ECOSOC ADOPTS RESOLUTION STRESSING NEED FOR ACCELERATED INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE TO CHALLENGES OF ACTION PROGRAMME OF CAIRO POPULATION CONFERENCE
Press Release
ECOSOC/5671
ECOSOC ADOPTS RESOLUTION STRESSING NEED FOR ACCELERATED INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE TO CHALLENGES OF ACTION PROGRAMME OF CAIRO POPULATION CONFERENCE
19960717 Also Considers Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS, Disaster Reduction Decade; Draft Resolution on Israeli Settlements in Palestinian Territory IntroducedThe Economic and Social Council this morning stressed the need for an accelerated international response to the challenges of the Programme of Action adopted by the International Conference on Population and Development (Cairo, 1994) relating to reproductive rights and reproductive health, by the terms of a resolution adopted without a vote.
The resolution on population emphasizes the importance of information, education and communication as a strategy for follow-up to the Cairo Conference and urges the Population Division to highlight the efforts of governments in that regard. In another action, the Council took note of the report of the Commission on Population and Development and approved the provisional agenda for its next session, which is to focus on international migration, with special emphasis on the linkages between migration and development and on gender issues and the family.
Nafis Sadik, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), answering questions earlier raised by delegations, said that her agency was actively collaborating with the three follow-up task forces established at the Cairo Conference. The United Nations possessed a wealth of information which had not yet been transparently organized. The task forces should help define methodological standards in that regard.
Continuing its general segment, the Economic and Social Council also discussed the Joint and Co-Sponsored United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS and the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction.
Peter Piot, Executive Director of the Joint Programme, said its work focused on advocacy, coordination of United Nations efforts, technical cooperation and best practices and dissemination. The Programme had signed agreements with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on administrative matters.
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Olavi Elo, Director of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, said that governments were incorporating natural disaster reduction into national development plans.
Also this morning a draft resolution on economic and social repercussions of the Israeli settlements on the Palestinian people in the Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, occupied since 1967, and on the Arab population of the occupied Syrian Golan was introduced by the representative of Egypt. He said Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, Algeria, Yemen, Sudan, Qatar and Mauritania joined in sponsoring the draft.
Statements were also made by the representatives of Ireland (speaking on behalf of the member States of the European Union), China, Cote d'Ivoire, United States, Uganda, Australia, Russian Federation, Belarus, Argentina, Colombia, South Africa and Costa Rica (on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries.
The Director of the Population Division of the Department for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis and the Chief of Policy Coordination and Inter-agency Affairs Branch, Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development also spoke.
The Council will meet again at 3 p.m. today to continue its general segment.
Council Work Programme
The Economic and Social Council met this morning to continue its general segment. It was scheduled to hear the introduction of a draft resolution on permanent sovereignty over national resources in the Israeli occupied territories. In addition, the Council would continue its consideration of economic and environmental questions, including population; the Joint and Co- sponsored United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS; the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction; and regional cooperation in the economic, social and related fields.
By the terms of the draft resolution, the Council would recognize the economic and social repercussions of the Israeli settlements on the Palestinian people in the Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, occupied since 1967, and on the Arab population of the occupied Syrian Golan (document E/1996/L.23). The Council would reaffirm that such settlements were illegal and an obstacle to economic and social development. It would also reaffirm the inalienable right of the Palestinian people and the population of the Syrian Golan to their natural and all other economic resources, and would regard any infringement thereof as illegal. The Secretary-General would be requested to report to the General Assembly's 1997 session, through the Council, on the text's implementation.
The draft is sponsored by Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Mauritania, Qatar, Sudan, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
The report of the Commission on Population and Development on its twenty-ninth session (New York, 26 February-1 March) (document E/1996/25) contains one draft resolution and one draft decision.
By the draft resolution, the Council would stress the need for an accelerated international response to the challenges of the Programme of Action adopted by the International Conference on Population and Development (Cairo, 1994) relating to reproductive rights and reproductive health. The draft emphasizes the importance of information, education and communication as a strategy for follow-up to that Conference and urges the Population Division to highlight the efforts of governments in that regard.
