SPEAKERS IN COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHT SPECIFIC NEEDS OF MARGINALIZED GROUP
Press Release
SOC/4436
SPEAKERS IN COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHT SPECIFIC NEEDS OF MARGINALIZED GROUP
19980212 Speakers this afternoon highlighted the specific needs of groups which had been marginalized through social and economic forces, as the Commission for Social Development concluded its general discussion on promoting social integration. In addressing the situatin of socially excluded groups, they stressed that the unique problems of each group called for specific approaches to their alleviating problems. The Russian Federation's economic and political transition had unleashed social forces and created new vulnerable groups, that country's representative told the Commission. Until recently, the Russian people had not known unemployment, refugees or homelessness. Now, with new and unchecked private forces and fledgling governmental structures, the Russian Federation was struggling to protect minimal social rights. Guatemala's representative said that its indigenous sectors continued to be among the country's most marginalized groups. Governmental policies were now directed towards eliminating the discriminatory practices which had traditionally affected the majority of that population. The Government was attempting to integrate the indigenous peoples into the country's economic growth. A representative of the Franciscans International said that people with disablities, including the deaf, were often feared and excluded. He called on every country to direct services and education to children suffering from disabilities. Through education, modern technology and medical advancement, the cycle of poverty and dependence for the vulnerable and disadvantaged could be broken, he said. No one method for promoting social integration was applicable to all countries, Iran's representative said. Each nation, within its particular socio-cultural and historical contexts, should chart its own path. Social integration should not strive to eliminate distinctions and differences; instead, it should enable different groups to live in harmony and peace. Statements were also made by the representatives of Egypt, Ukraine, Philippines, Pakistan, Peru and India. The Commission also heard statements from the following non-governmental organizations: International Movement ATD Fourth World; International Federation on Ageing; World Veterans Federation; New Humanity; World Movement of Mothers; Gran Fraternidad Universal; and World Council of Churches. The Commission will meet again at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 13 February, to begin its review of United Nations plans and programmes of action pertaining to social groups. It will also hear a report on activities of the Ad Hoc Support Group on Ageing.Commission Work Programme
The Commission for Social Development met this afternoon to continue its general discussion on promoting social integration and justice. It is considering that issue as part of its review of the implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development (Copenhagen, 1995). (For background information, see Press Release SOC/4430 of 9 February.)
Statements
AL DESOUKY YOUSSEF (Egypt) said the promotion of social development has become a goal around the world because countries understood the link between development and political and economic stability. Programmes promoting participation and integration should not compromise the efforts of cultural groups to retain their diversity and identity. Governments played a role in allowing cultural diversity while promoting integration. Egypt had opened the channels of communication with all groups through the promotion of the local and national councils.
Justice and the rule of law was also a priority for Egypt's development efforts, he said. A just legal system provided the main foundation for the legitimacy of authority. Peace was only attainable through justice. As to poverty, it reflected not only a deprivation of resources, but a lack of rights. The Egyptian Government had taken steps to secure the political, economic and social rights of all people to protect their human dignity. It has also taken steps to enforce tolerance and social justice.
VEHERA SVITLANA (Ukraine) supported the Secretary-General's view that participation and social integration were key to social development. It was impossible to build a democratic society without freedom, human rights and development. Her country was pursuing a policy to form a civil society based on those elements which could be seen in its Constitution. It was working to strengthen democratic institutions and ensure the right of all citizens choose and express their opinions.
She said her country had adopted decrees aimed at promoting the participation in society of all groups, including the handicapped, minorities and refugees. A social policy plan of action has been instituted to enhance the status of women. The problems of the aged were also a priority, and Ukraine supported the Secretary-General's proposal to establish an international year for the aged. It was necessary to examine the work of the Commission itself, with the aim of enhancing its effectiveness.
BORIS TSEPOV (Russian Federation) said that since the Social Summit, there had been an increased understanding of the importance of social problems in society, and greater efforts had been made to protect society's most vulnerable groups. However, there were great obstacles to achieving the goals
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elucidated at Copenhagen. During its dramatic economic transition, the Russian Government had not been able to protect even minimal social rights. In the face of a new and unchecked private sector, combined with low levels of governmental structures, it was not easy to create a society with equal participation for all.
In the short term, social problems must be addressed by differentiating among persons and groups, he said. The Russian Government would, in the near future, be lending its support to targeted groups. The Russian people were facing all types of vulnerabilities. Until recently, Russia had never known such phenomenon as unemployment, refugees, and homelessness. Another salient problem was the need to ensure the well-being of former military personnel, particularly in light of the reduction of the military.
The social sphere must be enhanced by increasing the effectiveness of existing resources and securing additional funding, he said. In that process, the country had to rely on its own efforts. Foreign investors did not seem to find investing in Russia's social sector an attractive prospect. His country supported the recommendation to establish an international database and network for the exchange of relevant information.
