Commission for Social Development

Thirty-ninth Session

4^th Meeting (PM)

PRICES FOR FARM PRODUCTS, DEBT RELIEF, EXPANDED SOCIAL SECURITY COVERAGE

AMONG ISSUES RAISED IN COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Discussion Continues on Priority Theme:

Enhancing Social Protection in Globalizing World

The Commission on Social Development this afternoon continued its consideration of its priority theme “Enhancing social protection and reducing vulnerability in a globalizing world”, with developing countries describing a wide variety of methods to that end, among them, getting the right price for farm products, total debt relief for poor countries and expanding social security coverage.

The United Republic of Tanzania told the Commission that some of the best methods of protecting vulnerable groups in the wake of increasing globalization were:  helping farmers get the right prices for their farm products; retaining reliable markets for their produce; increasing the provision of extension services; strengthening rural road networks; and increasing productivity in the agricultural sector.  Such steps would eventually increase incomes and reduce poverty, he said.

Burkina Faso’s representative said measures to facilitate social protection, which was difficult in certain countries even though it was considered a human right, should include total debt cancellation for poor countries.  In addition, they should include greater access to international markets; a reversal of declining official development assistance, which weakened economies and kept investors away; and the financing of improvements in health and education.

Ghana’s representative said the key to enhancing social protection in developing countries, particularly social security, was to expand its coverage.  Such coverage should include the informal sector through the provision of adequate resources and technical assistance from developed countries, which had vast experience in such issues.  Any discussion on social protection should underline the importance of creating an enabling international environment in which developing countries would benefit from debt relief and equitable terms of trade.

Kyrgyzstan’s representative pointed out that the cost of living in mountainous areas was much higher than in the lowlands, which led to increased

poverty, the intensification of social discrepancies and poor social conditions.  An integrated approach was needed for conserving, upgrading and using the natural resources.  In addition, promoting alternative livelihoods, particularly through the development of employment schemes that increased the productive base, would have a significant role in improving the standard of living among the large rural populations in mountainous ecosystems.

The Minister for Social Protection of Belarus reiterated the need to institute follow-up strategies in cases of natural, as well as man-made, disasters such as the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident, whose effects were still felt.

El Salvador’s representative said past successes and achievements had allowed the country to undertake an ambitious national development plan.  However, just prior to its scheduled launch, nature had intervened as the earthquakes destroyed the country’s coastal and mountain regions.  The greatest damage caused by the earthquakes had been their effect on the population, particularly the most vulnerable segments, he said.  The priority now was to prevent the surviving victims from becoming totally destitute.   However, El Salvador was still standing owing to the solidarity of its people and the help of the international community.

The Minister for Social Affairs of Cameroon also addressed the Commission this afternoon, as did the representatives of Indonesia, Egypt, China, Argentina, Thailand, Ukraine, Syria, Kazakhstan, and Morocco.  Representatives of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Child Welfare League of America, and the Foundation for the Rights of the Family (PRODEFA) also made statements.

The Commission will meet at 10 a.m. Thursday, 15 February, to begin consideration of its sub-theme entitled “The role of volunteerism in the promotion of social development”.  It is expected to hold a panel discussion on that issue.

Background

The Commission for Social Development met this afternoon to conclude its general exchange of view on “Priority theme:  Enhancing social protection and reducing vulnerability in a globalizing world”.

Dr. SAMIDJO, Assistant Deputy, Ministry of Health of Indonesia, associating his country with the statement of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, said the absence of social protection could contribute to political instability and unrest.  In an interdependent world, that provided a major incentive for all countries to work together in promoting social protection.  Formal responses to the challenges of social protection should be led by respective national governments, in cooperation with civil society, non-governmental organizations and other relevant actors.

He said the international community had a role to play in mitigating the negative impacts of short-term capital flows, and in bringing stability to the global financial markets that directly affected the social security of developing countries.  Another area requiring the full commitment of all members of the international community was the response to HIV/AIDS, which was placing a tremendous burden on the social protection capacity of many developing countries.

Indonesia had established an AIDS National Committee, he said.  In addition, over the past three years, it had undertaken a number of initiatives in response to its financial crisis.  To strengthen the social safety net, Indonesia had introduced decentralizing policies aimed at strengthening local responses to social issues.  It had also worked to improve nutrition, health care and education within communities, as well as to strengthen microcredit schemes for entrepreneurs.

