Commission for Social Development

Fortieth Session

9^th Meeting (AM)

NEED TO FOSTER POSITIVE ATTITUDES TOWARDS ELDERLY, DISABLED PERSONS STRESSED,

AS COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CONCLUDES DEBATE

Measures to improve the social situation of families and meet the needs of elderly and disabled persons were discussed in the Commission for Social Development as it concluded its general discussion of United Nations plans and programmes concerning particular social groups this morning.  Those included the plans for the Second World Assembly on Ageing, to be held in Spain from 8 to

12 April, preparations for the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family in 2004, as well as the proposals presented by the Commission’s Special Rapporteur on Disability.

Speakers today stressed the need to foster positive attitudes towards ageing and disabled people, improve the pension and social security systems and coordinate national and international actions to address those issues.  Also noted was the important role of the family in taking care of the most vulnerable members of society.

Referring to the global “Age Quake”, the representative of Thailand said the rapid global growth of the ageing population posed a challenge to development, resource allocation and management.  In preparing for the Second World Assembly on Ageing, it was incumbent upon the international society to address that issue with common understanding and resolve.  The general public, particularly the younger generations, needed to acquire an understanding that “ageing” did not mean burden, and that elderly people could make important contributions to their communities.

Older persons were not only the source of wisdom, but also conduits of socialization, the representative of Zambia said, stressing the importance of taking into account the cultural and historical factors influencing their situation.  Traditionally, his country had very strong forms of social support for elderly people within the framework of the extended family.  Urbanization, unemployment, poverty and the HIV/AIDS epidemic were threatening that situation, however, creating cases of stress, depression, loneliness, immobility and malnutrition.

The representative of Suriname said that taking care of older persons was a family concern, especially in developing countries.  Governments lacked the finances and infrastructure to take up that responsibility.  Even though most elderly persons were sources of knowledge and experience, governments in developing countries mostly lacked the mechanisms to utilize them for the sustainable development of their countries.

Describing his country’s efforts to build a society for all ages, the representative of the Republic of Korea said that their focus encompassed the future, as well as the present, taking into account the changing inter-generational dynamics.  The key lay in the concept of “active ageing”, and a new perception of elderly persons as active contributors to society.

On the observance of the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family, he stressed that collective attention should be given to the difficult challenges facing the family amid the rapid social and economic changes of the globalizing era.  The overarching goal was to assist in restoring the traditional roles of families while strengthening their readiness for the challenges of the new century.

The representative of the Russian Federation emphasized the importance of institutional and legal measures for meeting the needs of people with disabilities and protecting their human rights.  She also described her country’s programmes to create employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, to support preventive measures and a family-oriented approach to achieving social integration, and to improve medical services.

Also speaking this morning were representatives of the Dominican Republic, India, Ecuador, Haiti, Malaysia, Argentina and Mali.

Next week, the Commission will proceed to draft and finalize its outcome documents.  It is expected to hold its next formal meeting at 10 a.m. Wednesday, 20 February.

Background

The Commission for Social Development this morning was expected to conclude its review of United Nations action programmes concerning particular social groups.  That discussion will also include the plans for the Second World Assembly on Ageing, the report of the Special Rapporteur on Disability, and preparations for the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family.  For background information on the documents before the Commission, see Press Release SOC/4589 of 6 February.

Statements

MANUEL E. FELIX (Dominican Republic) said his delegation attached great importance to, and fully aligned itself with, the Secretary-General’s report.  That report must be applied when creating strategies on social development.  There had been a drastic global economic slowdown as a result of the terrorist acts of 11 September, which had affected many countries, but particularly the more vulnerable groups of all societies.  Efforts must be increased to integrate the interests of all those who were underprivileged in economic and social development strategies. 

In the Dominican Republic, a Social Cabinet had been established to increase production, improve the export situation and create investment capital necessary for employment, he continued.  In line with the guidelines of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), his Government had established a programme of assistance, focusing particularly on the youth and schooling.  Efforts had also been undertaken to improve housing, sanitation, recreation and municipal services, which hopefully, would help to establish a community of dignity. 

The Dominican Republic had recently invested in social expenditure, providing protection for children, the elderly and other vulnerable groups, he said.  In fact, equal opportunity was the basis for all Government policies.  A lot of support, including loans, had also been channelled to support small and medium enterprises.  He was convinced that the Monterrey Conference on Financing for Development would serve as a guiding light when dealing with the problem of economic and social integration.  Poverty, inequality and exclusion must be eliminated once and for all. 

