SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CAN BE HARMED BY GLOBALIZATION, STRUCTURAL READJUSTMENT DEMANDS, GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS TOLD

16 October 1997

Press Release
GA/9332

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CAN BE HARMED BY GLOBALIZATION, STRUCTURAL READJUSTMENT DEMANDS, GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS TOLD

19971016 Debate Continues on World Social Summit Outcome; Critics Contend Resources Often Wasted, Greater Aid Needed for Poverty Victims

The negative impact of structural readjustment programmes and economic globalization on social development dominated the debate this afternoon as the General Assembly continued its consideration of the implementation of commitments made at the 1995 Copenhagen World Summit for Social Development. The representative of Lesotho, speaking on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), said that if globalization and economic liberalization were to benefit all countries, developing nations must have free access to world markets without any conditions. The mobilization of additional financial resources was essential to implement the Copenhagen commitments, particularly to eradicate poverty. The United Nations target of 0.7 per cent of gross national product (GNP) for official development assistance (ODA) must be fulfilled. The representative of Cuba said globalization was shifting the emphasis away from the noble goals of social development agreed upon in Copenhagen, and resources for development were often wasted on excessive opulence, as in the arms race. If an international environment was not created to guarantee economic growth and sustainable development, it would be impossible to ensure social development, particularly for the majority of third world countries. The representative of Norway said the Summit's Programme for Action underlined that universal access to basic education was important to combat child labour, which was a human rights as well as a development issue. Policies must target working children and adolescents, and increase the accessibility, quality and affordability of primary education. The April 1996 Oslo Consensus reaffirmed that investing in a country's human resources, particularly women and children, was an investment in its future and was fundamental for social and economic development. Statements were also made by Kenya, Brazil, Iran, Indonesia, Haiti, Kazakhstan, Venezuela, Thailand, Ghana, Jamaica, Guatemala, Republic of Korea, Mongolia, United States, Malta and India. The Assembly will meet again at 10 a.m., Friday, 17 October to continue its consideration of follow up to the Copenhagen Summit. It is also expected to begin considering cooperation between the United Nations and the Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation.

Assembly Work Programme

The General Assembly met this afternoon to continue its consideration of the implementation of follow-up to the World Summit for Social Development held in Copenhagen in March 1995. (For background, see Press Release GA/9331 of 16 October.)

Statements

NJUGUNA M. MAHUGU (Kenya) said the adoption of the Declaration and Programme of Action at the Copenhagen Summit was a milestone towards the eradication of poverty, an increase in productive employment and the enhancement of social integration. He attached great significance to implementation of the Economic and Social Council's agreed conclusions on fostering an enabling environment for development and its recommendations on the eradication of poverty. Also, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) was urged to continue coordinating efforts by the United Nations system towards capacity-building for social development programmes at the national level.

Kenya underscored the importance of a partnership approach at the national, regional and international levels, he said. In order to enhance full and effective implementation of the broad-based commitments of the Summit, there was an urgent need for the international donor community, including the Bretton Woods institutions, to provide new and additional resources needed to finance the projects and programmes. That applied in particular to those which were designed to hasten the eradication of poverty.

As a follow-up to the Summit, Kenya, in collaboration with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has prepared a comprehensive policy framework paper aimed at enhancing conditions conducive to sustained economic growth and development, he said. Such conditions included: the maintenance of macroeconomic stability; improved efficiency in the public sector; promotion of the private sector as an engine of economic growth for development; and addressing the social aspects of development through targeted poverty interventions for vulnerable groups. Without timely and effective support from the international community, the efforts of the Summit would have limited impact.

HENRIQUE VALLE (Brazil) said the Commission on Social Development had this year agreed that the expansion of full, productive, adequately remunerated and freely chosen employment must be a central object of economic and social policies. Equally important was the Commission's theme for its next session: the promotion of social integration and the participation of all people, including disadvantaged and vulnerable groups and persons, in the benefits of social development.

