Commission for Social Development

Forty-first Session

4^th Meeting (AM)                               

NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS CRUCIAL

FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, COMMISSION TOLD

Emphasizing that national and international partnerships were of paramount importance to social development, Greece’s representative said that “acting alone” was not a viable option, as the Commission for Social Development began its general discussion today.

Speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated States, he said that, in building partnerships for social development, the focus should be on building “vertical” links between global and national action, and “horizontal” links between governments, civil society and the private sector.  Partnerships should be built around the axis of the 1995 World Summit on Sustainable Development and the Millennium Declaration, with the 2002 Monterrey Consensus delivering the means to achieve their goals.  

While governments had the primary responsibility for social development, the private sector also had an important role, he added.  In that regard, the European Union promoted the concept of “corporate social responsibility”, including fair practices, decent working conditions and equal opportunities.

Iran’s representative agreed that in a globalizing world governments were not stand-alone players.  The impact of economic recession, conflict and refugee flows had severely impacted the ability of governments to undertake effective employment and poverty eradication strategies.  Social development would be promoted through national and international cooperation when the latter was based on consistent policies and programmes, an enabling economic environment, and responsible and accountable private sector and partnerships at all levels. 

The representative of Morocco, speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, stressed the importance of establishing innovative and mutually beneficial partnerships to reinforce national and international cooperation for social development.  Governments had a fundamental leading role to play in setting up national frameworks to promote new ideas and creative partnerships, while civil society and the private sector should establish creative partnerships focused on achieving the goals of social development.  Those efforts would remain insufficient, however, if they were not accompanied by substantial financial support allowing the developing countries to achieve social development goals.

Partnerships were not new, especially in the public sector and civil society, Switzerland’s representative said.  The globalization of the economy, however, had necessitated an enhancement of the role of civil society, a “reworking” of the State’s role and enhanced responsibility on the part of the private sector.  Setting priorities must remain the responsibility of States, including for the fight against poverty and for consistency among national and international policies.  The international community must set strategic guidelines for social development, and the struggle against poverty must be placed at the heart of national and international policies.

Also speaking this morning were the representatives of Mexico, China, Bangladesh, Republic of Korea, Japan, El Salvador, Russian Federation, France, Lithuania, Spain, Argentina, Jamaica and South Africa.

The Commission will meet again at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 13 February, to continue its work.

Background

The Commission for Social Development met this morning to begin its general discussion on the priority theme of national and international cooperation for social development.  For background on the current session, see Press Release SOC/4621 issued on 6 February.  

Statements

MOHAMMED LOULICHKI (Morocco), speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said that, at the national and international levels, transparency in defining and implementing social development policies, equal access to employment, good governance and respect for human rights constituted important factors in the success of social development policies.  That cooperation required more significant financial and technical support in terms of sharing data on experiences and practices in the field of social development.  International institutions could have a relevant contribution in that area. 

It was important, he said, to establish innovative and mutually beneficial partnerships to reinforce national and international cooperation for social development.  In that regard, Governments had a fundamental leading role to play in setting up national frameworks to promote new ideas and creative partnerships.  Civil society and the private sector, for their part, should establish creative partnerships focused on achieving the goals of social development.  Nevertheless, those efforts would remain insufficient if they were not accompanied by substantial financial support allowing the developing countries to achieve social development goals.

In the pursuit of social development, he said, the private sector was called on to play a more active role in the fields of employment, social protection, training and assistance to the vulnerable.  That contribution could be achieved through partnerships between the public and private sectors.

He called on the international financial institutions to show vigilance with respect to potential financial crises that had negative social impact, especially in the developing countries, and to help those countries to develop their own capacities to prevent those crises.  Moreover, that assistance should take into account the long-term development needs of the affected countries.  Similarly, those institutions should give priority to granting additional official development assistance (ODA) to developing countries.  Also, for the sake of transparency, developing countries should be duly involved in the process of decision-making regarding international economic issues.