Speaking as an observer, ASITH KUMAR BHATTACHARJEE (India) said that integration of macroeconomic and social policies should be looked at in the context of the development strategies set out in earlier conferences, as well as the context of globalization.  It would also be fruitful to examine how lending institutions, international financial institutions and the World Trade Organization (WTO) could integrate social concerns and social investments in their economic and structural policies. 

There was no single model that could be applicable as an international standard for all nations to follow, he continued, but no one could deny that investing in the social sector was productive.  The impact of social policies had “a longer gestation period” than economic projects, and therein lay the dilemma of resource-strapped developing countries, where the speed of returns was usually the yardstick for investment.  Unless each dimension of social and economic policies was synergistically integrated in both national and international spheres, the mere call for integration of macroeconomic and social policies would lead nowhere. 

The achievements of the Copenhagen Summit and the initiatives agreed at the twenty-fourth special session looked more distant today than ever, he said.  Both international and national inequality, which had been showing a declining trend before, had reversed in the 80s, and that trend was continuing today.  The goals set by the international community would remain unattainable, unless the playing fields in the global markets were leveled substantially.

As for his country’s experience, he said that through an integrated planning process, India had identified priority areas for investments, which contained an even balance of economic growth and social content.  For instance, while food production was encouraged through a green revolution, the tenancy system gave ownership of land to its users, raising the standard of living of a vast majority in the rural areas.

Concerning the report of the Special Rapporteur on Disability, he felt that the very first question that needed to be examined was whether the existing instruments were not sufficient to cover the needs of disabled people.  He did not understand the need for a supplement to the Standard Rules and was “somewhat mystified” as to how it fit with the proposal to have a new convention on the very same issue.

SILVIA ESPINDOLA (Ecuador) said that since the Copenhagen Summit, where the importance of social development had been recognized, many issues had been dealt with in an overly optimistic fashion.  Many goals set by the international community in the last decade were difficult to reach.  In fact, the inequalities in the international arena were growing. 

Social protection should be considered as a productive investment in human capital, she continued, but absolute poverty had increased all over the world, and full employment was yet to be achieved.  Wealth was not distributed equally, and investments needed to be looked at.  It was necessary to do more to implement the commitments made in Copenhagen.  Effective multilateral measures were needed, for poverty violated people’s human rights and hurt their dignity.  

Turning to the situation in the developing countries, she said that serious external debt problems continued to hinder their development.  Economic problems could lead to political unrest, and Ecuador was well aware of the commitments that needed to be met.  The forthcoming conference in Monterrey, Mexico presented a good opportunity to address the problems.  That event must not become a repetition of previous statements, however.  It must go further.

CHOLCHINEEPAN CHIRANOND (Thailand) said that in the present era of globalization, where there was fiercer competition to gain a foothold in markets and where speed and efficiency had become the cardinal rules in business, persons with disabilities had generally become more vulnerable to marginalization and exclusion, and more prone to discrimination.  An international convention on this issue must be crafted based on the holistic approach, combining the work done in the field of social development, human rights and non-discrimination.  The elaboration process must be inclusive and must ensure that the voices and concerns of persons with disabilities themselves would be taken into account. 

The Thai Constitution of 1997 guaranteed persons with disabilities the right to live within their communities, to enjoy health and well-being, to receive a good education and to have the opportunity to work, she said.  The National Education Act of 1999 entitled persons with disabilities to early intervention services, formal and informal education as well as home schooling. 

On the other issue under consideration, Thailand shared the concern over the situation of “Age Quake”.  The demographic phenomenon of rapid increases of the global ageing population posed a challenge to development, resource allocation and management.  It was incumbent upon international society to address that issue with common understanding and resolve, as it prepared for the Second World Assembly on Ageing.  A paradigm shift on the concept of ageing must be promoted, she said.  The general public, particularly the younger generations, needed to acquire an understanding that ageing did not mean burden, and that elderly persons could make important contributions to their communities.    

NIXON MYRTHIL (Haiti) said that speaking about social development meant addressing the well-being, aspirations and anxieties of human beings.  It was time for the developing countries to sound a cry of alarm and demand more humanism from the developed countries. 

His country placed decentralization, improvement of national production and human development among its priorities, he continued.  It intended to put resources into education, health care, agriculture and tourism, with a view to bringing about economic recovery and improving social services.  His Government hoped to achieve significant economic growth and reduction of the deficit.  Taking account of the restrictions in terms of external debt, Haiti’s plans benefited from the partnership between the public and private sectors. 