General Assembly Plenary - 3 - Press Release GA/9332 33rd Meeting (PM) 16 October 1997

At a regional level, the Latin American and Caribbean region had organized, through its Economic Commission, the First Regional Conference on Follow-up to the World Summit, held in Brazil last April, he said. Its "Sao Paolo Consensus" renewed the region's commitment in such areas as: prioritizing issues on the social agenda; incorporating social equity into economic growth; ensuring the necessary allocation of resources to projects with a social impact; strengthening cooperation with all sectors of civil society; ensuring an integrated approach to the economic, social and environmental dimensions of development; and establishing a regional database of successful projects.

While recognizing the importance of international cooperation and assistance, he drew attention to the primary role that governments and civil society must play at the national level. For Brazil, generating employment and income was essential to economic and social development and was a major factor in the fight against poverty. Brazil's current economic stability had already helped to ease the situation of many of the poor. Nevertheless, the State alone could not meet all the challenges of sustainable development, and the participation of civil society was needed and welcome, he said. The Brazilian Government had created "Comunidade Solidaria" -- Community in Solidarity -- which represented a privileged space for building partnerships, proposing new forms of joint ventures and mobilizing people and institutions. Through it, the Government and civil society joined to implement projects in such areas as professional training and income-generation, food and nutrition, infant mortality reduction, primary education, basic sanitation, and urban and rural development.

MAJID TAKHT-RAVANCHI (Iran) said the fact that many governments had taken the Summit's outcome seriously was a cause for hope and optimism. Iran was one of 110 countries which had reported on national actions taken to implement the Social Summit goals and one of 40 countries which had described those actions. A national focal point for the eradication of poverty was designated in 1996, and a bill detailing a plan towards the eradication of poverty had been drawn up and presented to the parliament. Reports by UNDP, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) had attested to Iran's commitment to improving its social situation in general, and that of the poor and disadvantaged in particular. In future, the focus on social development would be even more intense, both for the Government and through greater participation by civil society.

PERCY M. MANGOAELA (Lesotho), speaking on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), said there had been no marked improvement in the situation of the world's poorest since the Copenhagen Summit. On the contrary, there had been a steady increase in the numbers of people living in deplorably poor conditions. The polarization between the haves and the have nots was increasing, threatening societies and world security. The core issues of the Summit -- poverty alleviation, employment generation and social

General Assembly Plenary - 4 - Press Release GA/9332 33rd Meeting (PM) 16 October 1997

integration -- must remain the main focus of the international community. Of great importance to the SADC was the high probability of a reoccurrence of drought in the 1997-1998 period -- owing to the re-emergence of the El Nino phenomenon in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean -- and its adverse impact on food production. The Community had appealed to the United Nations and the international community to respond generously to the drought situation in southern Africa in order to avert famine.

For developing countries, particularly in Africa, poverty was aggravated by the debt burden, widespread unemployment, a deepening environmental crisis, the lack of adequate development aid and the negative effects of globalization on their trade situation, he said. There was an urgent need to free developing countries -- and particularly the 33 sub-Saharan African countries classified among the least developed countries -- from their debt burden. The SADC members believed that for globalization and liberalization of the world economy to benefit all countries, developing nations must have free access to world markets without any conditions. The mobilization of new and additional financial resources was essential in order to implement the commitments of Copenhagen, particularly those regarding the eradication of poverty. The Community called for urgent fulfilment of the agreed United Nations target of 0.7 per cent of gross national product (GNP) for official development assistance (ODA).

Primary responsibility for implementation of the Summit goals lay with the national governments, he said. In order to achieve the objectives of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action, those governments must undertake efforts with the support of the United Nations, the multilateral financial institutions, regional organizations and civil society. While a number of important initiatives had been launched, including the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa, implementation had been very slow. The Community was concerned that the growing globalization of the world economy might aggravate the unemployment situation if precautions were not taken. In their view, the private sector held the key to creating more jobs and generating income.

MAKARIM WIBISONO (Indonesia) said the benefits of globalization and the rapid advances in science and technology had transformed international economics. However, they had yet to resolve the problems of poverty and had driven many developing countries into marginalization. As the developing countries strove to implement their social development policies, they should not be impoverished by a global economic system in which they had little voice. It was necessary to act in genuine partnership, in the knowledge that lifting the poor into sustainable development would benefit the world economy at large.

