SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION CONCLUDES THIRTY-FIFTH SESSION AT HEADQUARTERS

Press Release
SOC/4424

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION CONCLUDES THIRTY-FIFTH SESSION AT HEADQUARTERS

Concluding its thirty-fifth session yesterday night, 6 March, the Commission for Social Development called on countries and the international community to reinstate the attainment of full, productive and freely chosen employment as a central objective of economic and social policies.

It took that action as it adopted, without a vote by means of a resolution, a set of agreed conclusions on its priority theme for the session: "productive employment and sustainable livelihoods". The agreed conclusions will be transmitted to the Economic and Social Council to provide input to the high-level segment of its 1997 substantive session, which will discuss the theme "Fostering an enabling environment for development -- financial flows, including capital flows; investment; trade". Following the adoption of the agreed conclusions, a draft resolution on the priority theme was withdrawn by the sponsor.

In addition to the above text, the Commission adopted a resolution on the International Plan of Action on Ageing. It also approved three drafts for adoption by the General Assembly and recommended two drafts for action by the Economic and Social Council.

Under the drafts recommended for its adoption, the Assembly would:

-- Request the Secretary-General to officially launch the International Year for Older Persons in 1998 on the occasion of the International Day of Older Persons;

-- Encourage governments to promote and protect the rights, special needs and welfare of children with disabilities; and

-- Invite governments to build family-friendly societies and call upon governments, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to contribute generously to the United Nations Trust Fund for Family Activities.

The drafts approved for action by the Economic and Social Council would have it:

-- Urge the Secretary-General and governments to give full attention to a gender perspective in all policies and programmes related to disability; and

-- Welcome the offer of the Government of Portugal to host the first session of the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth at Lisbon, from 8 to 12 August 1998, in cooperation with the United Nations.

Action by Commission

By means of a resolution, the Commission adopted agreed conclusions on the theme productive employment and sustainable livelihoods and decided to transmit them to the Economic and Social Council to provide input to the high- level segment of its 1997 substantive session, which will discuss the theme "Fostering an enabling environment for development -- financial flows, including capital flows; investment; trade".

The agreed conclusions (documents E/CN.5/L.13 and Add.1) note that over 120 million people worldwide are officially unemployed, with many more underemployed. The Commission states that the definition of goals and targets for reducing overall poverty and eradicating absolute poverty and expanding unemployment would demonstrate the importance that governments ascribe to the principle of full employment.

Higher rates of growth of productive employment are essential to secure people's participation in economic and social life, for eradicating poverty, ensuring equity and preserving social cohesion, the text states. Public policy should emphasize strengthening of the capacity of people living in poverty, and the need to provide employment opportunities for disadvantaged and marginalized groups.

The Commission also calls for the removal of unnecessary regulatory impediments to the formation of small enterprises, and for alternative, group- based micro-credit schemes. It further calls for adequate safety nets for those adversely affected by economic change, for enhanced "employability" through skills development and for equal opportunity for men and women.

Globalization offered opportunities, challenges and risks, the agreed conclusions state, stressing the value of an open and rule-based international system characterized by a freer flow of trade and foreign investment and increased financial flows. National economic reform and international cooperation should incorporate a strong concern for the social implications of that phenomenon in order to minimize its negative effects.

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The Commission recommends that countries adopt economic strategies that include a balanced and credible macroeconomic policy mix in order to ensure price stability and lower interest rates. It calls for implementation of stability-oriented policies to promote growth and employment based on a mix of macroeconomic policies, including the restructuring of public expenditure. The urgent need for the international community to strive for the fulfilment of the agreed target of 0.7 per cent of gross national product (GNP) of developed countries for overall official development assistance (ODA) as soon as possible is reaffirmed.

Governments should promote investment in, and access to, non- discriminatory basic education, the Commission agreed. They should promote lifelong learning, including basic education, training and skills development. They should also implement labour-market policies which facilitate worker adjustment and provide a safety net to those affected by economic change.

Child labour continued in inhumane and exploitative conditions, the text states. The elimination of child labour requires that governments translate their commitments into action; that child labour be eliminated as part of a larger effort to provide alternative economic opportunity; and that governments support the work of the International Labour Organization (ILO) on drafting a new convention on the elimination of the most intolerable forms of child labour.

The agreed conclusions note that the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action identified the need for new policies aimed at groups with special needs. Policies that ensure that those persons have access to credit and training, as well as to opportunities to acquire sufficient basic education, are called for. Also, there is a call for action to combat the unemployment of older workers, for facilitating voluntary early retirement and for increased employment opportunities for disabled persons.

The Commission recommends that statistical databases and data collection regarding social indicators be improved, particularly as regards the informal sector. It urges United Nations agencies to support the efforts of developing countries in that regard, and calls for the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) to play an increased role in the coordination of social indicators.

