Commission for Social Development

Thirty-ninth Session

8^th Meeting (AM)

SITUATION OF FAMILIES DOMINATES SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

COMMISSION DISCUSSION OF SOCIAL GROUPS

During its review of United Nations plans and programmes of actions for situations of social groups this morning, the issue of family dominated the general discussion, with a number of speakers calling on governments to pay more attention to protecting and assisting families so that they might fully assume their social responsibilities within their communities.

Speakers also raised issues of ageing and the disabled, highlighting the various national policies and programmes that they had put in place, and the particular shortcomings that obstructed progress in national efforts.

The representative of the Republic of Korea said that, while each culture had its own traditional family system, it could not be denied that family, if properly integrated and functioning, played an essential role in the basic education of children and the protection of the aged, as well as in assisting governments to operate social development policies.

Bangladesh’s representative said that, despite its successes, the International Year of the Family, had not led to consensus on definitions and terminology related to the family, which prevented the development of a long-term global plan of action for the family.

Jamaica’s representative, speaking on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said that the extended family had historically acted as a safety net for elderly family members and for younger families entering the labour market.  However, recent trends had weakened such family support systems.  While more than one-third of households were headed by females, women were disproportionately represented among the poor and the unemployed.  The improvement of their economic status was, therefore, imperative if the family was to maintain its effectiveness as the basic unit of social organization.

Benin’s representative said that strengthening the family had not been given the attention that should have been paid to it.  She underscored that attention must also be paid to polygamous families –- a practice which was widespread in Africa.  That type of family made women and children even more vulnerable. 

Referring to special groups, the Minister of Social Affairs of Cameroon drew attention to the plight of special groups whose cultures were out of step with those of the majority in her country.

Iraq’s representative said current sanctions had rendered his country unable to properly address its present humanitarian disaster.  He called on the international community to sincerely fulfil the objectives of the World Social Summit (Copenhagen, 1995) and remove the obstacles to Iraq’s progress –- namely the 10 year-old sanctions that no longer had any legal or ethical basis.

The representative of the International Youth and Student Movement for the United Nations said that youth policies should receive the same amount of attention as the other programmes in the Commission’s multi-year programme of work.  The Commission had a mandatory role to be the focal point in the United Nations focus on youth.

Under other matters this morning the Committee first elected, Anzhela Korneliouk of Belarus as Vice-Chairman, by acclamation.

John Langmore, Director, Division of Social Policy and Development, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, addressed the Commission this morning as well.

Statements in this morning’s general discussion were also made by the representatives of Sweden (on behalf of the European Union), Philippines, Ecuador, Zambia, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Qatar, Sudan, Haiti, Indonesia, Croatia, and Cuba.

Statements were also made by the representatives of non-governmental organizations the Federation of Cuban Women, and the International Federation of Associations of the Elderly.

The Commission will meet again tomorrow to begin its considerations of programme questions and other matters including:  programme performance and implementation; its proposed programme of work for the biennium 2002-2003; and the United Nations Institute for Social Development.

Background

The Commission for Social Development met this morning to begin its review of relevant United Nations plans and programmes of action pertaining to the situation of social groups.  Its general discussion was expected to be ageing, the family and disabled persons.  It therefore had before it several related reports of the Secretary-General.  Also before the Commission were several non-governmental organization (NGOs) reports containing statements (documents E/CN.5/2001/NGO/7-10).

Report of Secretary-General; Towards Second World Assembly on Ageing

This report from the Secretary-General (document E/CN.5/2001/PC.2) says that to varying degrees, countries have incorporated ageing issues in their plans, policies and programmes.  The United Nations Principles for Older Persons is internationally recognized as an important guide to developing national legislation and plans, but implementation of the International Plan of Action on Ageing has been uneven and insufficient, particularly in some developing and transition countries.  Achievements include improved health care and insurance, housing, retirement benefits, income security, accessibility to facilities and mobility for older persons.

According to the report, provision of services in developed countries are well established.  Although developing countries lag behind, many of them have introduced health and social services for older persons.  Achievements and ongoing efforts, reflected in national legislation, were promoted during the observance of the International Year of Older Persons in 1999.  Older persons are increasingly recognized as contributors to society, rather than simply as dependants, and as agents of change.

