NEEDS OF AGEING, YOUTH, DISABLED PERSONS, FAMILY ADDRESSED IN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION’S DISCUSSION

Commission for Social Development

Forty-first Session

5^th & 6^th Meetings (AM & PM)

NEEDS OF AGEING, YOUTH, DISABLED PERSONS, FAMILY ADDRESSED

IN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION’S DISCUSSION

Speakers Also Stress Importance of Capacity-Building,

Highlight Link between Social Development, Economic Growth

As the Commission for Social Development discussed the situation of social groups today, speakers urged that greater attention be given to the needs of the ageing, youth, disabled persons and family as countries pursued development goals.

The representative of the International Labour Organization (ILO) stated that the growth of employment for the young, the old and the disabled would contribute to reducing poverty, increasing personal and national economic security, and improving equity within societies and families.  Essential towards attaining decent work for all was the preparation of a well-balanced national employment strategy giving explicit attention to each of the population groups. 

Greater attention should be given at the national and international levels to the advancement of the quality of life of persons with disabilities, stressed the representative of the Republic of Korea.  A national commitment to equal opportunities and the protection of the dignity and rights of such persons must be reflected in overall social and economic development policies.  Those policies should then be adjusted, as appropriate, to adapt to the ever-changing social environment. 

Austria’s representative said that the introduction of the child-care benefit in her country constituted a milestone in efforts to facilitate the reconciliation of work and family life.  Another key factor in improving work and family life was the creation of a working environment that took into account the needs of families.  The Government had developed the Family and Work Audit to encourage companies to respect the needs of families by offering flexible working hours and work locations, as well as day care.

Also today, the Commission concluded its general discussion of the priority theme of national and international cooperation for social development.  Several speakers emphasized the importance of capacity-building with regard to international development and assistance.  Any successful programme of capacity- building, stated Israel’s representative, must recognize that models of development could not simply be imposed on developing nations.  Each community  was ultimately the best suited to decide what was best for itself. 

Countries also highlighted the link between social development and economic growth.  The representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea said that viewing social development as a secondary issue, and perceiving economic growth as a prerequisite for ensuring social well being, must be avoided.  Simultaneous attention should be given to both. 

Statements were also made today by the representatives of Indonesia, Thailand, Cuba, Malaysia, Peru, Viet Nam, Gabon, Russian Federation, Dominican Republic, Benin and Belarus.

Representatives of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), World Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Industrial Organization (UNIDO), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) also spoke.

In addition, statements were made by the following non-governmental organizations:  International Chamber of Commerce; Triglav Circle; Franciscans International; International Presentation Association of the Sisters of the Presentation/Society of Catholic Medical Missionaries; Dominican Leadership Conference; China Society for Promotion of the Guangcai Programme; International Federation of Associations of the Elderly; International Federation for Home Economics; International Confederation of Free Trade Unions; and the World Family Organization.

The Commission will meet again at 10 a.m. Friday, 14 February, to continue its discussion of the situation of social groups.

Background

The Commission for Social Development met this morning to continue 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 6 February.

Statements

ARYE MEKEL (Israel) said that his country had continually emphasized the importance of capacity-building with regard to international development and assistance.  Israel’s experience had shown that any successful programme of capacity-building must recognize that models of development could not simply be imposed on developing nations.  There was little of value that could be taught to developing countries if it was not possible to learn from them, as well, to understand their needs and priorities, and work in partnership to find solutions.  Each community was, ultimately, best suited to decide what was best for itself. 

Another central tenet of capacity-building was a strong emphasis on the empowerment of women, he continued.  Providing women with the skills, the encouragement and the support necessary to become productive citizens was one of the most effective methods of promoting social, as well as grass-roots, economic growth, enlightened leadership and sustainable development.  Nations and communities that failed to empower women would be substantially hindered in their development. 

Concerning the promotion of social responsibility among the private sector, he underlined the involvement of Israeli firms in advancing the inclusion of persons with disabilities by transferring work to disabled workers and providing scholarships to disabled students.  Businesses had provided free Internet access and organized Internet summer classes in neighbourhoods and towns with a low socio-economic profile, in an effort to close the digital divide.  In some cases, businesses had hired full-time community-relation liaisons to formulate projects.

KIRASAK CHANCHARASWAT, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security of Thailand, said recent outcomes of major United Nations conferences had underscored the importance of partnership in development.  In the race to integrate into the global market, a growing segment of society had become increasingly marginalized.  The Asian financial and economic crisis had resulted in a number of lessons concerning social development and progress.  Social safety nets must be developed to cushion the impact of global market fluctuations and volatility. 

Active partnership and cooperation at all levels were essential to win the war against poverty, he said.  His Government had given social development high priority, thereby recognizing its primary responsibility in addressing public needs, providing social safety nets and promoting human rights.  In that regard, Thailand had undertaken structural economic and bureaucratic reforms to increase efficiency, as well as good governance, accountability and transparency.  Poverty eradication remained a government priority.  Policies were being implemented to strengthen the economic and social foundation from the grass-roots level.  The Government was committed to improving the livelihood of people, particularly the poor. 

