COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CONCLUDES SESSION; ADOPTS CONCLUSIONS ON SOCIAL SUMMIT COMMITMENTS

Press Release
SOC/4537

COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CONCLUDES SESSION; ADOPTS CONCLUSIONS ON SOCIAL SUMMIT COMMITMENTS

The Commission for Social Development adopted a set of agreed conclusions on progress and obstacles in implementing the commitments made at the World Summit for Social Development (Copenhagen, 1995) by consensus, as it concluded its thirty-eighth session Friday evening, a month past schedule.

The Commission was to have concluded on 17 February, but consensus developed slowly and several negotiating sessions were held late into the night. One paragraph that was a focus of discussion concerned the Commission’s conclusion that in some countries social development is adversely affected by unilateral measures not in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations, which create obstacles to trade relations among States, impede the full realization of social and economic development, and hinder the well-being of the population in the affected countries.

Prior to the action this evening, the wording of that paragraph was orally amended by Vice-Chairman Luis Carranza-Cifuentes (Guatemala), who had coordinated the negotiations. He also announced that agreement had been reached on the three other paragraphs about which there had been some lingering disagreement, concerning mobilization of resources for social development. Several alternative drafts before the Commission were then withdrawn.

Entitled "Overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the outcome of the World Summit", the agreements are the Commission's contribution to the General Assembly's forthcoming review of the World Summit. The Commission's priority theme of the session was its contribution to the General Assembly's special session, to be held this June in Geneva, to review the results to date and develop further initiatives to put the Copenhagen pact into action.

The seven-part concluding document states that the ultimate goals of development are to improve living conditions of people and to empower them to fully participate in the economic, political and social arenas. While efforts have been made, progress has been uneven and further attention is required.

The Commission notes that, since the World Summit, increased priority has been accorded to social development in national and international policy objectives and many new national policies and programmes have been initiated. The Summit also clearly had an impact on the United Nations system, leading to refocusing its activities and galvanizing action. But, despite advances, some areas have seen little progress, or even regress. The lack of access to education, persistent poverty and unemployment, and inequitable access to opportunities and resources have caused social exclusion and marginalization. Due to continued discrimination and exclusion, women and girls face particular disadvantages. Inequality within and between States is growing.

The document also highlights the issue of mobilization of resources for social development. For many developing countries, as well as countries with economies in transition, excessive debt servicing severely constrained capacity to promote social development and provide basic services, the Commission notes. The increasing debt burden faced by the most indebted developing countries was unsustainable and constituted one of the principal obstacles to progress in people-centred sustainable development and poverty eradication.

The protection of immigrants and migrant workers required the adoption of a broad range of targeted policies, the Commission agreed. Governments were urged to ensure protection of the human rights and dignity of migrants irrespective of their legal status, and to intensify efforts to provide basic social services, facilitate family reunification for documented migrants, and ensure equal treatment before the law. Since the Summit, progress in implementing international instruments on the protection of migrants has been limited and human rights violations persisted.

While there has been increasing interest in strengthening an enabling environment for sustainable development through the interaction of economic and social development and environmental protection, national environments have also become increasingly affected by global influences and forces beyond the control of individual governments. Serious continuing impediments include chronic hunger, organized crime, corruption, foreign occupation, armed conflicts, racial, ethnic and religious hatreds, endemic, communicable and chronic diseases -- in particular HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis -- and economic sanctions and unilateral measures not in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations.

Also this evening, the Commission adopted its report for the thirty-eighth session and entrusted Didier Le Bret (France), Acting Chairman, as well as Rapporteur, with finalizing it. The Commission also took note of the Secretary- General's comprehensive report on the implementation of the World Summit outcome and a report entitled “Symposium on States, markets and social progress: roles and cooperation of the public and private sectors”.

Action by Commission

The Commission also took note of the following documents: the Secretary- General's comprehensive report on the implementation of the World Summit outcome (document A/AC.253/13-E/CN.5/2000/2); and a report entitled “Symposium on States, markets and social progress: roles and cooperation of the public and private sectors (document A/AC.253.14-E/CN.5/2000/5).

