2015 ‘Historic Test and Challenge’ to Achieve Equitable Sustainable Development, Deputy Secretary-General Tells Economic and Social Council
This year represented a milestone for global action towards inclusive, equitable and sustainable development, a United Nations top official told the Economic and Social Council as the 54-nation organ commemorated the twentieth anniversary of the World Summit for Social Development at the opening of its June coordination and management session.
Jan Eliasson, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, said that the consensus reached at the World Summit in Copenhagen in 1995 had helped shape the development pathway to the present day. Despite the progress made, however, more than a billion people still lived in extreme poverty. Inequality tended to be systematic, with economic opportunities for women and girls lacking in far too many places. Environmental degradation and climate change threatened the basis of healthy lives. Unemployment remained high, with youth bearing the brunt, giving rise to an alarming growth in extremism.
He noted that following the Sendai Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Japan in March, three major international decision-making processes were forthcoming this year — the Third International Conference on Financing for Development in Addis Ababa in July; the United Nations Summit to adopt the post-2015 development agenda in September; and the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris in December. The year 2015 presented a “historic test and challenge” for the international community and national institutions, he said.
Oh Joon (Republic of Korea), Vice-President of the Council, said that the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action adopted at the World Summit comprised a new social contract at the global level, putting people at the centre of development. While one of the three major objectives of the Social Summit — poverty eradication — was incorporated into the Millennium Development Goals adopted in 2000, the other two — productive employment and decent work, and social integration — were not, he said. On the eve of the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda, there was a need to re-examine where the new United Nations development agendas would come from.
Also delivering a statement was former Chilean President Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle, who said that over the last 25 years, Chile had drastically reduced poverty from 38.6 per cent to 7.8, with extreme poverty reduced from 13 per cent to 2.5. Despite progress on poverty reduction, Latin America remained “more unequal” than other regions, and 28 per cent of its population lived in poverty, with 71 million living in extreme poverty, he said.
Pressing tasks included thinking about a new fiscal pact and tax reform that would improve income distribution in order to avoid “false” development, he said. Corruption and institutional reform also needed to be addressed. As such, the World Summit remained as valid today as in 1995. Going forward, combatting poverty and inequalities required an ethical foundation and a sustained effort. At this crossroads, it was time that Governments gave more impetus to that “moral movement”.
In other business today, the Council adopted five draft resolutions on: “Social dimensions of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development”; “Promoting the rights of persons with disabilities and strengthening the mainstreaming of disability in the post-2015 development agenda”; “Modalities for the third review and appraisal of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002”; “Future organization and methods of work of the Commission on the Status of Women”; and “Work of the Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals”.
Following those opening remarks, the Council held a panel discussion titled “Impact of the World Social Summit on the sustainable development goals and the post-2015 development agenda.”
The Council will meet at 10 a.m. Tuesday, 9 June, to continue its coordination and management session.
Opening Remarks
OH JOON (Republic of Korea), Vice-President of the Economic and Social Council, said that the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action adopted at the World Summit for Social Development in Denmark in March 1995 comprised a new social contract at the global level, putting people at the centre of development. In the 1990s, the world was filled with a sense of optimism, following the end of the Cold War, with people sensing the beginning of a new era of globalization. In such an environment, the United Nations launched a series of world summits and international conferences, focusing on children, education, environment and development, human rights, population and development, women and food.
While one of the three major objectives of the Social Summit — poverty eradication — was incorporated into the Millennium Development Goals adopted in 2000, the other two — productive employment and decent work, and social integration — were not, he said. An integrated approach advocated at the Social Summit to simultaneously pursue the three key objectives was left behind. On the eve of the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda, there was a need to re-examine where the new United Nations development agendas would come from. Economic growth in itself, while necessary, was not sufficient to reduce poverty and inequality, he said, stressing the need for strong social policies, as well as inclusive and sustainable development. Similarly, there were many links among social, economic and environmental fields that must be effectively addressed.