BEATRICE BROBBEY (Ghana) said her Government placed emphasis on early childhood development, universal access to primary education, and primary healthcare in order to break the inter-generational cycle of poverty that was endemic in developing nations.  Another arm of its policy was the Government’s programme to mitigate the social cost of structural adjustment on retrenched workers.  That programme offered skills training to workers to enable them to re-enter the job market.  It also extended microcredit to encourage self-employment in Ghana.  Unfortunately those efforts had not been sustainable because of the perennial lack of resources –- the plague of developing countries. 

She said that without strong and sustainable economic growth, governments in developing countries could hardly generate adequate resources from tax collection.  The capacity to efficiently collect tax in that part of the world was minimal and countries needed assistance in that direction. 

She said the key to enhancing social protection in developing countries, particularly social security, was to expand its coverage.  That coverage should include the informal sector through the provision of adequate resources and technical assistance from developed countries, which had vast experience in those issues.  Any discussion on social protection should underline the importance of creating an enabling international environment in which developing countries would benefit from debt relief, equitable terms of trade, and globalization which hitherto have hindered the ability of governments from implementing their Copenhagen commitments.

REDA BEBARS (Egypt), associating himself with the statement of the Group of 77 and China, expressed appreciation of the importance accorded at civil, national and international levels to social development issues.  Egypt was committed to making all necessary efforts in grappling with issues such as the struggle to eradicate poverty and unemployment, and promoting social integration.

Social protection constituted one of the main pillars for fostering social integration and development, he said.  While agreeing with the Secretary-General on the ways to achieve those goals, Egypt believed in the need to respect the fundamental differences between societies, differing cultures, traditions, policies and institutional structures, as well as the differences between developed and developing countries.  There could be no justification for some societies to impose unacceptable cultural practices on others.

The success of government efforts in achieving their social development aims was contingent on the existence of an internationally favourable environment, he said.  Besides the need for social solidarity, cooperation and partnerships, social protection was also based on non-marginalization of any society as well as dialogue among the different sectors of society.  The role of social networks went beyond trying to minimize the negative effects of social reforms.  Developing countries were still struggling to overcome the disadvantages facing them and required technical assistance.

SHEN GUOFANG (China) said the legitimate rights and interests of vulnerable groups -- the disabled, the aged, the jobless and the retired -- should be protected.  In formulating social development strategies and programmes, countries should first take into consideration the special interest of such groups, make policies as friendly to them as possible, and establish or improve the social security systems.  In promoting social development, efforts should be made to constantly expand coverage of basic benefits such as social insurance for employment, care of the aged and health care.

He said the rapid economic growth that his country had achieved laid a very good foundation for the improvement of its social security system.  Turning to ageing, he said that issue, which affected the political, economic, cultural, social and other spheres, was a major one bearing on vital national interests, people’s livelihood and the sustainable social development of the country.  In order to protect the legitimate rights and interests of older persons, China had put in place a series of laws and regulations, and strengthened education on respect for, and care of, the elderly in the whole society, particularly among young people.

He said China had established a social security regime for care of the elderly and health care and done a great deal to promote social benefits as well as educational, cultural and sporting services for the old.  The quality of life for aged persons in China had thus been greatly enhanced.

SERAPHINE TOE (Burkina Faso), aligning her country with the statement by the Group of 77 and China, said there should be no fixed definition of social protection owing to the specific circumstances affecting, particularly the poorest States.  It could be understood as an end to poverty, hunger and misery, as well as to problems of health, education and HIV/AIDS.  There should be greater focus on the role of the various public and private sector actors involved in social protection issues.

She noted that the concept of social protection had evolved during a time when reform movements had led to far-reaching structural changes in various countries, as they adapted to the new globalized economy.  Social protection policies in a globalized economy should therefore aim at reducing inequalities, at both the national and international level, and should adapt to the changing nature of vulnerability, taking into account the increasing interdependence of global markets and capital flows.

Measures to facilitate social protection, which were difficult in certain countries even though social protection was considered a human right, should include total debt cancellation for poor countries, she said.  It should also include greater access to international markets; a reversal of the decline in official development assistance, which weakened economies and kept investors away; and the financing of improvements in health and education.