According to the report, the major challenges to the implementation of the International Plan of Action on Ageing include lack of funding and the shortage of, or lack of expertise among, government staff, particularly in developing countries.  In addition, economic difficulties have strained the ability of several transition countries to provide full services to their older populations.  Housing, income security, employment and social welfare have also been difficult areas to address.  Non-governmental organizations and government agencies have promoted ageing issues, although corporations and the private sector in general are not yet perceived as playing a significant role.

The report states that although the current International Plan of Action has proven useful, respondent nations and entities recommended ideas to improve its coverage and to incorporate demographic, economic and technological developments, including on the implications of migration of younger workers.  Protection against violence, neglect of abuse, welfare of older people in rural areas, and other concerns of developing countries were also raised.

Responding countries, NGOs and United Nations entities identified areas for future international cooperation, the report states.  They also expressed the need to exchange ideas on best practices, including policy and programme development, research, training of health and social professionals, income-generation programmes, health care and human rights issues.  The most important priority for developing countries was research to support policy and programme development, followed by training of health and social professionals.

The convening of a Second World Assembly on Ageing -- to be held in Madrid from 8 to 12 2002, and marking the twentieth anniversary of the 1982 first World Assembly in Vienna -- was decided by General Assembly 54/262 of 25 May 2000.  The Madrid Assembly will be devoted to an overall review of the outcome of the first World Assembly and to the adoption of a revised plan of action and a long-term strategy on ageing in the context of a society for all, the theme of the 1999 International Year of Older Persons.

An extended draft framework of the revised International Plan of Action on Ageing is annexed to the present report.

Report of Secretary-General on Follow-up to International Year of the Family

This report (document E/CN.5/2001/4) is the fourth biennial report on follow-up activities to the International Year of the Family.

According to the report the Assembly proclaimed 1994 as the International Year of the Family with the aim of creating, among governments, policy-makers and the public, a greater awareness of the family and promoting family-support activities.  A major principle of the Year was that the family constitutes the basic unit of society and therefore warrants special attention.  Hence, the widest possible protection and assistance should be accorded to families, so that they may fully assume their responsibilities within the community.

The Secretary-General states that the observance of the Year resulted in a significant record of accomplishments at all levels.  These included:  greater awareness of the role of families; advances on the issue of families in the context of development; increased recognition of the importance of supporting families and bringing about positive changes in that realm; new initiatives and long-term activities in support of families globally; strengthening and developing of mechanisms devoted to family policy and research; mobilization of a global network of partners; and the recognition that, despite the diversity of families, many key issues relating to families are common across countries and regions, and that international cooperation on family issues is valuable.

According to the Secretary-General, major demographic, economic, cultural and social changes have affected both the family as an institution and family members as individuals.  In that context, governments have attempted to undertake actions to support and strengthen the family as a basic unit of society.  This requires an increased understanding of the problems and the current and future role of the family as an institution in different socio-economic and cultural conditions.  It also calls for a further examination of national experiences with family-related policies.  The tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family can be the occasion to reflect on those issues.

In this regard, continues the Secretary-General, the following recommendations are proposed for consideration by the Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and the Commission:

       -- The Commission could review the proposals contained in the present report on the preparations for the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family and recommend, through the Council and the General Assembly, that the preparations for the tenth anniversary proceed along those lines;

-- The Commission, during its current session, may wish to review the preparations for the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family as part of its multi-year programme of work;

-- For effective family-related policy, special attention needs to be directed to strengthening national capacities for policy analysis, formulating of options and evaluation:     

-- Within the context of the tenth anniversary, the resources of the United Nations Trust Fund on Family Activities need to be increased to assist governments in formulating and implementing family-related policies and programmes;

-- Research and academic institutions should be actively involved in the tenth anniversary in the related policy research;   

-- During the preparations for the tenth anniversary, interaction between NGOs and families should be strengthened, to mobilize public opinion, contributing to the dialogue on international families and developing a culture of partnership.

