GLOBAL 'AN"STHESIA' EXISTS TO PAIN OF AGEING, DISABLED, IRAN TELLS THIRD COMMITTEE

17 October 1997

Press Release
GA/SHC/3415

GLOBAL 'ANAESTHESIA' EXISTS TO PAIN OF AGEING, DISABLED, IRAN TELLS THIRD COMMITTEE

19971017 Says Problems Confronting Those Groups 'Global in Scale'; Committee Concludes Consideration of Social Development Issues

A pervasive state of anaesthesia to pain and suffering seemed to be at work on a global scale in relation to the problems of ageing and the disabled, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) was told this afternoon, as it concluded its consideration of social development issues.

The representative of Iran said that on the eve of the new millennium, mankind was "far from the mark as far as humane caring for the elderly and the disabled is concerned". The problems confronting those groups, as well as the family and youth, were global in scale. Failure to address them could not be attributed only to the societies conventionally known as developing or to those that were less endowed with resources, institutions or laws. Although the problems could not be solved overnight, they could be addressed by international cooperation.

Several other representatives also stressed the need for international cooperation. While acknowledging that primary responsibility for addressing social problems rested at the national level, the representative of the Philippines said a supporting international environment was crucial to achieve success in that endeavour. Her Government had embarked on a programme -- the social reform agenda -- that put people at the centre of development efforts.

The need for concerted international action in bringing about full employment, especially in developing countries and for those in transition, was also a theme stressed by a number of representatives. The representative of Iraq said the embargo against his country had destroyed the training and working sectors, while the representative of Malaysia said that both new skills and a new work ethic had to be taught to youth in order to meet the demands of accelerated economic development.

The representative of Argentina said his Government attached a special importance to employment, which involved the public, market and economic

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sectors. The representative of India said experience had shown that unemployment, not uncommonly, led to alienation, violence, militancy and terrorism, while productive employment and sustainable livelihoods had a favourable impact on social integration and led to regional cooperation.

The representative of Belarus said unemployment was not inevitable. Belarus intended to have full employment along with full economic growth, focusing on eradicating not just unemployment, but concealed unemployment and the growth of poverty.

Statements were also made by Bahrain, Russian Federation, Singapore (speaking on behalf of Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN)), Saudi Arabia, Australia, Pakistan, Bolivia, Ukraine, Kuwait, Libya, Guatemala and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The representatives of Iraq and Kuwait spoke in exercise of the right of reply.

The Director of the Division for Social Policy and Social Development, Department of Economic and Social Policy, John Langmore, addressing the Committee at the close of the meeting, welcomed the broadening of the debate to a wider concept of social development -- placing youth, the ageing, the family and the disabled in the wider socio-economic context. He also welcomed the information provided by representatives on national programmes for vulnerable groups.

The Third Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. Monday, 20 October, to begin its consideration of issues related to advancement of women and the implementation of the outcome of the Fourth World Conference on Women.

Committee Work Programme

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this morning to continue its consideration of social development issues, including questions relating to youth, ageing, disabled persons and the family. (For background, see Press Release GA/SHC/3412 of 13 October and GA/SHC/3413 of 14 October.)

Statements

MOHAMED SALEH (Bahrain) said social development was about the improvement of individuals in all groups in society, without distinction. His country had free education and health services and all sectors of society were important, youth in particular. He supported the offer by the Portuguese Government to hold the Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth. The disabled were no less important and efforts were made to integrate them. In accord with the precepts of Bahrain's religion, the aged were given special attention by all sectors, because they represented wisdom, and the Government helped improve the lives of the aged in many ways, including by legal means.

ANDREI NIKIFOROV (Russian Federation) said he appreciated the fact that more attention was being given in the United Nations to social problems, including help for those most at risk. Internal social problems could spill over boundaries and delay progress. To prevent that, it was important to implement the principles expressed at the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen. The guidelines adopted there were being implemented to help all sectors of Russian society. Tangible improvements in living conditions and reorienting social policies to focus on the family were being emphasized. Also priorities were preventing unemployment and taking care of the problems of migrants, as well as advancing democracy.