MAHDI HAMZEHEI (Iran) said that no one method for promoting social integration was applicable to all countries. Each nation should chart its own path within its particular socio-cultural and historical context. However, that did not negate the importance of international cooperation. Social integration, at the national and international levels, should not strive to eliminate distinctions and differences. It should, instead, enable different groups and persons to live in harmony and peace, through a free exchange of ideas. Each nation should enjoy the opportunity of contributing towards shaping the international order.
It was only through the rule of law that necessary and proper conditions for social integration could be created and maintained, he said. The Government of Iran was removing obstacles in the way of popular social participation, particularly for women and youth. The fact that nearly 90 per cent of Iranian citizens had participated in the most recent presidential elections was a clear manifestation of the dynamic participation of the Iranian people, particularly women and children.
Problems relating to refugees and illicit drugs were keenly relevant to the question of social integration, he said. Owing to its location, Iran had been forced to deal with both problems. Iran was currently hosting more than 2 million foreign refugees, and it was also on the transit route for the movement of illicit drugs from Eastern producers to Western consumer markets. Those problems had exacted a heavy toll on Iranian society, in both human and financial terms.
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LINGLINGAY LACANLALE (Philippines) said her country realized that drawing up a comprehensive reform agenda was not enough. The Philippines needed to establish a coherent set of policies to integrate disadvantaged and minority groups into the mainstream of society. Policies had already been adopted which increased political autonomy for certain regions, promoted reconciliation with dissident groups, increased attention to areas which were lagging behind in development, and expanded the provision of social services.
Participation was only meaningful under a system of justice which guaranteed freedom and fairness, she said. That principle had guided efforts to strengthen her country's system of justice. Landmark legislation was currently before Congress to speed up the administration of justice. The Philippines' system of grass-roots dispute settlement and arbitration utilized village and town leadership. The country had also improved the selection process for competent and honest judicial officers, raised the quality of public defenders, and increased free legal aid. The Government was working closely with non-governmental organizations to implement legal representation for the indigent.
NAZAR MOHAMMAD SHAIKH (Pakistan) said the deprivation of groups in society was acute. The gaps between the "haves" and the "have nots" was widening, both worldwide and in his country. Pakistan remained committed to implementing the goals of the Social Summit, which merited concerted and global efforts. Pakistan's goal was a society of free people living in equality and social justice. At least 10 articles of its Constitution were dedicated to social integration.
The current Government had targeted its programmes to enhance the condition of neglected and exploited women, youth, the aged, the disabled and destitute persons, he said. It had also taken to concrete steps to eliminate discrimination. The Government had embarked on reforms to decentralize and improve accountability, and a number of measures and programmes had been undertaken to alleviate social problems. Productive employment opportunities had been provided, gender imbalances had been reduced, and social safety nets had been put in place.
MARITZA RODRIGUEZ (Peru) said that eliminating poverty and its consequences was a priority for developing countries. Methods of combating poverty varied among countries and regions depending on their differences in development and in their financial capacities. Peru had gone from instability to economic growth and efficiency in a few decades. It now focused its efforts on social, as well as economic, liberalization. To liberalize its economy, Peru had sought to create transparency and eliminate corruption. Efforts were now needed to improve income distribution, with the goal to reducing the numbers of those living in extreme poverty by 50 per cent. Peru spent 40 per cent of its national budget, about $4 billion, for such social programmes as overcoming poverty.
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While economic growth was a necessary condition to win over poverty, the State also needed to improve the quality of health and education services, she said. Some tended to believe that market forces could fix all social problems, but that had not been the case. Peru had sought to establish conditions to bring about equality of opportunity and to incorporate the poorest people into the economy.
JULIO ARMANDO MARTINI HERRERA (Guatemala) said that in the recent period of intense democratization, his country had directed a great deal of its public expenditures towards social investment. That effort had at times been hampered by weaknesses in the democratic system, which required institutional strengthening. The Guatemalan Peace Agreements, in force for over a year, had increased participation by groups which had formerly been excluded. It was to be hoped that such participation would lead to the creation of mechanisms that would enable society to reach its development objectives.
Guatemala's indigenous sectors continued to be among the most marginalized of groups, he said. The Government was focusing on policies that took account of the country's different groups and eliminated the discriminatory practices which had affected the majority of the indigenous population. Working with United Nations bodies, the Government sought to integrate the indigenous population in the country's economic growth. There were already indications that indigenous organizations were becoming more organized.
In Guatemala, State reform proceeded from the premise that decentralization would improve services, he said. Economic participation and the resulting ability to obtain sufficient resources for survival were important elements of social integration. Within the framework of a project on women and legal reforms, a document had been formalized concerning statutory obligations for women, deriving from the Peace Agreements. That text was an instrument aimed at guaranteeing women's access to work and social services. The integration of groups and the reduction of vulnerability were not achieved only by promoting democratic participation. It was also necessary to ensure sustainable development, which could guarantee the participation of those groups.
ROHINI NAYYAR (India) said that human rights and development were linked by participatory democracy. Social development lay at the confluence of democracy, development and human rights, and was also at the junction of State, market and civil society. Developing countries' poverty overshadowed all other forms of vulnerability and marginalization. Poverty alleviation must, therefore, remain at the forefront when addressing the problem of social integration.