If the commitments made at the World Social Summit were to be realized, it was imperative to mobilize new and additional financial resources that were

General Assembly Plenary - 5 - Press Release GA/9332 33rd Meeting (PM) 16 October 1997

both adequate and predictable, he said. ODA, now at its lowest level since the targets were adopted over 25 years ago, must be restored. Indonesia supported convening of an international conference on financing for development.

There must be a solution to the debt problem, which prevented many developing countries from directing adequate resources into social development, he said. It must be a solution without conditionalities. The "heavily indebted poor countries initiative" of the IMF and the World Bank should be implemented, so as to assist the poorest countries in resuming economic growth and development. Ultimately, poverty would not be overcome without employment and employment could not be created without economic expansion. The developmental goals of developing countries required international cooperation and support. As a multilateral, universal and democratic Organization, the United Nations centrality in the promotion of economic growth and development must not be diminished, he said. It must continue to play a guiding role in the management of globalization. Within the Organization, work should continue towards ensuring that follow-up activities to the Summit were coordinated and harmonized with the agendas set by other international conferences for economic and social development. The Commission on Social Development, together with the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC), should ensure that such activities were appropriately integrated.

NICOLE ROMULUS (Haiti) said the social situation in Haiti had deteriorated and unemployment risen, in a country already afflicted by joblessness. To address those problems, the Government had established a three-year programme to fight poverty, aimed at creating jobs. International financial institutions were backing the programme, which involved creating a favourable context for growth, including rehabilitation in the areas of education, health and the environment.

Haiti stressed growth in domestic production, she said. The first phase of the agrarian reform launched on 1 May has already borne fruit, surpassing the average crop yield of 2.8 metric tonnes per hectare. Experts now foresaw the emergence of a middle class. Haiti has earmarked 2 per cent of its GNP for health, and reforms were currently under way to strengthen the Ministry of Public Health and Population. Education was also a factor in development. The Government had therefore launched a literacy campaign, which had been brought to the most remote corners of the country.

The Government was also focusing on consolidating peace and democracy, protecting the environment, fighting against drugs and promoting human rights, she said. Above all, it was focused on helping average Haitians out of extreme poverty and into a life of dignity. Haiti affirmed its solidarity with the United Nations organizations which were helping the world's leaders to solve the problems facing their populations.

General Assembly Plenary - 6 - Press Release GA/9332 33rd Meeting (PM) 16 October 1997

AKMARAL Kh. ARYSTANBEKOVA (Kazakhstan) said the Secretary-General had cited valuable efforts for dealing with unemployment, including measures by the Commission for Sustainable Development and the United Nations Secretariat in follow-up action to the Copenhagen Summit. Kazakhstan was increasing its efforts in the areas of productive employment and sustainable livelihood. It was also carrying out rapid economic changes to improve the country's standard of living and strengthen the private sector. Unfortunately, those measures had led to an increase in unemployment.

The Government was therefore seeking to improve social conditions through such measures as the promotion of rural housing construction and the encouragement of small enterprises, in recognition of their ability to contribute to employment, she said. It had also implemented a law which provided financial support for small businesses and a system of benefits, including credit for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Some 150,000 small businesses in Kazakhstan contributed to the economy through the service sector. Housing was an essential part of the Government's strategy for development.

She said her Government aimed to implement the Summit's Platform for Action for combating unemployment and poverty by encouraging the provision of micro-credit at the family level and for small businesses, as well as by developing the service sector. As the country moved towards a market economy, the Government was shifting the emphasis of social services to a needs-based approach, focusing on those who could not provide minimum income for themselves or their families. Reforming social support services involved questions of financing. Kazakhstan appreciated the assistance and cooperation it had received from United Nations agencies, particularly for women's programmes and services for underprivileged groups.