The Commission first agreed to the conclusions contained in document entitled “Overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development”, contained in a resolution submitted by its Vice-Chairman Carranza-Cifuentes (document E/CN.5/2000/L.8). It also adopted a second text on the agreed conclusions, in which it decided to transmit them to the Preparatory Committee for the special session at its second session, to be held in April.

The agreed conclusions contain sections on: poverty eradication; full employment; social integration; Africa and the least developed countries; mobilization of resources for social development; and capacity-building to implement social policies and programmes.

The Commission recognized that since the World Summit, increased priority has been accorded to social development in national and international policy objectives and many new national policies and programmes have been initiated. The Summit also clearly had an impact on the United Nations system, leading to a refocusing of its activities and galvanizing action.

Despite advances, some areas have seen little progress, or even regress, the document states. The lack of access to education, persistence of poverty and unemployment, and inequitable access to opportunities and resources have caused social exclusion and marginalization. In many countries, there is a growing schism between those in high-quality, well-paid employment and those in poorly remunerated, insecure jobs with low levels of social protection. Due to continued discrimination and exclusion, women and girls face particular disadvantages. Violence against women and girls remains a persistent problem for all countries, and creates obstacles to social integration and the full enjoyment of human rights, the document recognized.

In the five years since the Summit, globalization has presented new challenges, the text continues. For many developing countries, the terms of international trade have worsened and concessional financial resources have declined. High debt burdens erode resources available for social development. Countries, and developing countries in particular, are increasingly vulnerable to sudden external shocks, including financial crises and natural disasters, with economic and social damage. Inequality within and between States is growing.

While there has been increasing interest in strengthening an enabling environment for sustainable development through the interaction of economic and social development and environmental protection, national environments have become increasingly affected by global influences and forces beyond the control of individual governments, the Commission agreed. Serious impediments to social development persist, including chronic hunger, illicit drugs, organized crime, corruption, foreign occupation, armed conflicts, racial ethnic and religious hatreds, and endemic, communicable and chronic diseases, in particular HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, and economic sanctions and unilateral measures not in accordance with international law and the Charter of the Untied Nations.

The increase in violent conflicts, including those around issues of local autonomy, ethnic identity and distribution of resources have hampered social integration and diverted attention and resources from development to conflict management, the text continues. That underlines the importance of social integration and access to basic social services as preventive measures against crises. Obstacles to the realization of the right of peoples to self- determination, in particular people living under colonial or other forms of alien domination or foreign occupation, continue to adversely affect the achievement of social and economic development. Access to basic social services in conflict situations and social integration in post-conflict situations are underlined as important preventive tools.

The protection of immigrants and migrant workers required the adoption of a broad range of targeted policies, the Commission agreed. Governments were urged to ensure protection of the human rights and dignity of migrants irrespective of their legal status, and urged to intensify efforts to provide basic social services, to facilitate family reunification for documented migrants, to promote social and economic integration of documented migrants, and to ensure their equal treatment before the law. Since the Summit, progress in implementing international instruments on the protection of migrants has been limited and human rights violations persisted.

The Commission concluded also that, in some countries, social development is adversely affected by unilateral measures not in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations that create obstacles to trade relations among States, impede the full realization of social and economic development and hinder the well-being of the population in the affected countries.

Another area highlighted in the document was the issue of external debt. For many developing countries, as well as countries with economies in transition, excessive debt servicing severely constrained capacity to promote social development and provide basic services, the Commission noted. The increasing debt burden faced by the most indebted developing countries was unsustainable and constituted one of the principal obstacles to progress in people-centred sustainable development and poverty eradication.

Mobilization of domestic and international resources was essential for implementing the Copenhagen commitments, the Commission concluded. Since the Summit, reforms to promote effective use of existing resources have received increasing attention. Several countries have adopted new budgeting and accounting techniques, and cooperation with local authorities, civil societies and beneficiary communities has enhanced service delivery. However, inadequate national revenue generation combined with new challenges regarding social services and social protection systems jeopardize the financing of social services and social protection systems in many countries.