Social development must also be addressed in the context of catching up with the living standards and economic growth achieved by the industrialized countries, she said. Social development required both growth and distributive justice, because a higher growth rate would not, in itself, reduce poverty.
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No amount of participation in local or democratic processes would result in countries getting a greater say in global decision-making. The fact that market forces could have such an adverse effect in the lives of people, yet were not accountable to those people, was fundamentally undemocratic. The ethics of structural adjustment approaches which gave priority to market forces over the needs of people should be questioned.
With respect to United Nations reform, she said that, while policy formulation capacity was being strengthened, that had not been translated into a capacity to influence the system overall, particularly in preventing crises. The enhanced development policy capacity of the Division for Economic and Social Affairs, on the one hand, and functions relating to peace, security, human rights and humanitarian crises, on the other, were still separate -- even as the international community increasingly understood the importance of preventive strategies and long-term approaches.
Non-Governmental Organization Statements
Ms. REDEGELD, of the International Movement ATD Fourth World, said respect for human dignity and human rights should guide efforts to implement the recommendation made at the Copenhagen Summit. Seeking the participation of all groups meant refusing intolerable ignorance and violence and inventing ways to promote knowledge and equality. Deep poverty could not be treated -- it must be eliminated. In the future, there would be new sensitivities and a new way of thinking. Participation and integration were part of that new way of thinking and acting for the betterment of all.
Brother THOMAS, of Franciscans International, said he specialized in working with the deaf and hard of hearing and was partially deaf himself. He said that deafness was a silent disability because other people could not see it or experience it. The normal human response to people with disabilities, including the deaf, was to fear and remain distant from them because they were different; but the deaf could be socially integrated. Through the advancement of medical technology, deafness could be detected and treated before three months of age. In the past, deaf children were considered mentally retarded. A plan should be in place in each country to direct proper educational and medical services to any child found to be suffering from hearing loss or deafness. Through education, modern technology and medical advancement, the cycle of poverty and dependence affecting the vulnerable and disadvantaged could be broken.
Mrs. HAMLIN, of the International Federation on Ageing, said the growth of the older population was one of the most challenging problems of the century. There were currently 600 million people over the age 60 on the planet, and that number was expected to reach 1.2 billion by the year 2021. That represented a far-reaching yet quiet demographic change which could be positive if society learned to benefit from its older population. Society
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should view older persons as valuable resources for information, history and culture, rather than as burdens. Older persons must have access to adequate resources to ensure their full participation in society. That meant providing re-education and job training, and proper access to health care and employment opportunities. Governments could benefit greatly from investing in the elderly and giving them more responsibilities in society.
Mr. WOURGAFT, of the World Veterans Federation, said that veterans, having experienced the sufferings of war, had joined efforts to strive for a world which conformed with the principles of the United Nations Charter and the International Bill of Rights. By promoting an exchange of experience, his organization sought to ease the suffering and enhance the quality of life of victims of war, as well as people suffering from all types of disabilities. Problems specific to veterans and victims of war did not fall under the responsibility of any intergovernmental organizations. The Commission should take account of the special economic and social problems encountered by war veterans and victims of war.
Ms. KLOCK, of New Humanity, told the Commission about her organization's work in support of the upcoming International Year of Older Persons, to be commemorated in 1999. It had convened a conference in 1997 entitled "A Society for All Ages -- the Elderly: A Resource for a United World". Over 1,000 participants from 29 countries had attended. Concern was expressed that societies were not adequately preparing to address changes resulting from increased life spans and ageing populations. The conference had taken an interdisciplinary approach towards examining problems faced by older persons. New Humanity was now involved in follow-up activities, based on renewing culture by taking tangible individual and group action aimed at including older persons in society.
Ms. CALMFORTH, speaking for the World Movement of Mothers, NGO Family Voice, and the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies, said it was baffling that the reports before the Commission contained little mention of the family's important role in the development process. Many of the issues being addressed in the session were the result of weakened family ties and commitments. The feminization of poverty and the proliferation of fatherless homes caused numerous problems. Strengthening the family must, therefore, be a priority focus, and not receive only sporadic attention. No government programme or policy aimed at social development and no amount of resources could cure the social ills that arose from disintegrating families. The family must receive sustained consideration.
Mr. HERNANDEZ, of Gran Fraternidad Universal, said that efforts to solve the problems of mankind should focus on re-education. There was need for a new conception of education that focused on the spiritual, mental and physical education of the person. Formal and informal education should be designed to guide the person towards active participation in society. It should be
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reoriented towards developing a person's full potential. The Commission should encourage governments to implement that new type of education and training to better promote human development.
Ms. CRUCKSHANK, of the World Conference of Churches, said that churches had witnessed the exclusion of the poor and vulnerable from the decision- making process. Especially in Mexico, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) had brought harsh economic consequences to people in rural areas, as well as to small business which did not have access to international markets. Economic choices were moral choices, and more attention should be given to the social effects of economic programmes. Such programmes deprived many communities of rights. That was particularly true of indigenous people. The Commission should highlight the link between development and human rights, and help provide a healthy climate for integration and change.
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