It was important to meet the needs of the population and allow for the people’s active participation in the life of society, he said.  The policy to overcome poverty was in place, and encouraging results had been achieved in some parts of the country.  Illiteracy and the poor health system were among the main concerns, and measures were being taken to address those problems.  Efforts were being made to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS, which also presented a serious problem.  Elderly and disabled people were also benefiting from the Government’s attention, as there were plans to modernize the social security system. 

All those efforts should also benefit from the international community’s assistance, he said.  On the international level, it was important to address the problems of external debt and external aid to countries in need.  Recently, the country had rejoined the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) after several years of isolation, and a framework favourable to human development was being elaborated at the regional level.

MARINA O. KOUNNOVA (Russian Federation) said that the Special Rapporteur on Disability had visited the Russian Federation as part of his mandate and had initiated important work in the country for the protection of people with disabilities.  She supported the two-track approach combining a strengthening of existing mechanisms and the development of new ones.  The Supplement to the Standards Rules was significant, as it addressed new and current issues for people with disabilities.  Furthermore, it was vital to appoint a new Special Rapporteur so that this important work could continue. 

The scale of disability depended on social, economic and environmental factors, she said.  The number of disabled people in the Russian Federation had been growing steadily in 2001, to 10 million people.  The Standard Rules guaranteeing opportunities for people with disabilities therefore lay at the forefront of Russian policy on people with disabilities, and a new meaning had been given to their social protection.  The Russian Federation had also undertaken studies which defined the causes of diseases that led to disability.  Legislation for people with disabilities was ongoing, and one act had established a two to four per cent quota for the employment of people with disabilities.  On the federal level, there were several basic instruments and integrated programmes.  One entitled “Social support for the Disabled” had the basic aim of reducing and preventing disability and bringing about maximum social integration by improving medical care and social services. 

There was evidence of the Government’s concern for people with disabilities in the federal initiative on children with disabilities.  That initiative involved  mass screening and pre-birth diagnosis of severe and pathological diseases.  She noted that the family played a significant role in social rehabilitation.  Legislation had ensured that people with disabilities were able to live with their families, and the State provided material support to members of families that looked after the person with a disability at home.

Y.M RAJA DATO’ZAHARATON RAJA ZAINAL ABIDIN (Malaysia) said that like all other developing countries, Malaysia had begun to have a rapidly ageing population and in response to this, the Government had put in place several initiatives including a unified, multisectoral and holistic National Policy on Older Persons.  The policy also put forward important principles for elderly persons such as independence, participation, care, self-fulfillment and dignity.  Those initiatives were generally in coherence with the Plan of Action prepared by the Commission.  Steps were also being taken to acknowledge the productive capabilities of older persons and their contributions to national development.  Various opportunities were being provided such as retraining and life-long education as well as job placements to enable them to continue to be economically productive and independent, enhancing their self-worth and dignity. 

Regarding people with disabilities, Malaysia welcomed the positive review of the Standard Rules.  She reaffirmed Malaysia’s serious commitment to protecting the rights of disabled persons, discarding negative social stigmas and attitudes towards them and developing their full potential so they could live as equals to other citizens.  Efforts were under way to formulate legislation to protect the rights of persons with disabilities and to prohibit their abuse and neglect and discrimination against them.  Other efforts included the provision of a 1 per cent quota for employing disabled persons in the public sector; the establishment of the National Committee for the Promotion of Disabled Persons to promote their employment in the private sector; and the construction of 10 per cent of public housing with barrier-free features.  In addition, a special vocational training centre had been established to provide industrial training for people with disabilities to increase their employability. 

LIM HO-GEUN (Republic of Korea) said the far-reaching implications of the ageing society were evident in the statistics pointing to a demographic revolution around the world.  In his country’s efforts to build a society for all older persons, the focus encompassed the present as well as the future, and the changing inter-generational dynamics.  The key lay in the concept of “active ageing”, and a new perception of elderly persons as active contributors to society, communities and families.  Government leadership was essential for initiating policy measures to promote active ageing.  However, without the participation of individuals and civil society, the efforts could not meet the inner core of societal needs.

Concerning people with disabilities, he said the Republic of Korea placed great emphasis on guaranteeing the human rights of all and assisting and protecting the most vulnerable members, allowing them to enjoy their full rights.  He looked to the international community for ideas to further the thinking in this area. 

