Sixty-third General Assembly

Third Committee

1^st & 2^nd Meetings (AM & PM)

MULTIPLE GLOBAL CRISES POSE ‘SERIOUS CHALLENGE’ FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AGENDA,

THIRD COMMITTEE TOLD, AS IT OPENS DEBATE FOR CURRENT SESSION

Warning that multiple global crises would likely pose “serious challenges to the social development agenda”, Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, encouraged the first meeting of the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) not to lose sight of human rights considerations as it tackled its agenda for the year, which encompassed the advancement of women, children’s issues, indigenous issues, racism, the situation of refugees and crime.

Mr. Sha said in a period of increasing economic uncertainty -- marked by food and energy crises and a possibleeconomic slowdown -- special effort must be made to guard against backsliding in social development and human rights.  Indeed, the first report of the Millennium Development Goals Gap Task Force showed that Member States were falling short in meeting their “global partnership commitments”, specifically in terms of financial aid, in support of those goals.

He noted that over a billion people still lived in poverty and hunger, and many more did not have decent job opportunities, let alone social protection.  Many continued to lack access to adequate health, clean water and sanitation and quality education.

The Third Committee, he said, played a “major role” in advancing the cause of commonly excluded social groups, such as persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, older persons and women.  He pointed out that, in many cases, their rights were bolstered by normative instruments, such as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, among others.

“The momentum is now present, more than ever before, with normative instruments in the hands of policymakers and officials responsible for operations”, he said.

In the case of older persons, where no special declarations of rights existed, he said the Committee must urge the General Assembly to step up implementation of the Madrid Plan of Action, which promoted the empowerment of persons within that group.  He also reminded the Committee of its important role in combating violence against women, which remained a significant impediment to progress towards the Millennium Development Goals.

Also stressing the primacy of human rights, Chairman Frank Majoor of the Netherlands noted that the Committee’s meetings coincided with the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which defined the essence of what made all people human.  As such, he encouraged Committee members to focus not on what might divide them in their work, but, instead, on what united them in their common efforts to further strengthen the protection and promotion of human rights for all.

Several United Nations officials were on hand to introduce the Secretary-General’s reports on those topics, including Elsa Stamatopoulou, Acting Director of the Division of Social Policy and Development, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, who introduced the reports on social development, ageing and disabled persons.

Mark Richmond, Director of the Division for the Coordination of United Nations Priorities in Education for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), introduced the report on the implementation of the International Plan of Action for the United Nations Literacy Decade; and Flavia Pansieri, the Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteer Programme, introduced the report on the follow-up to the International Year of Volunteers.

In a dialogue with Ms. Stamatopoulou, Mr. Richmond and Ms. Pansieri, the representatives of several Member States asked whether the United Nations had conducted preliminary studies on ways to ensure that the current global crises did not accelerate out of control.  The representative of Cuba noted specifically that some developing countries found it difficult to establish or broaden social protection programmes.  The representative of Egypt further asked if the Secretariat would provide an opportunity to discuss those issues before the Commission on Social Development convened its next session.

In response, Ms. Stamatopoulou said the United Nations had not yet assessed the full impact of those crises, but added that there was a real concern about their overall negative impact on global development goals.  The Economic and Social Council had recently held a special session on the food crisis, and there was much discussion throughout the United Nations on how else to make the Organization’s joint efforts even more effective.  Any reforms made to global economic governance and the international financial architecture should include more effective regulation of financial markets, improved risk management and monitoring and more universal social policies, including redistribution measures, among others.  As well, the social angle could never be forgotten in those discussions.

Echoing the sentiment of several speakers, the representative of Malaysia said there was no need to wait for studies on the full effects of the current financial, food and fuel crises before taking action, and called on the United Nations to provide Member States with a preliminary assessment of the impact of those crises.

Participating in the general debate on social development were Antigua and Barbuda (on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China), France (on behalf of the European Union), Lesotho (on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)), Saint Lucia (on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)), Mexico (on behalf of the Rio Group),Japan, Brazil, Sudan, United States, Bangladesh, Colombia, Cuba, Iraq, Egypt, Belarus, Iran, Algeria, Philippines, Viet Nam, Libya, China, Switzerland and Lebanon.

Also speaking were youth representatives from Germany, Thailand, Norway and Finland.

Also today, the Committee briefly took up the issue of programme planning, during which the representative of Cuba expressed confidence in the work of the two facilitators from Switzerland and Morocco, who had been appointed to guide negotiations on a Human Rights Strategic Framework for 2010-2011.  However, he expressed disappointment over the fact that neither the Chairman nor any other member of the Bureau would be present to facilitate those discussions.  In the future, a member of the Bureau should also be present.

The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m., Tuesday, 7 October, to continue its general discussion on social development.

Background

At its first meeting of the 2008 session, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met to take up programme planning, and also begin its general discussion on social development.

Before the Committee were documents relating to its organization of work, including the first report of the General Committee of the General Assembly, on the organization of the sixty-third regular session of the General Assembly, adoption of the agenda and allocation of items (document A/63/250), as well as two notes by the Secretariat on the organization of work of the Third Committee (documents A/C.3/63/L.1 and Add.1), which contains a calendar of meetings and documents to be considered by the Committee in 2008.

On programme planning, the Committee had before it the Secretary-General's proposed strategic framework for the period 2010-2011, Part One:  plan outline (document A/63/6 (Part One)) and a related document on the proposed strategic framework for the period 2010-2011, Part two:  biennial programme plan, Programme 19:  Human rights (document A/63/6 (Prog. 19)).  As the first report explains, the strategic framework covers 27 programmes, each pertaining to the work of a specific department or organizational entity of similar stature within the United Nations, and is further subdivided into subprogrammes corresponding to smaller divisions within those departments and entities.

According to the report on Programme 19, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights will have completed its process of organizational reform by the end of 2010, as a follow-up to the 2005 World Summit.  Among the areas highlighted for improvement are:  the Office’s capacity to conduct human rights mainstreaming, promote the right to development, and carry out research and analysis.  Further to the report, the Office is expected to strengthen its capacity to support human rights treaty bodies, provide advisory services, engage in technical cooperation, and conduct field activities.  The Office is also expected to strengthen its role in supporting the Human Rights Council and its associated bodies and mechanisms.

Documents before the Committee on social development include the Secretary-General’s report on implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development and of the twenty-fourth special session of the General Assembly (document A/63/133).  The report focuses on the theme of employment, saying that the 1995 World Summit for Social Development had emphasized the central role of employment in reducing poverty and achieving full and sustainable development.  The Commission for Social Development, which is tasked with reviewing the outcome of the 1995 World Summit, met at its latest session in February to discuss the priority theme “promoting full employment and decent work for all”.

Based on its deliberations, the Commission highlighted several points for the General Assembly’s consideration.  In promoting employment and decent work, it says attention must be given to advancing the growth of the agricultural sector, small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurship.  It also requires investment in education, training and extending labour standards.  In addition, importance should be placed on programmes to address the marginalization of, and discrimination against, specific “social groups”, such as women, youth, older persons, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and migrants, and to offer them some form of social protection.

Also before the Committee is a report of the Secretary-General on the fifth quinquennial review and appraisal of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons (document A/63/183).  According to the report, there are an estimated 650 million persons with disabilities, often left out of the development process due to discrimination, segregation from society, economic marginalization and lack of participation in social, political and economic decision-making processes.  The Millennium Development Goals have yet to embrace a disability-inclusive perspective, and the millennium report makes no reference to disabled persons.  While the United Nations has several tools to help mainstream the disability perspective into the Organization’s programmes of actions, the link between analytical work and operational activities are weak.

The report recommends linking three disability-specific instruments (the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, the Standard Rules of the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) with the Millennium Development Goals process.  The report’s annex provides selected examples of, and guidelines for, mainstreaming disability in monitoring and evaluation of the Millennium Development Goals.  The report further recommends that the Assembly encourage national collection of data on persons with disabilities.

The Committee also had before it a report of the Secretary-General on the follow-up to the Second World Assembly on Ageing (document A/63/95).  The report lists major achievements in the area of ageing that Member States were able to identify through the first review of the Madrid Plan of Action.  Those included the development of social pension plans in countries where they currently did not exist, as well as efforts to shore up pension plans in countries where they already exist, so that they will be solvent for future generations.  Another example of progress is the promulgation of laws on discrimination against older persons.

