VALUE OF COOPERATIVES, PROBLEMS FACING FAMILIES HIGHLIGHTED IN THIRD COMMITTEE DEBATE

Press Release
GA/SHC/3519

VALUE OF COOPERATIVES, PROBLEMS FACING FAMILIES HIGHLIGHTED IN THIRD COMMITTEE DEBATE

Cooperatives could become sources of self-reliance for the aged, enterprise for youth and the disabled, as well as providing care for children, the representative of India told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) this morning, as the Committee continued its consideration of social development, including questions related to youth, ageing, disabled persons and the family.

Cooperatives promoted self-help and collective self-reliance, he continued. By pooling resources, contributing labour and bargaining collectively, societies at the grass-roots level provided themselves with health care, education, and other basic services without awaiting affirmative action by States.

The representative of Mongolia added that cooperatives made an important contribution to promoting social development goals. She said her Government had established a national programme for the development of cooperatives, which would create jobs, reduce poverty and help to ensure a reliable provision of social services to the population.

On the subject of the family, the representative of Singapore said the family was an “endangered species”. If family patterns found in many developed societies became the global norm, the traditional family could be endangered, he said.

The representative of the Philippines said the family was the foundation of the nation and a basic social institution, which public policy “cherished and protected”. In her country an integrated family-sensitive approach was included in development strategies.

The representative of Ireland said his country had hosted a United Nations workshop to investigate the impact of the technological revolution on families. The findings would help guide governments in creating employment opportunities through the direct application of emerging technologies. Special emphasis had been place on the needs of developing countries.

Statements were also made by the representatives of Bahrain, China, Marshall Islands, Fiji, Saudi Arabia, El Salvador, Libya,

Third Committee - 1a - Press Release GA/SHC/3519 5th Meeting (AM) 8 October 1999

Indonesia, Iran, Colombia, Rwanda. A representative of the International Labour Organization (ILO) also spoke, as did a youth delegate from Australia.

The representative of Portugal announced a revision to a draft resolution on policies and programmes for youth.

The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. today to conclude its consideration of social development, including questions related to youth, ageing, disabled persons and the family.

Committee Work Programme

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this morning to continue its consideration of social development, including questions related to youth, ageing, disabled persons and the family. (For background information, see Press Release GA/SHC/3517 of 6 October.)

Statements

GARETH HOWELL, Deputy Director of the New York Office of the International Labour Organization (ILO), said his organization was working closely with the United Nations system and with Member States in preparation for next year’s General Assembly special session on the 1995 World Summit for Social Development and to combat poverty by promoting jobs. A Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work had been adopted and four clear strategic objectives had been set out.

The Convention being promoted now advocated the promotion and realization of such issues as freedom of association and the recognition of the right to collective bargaining, he said. The four objectives were to: promote and achieve fundamental rights at work; improve the chances for women and men to secure decent jobs and income; enhance social protection; and strengthen tripartism and social dialogue. Specifically targeted groups being addressed with regard to remedying high rates of unemployment included youth, older workers and the disabled. The ILO assisted Member States through technical cooperation and did that in ever closer collaboration with the multilateral system.

ANDREW HUDSON, youth representative from Australia, said full and effective participation of youth in society and in decision-making was the most fundamental aspect of the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond. Young people were the largest group of humankind, with persons aged 25 and under constituting 60 per cent of the population. Youth should be active participants in the making of decisions that affected their lives. Also, young people were a major human resource for development. Youth were, in many ways, at the front of the globalization process. “They will be most affected by the evolution of our society in the long term”, he said. It was only logical to include them in shaping that change.

Young people wished to be considered as serious and reliable partners in the conception, planning and implementation of policies, he said. His country gave high priority to youth matters. Under the title “Voices of Youth”, a progamme to allow young views to be heard in government had been developed. Furthermore, the Australian government had established the national “Youth Media Awards” to promote a more positive portrayal of young people in the media.