The Secretary-General would be requested to arrange a liaison between non-governmental organizations and the Commission, and to ensure full communications with them in order to facilitate the dissemination of information, according to the text. Those organizations would be invited to participate on an exceptional basis at the Commission's next session. The Council would request that a revised version of the report on the activities of non-governmental organizations in the sector of reproductive rights and reproductive health be presented to the Commission's 1998 session.
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Also by that text, the Council would request improved annual reporting on financial flows relating to the costed elements of the Programme of Action, including a clear account of levels and trends of funding by source. It would encourage the widest possible dissemination of reports by the United Nations system on progress in implementing the Programme of Action, including, wherever possible, through electronic channels of communication. In addition, the Council would request that evidence of further progress in achieving the goals of the Programme of Action be communicated to the Commission.
The draft decision would have the Council take note of the Commission's report and approve the provisional agenda for its next session. The provisional agenda, as in previous years, would include a general debate on national experiences in population matters. The session would then focus on international migration, with special emphasis on the linkages between migration and development and on gender issues and the family. Discussions would be held in the context of follow-up to the recommendations of the Cairo Conference.
Also before the Council was a note by the Secretary-General on the Joint and Co-sponsored Programme of HIV/AIDS (document E/1996/42). It describes major recent developments in the activities of the Programme, which became fully operational on 1 January. The Programme's programme coordinating board is comprised of 22 members, with the following distribution of seats: five seats for African States, five seats for Asian States (including Japan), two seats for Eastern European States, three seats for Latin American and Caribbean States, and seven seats for Western European and Other States.
At its first meeting in July 1995, the Board authorized the Programme's Executive Director to begin staff recruitment and adopted the modus operandi for its operations, the note says. At its second meeting in November 1995, it adopted the Programme's strategic plan for 1996-2000 and approved the proposed programme budget for the 1996-1997 biennium in the amount of $120 million. At its third meeting, to be held in June, the Board was to discuss the reports of its working groups on innovative methods of resource mobilization and on indicators and evaluation.
So far as the implementation of the Programme at the country level is concerned, by April 90 theme groups in 107 countries had been established, the note says. The six co-sponsors of the Programme, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the World Bank, are members of the theme groups. In addition, other United Nations system organizations active in HIV/AIDS activities are a part of some of the theme groups. National governments are represented in the great majority of theme groups, either as full members or as observers.
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According to the note, the Programme's objectives include providing global leadership in responding to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and strengthening the capacity of national governments to develop comprehensive national strategies for dealing with the epidemic. It adds that funding for country-level HIV/AIDS related activities will be obtained primarily through existing fund- raising mechanisms of co-sponsoring organizations.
Concerning the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, the Council has before it a report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the Decade's International Framework for Action (document A/51/186- E/1996/80). The report identifies several critical needs in order to meet the Decade's goals of saving lives and protecting material resources through the reduction of the vulnerability of communities at risk. They include promoting acceptance among policy makers that disaster reduction is an investment in the protection of national assets; ensuring equitable access for all countries to protection from natural disasters; and providing adequate resources to support the International Framework of Action.
Other urgent actions called for in the report include having United Nations agencies and organizations incorporate disaster reduction into their activities; requesting the Commission on Sustainable Development to review natural disaster reduction; and initiating the preparatory process for the Decade's closing event, including the provision of the necessary resources, in order to ensure the mapping out of a comprehensive disaster reduction strategy into the twenty-first century.
On the issue of regional cooperation, the Council has before it a report of the Secretary-General which contains several draft texts recommended for adoption by the Council (document E/1996/45 and Add.1).
By draft resolution I, the Council would decide to amend the terms of reference of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) so that references to "Hong Kong" would be changed to "Hong Kong, China" effective as from 1 July 1997, with the objective of enabling Hong Kong to continue thereafter as an associate member of the Commission.