On the observance of the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family, he noted that there were difficult challenges facing the family amid the rapid social and economic changes of the globalizing era.  Collective attention to those challenges was needed.  The Government of the Republic of Korea had taken a variety of measures to protect and assist families trying to cope with socio-economic challenges, such as rising divorce rates, domestic violence, and the hardship of the 1997 economic crisis.  Much impetus and cooperation had also come from NGOs.  The overarching goal had been to assist in the restoring of traditional roles of families while strengthening their readiness for the challenges of the new century.

MWELWA C. MUSAMBACHIME (Zambia) said his Government placed great emphasis on the issues concerning older persons, as they were not only the source of wisdom, but also conduits of socialization.  The programmes put in place to provide support for elderly persons were designed to take into account cultural and historical factors in Zambian communities.  The Government upheld the fundamental principle of the family as the main social unit, and the importance of older persons in the context of the social support system.  Traditionally, the country had very strong forms of social support and older people were easily absorbed within the extended family set-up.  Urbanization, unemployment, poverty and the HIV/AIDS epidemic were threatening that situation, however, creating cases of stress, depression, loneliness, immobility and malnutrition.

According to projections, in the coming decades, the population of developing countries would age more quickly than that of developed countries, he continued.  Older persons were a vulnerable segment of society, and they formed a part of the planning process in Zambia.  The country was implementing one of the major social safety nets, which addressed the basic needs of vulnerable older persons.  Measures were being taken to provide institutional care and exempt all people over 65 from paying for the use of health centres and clinics.  The Government was running two older people’s homes, and some churches were providing care to complement those efforts.  The Government’s efforts were constrained by the lack of resources, and he appealed to the donor community for support.

DOMINGO CULLEN (Argentina) said that the ageing of the population was a major challenge facing all Governments.  It was also important to provide access for the disabled people to all the services they required and to improve their quality of life.  To achieve those purposes, it was important to take into consideration not only the current situation, but also the future demographic trends, including birth rates and life expectancy.  Health services needed to be further developed and adapted to the changing situation.  Various structures and programmes needed to be organized for elderly people.  Economic reforms should

provide for adequate pension systems.  Employment possibilities should be created for vulnerable segments of society. 

In the context of the financial crisis in his country, it was particularly important to cover the needs of older people, he continued.  There were many difficulties, but that was a priority for his Government.  It was necessary to see what could be done to assist retired people who were also poor, helping them to participate in the life of society.  Society should take care of all population groups, and it was necessary to further develop structures devoted to meeting their needs.  It was also important to coordinate actions at the national and international levels.  All those issues needed to be discussed at the forthcoming Second World Assembly on Ageing.

DIAKITE FATOUMATA N’DIAYE (Mali) said that today there were more than

500 million people living with a disability.  The causes of disabilities were malnutrition, disease, poverty and natural disasters which affected people who already lived on the fringes of society in precarious conditions.  Unfortunately, people with disabilities were often viewed as a burden and were given no minimum care or services.  That problem was particularly prominent in developing countries and in Africa.  It was necessary to redress the situation and to provide full assistance and protection of people with disabilities.

She stressed that the principle of equal opportunity was an important tool, both in the fight against exclusion and in raising awareness in the communities.  There was a Pan-African organization dedicated to people living with disabilities.  Its objectives included the creation of policies and national programmes.  Many action programmes aimed to involve people with disabilities in the economic and social activities of their countries.  Another approach was to assist and support people with disabilities to supplement the support they had from their own families, hopefully leading to their greater participation in the social, economic, cultural and political realms.

On a national level, most policies aimed at the improvement of already existing mechanisms promoting and protecting the human rights of people with disabilities.  She stressed that Mali was a poor country, and that national action plans would involve a call for technical and financial assistance from the international community.

MS. HELD (Suriname) said that taking care of elderly persons was a family concern, especially in developing countries, as governments lacked the necessary finances and infrastructure to care.  Even though most elderly persons were sources of knowledge and experience, governments in developing countries mostly lacked the mechanisms to utilize them for the sustainable development of their countries.  The First Lady of Suriname had taken care of the elderly as a vulnerable group for some time.  Programmes had been set to take care of the needy and poor elderly people; to bundle their knowledge and experience; to give them access to information and communications technologies; and to allow them to fully experience their human rights.  Elderly persons were not a burden, and the international community must enable and encourage them to participate and to make optimal use of their wisdom, experience and energy. 

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