OCHIR ENKHTSETSEG (Mongolia) said her country had passed an initial turbulence of transition in the early 1990s. Per capita incomes were no longer declining and inflation was not rampant. Since 1995, the gross domestic product (GDP) had been growing. Inflation was under control and private sector performance had shown improvement, particularly in the service sector. Poverty remained a serious problem with multiple consequences, but some positive social trends could be seen. It was clear that social-sector policies were not independent of economic, environmental and governance concerns.

Of particular relevance to her country, she continued, was the issue of cooperatives. They made an important contribution to promoting social development goals. In Mongolia, there were seven cooperative alliances comprising 2,000 individual cooperatives. A national programme for development of cooperatives from 1998 and 2005 had been set up, with a national council for monitoring implementation. The main objectives of the programme were to actively involve cooperations in promoting national development goals, in particular by creating jobs, reducing poverty and helping to ensure a reliable provision of social services to the population.

HUSSIEN JASSIM (Bahrain) said social development was linked with development of the individual. To promote development of the individual, the State had to do all it could to uplift the moral and intellectual potential of its citizens.

In Bahrain, the family was the first nucleus of society, he said. The society, in turn, was based on love of the nation and of the religion. His Government had implemented programmes to develop the abilities of the family, including the Society of Family Care established in 1975. This year, Bahrain had participated in the International Year of Older Persons. Respect for the elderly was an important part of Bahrain’s religion. Care for both the elderly and the disabled was a priority, both by religion and by the State in developing the full potential of its people and resources.

SHEN GUOFANG (China) said a peaceful and stable international environment was a prerequisite for global social development. In recent years, wars, military interventions and armed conflicts had severely damaged social development accomplishments. “This has not only hindered the social development of these countries and regions, but also produced a negative impact on global social development”, he emphasized.

Steady global economic growth was an important basis for global social development, he said. The financial crisis in some countries over the past few years had spread to the world economy. The international community needed to join hands in promoting the steady growth of the world economy. Also important for social development was poverty eradication and the strengthening of international cooperation. He proposed, among other things, that the special session on social development -- to be held next year -- study the impact of economic globalization on social development.

ESWARY BALANDAN (India) said five years after of the declaration of the International Year of the Family, the international community needed to take a look at the changed environment and at new developments as they affected the family. Among such new developments were broken homes, family conflicts, neglect, economic stress and inter-generational problems. A fresh assessment of the role of the family as an institution for social stability was required. “We have analyzed the impact of political, economic, cultural and social changes on nations, societies and individuals, while missing the point that societies are first an agglomeration of families”, he said.

Cooperatives had received less attention than they deserved, he said. In the face of globalization, there was a new role for cooperatives, especially in the arena of social development. Cooperatives were organizations for self-help and collective self-reliance. “By pooling resources, contributing labour and bargaining collectively, societies at the grass roots can provide themselves with

health care, education and other basic services without awaiting affirmative action by States”, he added. Also, cooperatives could become organizations of self-reliance for the aged, enterprise for the youth and the disabled, as well as for the care of children.

CATHY OLIVEIRO-RELANG (Marshall Islands) said that in the past three years, her country had faced the challenge of economic reform, dramatic change in weather patterns, such as El Niño, and the effects of the financial crisis in Asia. Despite those challenges, social development and the well-being of the nation was a priority in the broader context of sustainable development.

She said her country had participated in the Copenhagen Summit and had endorsed its outcomes without reservations. A mobile team for community had been established. It sought to overcome the difficulties of living in a small island developing State where communities were dispersed over large distances, with services and activities concentrated in two urban centres. The team informed people in outlying communities about nutritional and population issues. The Ministry of Education was also involved in a similar campaign. Those efforts were empowering communities to become involved in national activities through grass roots movements for social development.

RICHARD RYAN (Ireland) said his country had hosted a United Nations Workshop on Technology and Families in Dublin from 6 to 10 October of last year. The purpose had been to investigate the impact of the technological revolution on families. Emphasis had been placed on: education, communication and information; work and employment; and health and basic social services. Issues raised had included: the basic acceptance of technology as not neutral, but rooted in the society and culture developing it; that technology affected family members differently; and that the consequences of technology on society and lifestyle needed to be addressed.