By draft resolution II, the Council would amend ESCAP's terms of reference to reflect the fact that Palau has become a full member of the Commission.
Under the terms of draft resolution III, the Council would decide to amend ESCAP's terms of reference to reflect the fact that Turkey has been recommended for admission as a member within the Commission's geographical scope.
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A draft decision recommended for adoption by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) would have the Council approve the holding of ECLAC's twenty-seventh session in Aruba in 1998.
The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has approved a draft resolution on new directions for its work. By its terms, the Council would endorse the new orientations for the Commission outlined in the document entitled "Serving Africa better: strategic directions for the Economic Commission for Africa" as well as the proposed 1998-2001 medium-term plan. The Executive Secretary of the ECA would be requested to revise the 1996-1997 work programme to reflect the new orientation of the Commission's work. The Council would also appeal to the Secretary-General to request the General Assembly to consider the revised work programme in conjunction with its review of the 1998-2001 medium-term plan.
The Council also had before it reports of the regional commissions summarizing the economic and social conditions in their respective areas (documents E/1996/46-50). (For background on those reports, see Press Release ECOSOC/5641 of 21 June.)
Population Questions
MAZA BEKELE, a representative of the World Health Organization (WHO), said that the Commission on Population and Development had concentrated on reproductive rights and health. The WHO accorded high priority to those issues, which were a crucial component of general health, particularly of women. The reproductive health of women was reflected in the general health of their children. An unacceptably large number of women did not have access to safe and affordable family planning. Women were also subjected to inhuman forms of genital mutilation.
Dr. NAFIS SADIK, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), answering questions raised earlier by delegations, said that her agency was expanding its contacts with non-governmental organizations, academics and others at the country level. The UNFPA was working closely with the International Organization on Migration (IOM) to develop common statistical databases on the origins of migration. She said that at the Cairo Conference population had been predicated as a development activity. The UNFPA was working closely with the Department for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis regarding methodology for collecting population and development statistics.
She stressed that it was essential that countries be able to effectively monitor their own population programmes. One set of indicators for monitoring development inputs should be employed by national governments, donor governments, non-governmental organizations and international agencies. She had appreciated the suggestion by the representative of Japan that population
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programmes should emphasize development goals, rather than monetary goals for donors. Annual reviews were more appropriate than mid-decade reports. But agencies should produce a single annual review, as opposed to a series of reviews in different forums.
JOSEPH CHAMIE, Director, Population Division, Department for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis, said he had taken note of the comments of the delegates and would be meeting with some of them to discuss the details of their suggestions. The Division was currently in the process of reappraising its programme of work. He was pleased with the delegates' reaction to the report of the Commission on Population and Development. The Division would continue to facilitate the work of the Commission in monitoring the Cairo Programme of Action.
A number of suggestions had been offered on the migration phenomenon, he continued. The relationship between migration and development was complicated and was affected by the socio-economic level of development of the sending and receiving countries. The Division had taken steps to involve intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations in its programme. In response to a question related to AIDS, he said a study on the demographic effect of AIDS in Africa and the impact of AIDS on the population was under way.
Dr. SADIK said it had been suggested that international migration, was not just a demographic phenomenon, but was developmental as well. She agreed with the suggestion. Responding to the concerns of countries affected by radiation, she voiced concern about long-term genetic effect of radiation. She also emphasized that efforts were being made to follow the Population Conference guidelines, and word was getting around that the UNFPA was serious about following those guidelines. Many resident coordinators had said that they had found the guidelines very useful. Moreover, inputs of field offices had been sought on the guidelines and those were being taken into account.
Action on Drafts
The Council then adopted the draft resolution on "follow-up to the International Conference on Population and Development", and the draft decision on the "report of the Commission on Population and Development on its twenty-ninth session and provisional agenda for the thirtieth session of the Commission" without a vote.