According to the report, there is a lack of political will for addressing ageing issues and a lack of financial and human resources.  There is also a lack of preparedness for long-term care services for older persons.  The General Assembly is encouraged to urge Member States to present their views to the Secretary-General, as he works to prepare an implementation framework of the Madrid Plan of Action, which will be submitted to the Commission for Social Development in 2009.  Strategies will be tailored differently towards rapidly, moderately and slower ageing countries.  The report also suggests that the Assembly request the Secretary-General to submit a report on the rights of older persons, in conjunction with the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Also before the Committee was a note from the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on the implementation of the International Plan of Action for the United Nations Literacy Decade (document A/63/172).  The report expresses concern that 774 million young people and adults, particularly women, are non-literate.  Slow advances in South and West Asia and sub-Saharan Africa are also of concern.  The report suggests that the focus for 2008-2012 be trained on advocating higher rates of literacy on a bigger scale.  It also suggests that programme design and delivery be improved through evidence-based data and increased allocation of funds for adult literacy, among other things.

The Committee also had before it a report of the Secretary-General on follow-up to the implementation of the International Year of Volunteers (document A/63/184), which discusses factors that affect the pace of volunteerism in the field of social development.  In Africa, volunteerism is being held back by a narrow view that limits the phenomenon to formal service volunteering, in contrast to Eastern Europe where there is growing interest in volunteerism as a route to greater citizen engagement.  In Asia and Latin America, volunteerism is more clearly defined, and good progress is being made in terms of support from all sectors.  With regard to Arab States, the report says support for volunteerism should be strengthened, if full advantage is to be taken of the recent emergence of civic engagement in the region.  While volunteerism underpins much of the work of the United Nations, there is limited progress in recognizing the factors that influence such contributions, which, in turn, has corresponding implications for policies and programmes.  To harness the power of volunteer action, the report suggests the establishment of volunteer schemes, volunteer centres and other types of infrastructure that can help raise interest, recruit, retain and reward people who wish to volunteer.

Statement by Chairman

FRANK MAJOOR ( Netherlands), Chairman of the Committee, said he felt particularly honoured to chair the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) because of the Committee’s relevance and impact on the lives of people around the world.  The Committee’s meetings were taking place at an exciting time, coinciding as they were with the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  That Declaration defined the essence of what made all people human, and human dignity was at the core of many of the issues on the Committee’s agenda.  Issues such as social development, the rights of children and the right to food, among others, would have a direct impact on the lives of all people.

He encouraged Committee members to focus not on what might divide them in their work but, instead, on what united them in their common efforts to further strengthen the protection and promotion of human rights for all.  He cited the first article of the Universal Declaration, which stated that all human beings should “act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood”, and urged Committee members to use that article as a guiding principle for how the work of the Committee would be conducted.

Organization of Work

Turning to the Committee’s organization of work, the Chairman informed the Committee that the numbering of agenda items had changed in recent weeks and that a new sub-item entitled “Review and appraisal of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons” had been allocated to the Committee’s agenda.  He also advised delegations that the allocation of agenda item 58, “Report of the Human Rights Council”, was still under consideration by the General Committee.  However, the Third Committee had made the necessary allowances in its programme should the item be allocated to it.  Referring to Chapter II of the report of the General Committee, he recommended certain guidelines with regard to the conduct of work, including recommendations regarding punctuality, time limits and respect for various deadlines.  Over the past three years, the utilization rate factor of time allocated to the Third Committee had fallen below the 80 per cent benchmark set by the General Assembly.  As such, the Chairman proposed a “rolling” list of speakers to increase the Committee’s efficiency.

Next, the Committee decided to extend an invitation to the following Special Procedures mandate holders of the Human Rights Council and Chairpersons of treaty bodies or working groups:  DUBRAVKA SIMONOVIC, Chairperson of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women; YANGHEE LEE, Chairperson of the Committee on the Rights of the Child; ASMA JAHANGIR, Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief; MARTIN SCHEININ, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism; MARIA MAGDALENA SEPULVEDA, Independent Expert on the question of human rights and extreme poverty; TOMAS OJEA QUINTANA , Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar; VITIT MUNTARBHORN, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; RICHARD FALK, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967; and MANFRED NOWAK, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Also:  PHILIP ALSTON , Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; YAKIN ERTÜRK, Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences; MARGARET SEKAGGYA, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; LEANDRO DESPOUY , Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers; VERNOR MUÑOZ VILLALOBOS, Special Rapporteur on the right to education; Raquel ROLNIK, Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living; ARJUN SENGUPTA, Chairperson of the Working Group on the Right to Development; OLIVIER DE SCHUTTER, Special Rapporteur on the right to food; CEPHAS LUMINA , Independent expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States; WALTER KALIN, Representative of the Secretary-General on the human rights of internally displaced persons; and ANAND GROVER, Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.

In addition:  JOHN RUGGIE, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises; NAJAT Al-HAJJAJI, Chairperson of the Durban Review Conference Preparatory Committee; FATIMATA-BINTA VICTOIRE DAH, Chairperson of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination; GITHU MUIGAI, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; and ALEXANDER IVANOVICH NIKITIN , Chairperson of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination.

The Committee then moved to adopt its programme of work.  The representative of Egypt expressed concern over the delay in the issuance of many documents, which might hinder the Committee’s work.  Regarding the report of the Human Rights Council, she aligned herself with the statement by the African Group from previous years in saying that it was important to engage in an interactive discussion on that report at the time of its introduction by the President of the Human Rights Council.  She asked that the Committee come to a decision on whether it should do that.

Programme Planning

AMORES NUÑEZ ( Cuba), commenting on agenda item 119 and the Human Rights Strategic Framework, said he felt confident in the work of the two facilitators from Switzerland and Morocco who had been appointed to guide negotiations on the Human Rights Strategic Framework.  However, he expressed disappointment over the fact that neither the Chairman nor any other member of the Bureau would be present to facilitate those discussions.  In the future, a member of the Bureau should also be present.  He urged the Committee, in its work, to follow the various guidelines that had already been established in the past on issues such as budgeting, intergovernmental backing procedures and other programme activities.

He underscored the need to give the right to development its rightful place in discussions, as well as the need to support efforts towards combating racism and xenophobia.  Due support should also be given to the follow-up to the Durban Conference and to efforts to reduce any political manipulation of the human rights treaty bodies and the instruments that regulate those bodies.  Human rights were universal and interdependent and all work in the field was applicable not only to developing nations, but also developed nations.  That principle, as well as the principle of consent, should be promoted and protected in the work of the Committee in the field of human rights.

General Discussion on Social Development

SHA ZUKANG, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, said the internationally agreed development goals, together with international human rights instruments, provided a shared framework for common efforts to build better and prosperous societies, as well as to put people at the centre of development.  Indeed, recent high-level events on the Millennium Development Goals and on Africa’s development needs had reaffirmed the importance of a shared strategy for economic and social development to achieve enduring development, which was especially pertinent given the projected global economic slowdown.  Coupled with the food and fuel crises, the slowdown stood to jeopardize gains made towards the Millennium Development Goals and posed “serious challenges to the social development agenda”.

He remarked that, at the midway point to the 2015 target date, the world continued to face serious challenges that affected the well-being of all groups -- young and old, women and men, children, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and other groups who suffered from social exclusion.  Over a billion people still lived in poverty and hunger, and many more did not have decent job opportunities, let alone social protection.  Many still lacked access to adequate health, clean water and sanitation and quality education.  In periods of increasing economic uncertainty, efforts to guard against backsliding in social development and human rights must be scaled up and, indeed, the first report of the Millennium Development Goals Gap Task Force revealed that Member States were falling short in meeting their commitments to the global partnership in support of those goals.

He then highlighted some important items before the Third Committee.  First, he noted that the Committee played a “major role” in advancing the rights of persons with disabilities.  The Convention entered into force on 3 May and responded to the needs of 650 million persons with disabilities, of whom 80 per cent lived in developing countries.  Forty-one Member States had ratified it so far, and 25 States had ratified its Optional Protocol, which he said was “encouraging”, though he stressed that universal ratification should be the goal.  The first Conference of States Parties was to meet at the end of October to elect members to the expert committee, which was to review compliance with the Convention, and he wished upon States Parties “all the wisdom in electing the experts”.