Interim Report of Secretary-General on Implementation of World Programme of Action Concerning Disabled Persons

The report of the Secretary-General (document E/CN.5/2001/7) is in three parts.  The first part describes the progress in implementing equalization of opportunities by, for and with persons with disabilities, in light of priorities for action identified by General Assembly resolution 54/121.  The second part reviews selected experiences in regional cooperation, in particular, the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (1993-2002) and the Africa Decade of Disabled Persons (2000-2009).  The third part presents a perspective framework for the fourth review and appraisal of the World Programme of Action, as requested by the Assembly in resolution 52/82.

Addressing the prospective framework, the Secretary-General states that the fourth review and appraisal will mark the twentieth year of international cooperation to further implement the goals and objectives of the World Programme. 

The Secretary-General states that when assessing progress and obstacles in the implementation of the goals and objectives of the World Programme in the year 2002, a critical question is to what extent are structures in place to implement the World Programme in the context of development.  To the extent that such structures are not place, the question becomes:  how are these structures to be established?

Addressing critical aspects of such structures the Secretary-General recommends:  the inclusion of the disability perspective in policies and programmes designed to foster socio-economic development; specific goals and objectives for such disability-sensitive policies and programme; the establishment of verifiable indicators of progress in achieving these goals and objectives; and the establishment and development of systems and procedures for periodic monitoring and evaluation.

Among the critical aspects that the Secretary-General suggests need examining are:  the situation of women and specific populations such as children, poor people, and persons with psychiatric and developmental disabilities; the different levels of governmental and non-governmental intervention; and specific programmatic interventions.

The Secretary-General goes on to say that, on the basis of the data currently available, it is likely that the fourth review and appraisal will highlight a number of important developments in the disability field which could include:  progress in implementing priorities for action to promote equalization of opportunities; progress in implementing state-of-the-art technology; and greater harmonization of monitoring efforts.

The Secretary-General states that international cooperation to further implement the World Programme will be reviewed and assessed in the fourth review and appraisal, not in isolation, but in the context of the demographic, economic, social and technological changes that have occurred since the end of the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons, in 1992.

These, continued the Secretary-General, include:  emergence of a global knowledge-based economy and expansion of internet-enabled information and communications technologies (ICT); adoption by many countries, particularly by countries with economies in transition, of market approaches; growing recognition that health and disability are distinct issues; increased incidence of formulation and adoption by countries of disability-sensitive policies; the challenge of HIV/AIDS and other pandemics; and increasing awareness and concern over the natural environment and environmental hazards and their impact on well-being and livelihoods.

According to the Secretary-General, a continuing theme of inquiry from the third review and appraisal will be the monitoring of two key distinctions of progress in equalization of opportunities:  assessment of progress in implementing disability-specific policies, and progress in incorporating the disability perspective into mainstream development policies.

The Secretary-General states that the fourth review and appraisal will also consider disability issues with reference to women and to specific social groups, such as people living in poverty, older people and children.  The review will consider populations comprising what some analysts have termed the “new universe of disability” -- persons with mental health issues, developmental and psychiatric disabilities, and those with active, acute conditions.

The Secretary-General goes on to say that particular attention will be paid to the area of mental health, since mental health issues are increasingly considered as a component of disability policy.  Discrimination against persons with mental health conditions will be reviewed and assessed so that progress towards incorporating mental health issues into norms, standards and policies can be documented.

Diseases such as HIV/AIDS, notes the Secretary-General, have a particular tie with disability.  On one hand, fighting acute diseases has tapped resources that might be available for implementing policy on disability.  On the other hand, the many people surviving with AIDS and other acute diseases often need services required by people with “traditional” disabilities.  Issues and trends with regard to the implementation of disability policies for persons with acute conditions will be examined.

The Secretary-General states that the presence of persons with acute conditions among persons with disabilities highlights another critical issue — the connection between disability and health.  Traditionally, disability advocates have sought to decouple disability and health issues, asking that society reject the concept of people with disabilities as sick.  A growing body of evidence, however, suggests that persons with disabilities are at greater risk of acquiring secondary conditions.  Thus, the prevention of such conditions for the disabled is becoming an important goal of public policy.  Review and assessment of progress in this area this assumes special importance.