ADAMANTIOS TH. VASSILAKIS (Greece), speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated States, said social development was a fundamental pillar of sustainable development and a prerequisite for peace and social justice.  Within the European Union, social development, including the provision of social protection and services for all, had always been a high priority.  Major emphasis had been on national efforts to improve governance, human capital, gender equality rights and standards, as well as to improve the effectiveness of social protection systems.  Beyond national efforts, however, enhanced policy cooperation at an international level contributed to a greater balance between economic and social dimensions of policy making.  Modernized systems of social protection, far from being an economic burden, greatly contributed to economic development.

National and international partnerships were of paramount importance to social development, he said.  “Acting alone” was not a viable option.  The most common form of partnership for social development worldwide was between the public sector, social partners and civil society, including non-governmental organizations, academia and the media.  The focus should be on building “vertical” links between global and national (and local) action, and “horizontal” links between governments, civil society and the private sector.  Partnerships should be built around the Copenhagen/Millennium Declaration axis, with the 2002 Monterrey Consensus delivering the means to achieve their goals.  The International Labour Organization (ILO) played a substantial role in promoting a common approach to social development.

While recognizing the primary responsibility of governments for social development, social responsibility of the private sector made an important contribution to social development, he said.  The Union promoted, within the Commission and other multilateral forums, “corporate social responsibility”, including fair practices, decent working conditions and equal opportunities.  The impact of corporate activity on the wider community and on the physical environment was of no less importance than corporate finances.  The United Nations should continue to play an important role encouraging corporate social responsibility at a global level. 

He also emphasized the importance of corporate transparency and accountability to all stakeholders, including employees, consumers, suppliers and community members.  Accountability should focus on the “triple bottom line” comprising not only economic but also social, environmental and performance indicators.  All companies must respect the core conventions of the ILO, as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Competitiveness was essential for the success of employment strategies, he said.  In that respect, key words were “employment”, “economic reform” and “social cohesion” as a triangle of mutually reinforcing policies.  “Active”, not “passive,” employment policies, combined with “job-friendly” systems of social protection, were needed.  By following such a recipe, the Union was seeing positive results. 

Increased cooperation among international financial institutions should contribute to strengthening national efforts for sustainable social development, he continued.  The Union fully supported the development of “poverty reduction strategy papers” -- country-owned action plans to orient national policies towards poverty eradication.  A broader platform was necessary to place the poverty reduction strategy papers within a wider context where social objectives, the mobilization of funds and allocation of resources underpinned poverty-reduction objectives. 

ANA TERESA ARANDA OROZCO, Director General of the National System for the Family of Mexico, said the importance of the family unit could not be denied.  For society and for the State, the family was the fundamental cell in which the individual attained the necessary means to become a responsible citizen.  Mexico was a nation of families and, more than in any other administration, President Fox had recognized and understood the extremely important role that institution played in the country’s development.

In Mexico, the law dictated that the government institution responsible for those living in risk was the National System for the Integrated Development of the Family, which she chaired.  Among other things, it assisted working mothers and pregnant teens.  The family had retrieved the importance it deserved as the recipient of help from the Government.  Similar situations existed in other countries, as was seen in various international meetings, such as the special session on children.

On creating a “world fit for children”, she said the essential responsibility for the protection and development of the child was undertaken by the family.  She was convinced that by strengthening the family nucleus, it would be possible to create a new reality for societies.  What was needed was a qualitative analysis of families within countries.  By strengthening the family, it would be possible to undo social deterioration and spend less on social policies, thereby having more resources for development.

ZHANG YISHAN (China) said peace and development were mutually supportive.  The root causes of terrorism, regional conflicts or transnational crime could usually be traced to lack of development.  Development-oriented cooperation mechanisms between governments and civil society must be forged.  Social development was not only the responsibility of government; its beneficiaries also had corresponding responsibilities and obligations.  Governments, international organizations, private enterprises and civil society should all contribute to the implementation of the Millennium Development goals. 

Employment was fundamental to the livelihood of the people, he said.  China regarded full employment as a major social development goal.  Governments should give full play to the comparative advantage of their respective countries, providing their labour force with proper training and job opportunities.  Governments should also strengthen the coordination of labour mobility and employment policies to promote international cooperation in labour. 