Despite the renewed commitment at the Summit by donor countries to meet the agreed target of 0.7 per cent of their gross national product (GNP) for official development assistance (ODA), the ODA has continued to decline, the Commission notes. Only four countries now meet the agreed target, with one more country about to reach it. In the meantime, the relative role of ODA within various forms of financing for development has also been declining. As a result of the Summit, however, earmarking of funds for social development has been formulated more explicitly in ODA policy. Official development assistance has been found to be more effective when countries are committed to growth-oriented strategies combined with poverty eradication goals and strategies. Poverty eradication through sustainable development is seen by most donor countries as the main objective of development cooperation. The Bretton Woods institutions have also begun to pay more focused attention to the social development dimension in their structural adjustment programmes and lending policies. That process is currently being further strengthened.

The 20/20 initiative has encouraged interested governments and donors to increase the amount of resources earmarked for basic social services and to enhance equity and efficiency in their use. It has also emphasized the need for additional resources in order to pursue effectively the social development agenda, while highlighting the difficulties and limitations of many countries, in particular developing countries, in raising or reallocating domestic resources.

Highlights of Commission's Session

At its thirty-eighth session, the Commission focused on its contribution to the special session of the General Assembly to review progress and obstacles to date in implementing the 1995 Social Summit and consider new initiatives. The Commission structured its two-week session to include open discussions and dialogues with non-governmental organizations. In the course of considering the goals elucidated and committed to in Copenhagen, a number of issues emerged.

Economic policies promoted by international financial bodies had neglected the social development factor and, to a great extent, weakened governments' ability to regulate their own markets, many speakers stressed. In fact, a non- governmental organization representative said the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the Group of Seven industrialized countries should pay reparations for their responsibility in creating the debt burden for countries from the South. The Commission heard calls for revamping the international financial structure.

Many speakers stated that globalization, contrary to earlier expectations, had not reached two thirds of the world. But a representative of a business union stressed that globalization was irreversible. The answer to social and economic challenges did not lie in attempting to halt or slow forces already in motion, he said. Instead, national legislation should address good environmental management and protecting human rights. Speakers also drew attention to the tremendous impact of armed conflicts, and of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which threatened social development and human civilization at large.

Other issues highlighted during the debate included the need to strengthen the effectiveness of the Economic and Social Council as a forum for hearing divergent views on international priorities. As non-governmental organizations were often on the "frontline" of the fight against poverty, their views must be incorporated into the international campaign for social justice.

In considering the situation of older persons, the Commission heard calls for greater inter-generational solidarity. But it was also stressed that age- integrated societies would not be attainable without the improvement in countries' economic conditions. Discussion also focused on revamping pension schemes and social services, and adapting the labour market to meet the needs of older persons. In the modern information age, older people must become familiar with new technology and policy-makers must ensure that skills were developed by people of all ages. Many speakers stressed that the International Plan of Action on Ageing, adopted 20 years ago, must be more relevant to today's realities. The numbers alone were cause for rethinking strategies for inclusion and support. Sixty million persons are over age 80 today, and that number is expected to increase to over 370 million by the year 2050.

In a question-and-answer session with its Special Rapporteur on Disabilities, Bengt Lindqvist, the Commission was told that the fundamental rights of disabled persons -- including the rights to education, parenthood, voting, access to courts and property rights -- were consistently violated around the world. The world's 600 million disabled persons wanted to be partners and provide leadership in developing solutions to their own problems, the Commission was told. The international community was urged to support the African Decade of Disabled Persons, which would focus on raising awareness on issues related to disability, including preventable causes of disability, such as war and conflict.

The representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) said there was a strong link between disability and poverty. About 7 to 10 per cent of the global population suffered from some form of disability, and if more action was not taken, less than 10 per cent of disabled persons, particularly in developing countries, would not have access to rehabilitation services.

Officers, Membership

The Chairman of the Commission's thirty-eighth session was Zola Skweyiya, (South Africa). Its four Vice-Chairmen were: Jaminska Dinic (Croatia); Luis Fernando Carranza-Cifuentes (Guatemala); Asith Kumar Bhattacharjee (India); and Didier Le Bret (France), who also served as Rapporteur.

The Commission's current membership is as follows: Algeria, Argentina, Belarus, Benin, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Japan, Malawi, Malta, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Spain, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda and United States.

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