Keynote Addresses
JAN ELIASSON, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, said that today’s event offered an opportunity for reflection on progress and experiences to date, as well as on remaining challenges and the road ahead. The consensus reached at the World Summit had helped shape the development pathway to the present day. Member States agreed that people must be placed at the centre of development efforts in the spirit of the first three words of the United Nations Charter “We the Peoples”. The objectives set in Copenhagen in 1995 had deep roots in decades of thinking on how to effectively integrate the social, economic and environmental dimensions of development to ensure not only sustainable growth but also dignity and justice for all.
“2015 is a milestone year for the United Nations — a year of global action for inclusive, equitable and sustainable development,” he said, noting that progress had been made but more than a billion people still lived in extreme poverty. Inequality tended to be systematic, with economic opportunities for women and girls lacking in far too many places. Environmental degradation and climate change threatened the basis of healthy lives. Unemployment remained high, with youth bearing the brunt, giving rise to an alarming growth in extremism. At the 1995 World Summit it was affirmed that poverty eradication, full employment and social integration were closely linked. “This rings even more relevant and true in today’s world,” he said, stressing the need for a set of new sustainable development goals which were universal, people-centred and cross-cutting in nature.
Following the Sendai Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Japan in March, three major international decision-making processes were forthcoming this year — the Third International Conference on Financing for Development in Addis Ababa in July; the United Nations Summit to adopt the post-2015 development agenda in September; and the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris in December. The year 2015 presented a “historic test and challenge” for the international community and national institutions.
EDUARDO FREI RUIZ-TAGLE, former President of Chile, said when he was the leader of his country in 1995 he had supported several initiatives to promote democracy and social justice. Over the last 25 years, Chile had succeeded in drastically reducing poverty to 7.8 per cent from 38.6 per cent, with extreme poverty reduced to 2.5 per cent from 13 per cent. The World Summit was the largest meeting of Heads of State that resulted in shaping a new model of development that would create progressive social equity that addressed imbalances around the world. The human being was placed at the centre of development, as reflected in the World Summit action plan. Highlighting achievements resulting from implementing the plan, he said Chile had increased investments in social development and was, under President Michelle Bachelet, continuing to do so in order to address inequality.
While Latin America had reduced poverty, it remained “more unequal” than other regions and currently, 28 per cent of its population of 167 million lived in poverty, with 71 million living in extreme poverty, he said. Pressing tasks included thinking about a new fiscal pact and tax reform that would improve income distribution in order to avoid “false” development. Corruption and institutional reform also needed to be addressed. As such, the World Summit remained as valid today as in 1995. Going forward, combatting poverty and inequalities required an ethical foundation and a sustained effort. At this crossroad, it was time that Governments gave more impetus to that “moral movement”.
Panel Discussion
The Council then held a panel discussion titled “Impact of the World Social Summit on the sustainable development goals and the post-2015 development agenda”.
Moderated by Simona-Mirela Miculescu, Permanent Representative of Romania and Chair of the fifty-third session of the Commission for Social Development, the panel featured the following speakers: David Donoghue, Permanent Representative of Ireland; Juan Somavía, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Interregional Policy Cooperation and former Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO); María Emma Mejía Vélez, Permanent Representative of Colombia and Vice-President of the Council; and Roberto Bissio, Coordinator of the International Secretariat of Social Watch.
Opening the discussion, Ms. MICULESCU said 2015 was the year of opportunities leading up to the final stages of the new development agenda and the panel offered a chance to reflect on actions taken and to guide future efforts. She asked participants to, among other things, describe the challenges to implementing the Programme of Action and outline the policies needed to take a coherent approach to combating poverty.
Mr. DONOGHUE said the Summit had greatly influenced the development agenda, including the shaping of the Millennium Development Goals and the new sustainable development goals, including targets aimed at halving the number of people living in poverty. While major progress had been made in that regard and in tackling malaria and HIV/AIDS, extreme poverty persisted and much remained to be done. Some of the goals and targets had addressed the symptoms rather than the root causes.
With four months left to the adoption of new goals, the post-2015 agenda reflected the objectives of the Copenhagen Summit, he said. The draft sharply focused on ending poverty and hunger, with an emphasis on leaving no one behind and on root causes, such as gender inequality and unsustainable growth. Those high ambitions were commensurate with the broad goal of ending poverty and protecting and preserving the planet’s life support systems. Underlining his hope that the final agreement would maintain that level of ambition, he said that with much work ahead, he also hoped that the agreement would put forward an agenda that would help to transform the world over the coming 15 years.