United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
PETER PIOT, Executive Director of the Joint and Co-sponsored United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, introducing the Secretary-General's report, said there was today fresh hope for treatments which stabilized the AIDS process. Unfortunately, those therapies were too expensive for most people in
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developing countries. There was also good news on public health initiatives; emphasis on preventive practices had help slow the rate of infection in countries such as Uganda and Thailand. The Programme focused its work on advocacy, coordination of United Nations efforts, technical cooperation and best practices and dissemination. It had signed agreements with the WHO and UNDP on administrative matters, and was working with the WHO and UNDP at the global and country level, respectively.
HELEN BROWNE (Ireland), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said the Secretariat involvement in the Programme should be improved. As the number of women affected by HIV/AIDS increased, so did the number of children born with the disease. Some 3 million children were born with HIV infection. Therefore, the Union welcomed the "children in a world with AIDS" initiative launched by the Programme and UNICEF. The low level of resources provided to the Programme was a cause for concern.
WANG QUN (China) said he was pleased to note that the Programme had signed memorandums of association with six co-sponsors. Constant evaluation would be required to improve its work. The Programme should closely collaborate with its co-sponsors based on the comparative advantage of each of its partners. The theme groups, the Programme's executive agencies at the country level, should seek to build bridges with national governments consistent with national plans, policies and objectives. National governments' participation in the theme groups should be encouraged. Technical and financial assistance was essential to strengthening national capacities.
LARGATON G. OUTTARA (Cote d'Ivoire) said the eleventh international conference on AIDS, which convened last week in Vancouver, had given signs of hope at the same time that it caused feelings of despair. The most recent statistics showed that some 30 million people had contracted HIV in the past 20 years and that 8,500 contracted the disease every day. The prevalence of infection was now in the developing world, particularly Africa, where 80 per cent of HIV cases were to be found, thus creating yet another division between the rich and the poor. The present pace of research gave reason for hope. His Government welcomed the achievements of the Programme as described in its report. Regarding new therapies being developed, he said that neither their high costs nor the need to protect the rights of their inventors justified denying them to those in need.
THOMAS DUNLAVEY (United States) said as a major donor to the Programme, the United States was pleased with its progress. It recognized that there had been some organizational problems. However, now the programme could begin its fight against HIV/AIDS. Since it was barely six months old, States should be patient in evaluating it. Co-sponsoring organizations and States should give greater support to the Programme. It had to be ensured that the Programme fully met the expectations of the Council.
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HAROLD ACEMAH (Uganda) said he was pleased to note that the Programme had taken off. The conclusion of the memorandum of understanding was testimony to the United Nations system's commitment to fight AIDS. In February 1995, Uganda's statement had dwelt on the negative impact of AIDS on several countries and the situation had not changed. HIV/AIDS was increasing and not enough was being done to fight it. However, the Programme could not be blamed. The programme should not be treated simply as a coordinating organization. There should be a more focused consideration of its progress. It was hoped that HIV/AIDS would be a future theme for the Council.
BERNARDETTE SIELY (Australia) said the lack of participation by the co- sponsors was a cause for concern. Their contribution -- financial or other resources -- was not at the desired level. In the 1997 session, a more substantive consideration of the socio-economic impact of HIV/AIDS should be undertaken.
ALEKSANDR PANKIN (Russian Federation) said he fully supported the efforts of the Programme and the signing of the memorandum of understanding. He was in favour of the WHO assuming a leading role in activities to fight AIDS at the global level. His Government was considering making a contribution of $500,000 to the Programme. In May, a federal programme aimed at fighting infections caused by AIDS had been adopted.
SYARGEI SYARGEEU (Belarus) said the Programme was one of the youngest bodies of the Council. It was created at a time when the infection rate of AIDS was assuming ever more threatening proportions. The main stress of the Programme was on country activities. It was still early to assess the activities of the Programme; however, the question of financing its activities should be given serious consideration.
NASCIMBENE DE DUMONT (Argentina) said she was appreciative of the progress achieved, especially in the work done at the country level.