He noted that the Secretary-General’s review and appraisal of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons was before the Committee, and encouraged the Committee to act on the recommendations contained in it.  From his attendance at the Paralympics in Beijing, he had observed the skill and determination of athletes with disabilities, and noted that the same level of achievement, skill and will could be seen in the daily lives of many persons with disabilities.  “The world is missing out greatly by not providing persons with disabilities equal opportunities to contribute to society.”

Turning to indigenous issues, he recalled that last month marked the first anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which had formed a global normative framework for their well-being and rights.  The Department of Economic and Social Affairs had played a lead role in ushering the adoption of the United Nations Development Group Guidelines on Indigenous Peoples’ Issues, to be distributed to United Nations Country Teams.  Such normative instruments in the hands of policymakers and officials responsible for operations contributed to a sense of momentum regarding that cause, and he called for robust cooperation between Member States and the United Nations systems to “make a real difference in the lives of indigenous peoples”.

He went on to speak about ageing, saying that increases in life expectancy, amid decreasing fertility rates, had led to shifts in “age structures” in all countries to varying degrees.  Older persons belonged to a highly vulnerable group of people, and widespread age discrimination prevented their gainful employment and active participation in society.  Neglect and abuse of older persons also “cried out for urgent action” by national legislatures, Governments and civil society.  The Assembly must step up implementation of the Madrid Plan, to promote older persons’ empowerment and to ensure that the concerns of older persons were address in national development projects and programmes.

As for the empowerment of women, he encouraged Member States to redouble efforts to accelerate the pace of change.  Particular challenges included ensuring that as least as many girls completed their education; preventing the deaths of more than half a million women during childbirth every year; and strengthening women’s economic, social and political emancipation.  He reminded the Committee of its important role in combating violence against women, which remained a significant impediment to progress towards the Millennium Development Goals.  The Secretary-General was leading global efforts to that end, through his campaign “united to end violence against women and girls”, and he urged Member States to continue taking concerted action on the issue.

Introduction of Reports

ELSA STAMATOPOULOU, Acting Director of the Division of Social Policy and Development, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, introduced the reports of the Secretary-General on social development (document A/63/133), ageing (document A/63/95) and disabled persons (document A/63/183).

Regarding the report on social development, she offered a summary of its main points regarding the need to promote decent work for all.  She highlighted the need to combat discrimination against women in the workplace and the fact that social protection systems must be made more effective and responsive to economic changes.  Expanding social protection programmes should be viewed as an important part of national strategies and be placed at the top of the international social development agenda.

Regarding the report on ageing, which discussed the follow-up to the Second World Assembly on Ageing, she said innovative strides had been made by Member States to develop social protection mechanisms for older persons, including the reform of retirement schemes and the extension of health-care benefits to that social group.  To increase the capacity of Member States to overcome obstacles to the full implementation of the Madrid Plan of Action, she reiterated the report’s suggestion that they select realistic goals with the most likelihood of being implemented in the years ahead.  An upcoming debate on the issue would offer an opportunity for Member States to offer their views regarding a strategic implementation framework currently being prepared by the Secretary-General, for submission to the Commission for Social Development in February 2009.

Regarding the report on disabled persons (document A/63/183), she drew attention to Annex I, “updates to the World Programme of Action [concerning Disabled Persons]”, which recommended that the General Assembly endorse a plan to develop a global strategy towards disability-inclusive development for the years 2010 to 2015.  The report proposed a biennial review of progress of such a strategy, which could facilitate an exchange among Member States of the findings of the treaty body dealing with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, once established.  The report’s Annex II, “Millennium Development Goals:  Mainstreaming Disability”, provided examples and practical guidance on that issue, and suggested possible indicators to monitor progress in achievement of those goals.

FLAVIA PANSIERI, Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteer Programme, introduced the report on the follow-up to the implementation of the International Year of Volunteers (document A/63/184).  The report was the third in a series, with the first report having been presented in 2002 and the second in 2005.  Those two reports had been the basis of a number of General Assembly resolutions that had been “absolutely invaluable in chartering the course of volunteerism worldwide”.  The third report would hopefully continue to foster that spirit of volunteerism across the world.  The report had been based on in-depth consultations with Member States, community groups, and public and private sector actors, among others.  Feedback from those consultations had shown that the principles of voluntary action and of acting for the benefit of one’s community without any immediate, personal gain were common to all societies.  Global development needed to rely not just on Government action, but also on individual and community action, in order to move towards peace and development, specifically the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

She highlighted the various recommendations included in the report and the overall need for greater recognition, facilitation, promotion and support for the concept of volunteerism.  The tenth anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers, first celebrated in 2001, would be particularly important, in order to underline the continued essential contribution of voluntary action to peace and development.  Currently, there was a growing concern as to the feasibility of attaining many of the Millennium Goals.  Volunteerism alone was not the solution, but by adopting policies and putting in place systems that promoted and nurtured voluntary action, efforts towards peace and national development would be significantly improved.  Guidance from Member States on how to further promote volunteerism through a General Assembly resolution would be particularly valuable towards those ends.

MARK RICHMOND, Director of the Division for the Coordination of United Nations Priorities in Education for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), introducing the report on the implementation of the International Plan of Action for the United Nations Literacy Decade (document A/63/172), stressed the fundamental importance of literacy for all learning and for all persons.  Literacy was an integral part of the right to education, and the report presented an overview of the state of global literacy and key developments in the implementation of the United Nations Literacy Decade International Plan of Action.  Currently, 774 million adults worldwide were illiterate and 75 million children were out of school.  Literacy was not progressing quickly enough to meet development goals or to keep up with population growth in sub-Saharan Africa and the Arab States.

There were encouraging signs in the 35 countries with the largest literacy challenges, in terms of a more vigorous policy on literacy, he said.  However, literacy needs were changing and presenting new challenges, such as the need for new methods of assessing literacy levels and for greater evolution to meet the demands of knowledge societies.  In an era of accelerating globalization, there was a danger that some population groups were neglected and deprived of relevant opportunities to learn, and action on literacy must thus address those imbalances.  Three priorities emerged in the report:  the need for greater commitment to literacy among partners; the need to improve capacity to deliver high-quality literacy programmes; and the need for new resources for literacy from national budgets and international aid.  Learning was at the heart of development and the achievement of the Millennium Goals, and literacy was at the heart of learning.  As such, the international community should give everyone the chance to put literacy to work in their lives.

In the ensuing discussion, the representatives of Malaysia, Nigeria, Cuba and Egypt noted that the various global crises mentioned by the Under-Secretary-General had been building since last year, and asked whether the United Nations had conducted any preliminary studies on ways to ensure that those crises did not accelerate out of control.  The representative of Cuba noted specifically that some developing countries found it difficult to establish or broaden social protection programmes.  The “Washington Consensus” had seemed to emphasize economic efficiency over social responsibility, and he asked to hear the United Nations’ position on that issue.  The representative of Egypt further asked if the Secretariat would provide an opportunity to discuss those issues before the Commission on Social Development convened its next session.

Also, the representatives of Cuba, Egypt and Guatemala asked to hear more about UNESCO’s literacy programmes.  The representative of Cuba noted that some of the programmes involved the use of digital technology, even though those struggling with illiteracy tended not to have access to such technologies.  The representative of Guatemala asked what the United Nations was doing to combat illiteracy in countries with high rates of illiteracy, particularly along ethnic lines.

On the question of volunteerism, the representative of Libya asked to hear more on the United Nations’ position regarding the role of the private sector in providing training.

The representative Costa Rica asked to know more about the relationship between the Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons and the World Programme of Action relating to disabled persons, and whether it was the Secretariat’s view that one trumped the other.

In response to concerns expressed by the representative of Malaysia regarding the various crises facing the world, Ms. STAMATOPOULOU said that initial feedback had shown that those crises were indeed having an impact on the most disadvantaged groups, especially the poor.  Due to the nature of the crises, the United Nations had not yet made concrete assessments on their full impact, but there was a real concern that they would have an overall negative impact on various global development goals.  The Economic and Social Council had recently held a special session on the food crisis and there was much discussion throughout the United Nations on how else to make the Organization’s joint efforts even more effective.  Any reforms made to global economic governance and the international financial architecture should include more effective regulation of financial markets, improved risk management and monitoring and more universal social policies, including redistribution measures, among others.  As well, the social angle could never be forgotten in those discussions.