Making the transition from a centralized to a market economy would depend on international economic cooperation, he said. The responsibility for the transition was with the individual countries, but the international community had to support those nations, particularly through such organizations as the United Nations. There was not yet a full, system-wide implementation of the practical steps of Copenhagen and he supported strengthening the power of the Commission for Social Development to coordinate the relevant United Nations bodies.

CHI HSIA FOO (Singapore), speaking on behalf of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), said that the ASEAN Plan of Action on Social Development was intended to strengthen ASEAN regional cooperation in addressing social development problems. It had been developed in line with United Nations programmes and action plans, including the Copenhagen Declaration.

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She said that the youth population had been the fastest growing age group in many ASEAN countries during the past decade. In addition to developing individual national youth programmes, regional collaborative efforts had been outlined. Among ongoing activities bringing ASEAN youth together was an ASEAN Youth Day meeting, held annually since 1992. Ageing was another major world phenomenon that was posing new challenges, with implications for housing, recreation, health care and other social services. Older persons were a major resource for society, as long as national programmes utilizing the experience and knowledge of older persons were utilized.

As with other problems, disabilities could not be addressed in isolation, she said. She supported the long-term strategy to implement the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons to the year 2000 and Beyond for its substantive content and multi-dimensional character. In addition, strong family values and bonds were of critical importance necessary for a strong and cohesive society. Therefore, a range of pro-family schemes, measures and programmes had to be put in place to keep families strong, resilient and self-reliant.

Finally, she said national and regional efforts had to be complemented by greater international cooperation to bridge the gap between developed and developing countries. Cooperation had to be through the synthesis of different social development policies integrated into the overall development policy of the international community. Therefore, she reaffirmed her commitment and support to the integrated social development efforts of the United Nations.

NAIF ALSUDAIRY (Saudi Arabia) said his Government had developed programmes to provide social welfare to all disabled persons and those in need, to safeguard them from negative developments that impeded their progress. The objective was to transform disabled persons into productive persons. Governmental and private institutions were encouraged to contribute to those efforts. Assistance to needy families was being provided to make it possible for citizens to cope economically. The Government also provided pensions for the aged and for the disabled, as well as for victims of disasters.

He said such support was also based on a vast network of charitable organizations who received support based on the principles of Islam, as well as funding by the Government. Support for disabled children included special education. In the interest of improving the lives of adult disabled persons, employers were encouraged by law to employ the handicapped.

Such action taken at the national level contributed to overall social development and towards the implementation of the Copenhagen Programme of Action, he said. Internationally, his country also contributed to social

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development by giving aid to developing countries, which assisted them to consolidate social integration efforts. Such economic assistance would be beneficial to developing countries.

KAY PATTERSON (Australia), focusing on older persons, said that preparations in Australia to celebrate the 1999 International Year of Older Persons were already underway. The Year was considered an important opportunity to promote issues related to ageing and to celebrate the diversity and richness of the older population, as well as to encourage planning for the needs of older people. Older persons over age 65 were an estimated 12 per cent of the Australian population, or 2.2 million people. By 2016 that group was projected to increase to 16 per cent, or 3.5 million people. His country had developed a comprehensive framework for service delivery for older people in such areas as home and community care and income support through pension schemes.

The next step in improving the lives of older persons was to begin to change attitudes towards ageing and to take a far more positive approach to the increasingly mature society, he said. Positive images of older persons must be promoted and appropriate support for more older people should be fostered. As part of its action for the Year, the Australian Government had appointed a Minister responsible for the Year and established a Healthy Ageing Task Force. There was also a Conference for Older Australians, which was an advisory group on ageing established to advise the Government on activities and programmes for the Year. The Conference would also devise strategies to promote positive images of older people and advise the Government on ageing.