Statements

JOHN LANGMORE, Director, Division of Social Policy and Development, said the discussion today would be an opportunity for participants to make general statements on the issue of ageing and also one to speak about the preparations for the Tenth Anniversary of International Year of Family and implementation of the World Programme of Action for disabled persons.

AURORE LUNDKVIST (Sweden) spoke on behalf of the European Union and the associated States of Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Cyprus, Malta, Turkey and Norway.

She said the growing number of elderly represented an important achievement, in the sense that more and more people had the opportunity to live long and fulfilled lives.  It also represented new challenges to society, however, especially when fewer workers had to support larger segments of the population.  The Union looked forward to further developing its understanding of the issues this raised during this session of the Commission, as well as in the Preparatory Committee next week.

She said that the Union had found the Year of Older Persons valuable in many respects.  It contributed to enhanced public awareness and changed attitudes towards older persons.  It also reinforced a debate on the civil, political, social and cultural rights of the elderly and the development of new forms of participation in social life.  The Year also encouraged the development of new socio-economic policies to meet the needs of people of all ages.  It further encouraged inter-generational solidarity and interaction, and encouraged lifelong learning particularly through the use of information technology.  Finally, the Year raised awareness of the contribution of older persons, in different cultures and in different countries, to socio-economic development.

Addressing the International Year of the Family, she said the Union wished to emphasize the importance of raising awareness of the changing situations of families.  She underlined the challenge faced by many parents in trying to reconcile work and family life.  The Tenth Anniversary offered a unique opportunity to address sharing family responsibilities as well as placing families in the wider context of development.  Turning to disability she said that issue was given high priority in Europe.  The overall objective of disability policy must be a society that enabled all, irrespective of age and disability, to participate fully in community life.

The Committee this morning first elected, Anzhela Korneliouk of Belarus as Vice-Chairman by acclamation.

ALMA DE LEON (Philippines) said that the continuing challenges of poverty, immigration and globalization had continued to draw attention to the situation of families wherever they might be.  The caring and nurturing environment provided by the family was critical in the rearing of children and a long-term global plan of action in support of families was urgently needed.  In that connection, the continuity of political and other actions at the national level was vital.

She said that the Philippines had established crisis centres in the provinces to help families suffering problems brought about by poverty, unemployment and other economic ills.  A programme had been established to strengthen such families by enhancing the delivery of social services and addressing their minimum basic needs.  Lending schemes for microcredit enterprises had also been set up.  The Government of the Philippines was fully committed to programmes that would help to create a caring and nurturing environment for the family.

JUAN LARREA (Ecuador), aligning himself with the statement from the Rio Group, said that his country allocated 20 per cent of its national budget to the social sector.  The Government had signed documents with the leaders of various groups, including those representing demonstrating indigenous peoples.

He said the Government had pledged to implement measures to improve the social situation of older people and the disabled, and that it would launch a national campaign to encourage action on health care for indigenous people and bilingual education.  Funds had been provided to improve the situation in the poorest parts of the country while efforts continued to establish a consensus for reform of the social sector and for reducing the national debt.  Special attention must be paid to plans to improve social services for workers, retirees and children living in poverty.

M.G.NKOLE (Zambia) said social protection was a multifaceted concept that called for broader-based initiatives.  No significant changes could be affected unless “we work in partnership to enhance the well–being of vulnerable persons”.  No meaningful social protection could succeed only depending on the goodwill and the support of international cooperation, without the people at the local level taking the initial steps. 

She said her Government had recognized the family as the main unit for socialization.  The mentor system enabled the passing on of skills from one generation to another.  That had been disrupted by the urbanization, and by women engaging in gainful employment.  These resulted in an imbalance in the general fabric of the family, and the emergence of street children, juvenile delinquency, prostitution, child labour and the off shoots of HIV/AIDS.