She expressed her full agreement with comments made by the representative of Costa Rica regarding the rights of disabled people, and she noted that the Convention presented specific economic, social and cultural rights in the human rights framework for persons with disabilities.

In response to concerns expressed by the representative of Guatemala on the need for culturally relevant education, she said that education programmes needed to be culturally relevant to ensure that children were not “pushed out” of the education system.  Indeed, Guatemala’s education system could serve as an excellent example to other nations of how to make their own education programmes more culturally relevant.

Ms. PANSIERI, responding to questions posed by the representative of Libya, underlined an under-appreciated but important factor in terms of voluntary action:  the role that the private sector could play.  Not only could the private sector train volunteers, it could also facilitate the voluntary engagement of employees in various development projects or programmes.  The private sector also had an important role to play as a motivating force for employees, as had been done in India where, recently, 110,000 graduates were encouraged to volunteer to teach in schools in remote areas.  She also noted that while some groups -- such as people with disabilities -- were often excluded from other activities, those groups were able to fully participate in volunteer activities, either online or through other innovative initiatives.

Responding to questions regarding the “digitalization of literacy”, Mr. RICHMOND said the context of literacy was always changing, and that new technologies should be taken advantage of.  Nevertheless, he understood the point raised by the representative of Cuba, and agreed that older technologies, such as television and radio, should continue to be made use of, especially among hard-to-reach populations.  Face-to-face efforts by volunteers were also important for reaching those populations.

He said UNESCO’s “Literacy Initiative for Empowerment” (LIFE) covered 35 countries, accounting for 85 per cent of illiterate adults in the world, including India, China, Nigeria and others.  He noted that there were gradations of literacy within individual societies, depending on the level of support given to different social groups.  UNESCO’s programmes were culturally sensitive, at times delivered in the mother tongue of indigenous groups and local communities.  While it was true that the headline figures came from advances in more highly populated countries, UNESCO was not seeking to neglect smaller countries.

He remarked that 75 million children did not attend school, and among those that did, many were left with inadequate skills and had poor literacy skills.  Poor quality schooling was due to lack of resources, lack of teachers, overcrowded classrooms and other factors.  To staunch the flow of new illiterates entering adult life, UNESCO and others were working hard to make school curriculums more relevant and to improve the flow of resources to schools.  It was true that the Millennium Development Goals had given strong emphasis to primary schooling.  But, if parents of schoolchildren were not literate, the challenge was all the more apparent.  He conceded that the “Education for All” initiative within the framework of the United Nations Literacy Decade had seen funding going to schools, while neglecting literacy itself.  With 700 million to 800 million people relegated to a lifespan of illiteracy, it was important that school programmes be culturally relevant and that they be supported by a literate environment.  Improving literacy required improving education “across the board”.

The representative of Syria, referring to the World Programme of Action for the disabled, noted that the bureau of the Special Rapporteur had undertaken activities to tackle the nexus between war, conflict and disabled persons.  But, there was no mention of those disabled persons in living under foreign occupation.  Were there any proposals or ideas to examine that subject within the framework of global cooperation?

Ms. STAMATOPOULOU said she would need to consult with her colleagues before providing a response.

General Discussion on Social Development

AQEELAH AKBAR (Antigua and Barbuda), speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said not much had changed since the World Summit in 1995, at which global leaders recognized that people felt increasing insecurity as a result of poverty, unemployment and social disintegration.  The financial, food, climate and energy crises in the current global environment contributed to worsening economic and social conditions, especially for the most vulnerable members of society.  The continued implementation of the Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development was thus more relevant than ever.

The World Summit had shown the link between employment and poverty eradication, shesaid.  That important relationship had been further discussed and reinforced in various other global forums since that time.  It was essential to support an integrated approach to full employment and decent work, characterized by conditions of equity, equality, security and dignity.  The continued focus on women, youth, older persons and persons with disabilities was also important, as the contributions of those members of society were essential to social stability, economic growth and poverty eradication.

Sheexpressed support for the conclusions drawn by the Secretary-General in his report, specifically those emphasizing the need for investment in education, training and skills development.  An educated workforce was crucial to meeting the needs of the labour market.  Employment generation needed to be at the centre of macroeconomic policy and fully integrated into national development strategies, including poverty-reduction strategies.  Full employment and decent work was inseparable from the need for a more conducive international environment, with fair trade practices and sound financial systems that supported favourable conditions for development.  The increase in food prices had been a catalyst for prioritizing the need to enhance agricultural development in developing countries.  However, such increased agricultural production must be accompanied by policies that supported access to credit and markets.

Though successive resolutions had addressed the major social and economic challenges facing the international community, shesaid those resolutions had become more technically complicated and included less political commitment to unified and mutually reinforcing implementation and action.  Enhanced international cooperation -- including the fulfilment of previously agreed upon commitments -- would be critical in efforts to translate the numerous political promises of the last 20 years into concrete action.

FABIEN FIESCHI ( France), speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated countries, said the World Summit in 2005, the follow-up to the World Summit, and the findings from the twenty-fourth special session of the General Assembly constituted a comprehensive framework for social development.  Implementing the commitments included in that framework was essential in the fight against poverty and improving employment and better social integration.  By broadening its cooperation with developing countries, the European Union would further protect and promote economic, social and cultural rights, as well as international labour standards.

Turning to the issue of ageing, he said that too many older persons were still marginalized and excluded from social systems.  States had a responsibility to implement social policies that would ensure all guarantees necessary for the well-being of the elderly, including providing them with decent living conditions, access to health care and other basic needs.  The international community should redouble its efforts to improve the situation of older populations, and he encouraged States to implement the Madrid Plan of Action on Ageing, based on closer international cooperation.  On the other end of the age spectrum, Mr. Fieschi emphasized the need for youth policy at an international level and the role played by the United Nations in formulating those policies.  Currently, one fifth of the world’s population was between 15 and 24 years of age, and the well-being of that population was essential for the balance and future of society.

Education was a basic right, he continued, and was a key element towards economic and social development.  The European Union supported international efforts to promote literacy, particularly with regard to women and marginalized populations.  However, too many children and adults still could not read or write, and the international community should thus to do more to promote the Literacy Decade’s initiatives, in order to achieve the common goal of universal literacy.  On the rights of the disabled, he said the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2006 was an important step towards reducing discrimination and difficulties associated with having a disability.  He welcomed the speed at which the Convention came into force, but noted that the success of the Convention would ultimately hinge on its effective implementation on the ground.

LEBOHANG FINE MAEMA (Lesotho), speaking on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and aligning himself with the Group of 77 and China, addressed the issue of food insecurity, saying that the world’s poor and vulnerable groups continued to bear the brunt of the global food crisis.  The Southern African Development Community had created a task force to find regional solutions to that crisis.  As part of its recommendations, it urged that investment in agriculture be increased and access to agricultural inputs be improved.  It had further recommended that international cooperation partners honour their aid commitments to developing countries.  He then reiterated those calls.

On the subject of full and decent employment for all, which he said was crucial to reducing poverty and achieving sustainable development, he said the Community had committed itself to taking the “necessary steps”.  For instance, mindful of the need to build an enabling environment for economic growth, SADC had launched the 2004 Regional Indicative Strategy Development Plan, through which it was seeking to mobilize both domestic and foreign resources towards poverty eradication initiatives.  To that end, he called for an increased flow of development assistance and foreign direct investment.  Similarly, it was important to promote the transfer of technology to help the region tackle health problems that exacerbated the region’s economic and development problems.  Such technologies would be used to produce generic medicines to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, for instance.

Turning to the topic of ageing, he expressed regret that progress on the Madrid Plan of Action had been so minimal, particularly in developing countries.  In those countries, older persons often bore the responsibility of caring for orphans and other members of the extended family affected by HIV/AIDS.  The SADC was committed to addressing the situation of older persons, and urged the international community to implement the goals of the Madrid Plan in full.

He ended by briefly touching on the issue of literacy, saying that SADC was committed to promoting universal access to high quality education.  Regarding the situation of persons with disabilities, he said SADC welcomed the entry into force of the related Convention, and that the Community appreciated the initiatives of the Special Rapporteur.