FAROOQ HASSAN (Pakistan) stressed that the concept of social development must be based on sustained economic growth and sustainable development. Without economic development, the basic needs necessary for infrastructural development, employment generation and social integration could not be provided. There was a great disparity between the lives of the poor in the developing countries and populations in developed countries. The world's poorest lived in severe deprivation -- a situation which did not augur well for economic development and for the improvement of the social situation. Citing the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Index, he said one fourth of the world's population lived in absolute poverty. An estimated 515 million -- or half of the world's poor -- lived in Asia.

He said economic development depended on sustaining high growth, which depended on a high rate of investment. In that connection, developing countries needed more development aid. The developed countries must fulfil their commitment to allocate 0.7 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) for official development assistance (ODA), which would help developing countries achieve economic expansion and employment generation. It would also pave the way for integration of the developing countries into a global economy.

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Meanwhile, he continued, the United Nations must explore ways to address issues relating to debt; make structural adjustment programmes socially more sensitive; and ensure development aid was a vehicle of investment and development support. He cited national action being taken in Pakistan towards improvement of the lives of vulnerable groups and the situation of women. However, in addition to such programmes, developing countries needed a liberal flow of resources and technical assistance from the United Nations and developed countries to augment their national efforts.

ABDUL RAHIM DATO' HAJI MOHD SAID (Malaysia) said urbanization and development, including rapid economic growth, had resulted in pressures and changes to the family unit and the complexities were making increasing demands on individuals and families. At the national level, his country had continued with implementation of the family development programme, aimed at strengthening the family institution and, through that, producing caring and responsible citizens.

The development of the potential of youth was vital in determining the success of a country's socio-economic development, he continued. New skills and a new work ethic had to be taught, in order to meet the demands of the accelerated pace of economic development. In the same way as it had for youth, the Copenhagen Programme of Action laid out steps towards protection of older persons, including those with disabilities, to encourage cross- generational participation in policy and programme development.

MARIANO SIMON-PADROS (Argentina) said the fight against poverty was particular important and programmes for social development had to fully guarantee both opportunities and protection of rights. For example, Argentina's national plan for older persons provided for such elements as food, housing and leisure time. All actions had to be integrated for the elderly, which were a growing sector of society.

His Government attached special importance to employment, which involved the public, market and economic sectors, he continued. Youth, women and the disabled were vulnerable with regard to work and they had to be helped. Job rehabilitation for the disabled had to be provided through legislation. Argentina's charter of inter-institutional cooperation worked at all levels countrywide. Laws at the provincial level supported the national framework and a National Council recommended ways to implement sectoral programmes.

However, not only the Government, but all citizens had to take responsibility, he said. Programmes addressing social problems must reach the people and not be diverted to other purposes. The range of actions of the State had to be coordinated, so that the State was not just providing assistance, but investing in people.

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ARUN KUMAR SHARMA (India) said he wanted to emphasize the link between youth unemployment, crime and violence and even politically motivated violence. Experience had shown that unemployment, not uncommonly, led to alienation, violence, militancy and terrorism. Action in support of productive employment and sustainable livelihoods had a favourable impact on social integration. To the extent that they stimulated trade and commerce in border areas, it even led to regional cooperation.

Ageing was a global phenomenon, he said. With the increase in life expectancy in the developing world, including India, the elderly were far from being considered liabilities and were traditionally considered assets -- as repositories of values ranging from experience to the maintenance of kinship bonds. However, with the transformation of the family worldwide, including in the developed world, family bonds had weakened. Thus, the larger policy issues and trends within specific sectors, such as those dealt with under the present agenda item, had to be addressed.

As India had pointed out yesterday in the General Assembly in its statement on the follow-up to the World Summit on Social Development, the issues being dealt with in questions concerning youth, the older persons and the disabled, were some of the basic building blocks of society, he said. They constituted the basic human resource potential of a society and they posed challenges of social integration. A healthy society bridged the gap between the robust and the vulnerable, providing the keys to the realization of the most central ideals of the United Nations.