DAUDI N. MWAKAWAGO (United Republic of Tanzania) said his Government believed that one of the best methods to protect vulnerable groups in the wake of increasing globalization was to help farmers.  They must be helped to get the right prices for their farm products and to retain reliable markets for their produce.  There should also be increased provision of extension services to them, strengthening of rural road networks and increased productivity in the agricultural sector.  Those steps would eventually increase incomes and reduce poverty.  Globalization could be an instrument through which governments could ensure social protection for their people and reduce vulnerability.  But for that to happen, however, there had to be genuine and practical cooperation between developed and developing countries.

He said a globalizing world had to seek to ensure that other, less powerful, countries were not denied social protection nor the means to attain it.  Since the less powerful and the poor were the vast majority of the world’s people, there was a need to remove obstacles to their attainment of social security –- obstacles which had the effect of limiting their power -- to ensure social protection in accordance with their own wishes and value systems.  That in turn spoke to the democratic process.  People must have freedom and mechanism through which they could express their wishes and views peacefully and without fear.  Government at all levels must be accountable to the people on behalf of whom it claims to act.  Concurrently, efforts to build democracy within nations must be matched by similar efforts to build a democratic culture between nations.

OLGA DARGEL, Minister for Social Protection of Belarus, welcoming the Secretary-General’s report, said that of particular interest was the subject of social factors in circumstances of economic transition.  The country’s national strategy and consolidated measures for social protection were directly linked to economic growth in Belarus.  It had overcome its economic slump and improved its macroeconomic performance.

Belarus had a high level of adult literacy.  It stood at 98.4 per cent, she said.  In addition, the Government had developed a concept of minimum living standards and measures to implement them. Next year would see the implementation of a programme of targeted social assistance.  Belarus was also reforming its pension systems with assistance from the United Nations and the International Labour Organization (ILO).

She reiterated the need to institute follow-up strategies in cases of natural, as well as man-made, disasters such as the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident, whose effects were still felt.  Among the new challenges facing Belarus were illegal immigration and the spread of HIV/AIDS.  While the Government had launched programmes aimed at preventing the further spread of AIDS and preventive health care for women, children and the elderly, much remained to be done in establishing long-term social protection.

DOMINGO CULLEN (Argentina) said strong, transparent and democratic institutions must be promoted if effective social protection was to be provided.  Social security was part of his country’s constitutional protections; it was one of the basic human rights of its citizens.  Constitutional status had also been granted to the various international instruments on social and human rights.  Like the Secretary-General, his Government felt that even though the purpose of social security was to ensure minimum protection, the attainment of that objective would depend on the individual circumstances in each country.

He said there were many negative factors that demanded the use of valuable resources and prevented the effective delivery of social security.  The issue of gender should also be an integral part of social policies, since poverty was acquiring a female face.  The concept of productive employment had been identified after the World Social Summit as the greatest agent of social protection.  Argentina had, thus, introduced labour reform to ensure the creation of jobs, modern methods of labour organization and modern technology.

BOONYONG VECHAMANESRI, Deputy Secretary-General, National Economic and Social Development Board of Thailand, said that the 1997 economic and financial crisis that had hit many Asian countries, including Thailand, had exposed the inadequacies of existing social safety nets, precipitating the need for more extensive and effective systems.

One lesson learned from the crisis was that economic growth could not be sustained without solid social development, he said.  Thailand had undertaken wide-ranging reforms to cushion its impact.  Nonetheless, although the worst was over, reforms would still be far from complete until the country could come to grips with the challenges of globalization and the new economy.

He said Thailand was currently drafting its Second National Plan for the Elderly covering the years 2002 to 2021, and undertaking efforts to improve the well-being of people with disabilities.  Thailand’s Ninth Economic and Social Development Plan for 2002 to 2008 aimed to expand social security coverage to older people, informal sector workers, farmers, the self-employed and home-workers.  It also aimed to enhance the role of local authorities and communities, and to reinvigorate the family’s role as a key unit in promoting the well—being of local communities.

VOLODYMYR G. KROKHMAL (Ukraine) said the theme of social protection was particularly relevant now, given its variety and breadth.  He was concerned about the impact of globalization on economies and social programmes. Globalization, if not managed well, would not provide the expected benefits.  Instead, problems would be globalized.