Capacity-building must be promoted to enable developing countries to participate more effectively in global trade and financial decision-making processes, he said.  National development efforts must be complemented by those at regional and international levels.  International cooperation was needed to achieve an international economic environment conducive to development, which should be regarded as a global public good.  International financial, monetary and trading systems must be developed to better serve sustainable development.  Additional resources must also be mobilized to enable effective implementation of development plans.

He said the private sector was an important partner, which had shared responsibility in contributing to sustainable development.  It was important to encourage corporate social responsibility, along with good corporate governance.  Thailand supported the formulation of voluntary corporate codes of conduct for the private sector.  It also supported the United Nations Global Compact initiative.

DARMANSJAH DJUMALA (Indonesia) said that, while international economic cooperation had been the norm and was a long-standing pursuit of the United Nations, cooperation for social development was regarded as being largely in the national domain.  Also, economic development was considered comparatively short term and largely concerned about means, while social development focused more on ends and encompassed long-term development objectives.  Too often, international discussions focused solely on the means of development and largely neglected to focus on ends.  As a result, social development goals did not attract the attention or resources of the international community.

He was convinced that it would take an increase in national and international cooperation for social development to be meaningfully addressed in today’s globalized world.  In that connection, the sub-theme of sharing experiences and identifying best practices, particularly in the areas of capacity-building, could greatly help to bolster that cooperation.  In fact, national responsibility for social development was closely related to the development of such human and institutional capacity.  The international community should, therefore, pay more attention to focusing cooperation on capacity-building in those areas.  Further, a conducive, enabling environment was critical, which included increased access to export markets, financial flows and technology, as well as debt relief.

ORLANDO REQUEIJO GUAL (Cuba) said the mobilization of domestic resources was an indispensable prerequisite for social development.  The majority of developing countries had distorted economic structures, inherited from the colonial past, and were incapable of generating the resources needed to secure sustainable economic growth, including social development.  The harsh reality was that the only growth sectors had been poverty, marginalization and exclusion.  The world was characterized by the concentration in the developing countries of the people who barely managed to survive.  Some 11 million children died each year from easily preventable causes. 

The developed countries must honour their commitments and contribute to solving the problem of foreign indebtedness, he said.  They must move forward when it came to genuinely liberalizing markets.  They must not prevent the third world from having access to the advanced technology needed for development.  They must reverse the trend towards diminishing investment flows.  Developing countries must be able to fully participate in multilateral, democratic financial institutions.  Attempts had been made to circumvent commitments by situating social development within the domestic sphere.

Regarding the concept of partnerships, he said the public sector had almost been given an exclusive role as overseer and policy planner.  Doing so, however, could then contribute to justifying ruthless cuts in spending for health, education, culture, social security and other basic needs.  When the State was dismantled by international financial dictatorships for the sake of economic efficiency, the time had come to evaluate those economic policies in terms of social justice and equity.

Cuba had successfully applied social development policies, with 100 per cent of the population enjoying free access to health care and education, he said.  Cuba’s experience demonstrated that social development could be achieved even before economic development.  Despite the economic blockade imposed on Cuba for more than four decades by the United States, Cuba felt that promoting cooperation at the international level was essential.  At present, some 6,659 people were studying medicine in Cuba from 27 African, Latin American and Caribbean countries.  Those who owned the most on the planet should shoulder the burden of their responsibility, not elude it.

P. MANOGRAN (Malaysia) said the purpose of development was to create an enabling environment for people to enjoy long, healthy and creative lives.  Pure economic growth alone could not guarantee social harmony and social cohesion.  Growth had to be accompanied by equitable distribution, so that all segments of society benefited from the development process.  For development to be sustainable, it must encompass every segment of the population.  Development must be undertaken in an environment of social and political stability.

Malaysia was an open economy based on the system of free enterprise, he said.  The public sector set the direction of the whole economy to ensure the achievement of socio-economic goals.  The private sector, both local and foreign, was given the freedom to participate in the economy.  Civil society played an important role in complementing the efforts of the Government in the planning, organization and provision of social services.  The task of social development was not that of the Government’s alone.

While social development efforts were being undertaken at the national level, without international support many developing countries and countries in transition would find it difficult to reach their development objectives within reasonable time frames.  The role of international financial institutions and official development assistance (ODA) was critical.  If well managed, globalization was a means to greater welfare and improved standards of living.  Greater cooperation at the international level was needed to promote a more humane world, where the concept of development did not focus on growth per se, but on its character and distribution.