The international community should take effective measures to help developing countries expand their space for development, he said.  China called on the developed countries to fulfil their commitment of allocating 0.7 per cent of their gross domestic product (GDP) for official development assistance (ODA).  Capacity-building and human resources development were crucial for improving the policy-making and management capabilities of developing countries.  Developing countries should choose a path to development well suited to their own specific conditions.  The international community should respect the right of developing countries to choose their own paths of development.  On the basis of sustained economic growth, China had made significant progress in social development.

SAMINA NAZ (Bangladesh) said the challenge was to continue to strengthen the capacity of States to accord social protection, especially to vulnerable groups.  It was also necessary to forge meaningful international cooperation for assisting developing countries, particularly the least developed countries, in their efforts to continue to invest in the social sector.  Also important was to take steps to reduce the negative social and economic impact of international financial turbulence.  Sharing of best practices would be a meaningful way to advance social development goals. 

Effective international cooperation was essential for the success of national efforts, she said.  Developing countries needed resources, as well as the knowledge and capacity for their utilization.  International cooperation was crucial in that regard.  Such cooperation must be designed to reduce the information gap, help build capacity, promote a fair trading regime, protect the resource base and generate employment for the well-being of people.  Governments could not meet social development goals alone.  Their work needed to be complemented by the participation of civil society and the private sector.

Bangladesh, she noted, had achieved significant progress in meeting the Copenhagen goals.  It believed that economic and social development could only take place against a backdrop of pluralism, democracy, good governance, human rights, gender justice and women’s empowerment.  While development was basically a national responsibility, it must be complemented by international cooperation.

KANG YOON KOO, Deputy Minister for Social Welfare of the Republic of Korea, sharing his country’s experiences in social development, said that in late 1997, when the country was hit by financial crisis, it had plunged into a period of extreme economic hardship.  However, the Government took the crisis as an opportunity to rectify the structural flaws in its economic and social systems.  In the face of macroeconomic instability, the Government introduced the concept of “productive welfare” and enacted the “National Basic Livelihood Guarantee Scheme”, under which everyone was entitled to a minimum standard of living.  In addition, universal coverage had been established in the social insurance system, encompassing national health insurance and employment insurance. 

His Government strove to improve the quantity as well as quality of welfare services and to develop human capabilities of underprivileged groups in society.  Since the late 1990s, structural adjustments and regulatory reforms had been continuously devised and implemented to advance the capacities of social institutions as potential facilitators for social development.  Stressing the importance of well-coordinated partnership between the public and private sectors, he said the share of other stakeholders had also been strengthened.  For example, non-governmental organizations had been given greater participation in policy formulation and implementation.

AKIKO TEJIMA (Japan), addressing the policy recommendations contained in the Secretary-General’s report, supported the biennial adoption of a priority theme.  Revising the priority theme biennially, rather than sticking to themes allocated several years earlier, would give the Commission a more focused agenda.  Themes should be more action-oriented, rather than abstract and general. 

Regarding the recommendation to move the Third Committee’s social agenda items to the Second Committee, Japan proposed placing social issues on the agenda of the General Assembly plenary, she said.  Also, focusing on the actual review of the implementation of the World Summit for Social Development through self-assessments and evaluations by Member States and United Nations organizations would be better than spending time and energy in discussing lengthy documents.

On the issue of ageing and disability, she said Japan welcomed the progress that had been made towards a comprehensive international convention regarding the rights of persons with disabilities.  It was equally important to consolidate capacity to implement policies and measures for disabled persons.  Data-collection and information-dissemination systems needed to be strengthened.  The Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) should function as the focal point for disability issues, and relevant United Nations organizations should assume responsibility for ensuring that disability issues were taken into consideration by their respective organizations in implementing policies.  The DESA could organize regular meetings with those organizations to promote policies for disabled persons.  She recommended that the General Assembly request the Secretary-General to include proposals to strengthen DESA’s capacity in that regard. 

On ageing, Japan supported the ideas contained in the Secretariat’s note on the review of the Madrid Plan of Action on Ageing, including a “bottom up” approach and reviewing the Madrid Plan every four to five years.  Japan’s experience with the problem of ageing would be of use to the international community. 