The Workshop had called for research into the impact of the technological revolution on families, he continued. It had stressed the need for developing opportunities through adult education and lifelong learning. The findings would help guide governments in their investigation of the rapid changes experienced by families as a result of technological innovation, especially in terms of employment opportunities made available through the directed application of emerging technologies. The special needs of developing countries had been considered.

SAKIUSA RABUKA (Fiji) said the impact of mass longevity brought about by improved sanitation, hygiene, access to clean water, improved nutrition, as well as advances in health care, had made ageing one of the paradoxes of the time. Despite that, many people felt miserable about ageing. In 1995, 48,000 of his country’s people were over 60 years of age. By the year 2025 that figure would be about 160,000, an increase of 233 per cent. That dramatic increase in the size of the elderly population would have a profound impact on the economy and society, as well as on the health system. His Government had approved many new policies to help the elderly, such as the strengthening of social welfare services.

Small island developing States needed to be assured of receiving an equitable share of benefits from the global trading system, he said. In addition, the establishment of an institution to utilize global trading opportunities was important. It was essential to start considering the inclusion of the free movement of human capital in discussions related to future globalization. Only when there was free movement of labour would the global trading system become a level playing field. “It is the failure to mobilize human resources into the globalization and trade liberalization processes that is reponsible for the sluggish economic development in many developing countries”, he said.

NAIF BIN BANDAR AL-SUDAIRY (Saudi Arabia) said the basic system of governance in his country provided citizens with different services related to social functioning. Social security had been established, which guaranteed better living standards. Pensions helped the elderly, orphans, divorced women and widows. Also, his Government encouraged many to make charitable contributions for those in need. It also assisted the disabled. The number of governmental hospitals had greatly increased in the past few years. The number of doctors per citizens had also greatly increased. Efforts in his country had focused on global development. Modernization followed globalization and made citizens productive in society.

CARLOS ENRIQUE GARCIA GONZALEZ (El Salvador) said his country had made great efforts with regard to disabled people, particularly to reintegrate them into society. A commission had been formed to reform legislation to meet their needs. The commission had been composed of numerous organizations advocating the rights of people with disabilities, and legislative reforms were under way, as were integrated programmes on behalf of the disabled. Information plans were an important part of raising the awareness of society with regard to the disabled. Efforts at both the national and international levels had to be stepped up in order to accurately reflect the world’s concern for protecting the disabled.

ABDUSSALAM SERGIWA (Libya) said tremendous progress had been made by mankind, but the social situation was getting worse. Social inequalities were getting worse and that would continue if the political will did not exist to create an economic environment that would help eradicate poverty. The disabled deserved the special consideration of the international community. Also, much of the continuing problem with disabilities in the world was caused by landmines.

The family was the social nucleus, he said. The family was the saviour against such social ills as crime and drugs. Also, awareness had to be raised about the role of the elderly. In addition, the rights of youth had to be reaffirmed, including the right to education and their taking a role with regard to protecting the environment. In his country, socio-economic policies had been developed to guarantee free health care and social services. Those had been undertaken despite the sanctions against his country, which had hampered vital social programmes.

MARIA LOURDES RAMIRO-LOPEZ (Philippines) said her Government had made many efforts to integrate the disabled into society. It had established vocational rehabilitation centres, which provided the disabled with opportunities to acquire productive skills. It had further established job fairs, where the disabled could demonstrate their skills. It was important to hold an exchange of best practices with regard to promoting the rights of disabled people. Also, greater focus should be given to activities that addressed the needs of disabled children. The importance of generating information and comparable data to monitor and assess the implementation of the World Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development was crucial.

In her country, the family was the foundation of the nation and a basic social institution which public policy “cherished and protected”, she said. Her Government supported actions that integrated a family-sensitive approach with development strategies. The challenge of creating a society for all confronted not one country, but all. Her Government had adopted a strategy to empower the most vulnerable groups of society through the provision of basic services, and building capabilities.