ROMY TINCOPA (Peru) said that at the 1995 World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen, the international community had committed to reducing poverty and improving the well-being of its people.  It had also agreed to place the individual at the core of social development.  Five years later, those commitments were reaffirmed in Geneva.  Combating poverty and social exclusion had been the focus of the international community’s attention.  To achieve those commitments, it was necessary to increase financial flows and international assistance, so that developing countries could increase their capacity to provide social services.

Peru was focused on that task and was working with its neighbours to decrease military expenditures and reorient resources towards the social sector, she said.  Developing countries needed foreign private investment to diversify their production and create businesses that produced high-technology products.  The globalized world was competitive, but must also have a human face.  She highlighted the importance of both national and international cooperation for social development.

MUN JONG CHOL (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) said that viewing social development as a secondary issue and perceiving economic growth as a prerequisite for ensuring social well-being must be avoided.  Simultaneous attention should be given to both economic growth and social development, and expenditures for social development should be sustained.  National governments played a critical role in achieving social development goals.

His Government had long ago introduced advanced social policies, including universal free and compulsory education, free health care and free housing.  Such policies were not introduced when his country was economically advanced and enjoying abundant resources.  Rather, it was during the harsh period of the war liberation and throughout the post-war period that such a system was put in place.

Along with national efforts, he said, international cooperation was also important in order for developing countries to achieve social development goals within the time frames set out.  In addition, it was necessary to remove the negative impact on social development in developing countries of the policies of international financial institutions.  Conditionalities, such as the reduction of social expenditures, resulted in setbacks in the social welfare systems in developing countries.

NGUYEN THI XUAN HUONG (Viet Nam) said that social development had been the first priority of the socio-economic policy system of the Vietnamese Communist Party and Government since 1945.  The Government’s stance on social development was that economic growth must be linked with social progress and justice from the very beginning, and throughout the socio-economic development process. 

Her country shared the concern over the slow progress in realizing the goals and objectives of the Millennium Declaration.  She stressed the importance of focusing on ways of implementing those commitments, and supported the need for an international economic and financial environment that would address the long-term problems of poverty and under-development.

In recent years, Viet Nam had recorded encouraging achievements in the areas of hunger eradication, poverty reduction, education, health and employment creation, she said.  It had done so by adopting practical plans and programmes on social development consistent with the country’s situation.  It had also set up loan institutions to serve the poor for concessional loans, and organized campaigns to mobilize resources for assisting the poor.

ANDRE MBA OBAME, Minister for National Solidarity and Social Affairs of Gabon, said his Government had taken several provisions to improve the situation of Gabon’s people, including the creation of a special fund for HIV/AIDS treatment.  Four major hospitals had been opened in the major cities.  The magnitude of work on reintegration was considerable and included the higher-education sector.  New infrastructures had been established and roads built.  While Gabon’s efforts might seem minimal compared to the magnitude of the tasks before it, the means available to it to address social issues were diminishing.

Social development could not continue to grapple with marginalization, he said.  In that respect, partnerships were all the more vital.  It was important to highlight the important role played by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which often worked to help the most vulnerable segments of the population.   Noting that the social sector required adequate means, he questioned whether multinational corporations were ready to use part of their profits to help the countries that hosted them.  Dynamic development partners were needed to ensure cooperation with international financial institutions.  Gabon would continue to strive to overcome the prejudice of being the only middle-income sub-Saharan country in Africa.  Some 50 per cent of its budget went to servicing debt, significantly reducing its ability to fund social development projects.

SONIA ELLIOT, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), said that an effective response to HIV/AIDS must match the epidemic in its complexity and scale.  The UNAIDS strove to be an example of total engagement at the global level, since it not only represented eight diverse United Nations agencies, but actually worked through multiple partnerships, many of which include people living with HIV/AIDS.  The increasing allocation of national and international resources to the fight against the epidemic represented encouraging progress in that regard.

However, she continued, to be truly effective such partnerships must also exist at the national level.  To further promote cooperation among actors, the partnership menus of a number of countries provided important information to potential donors on HIV/AIDS projects that could be sponsored at the country level. 

The high-level plenary debate of the Assembly on HIV/AIDS in September would be a significant opportunity for the international community to not only review progress in overcoming that dreaded disease by examining the extent to which the targets for 2003 had been achieved, but also to share experiences and best practices in carrying out that task.

JOHN LANGMORE, of the International Labour Organization (ILO), said that at the end of 2002 some 180 million people were openly unemployed.  About 550 million workers were unable to earn enough to keep their families above the $1 a day poverty line.  Over the next eight years, there would be some 400 million new, young job seekers.  Yet, for more than a quarter of a century the conventional strategy adopted by developed and developing countries alike involved relegating employment growth to a subsidiary place, after control of inflation and the current account balance.  Since the mid-1990s, a broader view had gathered strength giving greater attention to the importance of employment growth and poverty reduction.