ANA HAZEL ESCRICH (El Salvador) said that, over the past decade, after the armed conflict, her country had focused on rebuilding its social sector.  Among the advances that had occurred was the establishment of the Alliance for Social Development, civil police and the office for human rights, as well as the drafting of a national plan for women.  They were complementary to the efforts to implement the Copenhagen commitments.  As a result of those policies and measures, El Salvador had been able to reduce the poverty level by 20 per cent in a decade.  Extreme poverty levels went from 32 per cent in 1992 to 19 per cent in 2000. 

She noted that several international financial institutions, including the World Bank, had repeatedly stated that El Salvador could be placed among the group of Latin American and Caribbean countries that could achieve the goals of the Social Summit and the Millennium Development goals if the policies applied until now continued to be applied at the same rates.  The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) had concluded that El Salvador’s achievement had been the result of economic reform and social policy reform, which had enabled the country to rise from a low-to-medium development level to a medium-development level.

Her Government had recognized that national efforts to promote social development, while considerable, had not been enough.  She was concerned by the growing trend in reduction of available funding for international cooperation, particularly the drop in ODA and decreasing attention focused on technical cooperation.  She invited the international community to consider the need to adopt new criteria for concessional financial cooperation and contemplate other indicators beyond GDP. 

NASROLLAH KAZEMI KAMYAB (Iran) said the Copenhagen Programme of Action had sufficiently addressed the crucial role of national and international cooperation for achieving social development.  Social development would be promoted through national and international cooperation when the latter was based on consistent policies and programmes, an enabling economic environment, and responsible and accountable private sector and partnerships at all levels.  Consistency between policies and priorities was an effective panacea for improving social integration, full employment and poverty eradication.  In a globalizing world, governments were not stand-alone players.  The impacts of economic recession, conflict and refugee flows severely impacted the ability of governments to undertake effective employment and poverty-eradication strategies. 

Sustainable social development at the national level was not achievable without an enabling international economic environment, he said.  An enabling international economic environment would be achievable if it was based on the principles of equity, non-discrimination, transparency and participation.  Economic and financial instability was a threat to financing social services.  That was especially true for developing countries whose economies were highly dependent on one commodity export.  Official development assistance was one of the means that might contribute to betterment of developing countries.  Donor countries were obliged to provide it according to their commitments, and recipients must make effective use of it.

The role of the private sector in the promotion of social development was undeniable, he said.  The private sector could potentially advance the goals of social development.  The private sector must become more involved in a responsible and accountable manner.  Developing principles and criteria for private sector responsibility and accountability should benefit from a broader and more balanced agreement among governments, the private sector and stakeholders from all over the world. 

Prudent social polices required encouraging partnership as a subsidiary tool, he said.  However, partnership was not the main vehicle for social development and could not be considered as a substitute for government commitments.  Particular attention should also be given to the pressing need of developing countries regarding youth issues.  Regarding disabled persons, it was necessary to work on an instrument which encompassed all aspects of disability, including its definition and applicability. 

GALINA KARELOVA, First Deputy Minister for Labour and Social Welfare of the Russian Federation, said that, over the last 10 years, her country had undergone radical socio-economic transformation.  It was actively preparing for accession to the World Trade Organization and for ratification of the European Social Charter.  Russian businesses were also beginning to be active in implementing social programmes and dealing with the social problems of hired workers. Significant assistance had been provided to socio-economic reforms by international financial institutions, and the country had ongoing cooperation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).  Presently, it was not taking any new loans and was making loan payments on time. 

She was gratified that issues of social development had been duly reflected on the agendas of global forums held in 2002, including the financing for development conference and the World Summit on Sustainable Development.  Noteworthy among the new initiatives was the activity of the ILO commission on social aspects of globalization, whose work in the past year had already produced concrete results.  One of the main components of the Commission for Social Development was its work to improve the situation of the most vulnerable groups.  She hoped the Commission would remain the main coordinating body in the United Nations system on the issues of ageing, disabled persons, youth and family. 