MICHELLE JOSEPH ( Saint Lucia), speaking on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), highlighted the “rippling effects” that the current financial crisis was having across the globe and, specifically, in developing countries.  To avert further human suffering, aggressive action was necessary to create and implement medium- and long-term solutions that would meet human needs and help achieve the Millennium Development Goals.  Emerging threats related to climate change were also presenting significant challenges to development, specifically in the Caribbean region.  She noted the link between employment and social development and concurred with the conclusions made by the Commission on Social Development on the issue, specifically in regards to the promotion of agricultural development.  Such efforts were especially timely given the impact of the emergence of biofuels on the availability and cost of food.  As well, the Commission’s recommendation to provide social protections to those in the “informal economy” was noteworthy.

She underscored various international efforts being made to promote and protect the rights of youth, older persons and persons with disabilities, and efforts to strengthen the family as the basic unit of society.  Despite limited resources, CARICOM States were addressing those same challenges of social development at national and regional levels.  Regional groups, such as the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), were helping to increase the capacity of small States in the region to monitor human and social development-related activities.  In particular, regional efforts had resulted in the implementation of “a most effective mechanism” in the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS.

Nationally, CARICOM leaders were developing initiatives to address the impact of rising food and energy prices, developments in energy, and climate change on the region’s food security.  Necessary budgetary support and incentives for investment in agriculture were among the initiatives under consideration.  Member States could assist by taking measures to mitigate the impact of the situation on the poorest and most vulnerable segments of the population and by sharing their experiences in dealing with the challenges facing farmers, and the agricultural sector in general.

CLAUDE HELLER ( Mexico), speaking on behalf of the Rio Group, said the issue of employment and decent work for all was of paramount relevance to the countries he represented.  Full and productive employment required a major policy commitment and, as such, Rio Group countries had developed a variety of national strategies and programmes to promote employment, improve social development and protect vulnerable groups.  He warned that economic growth alone would not create decent work for all.  Unfair trade policies and trade barriers within the international trading system would continue to negatively affect employment in developing countries, if something was not done to tackle those issues.  Job creation demanded an integral approach that placed productive work at the core of all policies aimed at reducing poverty and promoting social development.

The food crises and issues related to food security were of particular concern, he continued.  The rural and agricultural sectors should be further supported and developed, since those sectors still accounted for a very significant share of total employment.  International cooperation, South-South cooperation, and the exchange of best practices were essential elements of any plan that would create full employment and decent work for all.  Women, indigenous people, youth, older persons and persons with disabilities were often excluded from the labour market, and national and international efforts in the field of labour should promote greater equality for those groups.  Migrants should also be included in those efforts, as migrants made positive contributions to both countries of origin and destination.  It was impossible to choose between economic growth and social investment, and policies aimed at closing social gaps would be necessary as long as inequality in the world continued.  In conclusion, he noted that the multidimensional character of poverty required the adoption of new and effective strategies that went beyond words and towards concrete results, such as the achievement of international development objectives.

ASTRID SCHRADER, youth representative of Germany, after being introduced by her colleague Anna Kreibich, said that thousands of young people in Germany still believed in multilateralism as the “future pathway” to address the world’s most pressing problems.  However, they did not understand how it was possible that resources dedicated to youth unemployment continued to be wasted and illiteracy rates remained high.  Young people were asking Governments to multiply investments in education, as education was the “decisive force” in breaking out of poverty.  The ability of a nation to educate its youth would determine that nation’s ability to join the global community.  A nation’s youth was one of its most powerful resources and education could mobilize that group.  However, education was more than just schooling.  In developing countries, non-formal education was sometimes the only form of education available and its learning outcomes should be recognized.  Volunteerism was one form of non-formal education, and young people in Europe had shown that they wanted to combine their voluntary activities with educational activities of their everyday life.

Adding to those comments, NICOLAS KLEIN, another youth representative of Germany, said young people wanted to be included in political decision-making and to be a key agent of implementation.  Half of the world’s population was younger than 25 and, logically, half of all programmatic responses should be targeted at young people.  Around the world, young volunteers and youth-led organizations were already contributing greatly to social development, and youth organizations should receive greater administrative and financial support for their work.  To build a society in which all people participated, it was necessary to promote associations where young people were able to become fully involved on a voluntary basis.  As such, he called on all Member States to recognize the value of non-formal education, ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child, promote youth participation by including youth in decision-making, and support youth participation at the United Nations by including youth in country delegations.

NOBUKO KUROSAKI ( Japan) told Member States that they must place “human security” at the heart of their development efforts.  Focusing her statements on social integration -- the priority theme of the Commission for Social Development for 2009-2010 -- she said that full social integration remained a challenge in many societies, due to ongoing poverty.  Without the support of the global community, it would be difficult for the least developed countries to make any advances in the field.  Japan had taken various national and international actions to enhance social integration, including the formulation of comprehensive measures that responded to the challenges of a rapidly ageing society and enhanced the participation of persons with disabilities.  The Government of Japan had also worked to promote awareness of infectious diseases, such as HIV/AIDS and leprosy, in order to eliminate prejudice and discrimination against people affected by those diseases.

On an international level, she said Japan took numerous social development issues into consideration when providing official development assistance, such as income disparity, sexual discrimination, human rights, democratization, and the environment.  Japan’s basic policy of official development assistance emphasized the human security of every individual and, as such, herGovernment contributed aid both bilaterally and through the United Nations Human Security Fund.  Japan would continue to work towards meeting the goals of the Millennium Declaration and the commitments of the World Summit, as it had done ever since the World Summit for Social Development was held in Copenhagen in 1995.

LUCIA MARIA MAIERA ( Brazil), aligning herself with the Group of 77 and China and the Rio Group, said her country was “winning the fight against poverty and hunger”.  Almost 10 million jobs had been created in Brazil, 9 million people had been able to “step out of misery”, and another 20 million had been able to enter the middle class.  The “Bolsa Familia” income-transfer programme had helped more than 11 million families to overcome poverty, after those families had been able to prove that they could take care of their children’s health and school attendance.

At the same time, she said the Ministry of Education was seeking to provide universal access to school transportation, books and “school nutrition”, helping to increase school attendance and eradicate child malnutrition.  In 2007, 30 per cent more children stayed in school and 70 per cent of students completed the eighth grade.  The Ministry of Health had programmes to provide therapeutic nutrition for children and food supplementation and fortification, helping to reduce mortality in children under five years old.

Turning to the subject of ageing, she said Brazil was thoroughly in favour of initiatives aimed at strengthening the rights of those over 60 years old.  In December 2007, Brazil hosted the Second Regional Intergovernmental Conference on Ageing, as a follow-up to the Madrid Declaration, and had gone on to adopt its own declaration, which reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to the cause.  In terms of volunteerism, he said Brazil had worked with the United Nations Volunteers to implement projects aimed at realizing the Millennium Development Goals.  It had also developed voluntary projects in Haiti.  In conjunction with Japan, Brazil planned to submit a draft resolution on follow-up to the implementation of the International Year of Volunteers.

IDREES MOHAMED ALI MOHAMMED SAEED (Sudan) associated his comments with those made by Antigua and Barbuda on behalf of the Group of 77, which he said had clearly covered the challenges that continued to exist in regards to social development issues.  The three priority areas -- eradicating poverty, promoting employment and social integration -- that had been raised were indeed of great importance.  Positive economic growth rates in the Sudan had allowed his Government to achieve significant successes in each of those areas and had helped to improve the lives of the most vulnerable groups living in the country.

In particular, he said that recent economic growth had helped finance a variety of education programmes, youth projects and infrastructure projects, especially in rural areas.  However, the current food crisis was posing a major challenge to those development efforts.  To meet that challenge, the Sudan had implemented a number of initiatives that would help to increase agricultural production, diversify crops and fully exploit Sudan’s agricultural resources.  National efforts were also being implemented to ensure the full participation of disabled persons in society.  However, no country could achieve development goals alone.  Enhanced international cooperation, debt relief, and the establishment of partnerships across all borders to help increase national capacities were also most necessary to further advance social development issues.