He said the rate of economic growth per capita that would be necessary to halve both unemployment and the number of working poor by 2010 globally would be over 2 per cent per annum, compared with the average of 1 per cent during the 1990s, suggesting that a major change of strategy was required.  An essential component of change was a more sophisticated balance between economic goals, allowing for simultaneous reduction of unemployment and low inflation.  One major factor of the lost decade for development in the 1980s, and the relatively slow growth of most countries for much of the 1990s, was the high level of real interest rates.  Any country seeking growth of productive work could well examine the scope for easing access to credit and reducing interest rates.

He said that not only the stance of fiscal policy, but also its composition was influential.  Some countries were still being required to act “pro-cyclically” and to reduce expenditures during depressions, in order to qualify for loans.  More pragmatic fiscal policies would be appropriate in both developed and developing countries.  An additional arm of macroeconomic policy that was commonly neglected was social dialogue.  Education, health services, child care and care for the aged were themselves important sources of employment, and the best hope for increasing income-generating work everywhere was to move towards meeting that demand.

Moving beyond stoicism about unemployment to a strong commitment to the goal of decent work for all and action to implement it was possible, he added.  There was significantly greater scope for employment-generating policies and practices through independent action by countries, companies and communities.

STEEN JORGENSEN, Director, Social Development Department, World Bank, said that the Bank was currently developing its first Bank-wide social development strategy, which would provide the conceptual and operational underpinnings for the implementation of a social development agenda by the Bank.  The strategy would focus on two related social development outcomes that the Bank would seek to promote to enhance social sustainability.  It would outline how the Bank would work with countries to address their social development challenges, and ensure that Bank projects and programmes integrated principles of social sustainability.

With the aim of evaluating the impact of key policy reforms on the poor, the Bank was also developing a more systematic approach to Poverty and Social Impact Analysis (PSIA).  The PSIA was intended to help policy makers and analysts in developing countries, representatives of donor agencies and civil society organizations to analyse -– before, during implementation, and after -– the intended and unintended consequences of policy interventions on the well-being of different social groups.

Additionally, he said, the Bank had been working with countries on the participatory aspects of the formulation and implementation of poverty reduction strategies.  Participation at the macro-level could enhance the transparency of decision-making, improve government accountability to the people, and, as a result, increase the overall governance and economic efficiency of developmental activities.

FLORENCE CHENOWETH, Director of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Liaison Office, said that the heads of State and government, assembled in Rome at the “World Food Summit:  five years later” in June 2002, renewed their commitment to halve the number of hungry in the world no later than 2015.  They issued a new Declaration calling on all parties to reinforce their efforts, so as to “act as an international alliance against hunger” to promote the achievement of that target.  The alliance would build on the many existing initiatives and institutions that were already successfully engaged within their respective mandates in the fight against hunger.  It would offer a framework for all of them to join forces in giving the hungry a stronger voice and responding to it.

She said the FAO Director General had appealed to the organization’s members to consider giving concrete effect to the alliance, beginning at the national level.  A starting point could be the establishment of national forums comprising diverse institutions and individuals.  Such national forums would be buttressed by the already existing institutional framework of the United Nations System Network on Rural Development and Food Security.  Also, the FAO had presented the anti-hunger programme, which proposed a twin-track approach to achieving food security by combining policy reforms and investment in sustainable agriculture and rural development, with measures to ensure immediate access to food by the most needy.

GRZEGORZ DONOCIK , of the United Nations Industrial Organization (UNIDO), said that global disparities were growing, with industrially and technologically more advanced countries progressing well, and others falling further behind.  Transnational corporations were among the key drivers of the globalization process and accounted for a large share of international trade transactions.  Their investment capacities could determine the economic prospects of entire regions and countries.  Their growing influence also conditioned the vulnerability of governments, as well as of civil society.  Those developments had triggered intense debate on corporate social responsibility , which was defined in terms of the responsiveness of business to stakeholders’ legal, ethical, social and environmental expectations. 

For developing countries, integration into the global economy through economic liberalization, deregulation and democratization was seen as the best way to overcome poverty and inequality, he said.  Crucial to the process was the development of a vibrant private sector in which small and medium-sized enterprises played a central part, making up over 90 per cent of business worldwide and accounting for some 50 to 60 per cent of employment.  If the demand for corporate social responsibility introduced social and environmental clauses resulting in back-door protectionism, imposed inappropriate cultural standards, or unreasonable bureaucratic monitoring demands on small business, the net effect on the communities concerned would be a reduction in welfare.  It was crucial that small business go beyond a compliance-based, reactive mode to corporate social responsibility. 

For the United Nations, as well as UNIDO, entering into concrete operational partnerships with private business was a fairly new development, he said.  Actors on both sides were learning how to understand each other and how to ensure that different working cultures could serve the ultimate goal of sustainable development.  At the end of the day, what counted was the extent to which poverty was reduced, employment increased or markets accessed.

