SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION APPROVES TEXTS ADDRESSING PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, AGEING, FAMILY
| Press Release SOC/4644 |
Commission for Social Development
Forty-second Session
13th & 14th Meetings (AM & PM)
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION APPROVES TEXTS ADDRESSING
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, AGEING, FAMILY
Suspends 42nd Session
The Commission on Social Development suspended its forty-second session on Friday, 13 February 2004, unable to adopt the agreed outcome document on the priority theme -- improving the effectiveness of the public sector – due to lack of interpretation services beyond 6 p.m. It did, however, approve texts on persons with disabilities, ageing and the family.
The Commission approved a resolution by which the Economic and Social Council will welcome the positive steps made in the Working Group towards preparing a draft text that would serve as basis for negotiations on the comprehensive and integral international convention to promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.
The text invites United Nations agencies, particularly those working in the fields of social development and human rights, as well as independent experts, non-governmental organizations and national disability institutions, to continue to provide suggestions on possible elements for the convention. By a related Chairman’s text that was also approved, the Economic and Social Council will recommend that the Assembly take up, at its next session, the proposed Supplement aimed at broadening the Standard Rules on Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with disabilities.
The Commission also approved a text on the modalities for the review and appraisal of the 2002 Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002. Deciding to undertake the review and appraisal of the Plan every five years -- with each review cycle to focus on one of the priority directions identified in the Plan -– the Commission encouraged Member States to establish a national coordinating body or mechanism to facilitate the implementation. It also encouraged States to include both ageing-specific policies and ageing-mainstreaming efforts in their review of the Plan and in their national strategies.
By further terms, the Commission requests the Secretary-General, through the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), to facilitate and promote the Madrid Plan, including by making proposals for the design of guidelines for policy development and implementation and engaging in dialogue with civil society and the private sector. He is also requested to propose guidelines for the review process, including a proposal for a specific theme emanating from the Madrid Plan for the first review and appraisal cycle.
With the commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family fast approaching, the Commission approved another text for adoption by ECOSOC by which the General Assembly would decide that the follow-up to the tenth anniversary of the International Year be an integral part of the agenda and the multi-year programme of the Commission’s work until 2006. The Assembly would also urge governments to continue sustained action at all levels concerning the family, including studies and research, to promote the role of families in development and to develop concrete measures to address national priorities to deal with family issues.
By another resolution approved today -- on implementation of the social objective of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) -- the ECOSOC would recognize the serious challenges facing social development on the continent, in particular illiteracy, poverty, HIV/AIDS, malaria and other communicable diseases, and, therefore, stress the need for renewed and political will at the national, regional, and international levels to invest in the people and their well-being so as to achieve the objectives of social development.
Emphasizing that democracy, respect for human rights, transparent and accountable governance and effective civic participation were among the indispensable foundations for the realization of social and people-centred development, the ECOSOC would also urge the United Nations system, in coordinating its activities at all levels, to foster a coherent response, including through close collaboration with bilateral donors in NEPAD’s implementation, in response to the needs of individual countries within the larger framework of the partnership.
Taking the floor during the day-long meeting were the representatives of Switzerland, Senegal, South Africa, Mexico, Benin, United States, and Ireland, Qatar, Cuba, Egypt, Sudan, Switzerland, and Chile.
The Commission will reconvene to conclude its forty-second session at a date and time to be announced.
Summary of Texts
By the draft resolution on the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family and beyond (document E/CN.5/2004/L.3), the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) recommends that the General Assembly decide that the follow-up to the tenth anniversary of the International Year be an integral part of the agenda and the multi-year programme of the Commission’s work until 2006. It also urges governments to continue to take sustained action at all levels concerning family issues, including studies and research, to promote the role of families in development and to develop concrete measures to address national priorities to deal with family issues.
Also according to the text, the Assembly requests the Secretary-General to, among other things, give appropriate consideration to the tenth anniversary by preparing the observance of the International Day of Families on 15 May 2004 and by taking appropriate steps to promote the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the International Year. He is also requested to continue using the United Nations Trust Fund to support national actions that directly promote the objectives of the International Year in developing countries, especially in the least developing countries. He is also requested to incorporate a capacity-building component in the family programme to assist governments in integrating family-related programmes into national development strategies.
By the text on the comprehensive and integral international convention to promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities (E/CN.5/2004/L.5), the Assembly welcomes the positive steps made in the working group towards preparing a draft text that would serve as basis for negotiations on the convention, and requests the Commission itself to continue to contribute to the negotiations, by among other things, providing its views regarding a social development perspective.
The Assembly also requests the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) to continue to support the work of the Ad Hoc Committee on negotiating the convention, through the organization of expert meetings, and providing information on issues related to that convention. The Assembly also invites United Nations agencies, particularly those working in the fields of social development and human rights, as well as independent experts, non-governmental organizations and national disability institutions to continue to provide suggestions on the possible elements for the convention.
Further by the text, the Assembly invites governments, civil society and the private sector to contribute to its voluntary fund to support the participation of non-governmental organizations and experts from developing and least developed countries in the Ad Hoc Committee’s work. The Assembly, encouraged by the international communities increased support for persons with disabilities under a comprehensive and integral approach, stresses the need for additional efforts to ensure accessibility with reasonable accommodation regarding the facilities and documentation at the United Nations for all such persons.
By a related text on further promotion of equalization of opportunities by, for and protection of the human rights of persons with disabilities (document E/CN.5/2004/L.6/Rev.1), the ECOSOC recommends to the General Assembly that it take up, at its next session, the Supplement to the Standard Rules on Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, with a view towards adopting it.
Also, the Council encourages governments, as well as non-governmental organizations and the private sector, to continue to contribute to the United Nations Voluntary Fund on Disability in order to support the activities of the Special Rapporteur on Disabilities, as well as new and expanded initiatives to strengthen national capacities for ensuring equal opportunities for persons with disabilities.
By a resolution on the modalities for the review and appraisal of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002 (document E/CN.5/2004/L.7), the Commission reiterates its call to all actors to participate in the Plan’s implementation and follow-up. Deciding to undertake the review and appraisal of the Plan every five years -- with each review cycle to focus on one of the priority directions identified in the Plan -- it encourages Member States to establish a national coordinating body or mechanism to facilitate the implementation. Member States are also encouraged to include both ageing-specific policies and ageing-mainstreaming efforts in their review of the Madrid Plan and in their national strategies.
By further terms, the Secretary-General, through the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), is requested to facilitate and promote the Madrid Plan, including by making proposals for the design of guidelines for policy development and implementation and engaging in dialogue with civil society and the private sector. He is also requested to propose guidelines for the review process, including a proposal for a specific theme emanating from the Madrid Plan for the first review and appraisal cycle. Relevant United Nations bodies would be requested to support national review and appraisal efforts by providing, among other things, technical assistance for capacity-building.
By the text on implementation of the social objective of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), (document E/CN.5/2004/L.8), the Assembly recognizes the serious challenges facing social development in Africa, in particular illiteracy, poverty, HIV/AIDS, malaria and other communicable diseases and, therefore, stresses the need for renewed and political will at the national, regional, and international levels to invest in the people and their well-being, so as to achieve the objectives of social development.
Emphasizing that democracy, respect for human rights, transparent and accountable governance and effective participation by civil society are among the indispensable foundations for the realization of social and people-centred development, the Assembly urges the United Nations system, in coordinating its activities at all levels, to foster a coherent response, including through close collaboration with bilateral donors, in NEPAD’s implementation in response to the needs of individual countries within the larger framework of the Partnership.
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