CHERYL HALPERN ( United States) welcomed the “cautious optimism” expressed in the report of the Director-General of UNESCO on progress in youth and adult literacy rates.  However, too many young people and adults across the world were still illiterate, and illiteracy rates among women were of deep concern.  Clearly, there was much left to be done, and she urged UNESCO to work towards encouraging other multilateral organizations to make a greater commitment to promoting literacy and to more clearly define the link between literacy and other areas of development.

She challenged UNESCO to measure the effects of illiteracy on certain areas of development, like health and unemployment, in order to help the international community build a stronger commitment to eradicating illiteracy.  The United States Honorary Ambassador to the United Nations Literacy Decade had recently reiterated her commitment to literacy and announced the establishment of the United Nations Literacy Decade Fund to Advance Global Literacy, to be housed at UNESCO.  The Fund would support literacy efforts, assessment, and best practices in targeted countries and would be sustained by contributions from Governments, foundations and corporations.  Helping each person to learn to read was a moral obligation and “one of the greatest challenges of our time”.

ISMAT JAHAN (Bangladesh), aligning herself with the Group of 77 and China, said least developed countries needed adequate financial and technical assistance, as well as special treatment, in order to generate sufficient economic growth that would, in turn, create more employment opportunities.  Even so, Bangladesh had made impressive progress in social and human development in recent years, and had joined the ranks of “medium human development index” countries.  Its latest poverty reduction strategy paper pursued the goal of accelerated poverty reduction, along with the goal on increased employment.

Regarding disabled persons, she said Bangladesh had become a State party to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol.  It had established a national foundation and a national centre for special education for persons with disabilities, and was reserving for them a certain quota of Government jobs.  The allocation of funds under the national budget had been increased, and disabled persons were being given access to microcredit programmes.  The current poverty strategy paper included the mainstreaming of persons with disabilities as one of its strategies.

As for the role of young people in the economy, she said the Government was designing interventions to encourage youth employment, and Bangladeshi workers as a whole were creating a niche for themselves in the unskilled and semi-skilled market.  Bangladesh would join the Youth Employment Network and share best practices in developing strategies to provide decent and productive work for youth.  Policies were also being drawn up to help keep older persons in the labour force, according to their capacities, with various allowance microloan schemes put in place for them.  Such microcredit programmes had also reached over 12 million women, greatly helping rural families, since women tended to be the breadwinners.  Indeed, the goal of full and decent employment must be made into a central objective, to be supported by consistent labour policies, labour market institutions and social protection schemes.

CLAUDIA BLUM ( Colombia) said the construction of a more equitable and more inclusive society was one of the foundations of her Government’s development policy.  Ensuring the best possible use of the national workforce was the driving force of that policy and a top priority for her country.  The economic and fiscal policies adopted by her Government had helped to create sustained gross domestic product (GDP) growth over recent years and had made it possible to channel growing investments into health, education, and other “high-impact” areas that improved the overall standard of living for Colombians.  However, an effective strategy to combat poverty must be based on mechanisms that allowed the most vulnerable members of a population to access the necessary services that would allow them to satisfy their basic needs.  A number of national initiatives had helped her country’s most vulnerable groups to access such services, including initiatives that helped increase the participation of women and persons with disabilities in all levels of society and improved the national social security network.

The social responsibility of the private sector was an indispensable part of social development, she said, and efforts to improve private sector participation on national and regional levels were already under way.  Internationally, it was important to note the role that labour mobility played in globalization and, as such, it should be included in the international community’s agenda.  Unfortunately, recent international economic growth had not been translated into better and more productive jobs for the poorest of the world.  The United Nations should help to build coordinated action and support for national and regional efforts in order to help create greater global employment and to help achieve other development goals overall.

LUIS ALBERTO AMOROS NUÑEZ (Cuba) said that today’s world was “much more unfair and unequal” than it had been in 1995, when world leaders met at the World Summit for Social Development and agreed on the urgency of solving the prevailing social problems in the countries of the South.  Since 1995, rich countries had only become richer, while the number of people living on less than one dollar per day had risen.  To change that situation, rich countries needed to make good on their commitments of assistance and to abandon their privileges and wastefulness.  Currently, more than 1.5 billion people of working age were either unemployed or underemployed and the majority of those people lived in developing countries.  The “unfair international reality” imposed by powerful countries was the root cause of that unemployment, and only when those powerful nations made good on their promises of official development assistance would those trends begin to be reversed.

However, official development assistance on its own would not be enough, he continued.  The establishment of a fair, non-discriminatory and equitable international trade system was also imperative.  Since 1959, Cuba had worked towards building a just and solidarity-driven society, through numerous socio-economic initiatives.  It had harmonized economic development with social development and protected each individual through access to free health care and education and guaranteed pensions to retirees and other assisted persons.  Indeed, more than two thirds of the State’s budget was devoted to advancing education, health, social security, culture, sports and scientific and technical research.  “Only if the ruling self-interest is put to an end and solidarity breaks through” would the world become more equal and better for all.

SHIRIEN BANNA ( Iraq) said that social development could only take place in a stable environment of “social concord”.  The Government of Iraq was trying hard to ensure equal rights for all its citizens and to overcome obstacles to social disparity, after having suffered through wars and economic sanctions.  It was hoped that economic development would lead to social development.  Unfortunately, security problems had hampered the country’s development programmes, which were being made worse by high unemployment and a brain drain.  Correcting that imbalance required assistance from the international community.

She explained that her Government was striving to increase the standard of living of Iraqis by improving its civil service and increasing pay for public sector employees.  Support was being given to people with disabilities and older persons, to help them deal with changed social circumstances.  Social projects were also being implemented to develop the rural sector.  Aside from providing security, justice and defence, the Government was also providing health care to its citizens, through vaccination programmes.  On the supply side, it had launched programmes to secure jobs in the health sector.  More than 300 health centres had been opened and several hospitals had been rebuilt.

She said that, to ensure the education of future generations, the Government had increased the funding for education and training by 5 per cent, such that 4,000 schools would be built by the end of 2008.  At the moment, illiteracy among 15- to 24-year olds was extremely high.  The Government had announced recently that it would increase oil production to 3.5 million barrels per day, which was expected to increase the amount of revenue earned by the Government.  Based on that, the Government had established a monetary programme to reduce inflation from 2003 levels of 24 per cent to 16 per cent in 2007.  Even so, she called on Member States of the United Nations to support Iraq in its reconstruction, and to help with its regional reintegration.

MAGED A. ABDELAZIZ ( Egypt) said the world was currently facing a number of huge problems in regards to economic and social development.  The numerous global crises of the current world -- the food crisis, energy crisis, financial crisis, and climate change -- were particularly devastating to the achievement of global development goals.  For example, unemployment had increased in developing countries, particularly in Africa, and those figures were only expected to increase following the global financial crisis.  It was necessary, therefore, to establish labour strategies at all levels, as well as strategies that would address the ongoing crises.  The failure of the Doha Round of trade talks and ongoing and unjust trade barriers and trade practices was another cause of the increased unemployment.

Global cooperation on those issues and on development issues, in general, was thus more necessary now than ever, he said.  Hopefully, conclusions drawn from the recent high-level meetings held by the United Nations on the Millennium Development Goals and Africa’s development needs would encourage Member States to make good on previously agreed-upon commitments of assistance.  More vibrant policies needed to be designed in order to encourage private sector involvement and participation in development.  As well, national development policies should be strengthened through initiatives that would empower youth through education.  His Government had implemented a number of initiatives that had improved education, gender equality and poverty eradication through legislative action and constitutional amendments.  In conclusion, he called on the Secretary-General to begin preparing a study to assess the full impact of the global crisis that faced the world today, with a special emphasis on achieving full employment and decent work for all, and including recommendations for implementation.

SERGEI RACHKOV ( Belarus) said attention to social development, the provision of social welfare and ensuring employment were crucial objectives during an economic downturn.  The Belarus Government was currently seeking to reduce the number of people living on a “minimum subsistence salary”, and had succeeded in lowering that number in recent years.  That was being done not just in big towns, but throughout the country.  Unemployment in Belarus was one of the lowest in Europe, amounting to less than 1 per cent of the population.  In addition, the State provided safeguards for vulnerable members of the population, such as single parent families, large families, new entrants to the job market, former prison inmates, persons with disabilities and others.  Professional training programmes had proven popular and, in 10 years, unemployment levels among women and youth had gone down.