The Commission recommended for adoption by the General Assembly, through the Economic and Social Council, a draft resolution on the International Year of Older Persons (document E/CN.5/1997/L.7). Under its provisions, the Assembly would encourage all States, the United Nations system and all other actors to take advantage of the International Year to increase awareness of various aspects of the issue. It would invite States to take account of the increasing number and percentage of older persons in need of help; and encourage States to establish a national focal point, as well as

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formulate national programmes for the Year, bearing in mind the conceptual framework referred to in Assembly resolution 50/141.

The Assembly would also invite States to consider convening high-level and other meetings at a regional level to discuss the theme of "A society for all ages", and emphasize that activities for the Year should be initiated primarily at the national level. It would invite national and international development agencies, bodies and international financial institutions to explore feasible approaches to improving the access of older persons to credit, training and appropriate technologies for income generation.

Also by the draft, the Secretary-General would be requested to report to the Assembly on the system-wide implementation of the resolution, and to officially launch the International Year for Older Persons in 1998 on the occasion of the International Day of Older Persons. The Assembly would decide to devote four plenary meetings at its fifty-fourth session to the follow-up to the Year, at an appropriate global policy-making level. The Department of Public Information (DPI) would be invited to consider producing a logo and press kit, as well as an exhibit, for the Year. The United Nations Postal Administration would be invited to consider producing stamps on the theme "A society for all ages".

By the terms of a resolution on the fourth review and appraisal of the International Plan of Action on Ageing (document E/CN.5/1997/L.8), the Commission recommended that, henceforth, the United Nations Principles for Older Persons be annexed to publications of the International Plan of Action on Ageing. It invited the Secretary-General to make recommendations on different options for the future review and appraisal of the implementation of the Plan.

The Commission recommended for adoption by the Economic and Social Council a draft resolution on equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities (document E/CN.5/1997/L.9), as orally revised. Under its provisions, the Council would urge the United Nations, governments and non- governmental organizations to strengthen implementation of the goal of full participation and equality for persons with disabilities. It would also urge the Secretary-General and governments to give full attention to a gender perspective in all policies and programmes related to disability. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other entities of the United Nations system, including the World Bank and inter-agency mechanisms, would be requested to mainstream disability issues in their development activities and in their efforts to eradicate poverty.

By other terms of that draft, the Council would decide to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on disability for a further period of three years, to enable the continuation of the monitoring of the implementation of the Standard Rules, and to request the Special Rapporteur to prepare a report

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for the Commission at its thirty-eighth session. It would further request the Special Rapporteur to pay special attention to the situation of children with disabilities when monitoring the implementation of the Standard Rules.

In addition, the Council would request the Secretary-General to invite United Nations bodies to provide advisory services and support to governments in their efforts to develop disability policies based on the Standard Rules. He would also be requested to ensure that the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), World Health Organization (WHO), and other agencies take into account the rights of disabled children in implementing their programmes.

Concerning children with disabilities, the Commission approved, as orally revised and recommended for adoption by the Assembly through the Economic and Social Council, a draft text (document E/CN.5/1997/L.10) under which governments would be encouraged to promote and protect the rights, special needs and welfare of children with disabilities. The Assembly would also urge governments to provide free access to education for children with disabilities; to integrate disability issues within the regular education curriculum and to mainstream disabled children in the school system; and also to provide vocational training for children with disabilities.

The Assembly would request UNESCO to continue its programme activities aimed at integrating disabled children into mainstream education in line with the Salamanca Declaration adopted at the World Conference on Special Needs Education: Access and Quality (Salamanca, Spain, June 1994). It would also request UNESCO to assist governments in designing and setting up programmes to encourage the potential of children with disabilities.

United Nations agencies and non-governmental agencies would be requested to establish indicators to facilitate monitoring implementation of the Standard Rules as they apply to children with disabilities. The Assembly would decide to consult with international organizations during the Commission's thirty-sixth session on how to improve the application of the Standard Rules. It would also request the Special Rapporteur on disability to pay special attention to the situation of children with disabilities and to work with the Committee on the Rights of the Child on the monitoring of article 23 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which addresses the rights of a mentally or physically disabled child.

In addition, the Commission recommended for adoption by the Economic and Social Council a draft resolution which would have it welcome the offer of the Government of Portugal to host the first session of the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth at Lisbon, from 8 to 12 August 1998, in cooperation with the United Nations (document E/CN.5/1997/L.11/Rev.3). The Council would call upon Member States, United Nations agencies and other organizations to support the Conference, to be held in cooperation with the

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United Nations and in pursuance of the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond, and would request that the report of the Conference be submitted to the Assembly.

Before action on that draft, the Chairman of the Commission stated that the Conference would have no budgetary implications for the United Nations. The Government of Portugal and the United Nations would agree to the terms of the event and produce a host-country agreement, which would be presented to the Commission.