Mr. SOMAVÍA said the “zero” draft of the new agenda recovered the spirit and dynamism of the 1990s and was a good basis for negotiation. Today, the document reflected a supremely ambitious vision, with its 17 goals and 69 indicators focused on a people-centred poverty-eradication sustainable development concept. With regard to challenges, he said policy support from the United Nations would be critical. Since the world had discussed the three elements of sustainable development but had not yet implemented them, the basic challenge ahead was to ensure integrated thinking and to shape methods for using it to clearly explain the types of interactions between the agenda’s three pillars that were needed to fulfil commitments.
That difficult task required an initiative from the United Nations secretariats in New York and Geneva, its funds and programmes and the multiple networks in regions in which the Organization operated, he said. Unless that process began immediately after the new agenda was adopted, the “goods” would not be delivered. That initiative would also require the recognition of the balance between markets, the State, society and individuals. In recent years, people’s confidence in the United Nations had dropped. The manner in which the Organization presented the new agenda was essential in addressing that issue. As the Summit’s Programme of Action had recognized the importance of public trust, he emphasized that the new development agenda must acknowledge and address that current lack of confidence.
Ms. MEJÍA VÉLEZ said the political message sent by Governments was critical. That element, as emphasized in the Summit’s Programme of Action, was a “social fabric” that needed to be “woven” between the Government and the most vulnerable groups. The Millennium Development Goals had unfolded a road map for development. Yet Colombia had only begun its efforts five years after their adoption in 2000 and had, like other States, experienced challenges in achieving goals and targets.
Moving forward, greater coherence was needed nationally, regionally and internationally to ensure a global impact of the new agenda, particularly of its main focus of poverty eradication, she said. The agenda presented a transformative opportunity to do so and national initiatives and regional economic commissions must be involved in that process, as should political commissions. Among her country’s concerns, she pointed out that the upcoming Financing for Development Conference should be a turning point that required more and greater commitments to ensure the new agenda’s success. In addition, she expressed concern about the role of the United Nations in the new agenda. Unless the Organization adapted to the new challenges, the new goals would not succeed.
Mr. BISSIO said from a civil society perspective, the importance of political commitments was as critical today as in 1995. Civil society must demand more from their Governments, especially when a new development paradigm was being shaped at a time when no country could assert that it was “sustainably developed”. Providing examples of successes and challenges of the World Summit’s Programme of Action objectives, he said that since 1995, structural adjustment had been addressed and should be further altered and reviewed to ensure gender perspectives. Reflecting on actions taken since the World Summit, he said many people had felt that the United Nations had focused on least developed countries and not on the many social movements around the world.
He was pleased that inequality and universality had been a focus of the new agenda. However, no indicators targeted inequality and elements had not concentrated on the recognized right to social security even though, as in 1995, the resources were there. How much and how fast those resources could be mobilized had been readily seen in the swift bail out of financial institutions. The new sustainable goals were extraordinary in achieving a balance between the three pillars, yet countries must be held accountable and subjected to peer reviews so civil society could comment on achievements. Political will to make resources available was also essential.
When the floor opened, participants raised their own concerns, with some speakers sharing their approaches to challenges stemming from the 1995 World Summit. Switzerland’s delegate said progress had been uneven, with economic growth having often been accompanied by inequalities between and within countries. Today, poverty reigned everywhere, including in industrialized countries, she said, highlighting that her country recognized that employment was key in eradicating poverty and had implemented a number of initiatives to address that issue.
Some delegates highlighted commitments needed to ensure the successful achievement of the new goals, with the representative of Argentina saying that as the planet was in jeopardy, action was needed to find solutions. Underlining the importance of the upcoming Financing for Development Conference, she said commitments made must be honoured. The European Union Delegation’s speaker said the new agenda required a new global partnership that would transform and strengthen social development.