He said the role of the State in ensuring the well-being of its citizens was still a great responsibility and should not be limited.  Yet, his country supported the idea of a mixed system for social protection, made up of both the private and public sectors.  Efforts by those two entities should be merged.  Employers and enterprises should make contributions to the societies in which they functioned.

He said there must be reliable information on the actual conditions of the most deprived groups.  As the representative of the Council of Europe had said this morning, the main requirement for effective social protection was citizens' broad awareness of their rights and good access to the procedures that protected those rights.  Priority should be given, wherever possible, to projects that yielded tangible results and fostered measurable development.

ELMIRA IBRAIMOVA (Kyrgyzstan) said nearly half the world’s population was affected in various ways by mountain ecology and about 10 per cent of the population lived in mountainous areas.  The cost of living in mountainous areas was much higher than in the lowlands, which led to increased poverty, to the intensification of social discrepancies and poor social conditions. 

She said an integrated approach was needed for conserving, upgrading and using the natural resource of land, water, plant, animal and humans.  In addition, promoting alternative livelihoods, particularly through the development of employment schemes that increased the productive base, would have a significant role in improving the standard of living among the large rural populations in mountainous ecosystems.

AL-HAJ ALI (Syria), associating herself with the statement of the Group of 77 and China, said that the Syrian Government’s social policies included free, compulsory education at all levels, and free health care, with special attention to preventive medicine.  Economic policy focused on efforts to channel greater resources to productive sectors, especially in rural areas, in order to stop rural-urban migration and to improve the living standards of rural people in their own environment.

The Government also extended basic social services to its citizens in the Syrian Arab Golan, which remained under Israeli occupation since 1967, she said.  However, despite the devastating effects of the practices carried out by the Israelis, the Government spared no efforts to provide dignified living conditions for its citizens in the occupied region.

She called for rational and appropriate mechanisms suited to the specific conditions of different countries, particularly developing countries.  The painful economic problems suffered by Asian and Latin American countries as a result of globalization was evidence of the urgent need to eradicate poverty and underdevelopment, so that such countries could overcome their difficulties and enjoy globalization’s benefits, rather than struggle under its disadvantages.

MADINA B. JARBUSSYNOVA (Kazakhstan) said her country attached great importance to the realization of its social policy, and was committed to the implementation of the decisions adopted by the World Social Summit (Copenhagen, 1995).  Now, nearly 2.5 million people received social protection, which was guaranteed by the Kazak Constitution.  Social protection drew about 40 per cent of the national budget and assistance was rendered particularly to children from poverty-stricken families and unemployed people.  The leadership of her country had taken a decision to reform the system of social protection with the aim of reducing the vulnerability of unprotected people in a globalizing world, while strengthening the wealth of the family.

She said social assistance would be provided to every member of a family if they applied for it and if their right to receive such assistance was legitimate.  The criteria for the selection of families in need of social assistance was still the poverty level.  Families with an income lower than the poverty level would, however, receive increased assistance.  The creation of jobs was also a very important goal of State policy in the sphere of social protection.  Social assistance in the form of money would be provided only to people who were incapable of working -– pensioners and the disabled.  People who were capable of working would be provided assistance through the financing of public jobs and retraining programmes.

AICHA AFIFI (Morocco) noted that while globalization continued to create new market and employment job opportunities throughout the world, it failed to take into account the social problems of some countries, which were based on differentiated development.  It was essential that the international community introduce new and more equitable trade rules to regulate international financial flows.

She said her country’s social strategy aimed to promote sustainable human development and eradicate poverty.  It involved providing basic social services and eradicating disparities among different segments of society.  Morocco had brought together different sectors, in accordance with its chosen path of promoting social solidarity in achieving social development.  Social protection mechanisms aimed to extend the coverage and improve access to benefits.

MARIE-MADELEINE FOUDA, Minister for Social Affairs of Cameroon, said her country had reached a decisive stage in its development, having just established peace, good governance and democracy, and competitiveness in its economy.  Significant changes had also taken place at both economic and cultural levels.  Despite all those achievements, however, the economy was unstable and poverty affected half the population.  The challenges of globalization were many and complex and adequate resources were not available.  Cameroon was also suffering at the hands of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.  As result of all those factors cited, the country was particularly vulnerable and that vulnerability affected particular strata of the population.

