PRESS BRIEFING BY SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION

Press Briefing

PRESS BRIEFING BY SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION

The challenges globalization posed for social integration was one of the main topics of discussion during the current session of the Commission for Social Development, its Chairman, Aurelio Fernandez (Spain), said today at a Headquarters press briefing. Globalization affected all countries -- some more than others -- but the focus was often on its political and economic impact, rather than its social consequences, he said.

Commission Vice-Chairman Mathe Diseko (South Africa) and John Langmore, Director of the Social Development Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, also took part in the briefing. It was chaired by the Director of the Promotion and Public Services Division of the Office of Communications and Public Information, Mian Qadrud-Din.

Mr. Fernandez said the session, which opened on 10 February and concludes tomorrow, had focused on three aspects of social integration: participation and social justice; enhancing social protection; and violence, illicit drugs and crime. One of the measures discussed in the context of the Commission's agreed conclusions related to the systematic use of social assessment mechanisms in policy planning and structural adjustment programmes.

On the subject of social vulnerability and enhancing social protection, he said there had been much discussion about the need to build relationships between governments, non-governmental organizations, civil society and the business sector in the delivery of social welfare. Social integration required more investment in social and human capital and that was related to participation. There had also been an interesting debate on the need to strengthen processes and institutions that had been eroded during development.

He said that preparations currently under way in Vienna for the United Nations General Assembly special session on illicit drugs in June were an important part of social integration efforts. The emphasis was on: the social dimensions of drug addiction, particularly preventive measures; improving institutions and networks to help prevent drug addiction and violence; and the rehabilitation of drug addicts and victims of crime.

Mr. Langmore said that the Commission was wrestling with the fact that national social policies everywhere were influenced by global factors, particularly economic ones. The Commission was concluding that the social could not be considered without the economic, as vividly illustrated by the current financial crisis in East Asia. Commission participants had also noted the importance of building employment opportunities everywhere, so people could support themselves and participate in society.

Mr. Diseko said a number of countries had also looked at globalization as an opportunity and at the risk that went with it. Many representatives at the Commission had emphasized what their national governments were doing to implement the decisions taken at the World Summit for Social Development (Copenhagen 1995). The interaction between civil society and delegations was having a positive impact on the outcome of deliberations.

A correspondent asked if the Commission had come up with any innovative ideas to deal with the impact of technological advances on employment, particularly in third world countries. Mr. Langmore said most employment growth had to be in rural production and service industries. Technological change could not replace teachers, nurses, travel agents and hair dressers. Employment in those labour intensive areas was growing strongly in both industrial and developing countries. Technological changes in those types of industries tended to add job opportunities, rather than replace people.

How could poor countries benefit from globalization? a correspondent asked. Mr. Fernandez said discussion during the current session had recognized that less developed countries could be marginalized in the globalization process, as could certain groups within countries. National policies needed to address that problem.

Mr. Langmore said one paragraph of the Commission's conclusions read: "In the context of globalization, the international community, particularly the international financial institutions, need to consider further the social consequences of their policies and programmes".

A correspondent said that when trying to encourage business investment, developing countries often found that business interests were no longer interested when unions wanted to negotiate employee benefits. How was the Commission addressing that? she asked.

Mr. Langmore said social pacts, where governments, unions and businesses negotiated an agreement on national economic policy, were commonly used in Europe. The value of such collaboration in the preparation of responsible wage policies was one of the topics at a recent regional meeting in Vienna, sponsored by the Austrian Government. The benefit for government was that unions agreed to wage modification; unions, for their part, had a say in negotiations on wider economic and social policy questions. That approach was quite widespread in Europe, had been used in Japan and could be useful in other countries.

In developing countries, he continued, there had been a strong affirmation of the value of civil society in articulating the needs of the wider community. One striking outcome of the financial crisis in Asia was the recognition by a number of people in the financial markets of the need for more transparent societies, which would create greater confidence among investors. One aspect of such open societies was the existence of forces to balance government and corporations.

Social Development Briefing - 3 - 19 February 1998

Mr. Fernandez said basic core labour standards that were not subject to conditionalities were also discussed by the Commission. One panel had presented examples on how, in the context of competitiveness in developing countries, traditional business was often marginalized. There had been discussions on how to balance local business needs with the need for development and economic growth.

Mr. Diseko said developing countries had different histories and conditions. The level of social awareness and interaction between governments, labour and business reflected those differences. In South Africa, there were many examples of how that type of interaction could work effectively. There was a need to ensure that, while giving vent to different interests, business was part of the equation and understood that it had a social responsibility to labour, which, in turn, had a responsibility to business. Foreign direct investment was still needed, but for that to be socially meaningful there must be a balance between labour, business and government.

Mr. Langmore said the most recent International Labour Organization (ILO) report had noted the decline on union membership on a global level.

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