With regard to a question from the representative of the ILO, Mr. DONOGHUE said Member States would need to decide on whether the new agenda should include a reference to the World Summit.
To another question from the ILO’s speaker, who asked, if it were possible to return to 1995, what paragraph should be included in the World Summit’s Programme of Action, Mr. SOMAVÍA said he would have included the notion of decent work. Asked by China’s speaker about the integration of policies, he said the focus on structure adjustment in 1995 had today become a challenge of making a country sustainable and adopting economic, social and development approaches alongside each other and not one ahead of the other. The World Summit had missed that concept, he said.
In closing, the moderator asked panellists what they would post on social media about the debate. Mr. BISSIO said the world today was so full of problems of inequalities, including in the Mediterranean and in various conflicts, and people wanted to have a sense of fairness in opportunities. Mr. DONOGHUE said, admitting his shortcomings on social media, he would take away from the discussion comments made on, among other things, the importance of accountability and achieving the integration of the three pillars. Ms. MEJÍA VÉLEZ said her dream for the outcome of Copenhagen would have been to have concrete deliverables and what tools and mechanisms would be offered for the new agenda in order to close gaps. Mr. SOMAVÍA said his conclusion was to encourage all stakeholders to continue to be ambitious. He also requested that the new agenda mention and recognize the Social Summit and its key messages.
Social Development
Daniela Bas, Director, Division for Social Policy and Development of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, introduced the Secretary-General’s report on “Celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family in 2014” (document A/70/61–E/2015/3).
Ms. Miculescu, Chair of the Commission for Social Development, introduced an official report of the Economic and Social Council containing the report of the Commission on its fifty-third session from 21 February 2014 and 4-13 February 2015 (document E/2015/26).
When the floor opened for a general discussion, delegates raised several issues.
The representative of Mexico said the Commission must strengthen its efforts in order to be more effective and to contribute to the implementation of the post-2015 development agenda with a view to achieving sustainable development for all.
The Council then took action on four recommendations contained in the report (document E/2015/26).
It first adopted draft resolution I on “Social dimensions of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development” without a vote.
Turning to draft resolution II on “Promoting the rights of persons with disabilities and strengthening the mainstreaming of disability in the post-2015 development agenda”, the Council adopted the text without a vote.
It then adopted, also without a vote, draft resolution III on “Modalities for the third review and appraisal of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002”.
The Council also adopted a draft decision on the “Report of the Commission for Social Development on its fifty-third session” and approved the provisional agenda and documentation for the Commission’s fifty-fourth session.
Following that action, the Council turned to the draft decision on the “Nomination of members of the Board of the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development”, confirming the nomination of three candidates.
Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women
LAKSHMI PURI, Deputy Executive Director, Intergovernmental Support and Strategic Partnerships, Bureau of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women), introduced the Secretary-General’s report on “Mainstreaming a gender perspective into all policies and programmes in the United Nations system” (document E/2015/58).
AGUIAR PATRIOTA (Brazil), Chair of the sixtieth session of the Commission on the Status of Women, briefed on the outcome of the body’s fifty-ninth session from 21 March 2014 and 9-20 March 2015, which is also contained in the official record of the Economic and Social Council (document E/2015/27).
The Council postponed action on draft resolution E/2015/L.11, titled “Mainstreaming a gender perspective into all policies and programmes in the United Nations system”, as the Secretariat requested more time to review the programme budget implications.
Turning to recommendations contained in E/2015/27, the Council adopted without a vote a draft resolution on “Future organization and methods of work of the Commission on the Status of Women” but postponed on a draft resolution on “Situation of and assistance to Palestinian women”.
In a draft decision, the Council took note of the report of the Commission on the Status of Women on its fifty-ninth session and approved the provisional agenda and documentation for the Commission’s sixtieth session.
Transport of Dangerous Goods
DANIELA SIMIONI, Social Affairs Officer, New York office, Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), introduced, on behalf of Oliver Kervalla, Chief of ECE’s Dangerous Goods and Special Cargoes Section, the Secretary-General’s report on “Work of the Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals” (document E/2015/66).
The Council then adopted, without a vote, the eponymous draft resolution contained in the report.