Her Government had enhanced development capacities at the household level by empowering older members of the family, through the provisions of social safety nets.  That brought about the strengthening of the family and the integration of gender into the mainstream of development. Recognizing that disabled persons were disadvantaged, her Government had put in place a deliberate policy to provide sheltered employment in the last decade, in order to integrate those persons into the mainstream of development.

O’NEIL FRANCIS (Jamaica), speaking on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said that the extended family had historically acted as a safety net for both elderly members and for younger families entering the labour market.  The family pooled the risk of unemployment among its young members and, irrespective of whether the elderly persons resided in the same household, provided support in old age.  Social sanctions within closely-knit societies had reinforced those practices, although recent trends had weakened such family support systems.

Against that background, family stability in the Caribbean was a major source of concern, he said.  The Caribbean family structure was not homogeneous.  While the upper and middle classes generally adopted the Western nuclear type of family form, common law and extended family types were predominant among other groups.  However, many social ills affected all families in similar ways, impinging upon their effectiveness in maintaining social cohesion and integration.  Among the most critical issues were HIV/AIDS, juvenile delinquency, drug abuse and the negative impact of migration.

For the Caribbean as a whole, he said, more than one-third of households were female-headed.  Women were disproportionately represented among the poor and the unemployed, were typically found in low-paid jobs, and were constrained in their labour-market participation due to child-rearing activities.  The improvement of their economic status was, therefore, imperative in societies where women were heads of households like the Caribbean, if the family was to maintain its effectiveness as the basic unit of social organization.

In that context, reform in legislation represented one of the major areas of focus in Caribbean family policies.  Those reforms included improved provisions in respect of property upon the dissolution of unions; the review and stricter enforcement of the Child Care and Protection Act; and the introduction of domestic violence acts throughout the region.  A regional meeting would be held in Trinidad and Tobago in 2002 to focus attention on the Caribbean’s main priorities in respect of family-related issues.

FELA H. AL-RUBAIE (Iraq) said that child mortality in Iraq had increased substantially since 1989.  The rate of infant mortality had also risen substantially in the same period.  The half a million deaths of children under the age of five in the 1990s could have been avoided, but for the sanctions regime that was currently in place.  The cumulative effects of sanctions had been quite clear to observers.  The Coordinator of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Iraq stated that unemployment and poor living standards was causing many qualified Iraqis, such as teachers, to migrate to other countries for jobs as taxi drivers.  That had exacerbated the deteriorating education situation in Iraq.

He said the current sanctions against Iraq and the Oil-for-Food programme had rendered his country unable to properly address its present humanitarian disaster.  The Oil-for-Food programme had failed.  In addition, the current untenable situation was made worse by constant aerial bombardment of his country.  The only solution now was to completely lift sanctions.  Also, development could not be achieved without financial resources and international cooperation.  Iraq had been denied both because of sanctions.  The international community should be sincere in fulfilling the objectives of the World Social Summit (Copenhagen, 1995) and remove the obstacles to Iraq’s progress –- namely the 10 year-old sanctions that no longer had any legal or ethical basis.

KIM CHANG GUK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) said that given the increasing number of people over 60 there was an increasing need to apply appropriate social policies in the near future.  In solving the ageing problem, it was necessary to create a favourable environment for the ageing population.  Thanks to its social welfare system, old persons in his country enjoyed free healthcare and pensions, and were full members of the society.  They were also provided housing and food by the State and did not have to worry about life or diseases.

He said his delegation was convinced that the Second World Assembly on Ageing would be an opportunity to raise awareness of that particular problem, and contribute to the social development and well-being of human kind.

NASSIR ABDULAZIZ AL-NASSER (Qatar) objected to the common use of the term “disabled person”, saying it had a cruel and painful effect on those concerned, as well as on their family members.  The humanely correct term should be “persons with special needs”.

He said his country’s Supreme Council of Family Affairs took special care of persons with special needs.  A national commission had been established to provide decent livelihoods and comprehensive care for them, and to integrate them into the educational, cultural, health and social fields.  It had established a centre to provide diagnosis, evaluation, training and rehabilitation services to children with special needs, as well as support and guidance to their families from a national cadre of trained specialists.

