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
19960521 As the Commission for Social Development continued its special session this afternoon, the representative of Japan called for its revitalization and enlargement to enable it to fulfil its responsibilities in the follow-up to the 1995 World Summit on Social Development.Among options available to the Commission towards that end, he included rationalizing its organization and methods of work, avoiding duplication and increasing the frequency of its sessions.
The representative of Chile said the Commission should define its role and determine what it could do to strengthen the institutions involved in implementing the Summit's recommendations. The Secretariat should set up a data bank from which Member States could obtain information on activities of the United Nations system, governments and non-governmental organizations concerning the implementation of the Summit decisions.
A representative of the International Federation of Settlements and Neighbourhood Centres called for an evaluation of the relative values of providing social services through various agencies, including government and private agencies.
The Commission will meet again at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 22 May, to continue the review of its functioning.
Statements
MASAKI KONISHI (Japan) said it was necessary to revitalize and strengthen the Commission to enable it to fulfil its responsibility for following up the Copenhagen Summit. One of the options for strengthening the Commission was to enlarge its membership and increase the frequency of its sessions. Other options available were rationalizing its organization and method of work and avoiding duplication.
The realization of world peace and prosperity depended increasingly on the progress towards economic and social development in developing countries, he said. Global development partnership between developing and developed countries was necessary to combat poverty. Japan had formulated a development
Social Development Commission - 2 - Press Release SOC/4392 2nd Meeting (PM) 21 May 1996
strategy that included setting social development targets. In setting targets, Japan had included among its priority areas economic well-being focusing on poverty eradication; social development, emphasizing education, gender equality, health and population; and environmental sustainability. One of its most important targets was the reduction by one-half in the proportion of people living in extreme poverty by 2015. In addition, Japan had increased its allocation to social development-related projects.
JUAN SOMAVIA (Chile) said the instruments for social development, including the work of the Commission, should be strengthened. Positive changes had been taking place in the area of coordination in the United Nations system on the follow-ups to the various development-related conferences. The results of the work of the task forces involved should be channelled through the Commission to the Economic and Social Council.
The Commission should define its role in the implementation of the decisions of the Social Summit, he continued. It should determine what it was capable of undertaking in strengthening the institutions involved in the implementation of the Summit's recommendations. The Commission could be a source of information on the various activities relating to the Summit outcome. The Secretariat should set up a data bank from which Member States could obtain such information, including activities of the United Nations system, governments and non-governmental organizations.
The Commission should be seen as a forum for the exchange of views, including experiences about which the developing countries had a great deal to teach the developed world, he said. The Commission should also determine what its mandate was and ensure that its work fitted the time-frame available to it.
CAROL LUBIN, of the International Federation of Settlements and Neighbourhoods Center, said the Federation was an association of national, regional, local and non-profit social service organizations. Welcoming the Secretary-General's report concerning strategies and actions for the eradication of poverty, she emphasized the concept of dialogue with non- governmental organizations and asked for an evaluation of the relative values of providing social services through various agencies, including government and private agencies. The problems of each of those methods and their local effectiveness required study. Areas of policy development should also take into account the activities of for-profit organizations and their positive role in strengthening families and communities.
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