Social Development Commission Approves First Ever Resolution

 

on Promoting Social Integration, as Session Continues

 

Texts on Mainstreaming Disability in Development Agenda,

Further Implementation of 2002 Madrid Action Plan on Ageing Also Approved

As it continued its forty-eighth session, the Commission on Social Development this afternoon approved its first ever resolution on promoting social integration in order to eradicate poverty, promote full and productive employment and achieve stable, safe, peaceful harmonious and just societies for all ‑‑ goals set forth in the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and its Programme of Action.

It also approved texts relating to the rights of the disabled and the elderly.

By the social integration text, the Commission would have the Economic and Social Council urge Governments to develop and broaden social protection systems, including coverage for workers in the informal economy, focus on the needs of the poor and people at risk for falling into poverty, and give particular attention to universal access to basic social security.

The Council would express deep concern over the negative implications for social development caused by the world financial, economic, food, energy and climate change crises, the lack of results in multilateral trade negotiations and the loss of confidence in the international economic system.  Recognizing the need for policies to promote social justice, social cohesion, economic recovery and growth, and environmental sustainability and the inadequate implementation nationally and internationally of the broad social development agenda, the Council would call for further attention to employment and social integration issues.

Guatemala’s representative, stressing that the Millennium Development Goals would not be achieved without social integration, supported the text’s adoption.

However, Yemen’s representative, speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, regretted that the text did not include the paragraph proposed by the Group on reaffirmation of their commitment to remove all obstacles to self-determination for all peoples living under occupation.  He said that important issue needed attention.

By a text on mainstreaming disability in the development agenda, approved as orally revised, the Economic and Social Council would call upon States that had not done so to consider signing and ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol.  It would also call on Member States to enable persons with disabilities to participate as agents and beneficiaries of development, and urge them to mainstream disability issues into national development strategies, as well as conduct reviews on progress in doing that.  It would encourage the United Nations system to share relevant good practices, carry out awareness-raising campaigns and step up efforts to recruit people with disabilities, including for field posts.

A resolution on future implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002, approved as orally revised, would have the Economic and Social Council urge Member States to incorporate policy implementation approaches into their respective national strategies, as well as call upon them to adopt legislative and other appropriate measures to promote and protect the rights of older persons, their economic and social security, and health care.  It would call upon Member States to continue effectively implementing the Plan of Action through improved data collection and the sharing of ideas, information and good practices.

Further, the Economic and Social Council would endorse the theme “empowerment, protection and promotion of human rights, for older persons” for the second review and appraisal cycle, as well as the calendar and timeline for activities, concluding with a global review at the Commission’s fiftieth session in 2013.

By a resolution on the Commission’s future organization and methods of work, approved as orally revised, the Economic and Social Council would decide that the priority theme for the Commission’s 2011-2012 review and policy cycle should be poverty eradication, taking into account its relationship to social integration and full employment and decent work for all.

The Commission will meet again at a time and date to be announced, to take action on a text concerning the social dimension of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).

* *** *

For information media • not an official record