Mr. STIBRAVY, of the International Chamber of Commerce, strongly supported the Commission’s focus on national and international cooperation for social development.  Representing thousands of companies in over 140 countries, his organization worked to support an open, global economic system as a force of economic growth, job creation and prosperity.  Those goals were essential underpinnings of social development.  It also supported the call for sound national frameworks for social development, based on good governance, including the rule of law, anti-corruption and respect for human rights.

Social development required the enforcement of national laws and regulations protecting human and civil rights, he said.  The reality was that most countries had adequate laws in those areas, but many lacked the resources necessary to implement them.  While private sector initiatives were not, and could not, be a substitute for good national governance, the International Chamber of Commerce worked to reinforce the positive role of business in society.  It did so by encouraging corporate responsibility and good corporate citizenship.  Recently, the organization had identified practical steps that a company could take to develop its own policies and principles or to support external codes of conduct for that purpose.

Individually and collectively, companies around the world had established a growing array of corporate-responsibility principles and the programmes to put them into practice, he continued.  Business had joined with other stakeholders to pursue a long list of partnership agreements in areas such as education, water and energy.  It had also worked to spread the principles of corporate responsibility to small and medium-size enterprises in developing countries.

Ms. BAUDOT, of Triglav Circle, said that international cooperation required mutual respect, fair play and harmony between actors.  However, recipients might sometimes feel forced by political circumstances to forsake their obligations and commitments to make the best use of assistance for the welfare of their people.  Rather than promote fair play, harmony and development, such actions could contribute to social breakdowns and the very poverty development assistance was intended to overcome.

Second, she said, international cooperation required motivation beyond the pursuit of self-interest.  A considerable portion of development assistance was still motivated by calculations of return on the investment, national security gains, or just good press.  Successful cooperation depended on the good motives of both parties in the bargain.  Desires to maintain and extend personal power and wealth in developing countries often led to the misdirected use of money.

Third, international cooperation required a sense of purpose beyond improvements in levels of living, she said.  It should be possible for international cooperation to reduce meaningfully the glaring inequalities and disparities that existed between the developing and developed worlds. 

Mr. CORREA, Franciscans International, recommended that the Commission urge governments to establish a comprehensive and easily accessible database of information on best practices and lessons learned.  They should renew efforts to form partnership with non-governmental organizations and ask their own ministries to include experienced non-governmental organization members in their policy and decision-making teams where applicable.  

On the issue of partnership, he recommended that the participation of members in the private sector be distinct from the participation of
non-governmental organizations that represent not-for-profit organizations.  Also, private sector participation in United Nations activities must be clarified, to insure that participation was not for economic gain, but was focused on the economic, social and environmental development of all peoples.  People living in conditions of poverty must be involved in the design, implementation and evaluation of private sector partnerships.  Corporations involved in partnerships must be accountable to all stakeholders, not just stockholders.  Also, monitoring and evaluation should include outside oversight. 

Regarding youth, he said that strategies for poverty reduction must emphasize the particular needs of youth, primarily education.  Innovative methods for combining education and employment must be developed and strengthened.  The experiences of youth must be heard at all levels of advocacy and decision-making. 

Ms. ALTENDORF, International Presentation Association of the Sisters of the Presentation and Society of Catholic Medical Missionaries, emphasized the importance of poverty eradication and the Millennium Development Goals.  In the document submitted by the organization to the Commission, it had asked that the international financial institutions include all stakeholders in every stage of national social development strategies.  Also, a new vision of policy autonomy should be restored to governments who demonstrated that they respected their constituents.

It was crucial to ensure that not just a few countries profited from monies available for development, she said.  The number of least developed countries was growing and other nations needed to help to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.  The Millennium Declaration required developed countries to provide resources essential for the achievement of the Goals in developing countries.  That should be clearly reflected through increased official development assistance, loans or grants from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), donor countries and/or trust accounts.

It was also necessary to address the compartmentalisation within the United Nations system and within governments, she added.  The existing system did not address the crucial issues.  A more integrated approach to issues must be developed.  A priority task today was for a new model, a new vision where all actors worked together.

Ms. MORRIS, of the Dominican Leadership Conference and Society of Catholic Medical Missionaries, said there was need to clarify who represented civil society within the United Nations community and who represented the private sector.  She also stressed the need for clarification of private sector partners in United Nations activities, so that their participation was not solely for economic gain. 

Partnership was crucial for remedying the negative impacts of globalization on developing countries, she added.  New partnerships, focused on increased assistance from the international community to developing countries, were needed to eliminate poverty.  Partnerships must be mutually beneficial and reinforce cooperation for social development.  It was also important that they not undermine the fundamental role of national governments for social development.  Partnerships should increase financial assistance, to realize the dream of the Millennium Development Goals. 

Ms. GU YANFE, China Society for Promotion of the Guangcai Programme, said that “guangcai” meant brightness and the Programme was a social programme for poverty reduction initiated by private entrepreneurs in China. It gave balanced consideration to profits and morality, as well as volunteerism.  The Programme focused on backward and frontier areas and its core activity was to provide resources for projects.  The purpose of the Society was to guide private enterprises to participate in the Guangcai Programme.  More than 11,000 people were participating and over 7,400 projects were currently under way. 