MOHAMMED AL-HUMAIMIDI (Iraq) said that, as with other developing world countries, social development was important to Iraq. However, in addition to the traditional tasks of development, his Government had to take additional steps, because of the embargo that had now entered its eighth year. The negative effects of the embargo had impacted on productivity and the society had been challenged to find solutions.

The national programme in Iraq responded to the basic needs of the person and society by increasing per capita income while furthering the national economy, he continued. The programme focused on providing such services as health care, but the continued embargo had done great damage. There were three basic factors for social development: financial resources; international cooperation; and the will of the State for progress. Iraq was an oil producing country. It had been prevented from exporting oil and from getting credit. It had no financial resources, because some States were using power to intimidate. No matter how determined a State was to use the capacities and capabilities of its citizens, it could not develop socially in such a way.

The sanctions had destroyed health care, the representative said. Death due to hypertension had increased for those over the age of 50 and no physical

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rehabilitation, medications or services could be provided. Employment had also been adversely affected, with training opportunities lost. The continued embargo had affected education, with deviant behavior and drop-out rates increased. Parents were encouraging children to leave school due to financial hardship. School expansion had come to a total halt.

The experience of Iraq under the sanctions had prompted the United Nations to re-examine sanctions themselves, he concluded. The United Nations had stated that sanctions made it difficult for countries to exercise their responsibilities, particularly in regard to delivering humanitarian assistance. The international system needed dialogue, with cooperation between States.

MARCO ANTONIO VIDAURRE (Bolivia) said international conferences on development and social progress had stressed the importance of the integrated nature of progress and development. They all recognized that the human being must be at the centre of development. Bolivia was promoting the implementation of social development to improve the lives of youth, older persons and women. However, his Government faced obstacles in developing such programmes. Stressing that eradicating poverty was central to social development, he said his Government was working towards improving the lives of the poor by providing employment. His Government was also implementing the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities.

Stressing the destructive nature of landmines, he said it took the lives of innocent victims and retarded social and economic progress. He called for their urgent removal. On the Year of Older persons, he said his Government had reformed the pension system and had taken measures to improve the lives of older persons. However, international cooperation was important to improve the lives of vulnerable groups. In addition, international financial institutions should support social development programmes in developing countries.

OKSANA BOYKO (Ukraine) stressed the importance of the issues related to social development, because they touched the lives of every human being. Despite impressive achievements in political, economic and social development, in many nations the social and economic situation had deteriorated. Problems of poverty, unemployment and social disintegration required immediate solutions. The growth of crime and drug addiction were serious obstacles on the road to development.

She said her country was paying a high price for its transition to a market economy. Attempts were being made to improve the situation of the most vulnerable groups in the population and, despite the lack of financial resources, the Government was doing everything possible not to cut social programmes. The country was also experiencing a rapid ageing of the population. The International Year of Older Persons should play a catalytic role in renewing the quest to combine both national and international efforts

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in solving the problems of older persons. The Chernobyl catastrophe had increased the number of disabled, whose population would continue to grow, she said. The Government could not adequately provide for disabled persons due to its lack of financial resources, although there had been some improvements in that situation. She expressed the hope that the world programme of action concerning youth would provide an opportunity to assess the progress achieved by the international community.

MARIAM AL-AWADHI (Kuwait) said social services had to be preventive and there must be special provisions for those who were vulnerable, such as young mothers and the disabled. The Government had to provide help. It had to ameliorate the difficulties of those who had suffered, such as victims of war or violence.

In many countries of the world, tragedies had led to violations of rights, such as victims of torture and of landmines, she said. The State was trying to alleviate the psychological aftermath of such indignities, as well as to help victims overcome liabilities. Kuwait's programme for social development drew on international approaches, such as the Programme of Action adopted at Vienna and at the Fourth World Conference on Women.