LYDA APONTE DE ZACKLIN (Venezuela) said extreme poverty still affected millions of people around the world. Answers to the problems of development must be based on a realistic assessment of national disparities and on the impact of such trends as economic liberalization and globalization. Discussions by the Economic and Social Council on the mobilization of financial resources should strengthen national efforts to combat poverty.

She said her Government had promoted the type of comprehensive reforms needed to ensure stable economic growth and financial stability. "Agenda Venezuela", implemented in April 1996, was an integral and coherent political programme of macroeconomic and institutional reforms, social services and restructuring of productive sectors. Its social service provisions were a testimony to the Government's intention to spread economic benefits throughout the entire community and to protect the disadvantaged. Efforts focused on strengthening existing programmes which were most likely to benefit the neediest groups. The programme aimed to involve all sectors of the community by granting direct food aid and medical subsidies, and by implementing job

General Assembly Plenary - 7 - Press Release GA/9332 33rd Meeting (PM) 16 October 1997

creation programmes. It was hoped that those efforts would lead to a better life for all of Venezuela's citizens.

ASDA JAYANAMA (Thailand) said the regional commissions had a vital role to play in reviewing national progress and regional actions following the World Summit for Social Development. Brisk economic growth had taken a negative impact on traditional ways of life and values in Thailand. Its National Economic and Social Development Board therefore believed that development strategy should take account of the human impact. Thailand had adjusted its development concept from a purely economic emphasis to a people- oriented approach. The Summit's aims have been integrated into its economic, social and development plan for the period 1997-2001. He said Thailand was committed to a form of development in which every citizen had greater opportunities and every child had access to quality health care, good nutrition and at least 12 years of education. The Thai people should be better prepared to cope with rapid progress in science and technology. The Thai economy would provide job opportunities and fairer income distribution. The quality of life in rural areas and the provinces must not be inferior to that in the capital. Natural resources would be properly managed on a sustainable basis.

Thailand's new Constitution had a strong focus on human rights and included clauses against sexual, social and racial discrimination, he said. The benefits of economic development must be more evenly distributed across society. From 1988 to 1996, the number of people living in poverty had dropped by 12 per cent. Nevertheless, poverty remained a source of disruption. Thailand's Government and civil society, together with United Nations bodies, including the World Bank, had set up the Thailand-United Nations Collaborative Action Plan to support decentralized, people-centred development. Thailand was committed to reducing the number of people living below the poverty line to less than 5 per cent of the population by the year 2020.

The Thai Government had called on United Nations organizations, including the World Bank, to help develop an action plan for poverty alleviation, he said. The plan addressed such issues as land reform; new agricultural development initiatives and special agricultural economic zones; promotion of new manufacturing investment through relocation of labour- intensive industries; introduction of modern and appropriate technologies; marketing systems; and human resource development.

JACK B. WILMOT (Ghana) said the developing countries bore primary responsibility for attaining the goals of the Summit. Individually, they had to ensure equal access of all their citizens to resources and opportunities and undertake policies geared to a more equitable distribution of wealth and income. At the same time, the support of the international community -- including the United Nations system, the international financial institutions,

General Assembly Plenary - 8 - Press Release GA/9332 33rd Meeting (PM) 16 October 1997

and other multilateral and bilateral donors -- was required to complement their efforts.

He said the groundwork had been laid for the observance of the first Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006). The Inter-Agency Task Force established by the ACC had provided coordinated assistance to developing countries in formulating or strengthening anti-poverty strategies and plans for action. It did so through the United Nations Resident Coordinators at the country level and with the support of the UNDP.

Given that employment and adequate income were important in promoting social security, it was distressing that over 1 billion people worldwide were either unemployed or underemployed, he said. Governments in many developing countries were unable to find productive employment for a rapidly growing labour force in the formal and informal sectors. High and productive levels of employment had rightly been identified as fundamental to combating poverty and preserving social cohesion. Employment strategies in countries which had embarked on structural adjustment programmes had been adversely affected by the need to control public spending and curb inflation. Balanced priorities would place employment growth at the centre of economic and social policy planning without neglecting other equally important objectives.