Among the Programme’s projects was one for developing Tibetan medicine, which provided jobs for more than 200 Tibetan workers, of which 60 were disabled persons, she said.  Also, it had a project for the replacement of poppy cultivation with the cultivation of lemons.  Another project in Hunan Province helped more than 200,000 people, improved conditions for more than 45 schools and provided financial assistance to several hundred college students.  Also, the Programme had been extended to other developing countries, and 40 million Chinese yuan worth of medicine had been donated to African countries where tuberculosis was rampant.  This year, it would continue to focus on the industrialization of agricultural production, as well as ecological and environmental protection.

MARI SIMONEN, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), said that experience in many countries had shown that poor health, illiteracy, inadequate schooling, social exclusion and gender discrimination all contributed to poverty.  Poor health diminished personal capacity, lowered productivity and reduced earnings.  Yet today, despite the international goal of universal access to reproductive health, poor reproductive health was a leading cause of death and disability for women and children in the developing world. 

It was significant, she said, that the world’s attention was focusing on both the young and older generations.  There were 1 billion young people between the ages of 15 and 24.  In terms of health, those young people represented the first generation to grow up with HIV/AIDS, as half of all new HIV infections occurred in that age group.  Five young people were newly infected each minute.  But, while youth were highly vulnerable to infection, they were ill-equipped to prevent it.  The world could not stand by as young people died from ignorance. 

Progress to achieve the international goal of universal access to reproductive health services was hampered by conflict, deeply-rooted socio-cultural factors, illiteracy and inadequate resources, she said.  Education was a powerful instrument for reducing poverty and inequality.  It was a powerful tool for improving health and social well-being.  Yet, some 130 million children remained shut out of school, many of them girls.  The UNFPA also attached great importance to the follow-up to the Second World Assembly on Ageing.  The Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing provided an unparalleled opportunity to mainstream concerns about older persons.  Ageing issues must be mainstreamed into development processes, such as national poverty-reduction strategies.

Situation of Social Groups

IRENE SLAMA, Cabinet of the Federal Minister for Social Security and Generations of Austria, said the International Year of the Family had contributed to changing the paradigms of family policy.  Austria’s family policy today was no longer limited to financial support for families with children, but included reconciling work and family life, parenting and partner counselling.  The goal of Austrian family policy was to guarantee families a maximum degree of social security and fair compensation for their contributions to society.  The major instrument for that purpose was the Family Burden Equalization Fund, which financed two central transfer payments, namely, family allowance and child-care benefit.

The introduction of the child-care benefit constituted a milestone in efforts to facilitate the reconciliation of work and family life for both mothers and fathers, she said.  Another key factor in improving work and family life was the creation of a working environment that took into account the needs of families.  Her ministry had developed the Family and Work Audit to encourage companies to respect the needs of families by offering flexible working hours, day care and flexible work locations. 

Austria also faced the challenge of responding to demographic development, she continued.  By 2035, the number of persons over the age of 60 would rise from some 20 per cent to about 38 per cent.  During that same period, the rate of very old persons would increase disproportionately, due to the rise in life expectancy.  An important innovation for female caregivers was the provision of preferential pensions.  If caregivers had to leave their jobs to provide care, they could safeguard their pension rights at a reduced cost.  Another innovation was the family hospice leave, which allowed family members to care for dying relatives or seriously ill children.

Mr. ZHEGLOV (Russian Federation) said that in a changing world it was youth who would address tomorrow’s challenges.  He supported the conclusions and recommendations contained in the Secretary-General’s report on youth.  The United Nations had a special role in generating global youth policies.  During the period of reform in his country, the Government had established the basis for its State youth policy.  Each year, the Ministry of Education drafted a national youth report.  Also, a number of laws had been adopted to support the country’s youth. 

Addressing the housing problem was one of the priorities of the State youth policy, he continued.  More than 70 per cent of young people supported the country’s market reforms.  The road to prosperity lay in education, and an increasing number of youth were getting higher education.  Currently, there were over 100 federal and more than 1,000 regional and local NGOs active in youth issues.

He said that support of civilian initiatives for youth, stepping up activities of youth NGOs, developing new technology for working with youth and taking into account various age groups in dealing with youth were among the principles that should guide the elaboration of national youth policies.  By pooling efforts, countries could improve the living conditions for the planet’s youth.

PARK CHAN-HYUNG (Republic of Korea) said that greater attention should be accorded at the national and international levels to advancing the quality of life of persons with disabilities.  His Government recognized the importance of incorporating the disability perspective in its approach to development.  A national commitment to the equalization of opportunities and the protection of the dignity and rights of persons with disabilities must be reflected in overall social and economic development policies.  Further, those policies should be adjusted, as appropriate, to adapt to the ever-changing social environment. 