In the regional sphere, Qatar supported international and Arab efforts made through the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), he said.  The country also supported the efforts of Jordan and Saudi Arabia, particularly in rehabilitating blind girls and training them in computer skills through braille –- a programme supported and financed by the Arab Gulf Programme for United Nations Development Organizations.

ILLAM IBRAHIM MOHAMED AHMED (Sudan), associating herself with the statement by Iran on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, said that the family had special importance as the cornerstone and backbone of Sudanese society.  All the recommendations of international conferences relating to the family agreed that the family was a fundamental unit, and that it should be protected and integrated in all activities for sustainable development.  However, the importance of the family had diminished, leading to many of the social ills in the world today.

She said the Government of Sudan looked forward with special attention to next year’s Second World Assembly on Ageing, to be held in Madrid.  However, it was regrettable that discussion thus far had not mentioned youth.  She had hoped that the subject of youth would have been included, especially in the light of preparations for the special session of the General Assembly on the Rights of the Child.

NICOLE ROMULUS (Haiti) said that since 1996 her Government had been engaged in drawing up programmes aimed at families and the most vulnerable social groups.  The priority was to reduce extreme poverty through the implementation of appropriate social measures.  Structural constraints, however, had not allowed the State to achieve all of the objectives it had set out for the 1990s.  Agrarian reform and the renovation of schools had been successfully carried out.  The enrolment rate of children under the age of six in schools had increased by more than 20 per cent.  Efforts by the Government over the last five years had also resulted in substantive improvements in the literacy rate of adults.  Despite unfavourable social conditions, both infant and child mortality rates had also declined.  Health infrastructure had improved.  Those positive results were the product of the cooperation between the Governments of Cuba and Haiti.

She said only 3 per cent of the Haitian population was covered by formal social protection.  The socio-economic development of her country could only be achieved through the adoption of a shared view.  Such a strategy would take into account the major global trends and would include the formation of a stable State that championed the rule of law and fostered the productive capacity of the nation.

LEE SEUNG-BUHM (Republic of Korea) said that while each culture had its own traditional family system, it could not be denied that families, if properly integrated and functioning, played an essential role in the basic education of children and the protection of the aged, as well as in assisting governments to undertake social development policies.  Therefore, governments must pay more attention to protecting and assisting families, so that they  might fully assume their responsibilities within their communities.

He said families were facing multidimensional challenges.  More and more they were collapsing because of the high rate of divorce, domestic violence and runaway children.  Furthermore, that situation was widening because of the generation gap.  In order to tackle the family crisis, his Government was beginning to implement the Rehabilitation Project for Family’s Function.  The first part was a reintegration programme for families facing the crisis of disintegration.  The other part was a support programme for families that were willing to educate their children and protect their vulnerable members.

He said he believed that one of the most important functions of the Commission was to enable the sharing of experiences and lessons learned during the implementation of social development policies.  He hoped the trials and errors of his country would be a good lesson for the Commission.

BALI MONIAGA (Indonesia) noted that the Asian Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (1993-2002) had allowed the region’s countries to follow up on the United Nations Decade and to strengthen national initiatives though regional cooperation.  Only last September, Indonesia had hosted the Asia-Pacific Conference on Tourism for People with Disabilities as well as a regional workshop on the promotion of accessible tourism organized by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

No less important in dealing with the needs of the disabled was the concern directed towards preventive measures, particularly for disabled children, he stressed.  The benefits of child immunization programmes, clean water, hygiene and sanitation, access to primary health care, and to medicine could not be ignored.  Likewise, special measures should be directed towards the needs of children with disabilities in terms of care, access to education and training, health care and rehabilitation services, preparation for employment and recreation opportunities.

JASMINKA DINIC (Croatia) said it had become a tradition in her country to commemorate 15 May as the International Day of Families.  In 2000, an inter–ministerial meeting had been held in which all relevant government institutions had participated.  More than 70 NGOs had been invited to organize various activities at the local community level.

She said preparations for this year’s commemoration were already underway.  In addition, projects pertaining to the serious socio-economic problems of families in Croatia would be prepared in 2001 under the guidelines of the United Nations Trust Fund on Family Activities.  The role of the family in social policies should be clearly underscored in the activities to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family in 2004.