Governments in the developing world had focused on improving access to credit by the poor, he said. The declaration adopted by the micro-credit summit in Washington in February should be recognized as a bold initiative which could enhance the income-generating activities of the poorer segments of society, including artisans, self-employed traders, small farmers and women. There was access to credit for those people to improve their businesses, empower them economically, and thus free them from poverty. Developing countries must intensify efforts to promote institutions for micro financing. The international community, including the international financial institutions, were called upon to lend the necessary support.

PATRICIA DURRANT (Jamaica) said Jamaica welcomed the resolution adopted by the Economic and Social Council on poverty eradication. Jamaica was aware that commitment to that goal required concrete action. The country had recently adopted policies on the aged, youth, the family and the disabled. The Government was developing employment opportunities and working on upgrading people's skills. It had undertaken several initiatives in this direction, including new training programmes geared towards the market. In addition, small businesses had job-creating potential, used local materials and employed more than 22 per cent of the labour force, over half of them women. The Government's goal was to improve that sector. In collaboration with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), measures had been taken to increase business people's access to technology.

General Assembly Plenary - 9 - Press Release GA/9332 33rd Meeting (PM) 16 October 1997

The economies of small Caribbean economies had been hampered by the external debt burden, narrow resource bases, drug trafficking and unfavourable terms of trade, she said. Jamaica welcomed the Secretary-General's call for new ideas for generating funds for social development. The UNDP, the UNFPA, UNICEF and the International Labour Organization (ILO) had taken part in national consultations and made financial and human resources available to Jamaica.

SVEIN AASS (Norway) said the United Nations had an important role to play in the follow-up to the Summit, particularly in providing support for national action. That task must be conducted in an integrated manner. Follow-up to the Summit must be coordinated with follow-up to other major United Nations conferences, particularly those in Rio, Vienna, Cairo and Beijing. Norway had taken a special interest in promoting the goal of universal access to basic social services. Basic health and education produced invaluable individual and social benefits and were essential for sustainable economic development. They constituted an investment in people's hope for the future.

The Summit's Programme for Action underlined universal access to basic education as an important means to combat child labour, he said. Work at an early age was a serious problem. Child labour was performed under exploitative and hazardous conditions and interfered with the child's emotional, educational and social development. Norway saw child labour as a human rights issue as well as a development issue and had made the fight against it a priority. Specific policies must target working children and adolescents, and increase the accessibility, quality and affordability of primary education. Norway would support activities to make education for all a reality.

The April 1996 Oslo Consensus had reaffirmed that investing in a country's human resources, particularly women and children, was an investment in its future and was fundamental for social and economic development, he said. A small working group of representatives from developed and developing countries and multilateral organizations had been established to prepare for a "Oslo plus 2" meeting, to be hosted by Viet Nam next year. It was hoped that meeting would be able to review efforts to translate the Oslo Consensus into practical action in a number of countries. In addition, if the agreed target of 0.7 per cent of GNP for ODA was reached, it would more than double the amount available for development financing, significantly increasing the possibility of achieving the Summit's objectives.

JULIO MARTINI HERRERA (Guatemala), speaking also on behalf of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama, said that Central America had made great efforts to fulfil the goals of the Social Development Summit. Adoption of the 1995 Treaty for Central American Social Integration laid down the fundamental objectives of the region's social integration subsystem.

General Assembly Plenary - 10 - Press Release GA/9332 33rd Meeting (PM) 16 October 1997

Social policies were being implemented and coordinated at the regional level, while efforts were also being made to unify international assistance to Central America in the fields of education, health, housing and urban and rural development. The recently adopted Declaration of Nicaragua strengthened regional integration and laid down the groundwork for an eventual political unification of Central American countries, giving a further boost to Central America's social policy.

Unemployment was one of the most serious problems confronting Central America, he said. Together with the more widespread problem of underemployment, inadequate productivity and low wages, unemployment was the main cause of poverty. There was a need to increase the quality and accessibility of social services -- particularly education and public health -- in order to increase employment opportunities. Those goals could only be met if there was greater economic growth and cooperation at the international level. If development was to be sustainable, it must be based on the elimination of poverty, the participation of all members of civil society, the creation of jobs, the protection and improvement of social and environmental conditions and strengthening the capacity of social management and local government.