She welcomed the outcome of the Second World Assembly on Ageing.  The Commission must regularly monitor the implementation of the Madrid Plan of Action.  To implement those decisions at the regional level, encouragement was needed for efforts made by the European Economic Commission.  In her country, pride of place was given to the provision of assistance to the elderly, and 2003 would be declared the Year of the Disabled. 

Mr. VILLEY (France) said that many initiatives had been taken to encourage the development of corporate social responsibility, but the variety and dispersion of corporate social responsibility initiatives required transparency. 

The first step to strengthen cooperation among States, wealthy and other, and the private sector would be to ensure the promotion of available international instruments, he said.  The eight basic conventions contained in the 1998 ILO Declaration must be effectively applied, including through the ILO’s follow-up work.  Also, the range of companies and other civil society actors that adhered to the United Nations Global Compact must be broadened.  New States would have to be encouraged to accede to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) guidelines for multinational enterprises.  Countries that had already acceded to the guidelines must respect and implement them.

The tripartite declaration of guidelines on multination enterprises should be applied more broadly, he continued.  Regional initiatives should be encouraged and the implementation of existing machinery emphasized.  It was also important to refine the awareness of corporate leaders.  The full implementation of all available instruments would make private initiatives more effective.  Making the corporate sector more responsible would also contribute to mastering and humanizing the process of globalization.

ALINA BUDRAUSKAITE (Lithuania) said that, while national governments should take primary responsibility for social development policies and the financing of respective programmes, cooperation at all levels had to play an important supportive role.  She highlighted a recent and innovative employment initiative introduced by the Government, in which partnership for social and economic development played a vital role. 

The Government had introduced a range of legislative incentives to promote the creation of new jobs, whose aim was to provide local communities with opportunities to participate in economic activities, thereby addressing their socio-economic problems.  It was also intended to lessen the impact of structural change on vulnerable areas and to contribute to the development of more active and self-reliant communities.  Following the success of that programme, the Government was further allocating funds for new projects. 

In setting a framework for reducing unemployment, she strongly believed that several issues had to be considered.  They included the creation of jobs, improvement of employment-support activities, enhancement of abilities to adapt to change, increase of equal opportunities in the labour market and employment policy integration.

ANTONIO LIS DARDER, Director-General of the Institute for Migration and Social Services of Spain, said his country had had the honour of hosting the Second United Nations World Assembly on Ageing, which had been one of the most successful United Nations activities.  As a host country, Spain had understood that its role included the promotion of the Assembly.  Spain intended to continue in that role in the follow-up to the International Plan of Action.  The real measurement of the impact of the new Plan would be its translation into concrete advances in each country regarding the implementation of its objectives.  Spain would pursue collaboration with the United Nations Secretariat on the issue, in particular by emphasizing strategic alliances between the public and private sectors.  It would do so by financially supporting the convening of an annual technical meeting in the coming years to address the Plan’s practical implementation.

On the issue of disabled persons, he said that in May, Spain would host the Second European Ministerial Conference responsible for Integration Policies of People with Disabilities.  The Conference was the final step of ten years of activities by the European Council in the field of disability.  Its objective was to contribute to the identification of the European agenda on disability for the next decade, as well as to the identification of key issues requiring additional action.  It also sought to promote full citizenship and participation of persons with disabilities through the development of legislation and effective policies for the provision of services.  Spain recognized the importance of the Commission’s activities as well as the achievement of the goals of the Copenhagen World Summit for Social Development.

DOMINGO CULLEN, Director for International Organizations in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Argentina, said that the activities of the Commission became even more important in light of the international community’s growing awareness of the need to act together to eradicate poverty.  The impact of social policies on economic growth compelled the study of such effects before enacting policies.  A development programme that was viable at the macroeconomic level might not be sustainable unless accompanied by appropriate social policies.  There had to be a close link between social development, economic growth and the strengthening of democracy.

Argentina had traditionally displayed one of the most widely distributed levels of well-being in the region, he noted.  However, that situation had deteriorated in recent years.  At the social level, the impact of unemployment had been highly damaging, and poverty levels had doubled with absolute poverty levels tripling.  Hunger and malnutrition, in a food producing country like Argentina, reflected the gravity of the problem.  The country had created networks of solidarity to combat the crisis and had intensified commitments to activities to meet the urgent needs of the most vulnerable segments of the population.