He said the State’s social support programme was an important component of Belarus’ society.  Targeted assistance, enshrined in national law, allowed the Government to provide help in a transparent way to those that genuinely needed it.  Pensioners were a top priority area, making up 26 per cent of the population.  Expenditure on pensions stood at 11 per cent of total State expenditures.  To ensure additional protection, Belarus was guaranteeing pensions to people even when they moved abroad, provided it was within the Commonwealth of Independent States.  In support of the elderly who lived alone, as well as people with disabilities, the Government was providing a network of centres for social assistance and homes for children with disabilities.  A national home for veterans housed 16,000 individuals who fought in the Second World War.

Touching briefly on literacy, he said 6 per cent of the country’s GDP was being spent on education, and was higher than the amount allocated in many developed countries.  Secondary education was free, and higher education was free in some instances.  Policies promoted equal access to education for students from rural and urban areas.  He urged that the role of the Commission on Social Development be strengthened, in view of the importance of its work.

AL ESHAGH HABIB( Iran) said that inequalities had increased in many parts of the world, and the gap between rich and poor was only widening.  Employment was a central element of poverty eradication, social inclusion and integration, as well as in the promotion of peace and stability in all societies.  Yet, given the existing levels and trends of unemployment, the possibility of generating full and productive employment and decent work for all was in peril.  Young people without privilege or wealth struggled to find a way into the labour market, and older persons enjoyed less and less security for a lifetime of work.  Efforts to generate full employment transcended national policies and relied upon the promotion of a conducive macroeconomic environment based on the implementation of integrated and coherent policies, programmes and activities at national and international levels.

Enhanced international cooperation, including the fulfilment of commitments of official development assistance and debt relief, was also necessary, he continued.  Furthermore, greater policy coherence among trade, aid, economic policies and social policies was essential.  Nationally, his Government was committed to accomplishing all the goals set by the World Summit for Social Development, its subsequent review sessions, and relevant United Nations programmes of action pertaining to social development at the national level.  Iran attached great importance to human development in all its aspects, but, nationally, had placed special emphasis on improving health, fighting poverty and providing job opportunities.  It had also developed a comprehensive social security system based on a national commitment to advance social cohesion and integration.  Such initiatives were aimed at providing and promoting a secure and decent life for the current and next generation of Iranians and were expected to lead to positive and tangible results.

YOUSRIA BERRAH ( Algeria), aligning herself with the Group of 77 and China, said unemployment was a problem for many countries, especially in Africa.  One of the main goals of social development was to help those in poverty to exercise their rights and contribute to their own well-being, as well as that of their communities.  If solutions were not created to break the cycle of unemployment and poverty, 1.5 billion people would remain unemployed or underemployed.  The gap between rich and poor, which was growing, must also be taken care of.  The backsliding of progress among poor countries, combined with the impact of the food, energy and financial crises, was producing a worrisome situation.

She said work was the key to many social problems and, for that reason, the fight against unemployment should be the world’s first priority.  The international community needed to create macroeconomic conditions that favoured growth and development.  For its part, the Algerian Government had made the achievement of full and decent employment into a national priority.  It was providing training and encouraging the involvement of youth and women in small and medium enterprises.  She noted that similar actions had been taken by many developing countries, but remarked that, even if prompted by goodwill, efforts would be in vain without sincere partnership between developed and developing countries.

Ms. MA and Mr. PHAOVIBUL, two youth delegates from Thailand, took up the issue of education and youth development, in the context of the “Education for All” initiative within the framework of the United Nations Literacy Decade.  The number of children starting school had risen sharply since 2000, and there were more girls in school than ever before, he said.  The Government was offering 12 years of free compulsory education, thereby helping the country fulfil the Millennium Development Goal relating to gender equality in primary and secondary school and moving the nation towards the achievement of universal education.  But, more needed to be done to improve the quality of education, so that the system focused less on rote learning and more towards encouraging innovative thinking in students.

He said issues regarding the environment and global warming should be integrated into the core curriculum.  In that context, the “sufficiency economy” philosophy developed by the King of Thailand was currently being embraced by Thai youth, which promoted non-exploitation and respect for human rights.  In carrying out that philosophy, students have organized recycling projects and tree plantings.  A UNESCO school action pack on the ozone was currently being launched to help students learn about the damage being caused to the ozone layer, dovetailing nicely with the theme for the 2008 International Youth Day, “Youth and Climate Change”.

In terms of children’s rights, she said representatives of the National Youth Council in Thailand had been made members of the national committee on the Convention on the Rights of the Child.  Other Member States were encouraged to follow Thailand’s example in that respect.  Thailand also organized interfaith youth camps, in line with the Durban Programme of Action, which was one way to guarantee the rights of persons belonging to different religions.

HILARIO G. DAVIDE, JR. ( Philippines) said his Government was committed to improving the lives of persons with disabilities and was continually looking for ways to empower them by providing them with equal opportunities.  Indeed, the Philippines had implemented a number of initiatives that promoted the rights of persons with disabilities and ensured their participation in all levels of society.  The Secretary-General’s efforts to bring to light the “pitiful condition” of persons with disabilities were particularly welcomed.  It was an undeniable fact that most persons living with disabilities were among the poorest of the poor.  The “ugly partnership” between disability and poverty had created an extremely difficult situation that was only further aggravated by the current global climate change crisis, the food crisis, the energy crisis and terrorism.

He expressed his concern that international efforts to achieve the Millennium Goals by 2015 would not significantly improve the lives of those persons living with disabilities.  The improvement of the situation of persons with disabilities should be included in the Millennium Goals and in its respective strategies.  International cooperation and knowledge-sharing would immeasurably improve the capacity of States to effectively address the problems faced by persons with disabilities.  In addition, the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons was a useful tool in the “international disability architecture” and was only gaining in relevance.  Efforts towards achieving the goals of the World Programme of Action would also help the global community achieve the Millennium Goals, improve the situation of a large segment of society and, overall, lead to positive gains for mankind as a whole.

BUI THE GIANG (Viet Nam), aligning himself with the Group of 77 and China, noted the gap between the realization of many social indicators and their corresponding midterm commitments, saying the gap would be even larger if the world failed to pay enough attention to social development needs.  Viet Nam was experiencing high economic growth, marked by a sharp decrease in poverty, maternal and child morbidity and mortality, improvements in life expectancy, an enhanced role of women in the local employment market and leadership status, and broader participation of ethnic minority groups in all aspects of social life.  The philosophy of “Education for All” was a strategic motto that lay behind that progress, and was a vital means to improve human capital.  Pre-school enrolment rose from 24 per cent between 2000 and 2006, enrolment for junior secondary school education stood at 96 per cent, and adult literacy had reached 94 per cent.  So, Viet Nam ranked higher on the Human Development Index compared to its ranking on the list of the world’s gross per capita domestic product levels.

He said that part of the country’s education strategy involved targeting the poor populations in rural and remote areas, ethnic minorities and people with disabilities.  A programme launched in cooperation with the World Bank, “primary education for disadvantaged children”, targeted street children, children with disabilities and girls in certain minority areas, resulting in a significant increase in schooling completion rates among disadvantaged children.  But, even with the “all-out efforts of the entire nation, we need international solidarity, cooperation and partnership”, he said.  It was time to enter into a new stage of cooperation, targeting education quality.  He said the international community should be able to count on United Nations agencies, since they possess the expertise and capacity for tackling social issues, particularly education.

TAJUDDIN ABDUL RAHMAN ( Malaysia) said advances in social development were hostage to the instability of current global and national financial markets, as well as to challenges brought about by the fuel and food crises.  Free-for-all financial liberalization had not been accompanied by the requisite safeguards to ensure corporate and market responsibility.  Because of that, the Third Committee should recommend that the Assembly commit itself to the larger political goals of the 1995 World Summit for Social Development, especially those of enhancing international cooperation, facilitating the transfer of technology and expertise, and striving towards the fulfilment of agreed official development assistance targets.  In addition, the global financial and economic environment must be made more fair, so that social objectives were not shunted aside in the pursuit of economic growth.