PARK SOO GIL (Republic of Korea) said his country supported the Commission for Social Development's call for governments to set time-bound goals for expanding employment. The expansion of small-scale, labour-intensive industries should be encouraged by promoting public investment and redistributing income. Effective labour-intensive manufacturing technology must be identified by supporting domestic technological research. The development of low-cost, labour-intensive methods to meet rural infrastructure needs should be pursued. Education must be more clearly linked to employment.

Since the Summit, the Republic of Korea has passed a social welfare law and set up a social welfare council, he said. It had increased the participation in society by its over 1 million disabled persons, extended welfare benefits to senior citizens and developed ways to increase employment opportunities for the elderly. Although ODA had been declining worldwide, his country had increased its contribution by 30 per cent this year, despite a lagging economy. The Government had cooperated with the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) on a programme for the development of Africa for 1998-2000.

The Republic of Korea initiated training programmes for thousands of people, he said. Youth issues were a high priority, and an international youth exchange centre was being established. The active participation of non- governmental organizations in the policy-making process has helped the Government turn the Programme of Action into reality. Its partnership with the United Nations and non-governmental organizations would be strengthened. Respect for human rights, the rule of law, gender equality, ethnicity,

General Assembly Plenary - 11 - Press Release GA/9332 33rd Meeting (PM) 16 October 1997

religions and free and fair democratic elections were all necessary for human- centred development.

PEDRO NUNEZ-MOSQUERA (Cuba) said that inequalities in the distribution of wealth at international and national levels had reached staggering proportions. Official development assistance was well below the levels which had been agreed upon by the developed countries and it appeared that the downward decline would continue in the years ahead. In contrast, earnings were being put into military spending -- an inconceivable fact considering the cold war had ended.

The burden of external debt continued to strangle a significant number of developing countries, he said. Proposed measures of assistance were usually accompanied by the imposition of programmes of reform and structural adjustment whose negative impact on the populations affected had contributed to explosive social situations. Globalization was shifting the emphasis away from the noble goals of social development agreed upon in Copenhagen, and resources for development were often wasted on excessive opulence, as in the arms race. If an international environment was not created to guarantee economic growth and sustainable development, it would be impossible to ensure social development, particularly for the majority of third world countries.

In the past three decades, Cuba had designed development strategies and policies aimed at promoting a more equitable division of wealth, he said. All health and education was free, and 95 per cent of children between the ages of 6 and 14 were at school. All Cuban children were protected by vaccine against 11 preventable diseases. The embargo against his country had presented challenges to its Government in implementing its social development policy. Cuba had endeavoured to preserve its most important social benefit services and, in most cases, to improve them.

JARGALSAIKHANY ENKHSAIKHAN (Mongolia) said the Micro-Credit Summit held in Washington, D.C., in February had confirmed that building institutions capable of providing micro-fiance services was a viable strategy for eradicating poverty and promoting small businesses. Implementation of the Summit decisions called for serious political commitment by the international community to a substantial increase in resources for sustainable development. One practical way to raise living standards and reduce poverty was to increase employment opportunities. Mongolia was actively pursuing a policy of human resource development.

Mongolia's national programme on poverty alleviation was launched in 1994, he said. Its major aim was to promote employment and income-generation opportunities -- especially in rural areas and among disadvantaged women -- as well as to create social safety nets for the poor and seek incorporation of poverty alleviation goals in all aspects of policy-making. The programme was carried out in conjunction with the country's population policy and its

General Assembly Plenary - 12 - Press Release GA/9332 33rd Meeting (PM) 16 October 1997

national programme to advance women. It would also be supplemented by a national employment generation programme, which was now under active consideration. The poverty programme's overall aim was to reduce the number of people in poverty from 26 per cent of the population to 10 per cent by the year 2000, he said. It focused on strengthening the institutional capacities of government in policy management and poverty monitoring, as well as on promoting human resources development by providing better access to health and education opportunities, alleviating rural poverty, supporting good governance and developing and strengthening the basic social safety net.