PHAM THI THANH VAN (Viet Nam) said the rapid economic, social, political, environmental and technological changes that had occurred in recent decades had led to more competition and challenges, often at the expense of the vulnerable groups including youth, the elderly and the disabled. Despite that, the world community had been working tirelessly and, through the United Nations, to set global commitments and policies to help the vulnerable and the disadvantaged. In that connection, she cited the World Programme of Action for Youth, preparations for the International Year of Older Persons and the Standard Rules relating to disabled persons.

Despite many constraints, the Vietnamese Government had been intensifying its efforts on programmes concerning youth, ageing and disabled persons, she said. That was being achieved by mainstreaming relevant policies into national and economic development policies and by targeting those groups by means of preferential policies to facilitate their access to education, employment, health care and social services. Policies had been developed to empower young people and to build a new generation of well-educated men and women who would serve their country in national defence, industrialization and modernization of the society.

The aged in Viet Nam made up 10 per cent of the population and maintained the family and community structures, as well as protected moral values and taught young people, she said. Assisting the disabled was also of great importance. Many of them had become disabled as a result of the prolonged wars in the country. Many steps had been taken to protect the rights of

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disadvantaged groups in the fields of employment, education, economic life, health care and other social services.

IGAR GUBAREVICH (Belarus) said that in the two years since Copenhagen, considerable work had been done to implement the measures called for with regard to social development at both national and international levels.

He appreciated the emphasis being placed on employment, he said. Unemployment was not inevitable. His country intended to have full employment, along with full economic growth, focusing not just on unemployment, but on concealed unemployment and the growth of poverty. Those problems had not yet been resolved. They would get worse as long as global reallocation of capital increased the number of people living beneath the poverty line in transitional countries.

Productive employment and sustainable development were vital for countries with transitional economies, he said. The primary responsibility for social development lay with his Government, and numerous national steps had been taken on behalf of those at risk. Protecting the disabled and those who had taken part in wars, as well as those who had been irradiated by accidents, was also a responsibility.

For the social protection of its people, his Government had plans to make changes in its legal codes, he said. Financing was also needed, however, because the old system of having the Government finance social programmes no longer worked. New ways had to be developed, such as creating professional pension plans or providing extrabudgetary money for some transitional countries needing help from the United Nations. Above all, the machinery had to be created for a social partnership to combat unemployment.

JAMALEDDIN HAMIDA (Libya) said that, even with economic progress throughout the world, the social situation in many countries continued to deteriorate. What had been accomplished had been accompanied by setbacks. Material prosperity did not cover all people. In fact, there was a growing gap between the rich and the poor.

The Under-Secretary-General of the Department for Economic and Social Affairs had described an alternative that did not leave decisions regarding social development up to market forces and did not lay it on the shoulders of States. The family was the heart of society. Protection of the family was the first positive step to managing all social problems, such as drugs and criminality. It was also the key to promoting living standards and protecting older persons. His country sought to help older persons by breaking down stereotypes that presented them as a burden. Instead, measures had been taken to use the wisdom of older persons. The Year of the Family was a great step towards ensuring solidarity for that social unit.

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He said Libya had brought up the problems of the disabled because war and its mines had ceaselessly disfigured Libyans. His Government supported all efforts taken to rehabilitate those who had suffered, including youth who suffered from unemployment, drug abuse, prostitution and violence. All resources were needed to resolve those problems. Thus, he supported the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth. Finally, economic cooperation for social advancement had to be based on respect for different cultures and values. That meant respect for all countries without interference in internal affairs.

LUIS FERNANDO CARRANZA CIFUENTES (Guatemala) said a greater commitment must be made to promote national programmes regarding the family. Statements made by delegations were not enough. They were just a repetition of what had been agreed on at international conferences. The role of the family in society must be strengthened, as well as the institutions related to the family. The Commission on Social Development should also follow up on those issues more effectively.

The majority of developing countries, particularly the least developed countries, did not have the capacity to develop such programmes, he said. United Nations organizations and agencies should do more in that field. Only the United Nations International Drug Control Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) had assisted in implementing activities for the Year of the Family. The Trust Fund for the Year should be strengthened for the benefit of developing countries.