He said it was important that Member States avoid technical ambiguities in the language of its resolutions, especially with regard to the current priority theme of the 2007-2008 implementation cycle, “promoting full employment and decent work for all”, which focused on vulnerable groups.  Being clear, committed and honest was one way to avoid creating interpretations that created hindrances in the future.  He also said that the world should not wait for the full effects of the current financial, food and fuel crises before taking action, and called on the United Nations to provide Member States with a preliminary assessment of the impact of those crises.  He finished by touching on questions relating to youth, ageing and disabled persons pertaining to Malaysia, saying that ensuring the well-being of its people, no matter what their needs, was the prime focus of the Government.

ADEL ALAKHDER (Libya), aligning himself with statements made on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, said that there was no doubt that poverty, illiteracy and disease were the major obstacles to development in poorer societies, particularly in Africa.  The international community should make good on previously agreed-upon promises of aid in order to help developing countries meet those challenges, as well as new challenges created by the global food crisis.  National efforts were equally important, and his Government had implemented a number of national and regional programmes to improve overall development.  In particular, he noted the involvement of Libyan youth in national political processes and decision-making and national efforts to encourage the creation of jobs for youth, through the creation of more small and medium-sized enterprises.  Regionally, Libya had launched a number of projects that aimed to combat poverty, unemployment and disease through the building of hospitals and the provision of necessary medicines and training.

He highlighted his Government’s efforts on an international level, as well, specifically the support it had given to global efforts to improve the participation of persons with disabilities and its efforts towards protecting and promoting the rights of older persons.  Countries should view the integration of older persons into the work force as an opportunity to apply their experience to national economic growth.  Though no older person should be forced into the work force, it was important to ensure that those who did want to contribute were not marginalized.  He endorsed the declaration made at the recent high-level meeting on Africa’s development needs and expressed his hope that those efforts, combined with other international development efforts, would lead to a world free from poverty, disease and illiteracy.

ZHANG DAN ( China) expressed her delegation’s appreciation for the considerable improvement of awareness regarding the Madrid Plan of Action and the implementation of comprehensive and innovative policies on ageing.  However, most countries lacked the necessary resources to collect data and information on the issue, and the international community should make an effort to invest more financial and human resources in work related to ageing.  Basic education and literacy training played a crucial role in the achievement of other development goals.  As the most populous developing country, China’s achievements in combating illiteracy rates would have a direct impact on global efforts.  Her Government had made education a top priority and, “thanks to 22 years of unremitting efforts”, it had achieved free access to high-quality education for its citizens and had thus reduced new cases of illiteracy to the largest extent possible.  The next step was to raise the literacy levels of women and ethnic minorities and halve current illiteracy rates ahead of the target goal of 2015.

International efforts to protect persons with disabilities had gathered momentum, she said.  However, more vigorous efforts should be made to raise public awareness of the rights of those persons, and there should be a more effective fulfilment of Convention obligations.  China had recently hosted the thirteenth Paralympic Games and her Government had “spared no effort” in carrying out a large scale renovation of Beijing’s public transport facilities, tourist sites and shopping centres to provide accessibility.  The Games allowed athletes with disabilities to reassert their dignity and worth.  Sports allowed people with disabilities to regain their self-esteem and self-confidence and offered society the opportunity to know more about persons with disabilities and to understand them better.  That was one of the great legacies of the Paralympic Games and a valuable lesson bequeathed to the Chinese people.

PETTER HOJEM, a youth delegate from Norway, said children and young people living in areas of conflict were a particularly vulnerable and unprotected group.  In periods of conflict, public services, like schools, were closed down and young people were recruited to armies or militias, or forced to flee from their homes.  In the past, the humanitarian response was usually limited to providing food, medicine and shelter for refugees and internally displaced persons.  Over the last few years, there had been a growing understanding that education was also an integral part of the humanitarian response.  Education played a crucial role in post-conflict reconstruction, transformation and reconciliation and gave young people the chance to improve their own social development through employment.  Primary education was a human right, yet, for various reasons, many adolescents never received the basic education to which they were entitled.

Providing universal primary education by 2015 would be a major accomplishment, but there should also be more focus on efforts to increase the overall quality of education, he said.  As well, while the need for universal access to primary education came first, it was also vital that societies be able to train teachers, health professionals and engineers.  In some instances, education could be part of the problem, rather than the solution, especially if young people were taught to disrespect and devalue people because of their ethnic origin, religion, gender or other status.  By investing in quality education in conflict situations, Governments and the international community could send a forceful message about the future.  He, thus, urged all Member States to increase the funding dedicated to education for children and young people in conflict situations and to make good on the commitments set out in the Millennium Goals and UNESCO’s “Education for All”.  “Poverty, oppression, illiteracy, and discrimination are our enemies”, he said.  “Education is our prime weapon.”

ANNA RANKI, a youth representative from Finland, associating herself with the statement by the European Union, said children and young people had the right to participate in deciding how society and the world should be developed.  They also had the right to access a society’s resources.  Yet, young people were one of the most marginalized groups of people in the world, suffering from youth unemployment, poverty, environmental problems, HIV/AIDS and other health problems.  It was even harder for girls and young women, many of whom did not enjoy the right to make decisions about their own body or their own future.  Their participation in society and politics seemed shallow.  Violence was still being perpetrated against girls and young women, including physical and sexual abuse.

She recalled that Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security had stipulated that all parties to armed conflict must take special measures to protect women and girls from gender-based violence, particularly rape and other forms of sexual abuse.  Every Member State should develop a national action plan to implement that resolution, as Finland had done.

She then noted that 5 million women aged 15 to 19 had abortions every year, 40 per cent of which were performed in unsafe conditions.  Other studies had shown that the same age group of young women was vastly unaware of AIDS-related issues.  In her opinion, education was the most significant way of protecting women from unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.  As such, it was important to pay special attention to the right of education for girls.  Countries should also promote the participation of girls in traditionally male-dominated sectors, while encouraging men to take up their domestic and family responsibilities.  It was also essential to engage men in efforts to eliminate violence against women.  “It was a well-established fact that no sustainable development exists without the participation of girls and women”, she said, adding that most “successful” societies had highly educated women and well-balanced equality programmes.

JONAS REY, youth representative for Switzerland, said that youth employment and education were crucial for securing social development.  Global youth unemployment had increased in recent years, despite the fact that unemployment rates for those over 24 years of age had remained stable.  Urgent measures were required to tackle that very serious problem, for the social development of every State and the international community as a whole.  Measures that had been proposed in the World Programme of Action for Youth to the year 2009 and beyond were particularly useful towards that end.  In Switzerland, the youth unemployment rate had been reduced to a relatively low level, but that did not mean that no further actions were needed.  Reducing youth unemployment required sustained action.

One way to improve youth unemployment rates was to provide young people with an open and accessible education system, he said.  In too many countries, education was reserved for the higher echelons and the implementation of the Millennium Goals should help alleviate that situation.  Providing education for future generations meant securing a country’s future prosperity and a better life for the whole of society.  Youth unemployment and education were not new issues and had been raised, in the past, by countless politicians and delegates campaigning on behalf of youth.  However, the young people of today wanted to participate in the creation of a viable solution, as well.  Youth should be more frequently consulted, in order to allow them to paint a better picture of their needs, ambitions and expectations.  The needs of young people were constantly changing, and greater dialogue between various groups and generations would help society to anticipate those needs accurately and to respond to them as quickly as possible.

MAJDI RAMADAN ( Lebanon), aligning himself with the statement made by the Group of 77 and China, said that stability, security and justice were the sina qua non conditions for social development.  On a national level, Lebanon guaranteed social services for vulnerable groups, such as children, women and disabled persons.  His Government had also undertaken actions to support the elderly and to improve their participation in national affairs.  However, despite those achievements, the Copenhagen goals were far from being achieved.  The successful fulfilment of those objectives required both national resources and international cooperation and coordination.

It was impossible to distinguish between economic and social policy, he said.  Across the world, the gap between rich and poor continued to grow, though efforts to increase employment opportunities would be useful to help reduce that gap.  Though economic growth was an important element in development, it alone was not enough.  Developed countries needed to provide the necessary assistance in regards to debt relief, official development assistance and agricultural aid.  Though globalization had led to a certain amount of economic growth, those dividends had not reached all of the developing countries.  He added that an enabling international environment was also necessary for social development and that certain actions by the Government of Israel in the Middle East region were impeding social development in certain areas.

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For information media • not an official record