There were an estimated 1.45 million persons with disabilities in his country, representing 3.09 per cent of the total population, he continued.  In the Five-Year Plan for the Welfare of Disabled Persons, the Government had adopted a comprehensive and universal approach that addressed the issue of persons with a wide variety of conditions.  The inclusive nature of the plan translated into concrete programmes that benefited a wide range of the disabled population.  Further, the Government had compiled a computerized database to facilitate the systematic management of policies for persons with disabilities.  Further, progress on the equalization of opportunities was being sought through legal measures for the protection of the rights of disabled women.

RAMON OSIRIS BLANCO DOMINGUEZ (Dominican Republic) said his country’s social plans and programmes had been hard hit by the fallout of major global crises.  The rise in oil costs to some 10 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), compounded by the decline in the number of tourists and the fall in prices from raw materials, had turned the Dominican Republic into a target for social protest.  The social development policies needed urgent support, with no strings attached.  Under the current circumstance, it would be impossible to even come close to attaining the Millennium Development Goals.  Only political and human will could change the course of events.  It was of the utmost necessity to establish logical machinery to follow up on commitments made at the various United Nations conferences.

The Dominican Republic had taken specific steps to fight poverty, he said.  The resources invested in improving the living conditions of children, women and the elderly had led to tangible results.  For example, recent legislation had established universal social security.  The Government’s strategic plan to reduce poverty was now being implemented and included job creation programmes and incentive policies for foreign investment.

In all international forums, the Dominican Republic had been consistent in reaffirming its close relation to the neighbouring people of Haiti, he said.  The international community must recognize the urgent need to assist Haiti, which had the highest incidence of HIV/AIDS in the region.  While the Dominican Republic was helping the Haitian people, including the critically ill, all such efforts fell short in the face of their overwhelming needs.

SABINE D’ALMEIDA VIEYRA, Secretary-General of the Ministry for the Family of Benin, said that the quest for development was moving forward and it was having an effect on family life.  The well-being of the family was the ultimate goal of social development.  The family was the base unit of all societies.  It was through the family that social, economic and moral values were transmitted.  In preparing for the tenth anniversary of the Year of the Family in 2004, the Government had taken a number of steps.  It had created a ministerial level department for family promotion, within which a technical directorate dealing with family, children and adolescent issues had also been established. 

The Government had also held a national symposium on family in March 2002, she continued.  It was felt that there was a need to establish fresh benchmarks and priorities, in that connection.  A number of recommendations had emanated from that gathering, the implementation of which required, among other things, the involvement of the private sector.  Also, financial and material assistance was provided to families in need. 

For the holding of the tenth anniversary, she said, Benin intended to pursue and intensify ongoing measures, ensure that families could get involved at the grass-roots level and facilitate inter-generational dialogue.  It was organizing workshops to bring together the best recommendations emanating from the symposium and to elaborate a national plan for implementing them.  Benin hoped to be able to count on support from the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, relevant NGOs and other development partners in the implementation of those recommendations.

Ms. BUTOVSKAYA (Belarus) said the activities of her Government regarding the family in the short term were aimed at establishing a favourable social environment.  Belarus had adopted a presidential programme, which included the children of Chernobyl, orphan children and children’s food.  Belarus had five years experience at establishing individualized social assistance for children.  Belarus reaffirmed its support for the planning of the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family.  A major promotional event was under way to enhance the image of the family.

Belarus commended efforts to work out a single convention on the rights of the disabled, she said.  There were some 480,000 disabled persons in Belarus.  The State policy for the disabled was aimed at ensuring them equality and equitable participation in society.  A subprogramme on disabled children was aimed at preventing disabilities among children, as well as their reintegration.  The programme had positively impacted the lives of disabled children, providing them with stability and social safety nets.  Her country’s current social policy was based on compensation, namely, direct payments.  Current laws had to be amended and supplemented to include the creation of barrier-free environments.

Belarus also faced the problem of an ageing population, she said.  The change in the age structure of Belarus might have serious socio-economic consequences.  Belarus hailed the Commission’s role in conducting a review of the Madrid plan of action.

CECILIO ADORNA, Director, Office of Global Partnerships, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), said the document adopted by governments in May 2002 during the special session on children –- “A World Fit for Children” -– sought to create a child-centred world by putting children’s physical, social, emotional and spiritual development at the forefront of national and global priorities.  While each government had primary responsibility for implementing the provisions of that document, UNICEF would seek to promote and facilitate follow-up to the special session.

In developing countries, UNICEF would contribute to the implementation of the World Fit for Children Plan of Action in the context of the Millennium Development Goals and through country programmes of cooperation based on five priorities in its medium-term strategic plan, he said.  The five priorities included:  integrated early childhood development; immunization “plus”; girls’ education; protection of children from violence, exploitation, abuse and discrimination; and fighting HIV/AIDS.  Creating a world fit for children was central to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. 