SUTJIPTOHARDJO DONOKUSUMO (Indonesia) said the impact of the global economy on youth had been particularly harsh in some countries. Declining rates of official development assistance (ODA), financial flows and debt obligations had had a negative impact on the daily lives of youth. His Government had incorporated issues of concern to the situation of youth in its five-year development plans.

His Government supported initiatives to increase awareness of international norms and standards for the disabled, he said. It had passed a public act on the “disabled person” which stipulated equal rights for the disabled and their access to existing social services. The problems of the disabled were extensive and developing countries needed greater assistance in that regard.

MOHAMMAD HASSAN FADAIFARD (Iran) said that almost five years after the Social Summit, much remained to be done. It was time to strive for concrete actions, rather than words, to improve social conditions. It was a challenge before the world community to provide social services for the world’s people. The interdependence between national and international economies had to be recognized. The unfavourable conditions of international finance, which had kept developing countries from partaking in progress, had to be addressed.

Positive steps had to be taken to improve the situation and attain the objectives of the Copenhagen Summit, he said. At the national level, such actions were needed as promoting the private sector and encouraging investments. At the international level, trade barriers had to be dismantled and debt burdens had to be erased. Social objectives were among Iran’s most important priorities. Much emphasis was placed on providing social services, and social indicators had shown that Iran was implementing sustainable development plans. New initiatives were always being undertaken, even though external factors, such as an imposed war, had taken its toll.

FABIO OCAZIONES (Colombia) said science and technology had made great progress in helping people with disabilities. Those improvements should be turned towards eliminating the differences in care that existed between North and South countries. The vast difference in conditions increased the difficulties of those with disabilities. Care for the disabled had been a great problem in his country, because of violence.

He outlined the Colombian programme for the disabled. It contained preventive measures, as well as those dealing with improving access and facilities. The most significant aspect of the programme was its administrative decentralization, which enabled all to take advantage of the services. The objectives of the plan were to: reduce events leading to infirmities; broaden services for the disabled; and increase the social integration of the disabled. Those efforts should be strengthened by the United Nations.

KISHORE MAHBUBANI (Singapore) said, even though many developed societies had probably found the right answers to political and economic questions, they had not done so in regard to key social questions. “The unfortunate problem that developing countries -- which make up 85 per cent of mankind -- face is that they are being subject to a great export of social and personal values from developed

societies”, he said. Many of those values were being transported through television programmes and movies, which reached homes worldwide through satellite.

In addition to the passive export of values through airwaves, there was an active export of values through coercion, he said. For example, the European Union was calling upon States to abolish the death penalty. “Each society makes its decisions on the death penalty issue on the basis of the complex matrix of social, cultural and religious values that it believes in”, he said. The family was an “endangered specie”, he added. If family patterns found in many developed societies became the global norm, the traditional family could be endangered.

JOSEPH W. MUTABOBA (Rwanda) said that, in order for development to take place, the human factor needed to be at the forefront. In his country, the opposite had been true. However, that trend of events had been reversed and a track of social development was in the works.

It was a grave situation when the young were misdirected into criminal activities, he said. “The majority of Rwanda’s genocidal forces in 1994 were drawn from the youth”, he said. They had trained as militia activists and the havoc created by them would remain for sometime. The present leaders were spending a lot of precious time rehabilitating youth who had been turned into killers and rapists. That should be a lesson to all societies. Solidarity camps had been organized to bring together young people from all over the country to meet each other, interact and engage in an open political dialogue.

MARIA AMELIA PAIVA (Portugal) said a paragraph should be added to the resolution on Policies and Programmes for Youth (document A/C.3/54/L.2). Operative paragraph 15 (b) would recommend that youth delegates be made part of all delegations to the United Nations, in order to facilitate their participation and the inclusion of their voice in United Nations programmes and activities.

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