Also recommended for adoption by the Assembly through the Council was a draft resolution on the follow-up to the International Year of the Family (document E/CN.5/1997/L.12/Rev.1). Under its provisions, the Secretary- General would be requested to play an active role in facilitating international cooperation within the framework of the International Year. It would invite governments to build family-friendly societies and call upon governments, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to contribute generously to the United Nations Trust Fund for Family Activities. Governments would also be urged to undertake studies on families and encourage their role in development, and to develop concrete approaches to family issues.

The Commission also took note of a note by the Secretary-General on the proposed programme of work of the Division for Social Policy and Development for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development for the biennium 1998-1999 (document E/CN.5/1997/L.2) and of the report of the Board of the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (document E/CN.5/1997/7). It also approved the provisional agenda for its thirty-sixth session (document E/CN.5/197/L.3).

Highlights of Session

At the just concluded session, the Commission held two panel discussions on its priority theme, "productive employment and sustainable livelihoods". In a summary of the theme's consideration, the Chairman noted that sustained economic growth is necessary, but not sufficient, for generating employment over time. The predominant view over the past decade has been that economic growth requires macroeconomic policies which promote financial stability, low inflation and reduced fiscal deficits. While growth with low inflation is the best and most sustainable form of growth, low inflation achieved without growth does little to stimulate employment. The challenge is to create growth in those areas which generate the most employment.

The summary points out that over time and in most countries, the number of unemployed and underemployed has increased in both absolute terms and as a proportion of the labour force. Workers in some countries have witnessed an increase in insecurity, and policies have inadequately addressed

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inconsistencies between those who are overworked and those who are unemployed or underemployed. In many countries, unemployment and job insecurity have been created by the transition to a market economy and by structural adjustment measures.

Globalization and technological innovation have often been blamed for unemployment, according to the Chairman. The paradox is that while those forces have a profound effect on economic growth and on levels and types of employment, levels of growth and dynamism in a particular economy may determine whether the effects of globalization are positive or negative.

In recent years, most countries have emphasized restraining inflation and budget deficits, while full employment has generally not been given a high priority, the summary goes on. While markets are vital to economic and financial policy, they cannot, by themselves, build social cohesion. That must be achieved as a product of public and private institutions and of relations in civil society. Another factor of interest in the current situation is individual self-interest versus the common good. Policies that might be beneficial for a given individual or country may hurt when adopted by others.

He notes that the Commission also discussed the role of small scale, informal and rural enterprises in providing employment in developing countries, as well as the increased participation of women in the labour force and the problems of marginalized and vulnerable groups.

According to the text, the Commission recommended, at the national level, strengthened mechanisms for cooperation; improved policies for national economic and social development; education and training; and support for the rural and informal sectors, the disadvantaged and groups with specific needs. At the international level, the Commission called on governments to accept the reality of their interdependence in a global market economy. It agreed that cooperative international policies promote a more open, stable and socially just international economic system.

The Commission also noted, the Chairman said, the continuing need for international transfers of resources -- in terms of ODA, debt relief, increased private foreign investment and of exchanges of knowledge, information and expertise. It further stated that international labour standards should be adhered to.

Also at the current session, the Commission held a dialogue with chairpersons of the inter-agency task forces of the ACC, which were set up to coordinate efforts of the United Nations system to monitor follow-up to the recent series of global development conferences.

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Those task forces, embarking on a series of country review exercises, noted the broad diversity of different circumstances and priorities. Regarding employment, for instance, one country was concentrating on poverty eradication in a setting of low economic growth and rapid labour force expansion; another was endeavouring to move from structural adjustment to growth with equity; and other countries focused on employment aspects of the shift to a market economy. In all those circumstances, policies were best formulated through national consensus based upon extensive consultations, it was concluded.

Also during the session, the Commission's Special Rapporteur on disability, Bengt Lindqvist, reported that the international acceptance of the United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities had served to guide policy development in many countries around the world. The Commission requested the Economic and Social Council to renew his mandate for three years.

As part of its consideration of the report of the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, the Commission nominated, for confirmation by the Economic and Social Council, Heba Alimad Handoussa of Egypt, Eveline Herfkens of the Netherlands, Marcia Rivera of the United States, Gita Sen of India, and Graça Simbine Machel of Mozambique to serve four-year terms on the Board of the Institute expiring on 30 June 2001. Dharam Gai, Director of the Institute, presented its report.

Membership, Officers

Ion Gorita (Romania) was the Chairman. Seyed H. Resvani (Iran), Santiago A. Franco (Guatemala), Aurelio Fernandez (Spain) and Ahmed Abdel Halim (Sudan) were Vice-Chairmen. Apunte Franco (Ecuador) was Vice- Chairman/Rapporteur. Julia Tavares de Alvarez (Dominican Republic) and Aurelio Fernandez (Spain), were joint Chairmen of the Commission's inter- sessional working group on ageing.

The 46 members of the Commission in 1997 are the following: Argentina, Austria, Belarus, Benin, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Guatemala, India, Iran, Jamaica, Japan, Malawi, Malta, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mongolia, Nepal, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Ukraine, United States, and Venezuela.

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