The primary responsibility for social programmes lay with national governments, he said.  At the same time, international cooperation could make an important contribution to national efforts to craft effective social policies.  Argentina had a two-fold experience, both as an agent of cooperation and as a recipient.  He shared the Secretary-General’s assessment of the value of alliances between the public and private sectors, whose knowledge and capacities contributed to the effective implementation of policies. 

JEAN-JACQUES ELMIGER (Switzerland) said the report’s description of the conditions for a framework for social development within the context of globalization was realistic and concise.  He endorsed the setting of priorities as proposed by the report.  Partnerships were not new, especially in the public sector and civil society.  Globalization of the economy required the enhanced role of civil society, as well as a reworked role for the State and enhanced responsibility of the private sector.  However, setting priorities must remain the responsibility of States, including in the fight against poverty and in maintaining consistency among national and international policies. 

The social responsibility of companies required greater elaboration, he said.  The Commission should encourage the private sector to uphold the obligations taken on by States.  The same effort was needed for socially responsible investment. 

The international community must set strategic guidelines for social development, he said.  While some guidelines were set rather naturally, others required greater effort, including guidelines for transparency in the financing for social development.  Still other guidelines required more resolute action.  Social development must be made a veritable public good.  The struggle against poverty must be placed at the heart of national and international policies.  National employment policies must be integrated, and social dialogue encouraged.  He fully supported the ILO’s work in that area.

Switzerland had noted the proposal to deal with socio-economic issues within the General Assembly’s Second Committee, he said.  Switzerland welcomed the biennial adoption of the Commission’s priority themes.  Societies would not be able to rise to the challenges of globalization unless transparency was guaranteed.  The public sector, civil society and the private sector must shoulder their respective responsibilities.  The macroeconomic framework must permit the equitable redistribution of the benefits of globalization.

FAITH D. INNERARITY, Director Social Security, Ministry of Labour and Social Security of Jamaica, said the Commission’s priority theme was at the core of the Commission’s mandate and was integral to the very existence of the United Nations.  In today’s context of globalization, vibrant and sustainable partnerships at the national and international levels took on added urgency for social development goals.

The provision of access to employment was necessary for social and economic development and must be a priority policy goal for every society, she said.  High unemployment and underemployment rates in developing countries and stagnation in job growth in the developed world were critical challenges for the social development policy agenda.  An estimated 150 million people worldwide were unemployed.  The growing informalization of work was a major concern, as workers in the informal sector lacked social protection and accounted for the majority of the working poor.  In the United Republic of Tanzania, for example, some 67 per cent of the labour force was in the informal sector.  In Jamaica, some 53 per cent of the labour force was engaged in non-formal work. 

While governments had the primary responsibility for the development of employment policies, social partners, in particular, trade unions, must be fully involved in the process, she said.  The domestic economies of developing countries were significantly impacted by their heavy reliance on external trade and sources of financing. International cooperation was required to deal with matters emanating from labour migration in the global economy.  Consensus was needed between receiving and sending countries on a range of crucial issues, including social protection for migrant workers and their families. 

DUMISANI S. KUMALO (South Africa) said that an assessment of developments in the past decade showed that overall progress with the achievement of sustainable development and the reduction of poverty had been slow.  The impact of globalization had resulted in high levels of poverty in developing countries and inequalities among countries.  Gaps emanating from agreements reached at major conferences during the past decade had further impacted on that lack of development. 

As a result, he continued, developing countries were still faced with low life expectancy and high levels of illiteracy.  In addition, a majority of communities were still without access to basic services.  As a response to addressing those challenges, South Africa had planned and implemented programmes and services in partnership with all government departments and stakeholders through the Local Integrated Development Planning programmes, the Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme and the Urban Renewal Programme.  Those programmes provided an important platform for sharing experiences on the key development challenges facing South Africa.

Africa, he said, had determined its own priority sectors on which to focus to achieve poverty eradication.  That entailed bridging gaps in infrastructure, improvements in information technology, technology transfer, the promotion of human development and access to markets for products of developing countries.

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