LUIS ALBERTO AMORÓS NÚÑEZ (Cuba) said the Commission should hold a debate on younger people, since it would be instructive.  That theme should have been included among those being covered in the general discussion today.  He asked whether the Secretariat could give some explanation as to why that was not so.  He suggested that in the future, when social groups were being discussed, issues about youth also be included.

ODILE FRANK, Chief of the Social Integration Branch, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, said that the discussion today was meant to cover all aspects of social integration.  There was no intention to exclude any group.

MUHAMMED ENAYET MOWLA (Bangladesh) said that, in his country, families played a vital role beginning with the survival strategies of individuals, to providing social safety nets in time of crisis, and caring for the young, the disabled and the elderly.  Extended families, which provided those traditionally, had undergone particular stress as a result of structural changes in the economy, the nature of work, urbanization and rural to urban migration.  Therefore there was a great need to emphasize support for the family in order to strengthen that important institution.

He said the International Year of Family, in spite of its successes, did not achieve much in a number of areas.  There was no consensus on definitions and terminology related to the family, which prevented the development of a long-term global plan of action for the family.

MARIE-MADELEINE FOUDA, Minister for Social Affairs of Cameroon, said that the International Plan of Action on Ageing should be adapted to demographic and technological changes.  Due to globalization and a breakdown in traditional social cohesion, family purchasing power had declined.

She said there was a shortage of institutions in Cameroon to take care of those suffering from disabilities and chronic and parasitic illnesses.  The country had only one institution for the rehabilitation of disabled persons and it was affected by serious problems due to shortage of staff, as well as antiquated buildings and equipment.

The plight of pygmies, those who lived in the savannah, mountain-dwellers and other special groups could not be overlooked, she stressed.  Their cultures were out of step with those of the majority of Cameroon’s other peoples and they required special attention.  Researchers and all other interested parties should address that issue from a humanitarian viewpoint, and propose solutions.

TAMARA COLOMBIE MATOS, Federation of Cuban Women, said her country was among those with the highest number of women in political representation, thanks to free education.  Cuban women had equal access to social security, with special attention given to single mothers with economic problems as well as pregnant women.

The Federation grouped more than 3.5 million women -- over 83 per cent of Cuban women above the age of 14 years, she said.  Half a million active women were involved in basic work for health and other social projects.  The

Federation had structures throughout the country and held a congress every five years.  Cuba had been the first country to sign the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the second to ratify it.

She said that the economic blockade imposed on Cuba since 1962 had created a permanent, ongoing violation of the human rights of the country’s women and other groups, as well as a serious threat to their social situation.

NICOLE ELISHA (Benin) said strengthening the family had not been given the attention that should have been paid to it.  Raising the standards of protection offered to the family unit addressed the rights of women, children, the elderly and the disabled.  Respect for the rights of those vulnerable groups should first be observed in the family, before the community.  Devoting due attention to family was therefore first and foremost.

She said that by 2004, the ability of the family to play its role in social situations would be enhanced and strengthened.  Attention must be paid to polygamous families -– a practice which was widespread in Africa.  That type of family made women and children even more vulnerable.  The Commission should pay close attention to that type of family.  She also called for a special focus on the West African region.

The representative of the International Youth and Student Movement for the United Nations agreed that youth policies should receive the same amount of attention as the other programmes in the Commission’s multi-year programme of work.  The Commission had a mandatory role to be the focal point in the United Nations focus on youth.  It should therefore continue its dialogue on youth and the periodic monitoring of related issues and trends.  Publicity and information about youth issues, and the advisory service to governments, were not being give due note.  The Secretariat must return to its priorities. 

The representative of the International Federation of Associations of the Elderly, stressed the need to go beyond theoretical support for the elimination of age discrimination.  It was necessary to promote continuous training, as well as employment of the elderly so they could pass their knowledge to the young.  Housing policies should be established for the aged.  Human development should not hinge of economic and other social factors.  The elderly should be regarded as an important resource for society rather than a burden.

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