THIRD COMMITTEE CONCLUDES CONSIDERATION OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Press Release
GA/SHC/3520

THIRD COMMITTEE CONCLUDES CONSIDERATION OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

The specific impact of globalization on vulnerable groups had to be studied, the representative of Venezuela told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) this afternoon, as it concluded its consideration of social development, including questions related to youth, ageing, disabled persons and the family.

One of four speakers this afternoon, Venezuela's representative added that to implement the programmes on the vulnerable groups the Committee was considering, the specific needs of the groups and a gender perspective had to be taken into account and worked into overall national development policy.

Addressing the same issue, the representative of Morocco emphasized that globalization had caused great distress in Latin America and Asia. Tremendous inequality had been created between the rich and the poor. Debt and armed conflicts were on the increase in many parts of the world and assistance to poor countries had greatly diminished.

The representative of Eritrea told the Committee conflict had a devastating effect on development. No economic development programme could ever be meaningful if it did not result in the elimination of hunger and famine-creating conditions, the eradication of illiteracy, as well as the provision of adequate health services.

The representative of Nigeria said that if a "society for all ages" was to be achieved, issues pertaining to childhood, youth and older persons had to be considered as a whole. Care for the elderly in most African countries was family-based, in line with cultural traditions that viewed older persons as the repositories of the wisdom and values a society needed to impart to its youth.

In concluding remarks, the Deputy Director of the Division for Social Policy and Development said the debate on social development had been lively. The Third Committee was the one confronting the basic question for humanity: What did the concept of a good society meant?

The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. Monday, 11 October, to begin consideration of issues related to the advancement of women and implementation of the outcome of the Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing, 1995).

Committee Work Programme

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this afternoon to conclude 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.)

OLESEGUN AKINSANYA (Nigeria) said that Nigeria, with its multi-ethnic culture and traditions, had great respect for older persons. As in most African countries, the care for the elderly in Nigeria was family-based, consistent with time-honoured cultural traditions that viewed the elderly as repositories of wisdom and values best imparted to the younger generation within the family setting. Nigeria granted tax rebates to income earners to enable them to better take care of their aged parents.

There were other programmes for the elderly, as part of Nigeria’s family support programmes, he continued. It was necessary to focus on the umbilical link between childhood, youth and old age. The child of today would grow to be the aged of tomorrow. It was important to look at issues pertaining to childhood, youth and older persons in a holistic manner, if a “society for all ages” was to be achieved.

MARIA INES FONSECA (Venezuela) said that to implement the programmes on the vulnerable groups being considered by the Committee, the specific needs of the groups had to be taken into account, along with a gender perspective, and those had to be worked into the overall national development policy. Globalization had impacted on vulnerable groups and its specific effects had to be studied.

Social development was at the heart of all aspects of Venezuela’s policy, she said. At the international level, Venezuela supported initiatives at the regional and broader levels for all vulnerable groups. At the domestic level, cooperatives were an important component of national development. A single, central fund served to encourage economic activities. A national council coordinated policies for the disabled. Nutritional and educational programmes were provided to people at all levels of society, including families, who were seen as the repositories of the culture.

AICHA AFIFI (Morocco) said the human being seemed to have been excluded from social development programmes. Social problems worldwide had become more complicated and difficult.

Globalization had caused great distress in Latin America and Asia, she continued. Further, debt and armed conflicts were on the increase in many parts of the world and assistance to poor countries had greatly diminished. Tremendous inequality had been created between the rich and the poor. In Africa, 44 per cent of the people lived in poverty. Social justice was an important aspect in the implementation of development programmes.

AMARE TEKLE (Eritrea) said economic development programmes would never be meaningful if they did not result in the elimination of hunger and famine-creating conditions, the eradication of illiteracy and ignorance, as well as the provision of adequate health services.

Conflict had a devastating effect on development, he said. The war of independence had affected his country's entire population. All age groups had participated in the struggle, since, in a 30-year war, it was certain that the children would become young men, the young would become adults and the adults would become elders.

The population of older persons had greatly contributed to both the liberation struggle and the reconstruction of his country, he continued. Also, octogenarians and septuagenarians had successfully engaged in the rebuilding of the railroad systems, which had been destroyed by the war. His Government had established residential services and programmes to reintegrate elders with extended families.

ANDRZEJ KRASSOWSKI, Deputy Director, Division for Social Policy and Development, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, said the debate on social development had been stimulating. It had been enlivened by the presence of youth representatives, present in greater numbers than ever. It had been said that the work of the Third Committee was most important. That was because other Committees dealt with concrete issues. The Third Committee, on the other hand, sooner or later had to confront the basic question for humanity: what was meant by the concept of a good society, a society for all ages, as the Copenhagen Declaration had stated? And, how could a society fashion a common view of the good society for itself?

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