The Government of Mongolia was committed to pursuing that policy by allocating 20 per cent of its annual budget and 20 per cent of all foreign aid and assistance to social development activities, he said. At the same time, it was working to create conditions that would enable everyone to complete education and training, as well as to ensure those engaged in productive labour received sufficient social guarantees.

SHIRLEY HALL (United States) said that although many challenges remained, her country had made progress in addressing the issues of the Summit through it national programmes and multilateral efforts. The work was greatly facilitated by the participation of non-governmental organizations, which had helped identify issues, develop solutions and implement programmes worldwide. United Nations funding agencies, along with national and international civil society, also had important roles to play. The United States had raised the minimum wage, expanded tax credits for working families and reduced the federal deficit, all of which provided the basis for investment, growth and job creation. A flexible job market that facilitated mobility, along with an economy open to competition, and sound monetary and fiscal policies implemented by a government that was representative, transparent and accountable, all contributed to the creation of jobs.

In many societies, too many women, youth, elderly people with disabilities had been consigned to the margins of society, she said. The Americans with Disabilities Act had made great strides in breaking down barriers facing persons with disabilities. The theme for the International Year of Older Persons -- "Towards a Society for All Ages" -- was a reminder of the importance of older persons in the social fabric. It also highlighted the truth that open societies which offered all citizens access to education, health care, productive employment and freedom from discrimination were providing benefits that spanned an entire lifetime. The special session of the General Assembly in the year 2000 represented a timely opportunity to exchange experiences with a view towards the implementation of programmes to advance social development, enhance social integration and provide basic social services for all.

GEORGE SALIBA (Malta) said the efforts by the Economic and Social Council, United Nations funds and programmes and the Commission for Social

General Assembly Plenary - 13 - Press Release GA/9332 33rd Meeting (PM) 16 October 1997

Development to follow up the Copenhagen Summit were encouraging. When addressing social and economic development, countries should not lose sight of the human dimension. A nation's development potential could not be realized through economic growth alone. Quality of life was not solely dependent on a nation's economic wealth.

Partnership between public and non-governmental sectors was a key element in socio-economic growth and development, he said. Aiming policies at society's most vulnerable groups -- such as children, women, the elderly, the disadvantaged, the poor and the disabled -- was a prerequisite for achieving social justice, equity and respect for human dignity. Opportunity for all in every area of human activity must be the starting point in any political strategy for the future.

He said his country stressed the need for a social security system which provided citizens with a say in exercising their rights. Malta's social policy was in line with its policies on health, eduction, care for the elderly and housing. Legislation ensured employment, education, health and other social benefits, without discriminating on the basis of gender. Special attention was paid to single-parent families, persons serving or who have served a prison sentence and rehabilitated drug addicts. Malta was also committed to giving youths a prime role in society; their participation in decision-making should be increased through participation in entities involved in the country's social and economic management.

ARUN KUMAR SHARMA, Member of Parliament of India, said that for many developing countries the core issues of poverty eradication, productive employment and social integration could not be addressed adequately without sufficient resources, non-discriminatory access to markets and availability of relevant technologies. Constraints on resources at the national level could not be ignored; social development required investments. At low per capita income levels, sufficient resources could not be mobilized for all the programmes outlined at the Copenhagen Summit unless the economy was growing rapidly -- even with the best political will and expenditure policies.

Without a supportive external economic environment -- including cooperation on macroeconomic policies, trade liberalization, mobilization of additional financial resources, financial stability, more equitable access to global markets and productive investment in technologies -- all development efforts would be like trying to roll uphill, he said. India's current five- year plan gave the highest priority to attaining full employment and eradicating poverty. It was based on a people-centred approach, strengthening participation at the grass-roots level by providing for village-level democratic institutions for women and socially disadvantaged groups. Affirmative action and encouragement of non-governmental organizations were key components of that strategy.

* *** *