ALEJANDRO BORDA (Colombia) said HIV/AIDS was a growing epidemic which increasingly affected the developing countries. The importance of political, legal and technical support and advice had been emphasized by the Programme. Colombia had adopted those measures in its fight against HIV/ AIDS. Colombia would continue to support the Programme whose headquarters for the Andean region would be set up there.
IRMA ENGELBRECHT (South Africa) said it was vital that Programme at no time suffer from a lack of financial and human resources. She urged all countries to support it.
Mr. PIOT, Executive Director of the Joint Programme, said there was national participation in most of the theme groups. The initial experience would be reviewed at the country level in August and September. The Programme
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was focusing on capacity-building and would work within the framework of the national AIDS strategies.
He said he shared countries' disappointment at the lack of resources to fund the response to the epidemic. The global trend towards declining financial support had started even before the idea of the Programme was born. On the inter-country level, the Programme was in the process of organizing seminars on resource mobilization. On collaboration with the Secretariat, he said, a stronger coordination with the political arm of the United Nations was necessary. However, more layers of bureaucracy should not be added.
Close collaboration had also been established with United Nations agencies that were not co-sponsoring the Programme, he said. Commenting on delegates' statements that insufficient financial commitments had been made by the co-sponsors, he said it should be kept in mind that each co-sponsor had a different mandate and many were in the midst of financial crisis. However, they could do more at the national level, especially through funds working in the development area.
SARBULAND KHAN, Chief of Policy Coordination and Inter-agency Affairs Branch, Department of Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development, said that the Secretary-General had taken an active role from the very outset of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The "grand alliance" of the global AIDS programme and the UNDP had led to the formation of the Joint Programme. The Secretariat role in that Programme had been limited because the United Nations was not one of its six co-sponsors. The Secretariat participated in the inter-agency advisory group on AIDS, however. The Population Division of the Secretariat had also done extensive work on the demographic impact of the pandemic. The Economic and Social Council had an important role in system coordination. HIV/AIDS had been a theme of the coordination segment a few years ago. The Council might wish to re-examine international policies.
International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction
OLAVI ELO, Director of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, said that this year's report on the Decade had focused on the outcome of the 1994 World Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction and the Yokohama Strategy and Plan of Action. Governments were incorporating natural disaster reduction into national development plans. There was an overriding requirement to promote the full integration of natural disaster reduction as an integral component in sustainable development efforts. Disaster reduction and vulnerability to natural, ecological and technological hazards must be firmly incorporated within the evaluation and review of Agenda 21, to be undertaken at the special session of the General Assembly in 1997.
ANA PATRICIA CHAVES (Costa Rica), speaking on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China said that natural disasters could cause
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dramatic devastation in developing countries with a lack of capability. It was worth recalling the Barbados Declaration and Programme of Action for Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, which had set out the framework for the international community to recognize the vulnerability of those countries. Disaster reduction must be part of sustainable development planning. The 1994 World Conference had emphasized that international cooperation was conducive to natural disaster reduction. The Group of 77 had noted with concern that the work of the Decade secretariat was being hampered by insufficient financial resources and recognition. The international community should demonstrate its political determination to mobilize resources necessary to mitigate natural disasters.
PHILIP GRANT (Ireland), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said the Union believed that cross-sectoral issues in the field of development, natural disaster prevention, preparedness and mitigation measures needed to be fully integrated into the sustainable development process, particularly through the established coordination and planning mechanisms within the United Nations system. Education was important in the prevention of natural disasters. He stressed the importance of building on lessons learned from Yokohama.
Introduction of Draft Resolution
ADEL ABDELLATIF (Egypt) introduced the draft resolution on economic and social repercussions of the Israeli settlements on the Palestinian people in the Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, occupied since 1967, and on the Arab population of the occupied Syrian Golan. He said Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, Algeria, Yemen, Sudan, Qatar and Mauritania joined in sponsoring the draft resolution.
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