She said that despite the adverse events in Cameroon over the years, her country had tried to apply social policies that applied right across society covering issues such as health, ageing, death, education, and work.  A number of people had benefited from social assistance.  Due to the need for change, however, a number of reforms to the existing system of social protection were under way.  Despite efforts, far-flung minorities in inaccessible areas were sources of concern and problems.  Their way of life limited their access to health care, education and the law.  The situation of those rural populations required particular attention, since the inhabitants of those areas had very little social coverage.

The National Office for Social Intervention and Action had taken up the challenge of the inadequately covered populations, she continued.  Nevertheless, floods, fires, drought and the eruption of Mount Cameroon volcano had provoked displacement of persons, further adding to the country’s problems.  The international community had helped with reduction and cancellation of debt, by allowing Cameroon to be admitted to the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Debt Initiative.  That would help her country to concentrate and ensure social protection to vulnerable populations.

JOSÉ ROBERTO ANDINO SALAZAR (El Salvador), associating himself with the statements of the Rio Group and the Group of 77 and China, noted the timeliness and relevance of the session at a time when two recent earthquakes had killed hundreds of people and injured thousands more in his country.

He said that while El Salvador’s social successes included sustained growth in the gross domestic product (GDP) and a reduction in the level of total poverty throughout the country between 1991 and 1999, poverty still affected approximately 3 million people.  Past successes and achievements had allowed the country to undertake an ambitious national development plan.  However, just prior to its scheduled launch, nature had intervened as the earthquakes destroyed the country’s coastal and mountain regions.

The greatest damage caused by the earthquakes had been their effect on the population, particularly the most vulnerable segments, he said.  The priority now was to prevent the surviving victims from becoming totally destitute.  Danger remained, because the approaching rainy season represented a very serious risk of flooding that could cause further damage, including deadly landslides.  However, El Salvador was still standing owing to the solidarity of its people and the help of the international community.

LIM KIM-LAN, Director of the Social Development Division, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), said traditional coping mechanisms had come under severe stress.  Poverty remained endemic in the Asia-Pacific region which was home to 75 per cent of the world’s poor.  Globalization had profoundly affected the labour market and the growing population would fall outside social protection schemes.  New technology and the burgeoning information revolution presented further challenges and increased the vulnerability of certain sectors.

She said HIV/AIDS was spreading at an alarming rate in many countries, as was drug abuse, transnational crime, and trafficking in women and girls. Regarding the traffic in human beings, social protection was needed to both protect people and to reintegrate victims into their societies.  In addition, conflicts were percolating across the region and further aggravating poverty in their wake.

She said social responsibility was an integral feature in ESCAP’s endeavours.  Governments of the region had agreed to formulate an overall policy framework that would accord priority to social protection for all.  The Commission had worked to develop a multi-disciplinary and comprehensive social approach to help those in need.  The primary goal was to analyse the main social issues and trends and their implications on social protection in the region, while facilitating the gathering of information on best practices.  Studies had also been undertaken on effective poverty-alleviation strategies.

Mr. ROTH, Child Welfare League of America, asked the Commission and member States to accelerate efforts under way to hasten the eradication of poverty and to increase the focus on education for all family members, especially the girl-child.  He urged them to establish support for mothers and children displaced by armed conflict, promote the unique skills of elderly family members and increase efforts to provide for the economic needs of children without families or separated from their families.

He emphasized the value of families in the new millennium, as a key element towards building a world where human development, human security and social protection were ensured and where all people were free from want and fear.

ROSINA SANAT OLALLA, Foundation for the Rights of the Family (PRODEFA), said the International Year of the Family was a great success.  However, as mentioned by the Secretary-General in his report entitled “Follow-up to the International Year of the Family”, the event did not lead to the development of a long-term global plan of action on families, similar to the global programmes on the advancement of women, ageing, youth or disability.  And neither was there a formal document on the family.

She said the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family in 2004 was an important opportunity for an in-depth reassessment of family roles, situations, needs, responsibilities and rights.  The preparation for, and observance of, the anniversary should lead to concrete decisions.

She said while other issues in the field of social policy may be open to sectoral approaches, the family required global treatment and should be mainstreamed into all issues related to social development.  Therefore, when deciding on future action, the particular and essential characteristic of the family as the global unit and as the first link in the social chain should be borne in mind.  Some type of programme, plan of action or declaration should be arrived at.

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