He said about 60 per cent of the Guatemalan population consisted of young people below the age of 30. Therefore, it was important to develop programmes for youth. The World Programme of Action for Youth had provided the framework for his Government to implement multisectoral programmes and to establish youth councils in the rural areas. The initiative of Portugal to host the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth would be an excellent opportunity to discuss and promote the implementation of the World Programme of Action.

LINGLINGAY F. LACANLALE (Philippines) said that, while the primary responsibility for addressing social problems rested at the national level, a supporting international environment was crucial to achieve success. Fully aware of its primary responsibility for providing an environment of economic and social security for its people, the Government of the Philippines had embarked on a programme that put people at the centre of development efforts. The programme -- the social reform agenda -- rested on the principle that investment in people was indispensable to sustained economic growth. It emphasized programmes for the disadvantaged, as well as investments in education and health for the young people.

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The problem of disabled persons was of increasing concern to the Philippine Government, she said. There were about 6.5 million Filipinos with disabilities, almost 10 per cent of the total population, and 75 per cent of them lived in rural or semi-urban areas. The Government had adopted a national disability policy, which emphasized prevention, rehabilitation, accessibility and anti-discrimination, as well as human rights. The plan aimed to ensure that the rights of persons with disabilities were protected and promoted, and that they were given equal opportunity to participate in the country's development activities.

ESMAEIL AFSHARI (Iran) said there was no question of the centrality of the family to the whole social structure. It constituted the basic unit of society -- a fact recognized by the World Social Summit. The problem was how to give it comprehensive protection and support, as called for in the Copenhagen Declaration. Further, part of the problem was how to protect the family from the negative impacts of wars, poverty, violence and moral decadence, as well as from the disruptive strains involved in the process of constant change in societies. The problems should be addressed from an international perspective, by pooling efforts collectively towards finding proper solutions.

On the eve of the new millennium, mankind was "far from the mark as far as humane caring before the elderly and the disabled is concerned", he said. Those were also problems of a global scale. Failure to address them could not be attributed only to the societies conventionally categorized as developing, or to those that were less endowed with resources, institutions or laws. It was also not a matter of schemes and projects, nor just a matter of dollars and cents. It was important for those groups in their own right.

A general and pervasive state of "anaesthesia" to pain and suffering seemed to be at work on a global scale, he added. The questions relating to ageing and disabled persons could be addressed properly once the state of anaesthesia gave way to genuine human empathy. The problems could not be solved overnight, but there could be an exchange of ideas and experiences among Member States. A wide range of possibilities existed for international cooperation.

He also stressed that the problem of youth was a formidable challenge and welcomed the World Programme of Action as a commendable effort towards improving their situation on a global scale. His Government, since the recent elections, was expected to place greater attention on social development. The question of youth would be among the areas to receive particularly high priority.

MUGERERANYA RWUBUSISI (Democratic Republic of the Congo) said such problems as natural disasters occurred in the third world more often than elsewhere, and that impacted on others. War resulted in the greatest number of

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handicaps. Therefore, those who supported ridding the world of landmines deserved support. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the environment was an important element. He appealed to the international community for help in rehabilitating forest lands.

Refugee camps, in the aftermath of war, were contributing to the disappearance of animal and vegetable species in his country, he said. Lands around the camps had been raided, looted and destroyed. As a result, local residents near the camps had been reduced to abject poverty. The international community needed to know about those situations, including such factors as the failure to disarm the refugees.

Right of Reply

Mr. AL-HUMAIMIDI (Iraq), speaking in exercise of the right of reply, said he had deep respect for the truth. Kuwait's representative had referred to actions by Iraqi forces that were not true and had been heard before. Iraq would continue to respond until the truth was heard.

Ms. AL-AWADHI (Kuwait) said she wanted to leave an image with the international community of what had happened under Iraqi occupation. Listing offences against children and families, she said she did not want to repeat history, but she had to describe the facts about what had happened during seven months of Iraqi occupation.

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