Children were key to sustainable human development, he said.  It was no coincidence that six of the eight Millennium Development Goals focused on children.  Children and young people must be given the opportunity to participate in decisions that affected their lives and futures.  Through participation, children learned to respect others, to express themselves constructively and to negotiate differences.  Children were blessed with an inherent good will, incredible creativity and an unspoiled sense of possibilities.  Their opinions must be treated seriously.  The UNICEF was fully committed to facilitating meaningful child and adolescent participation in areas that directly affected children.

Mr. HUGUET, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), said that the Commission’s efforts focused on providing assistance to its members to achieve the commitments undertaken in various conferences.  It did that by assisting with capacity-building, information dissemination, and the exchange of knowledge and experiences.  In October 2002, ESCAP convened a high-level meeting in Japan on persons with disabilities.  That gathering adopted a framework setting ambitious targets in such areas as women with disabilities, employment, public transport, and information and communication technologies.  The ESCAP planned to convene a regional seminar in Beijing early this year on the elaboration of a convention on the rights of persons with disabilities.  It was actively implementing programmes on youth, gender, HIV/AIDS and ageing.  It welcomed suggestions from governments on how it could be of greater assistance.

Mr. LANGMORE, of the ILO, said the growth of employment for the young, the old and the disabled would contribute to reducing poverty, increasing personal and national economic security, and improving equity within societies and families.  One initiative towards the goal of decent work for all was preparation of a well balanced national employment strategy, which gave explicit attention to each of the population groups.  National strategies must ensure that decent work had a central place in national goals, especially macroeconomic goals. 

Youth were an asset for societies, he said.  Some 400 million young people would be entering the global work force during the current decade.  Those young people would be able to help societies improve the quality and quantity of various social services, if they had access to education and training, the support of mentors who encouraged their entrepreneurial initiative and credit at manageable interest rates.  The ageing were also an asset for societies.  Retirement ages should be abolished or made voluntary above a minimal level.  Life-long learning must be available to older, as well as middle-aged, people.  Equality in access to credit for productive activity was also essential.

Mr. MAGARIAN, International Federation of Associations of the Elderly, called for the establishment of regional observatories to monitor the implementation of the commitments made in Madrid.  He also proposed the establishment of a department within those regional observatories, such as one to provide data on the elderly, as well as one for research and advocacy.  That department could also deal with requests for data on ageing populations.  Another department could be a workshop department dealing with specific issues on the ground and thematic issues, such as Alzheimer’s.  Those observatories could act by gathering and disseminating information and know-how.  Their reports would provide necessary advice so as to prevent abuse of the elderly in areas such as health

care and property ownership.  The Federation would be available to the Commission to assist it in setting up the regional observatories.

Ms. MILLER, International Federation of Home Economics, said that poverty, disease and violence had a negative impact on families.  Measures to reduce poverty included capital investment in sustainable development; universal free primary and secondary education for children; improvement of preventive health programmes; and accessibility to health care.  To eliminate disease, families must be provided with medical and nursing assistance, as well as education. 

Peace and stability were the absolute precursors for the provision of services for families, she said.  All forms of sexual abuse and violence against women should be eliminated.  Women should be part of peacekeeping activities.  Countries involved in armed conflict were diverting limited tax funds from social needs to arms purchases and support for military forces.  She urged all governments, private partners and civil society to adhere to their commitments to the Millennium Development Goals. 

Ms. ADABA, International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, said that in commitment 3 of the Copenhagen Programme of Action, governments committed themselves to the aim of providing full employment.  Concerted efforts were needed at the national level, supported by international level cooperation, to realize that goal.  Labour policies needed to be at the heart of development policies. 

The creation of decent jobs, not just any jobs, should be the priority of such policies, she continued.  Decent jobs, as defined by the ILO, implied the active promotion in national labour codes and policies of the core labour standards.  It must be recognized that treating workers with dignity and respect and giving them a voice were values too fundamental to compromise. 

Turning to the role of the private sector in development, she said that it was not sufficient for multinational corporations and private sector actors to announce mission statements incorporating social responsibility.  What was needed was a more robust framework of internationally recognized standards.  

Ms. KUSTZA, World Family Organization, said the observance of the 1994 International Year of the Family had highlighted the role of families as the basic social unit and raised awareness of the importance of the family dimension of development efforts.  There was a great recognition of the importance of supporting families, as an essential part of efforts to achieve peace and solidarity. 

In the follow-up to the International Year, the Organization was organizing a world family summit to take place in France in 2004, she said.  The summit would provide an extraordinary opportunity to identify and elaborate on issues of direct concern to families since 1994.  The summit would also provide an ideal platform for promoting action for the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals through the basic social unit of the family.  It would provide a legacy for future generations through the engagement of all social sectors.  One of its main objectives would be to place family issues on the international agenda.  She invited all delegations and organizations to support the summit meeting, which would include the participation of several heads of State.