Summary report, 31 December 1995

Even though the World Summit for Social Development (WSSD) has come and gone, important work remains to be done to implement the Programme of Action adopted by the Conference on 12 March 1995. In this regard, the 50th United Nations General Assembly reviewed the outcome of the Summit and adopted a resolution that sets out the role of the UN system in its implementation.

This special year-end issue of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin will summarize the results of the General Assembly's consideration of the Summit and highlight upcoming events. This issue of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin is published as part of a series of year-end issues intended to summarize the current state of play in the various sustainable development conferences and negotiations reported on by the Bulletin in 1995.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE WSSD

In December 1992, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 47/92, "Convening of a world summit for social development," and set the process in motion for organizing a meeting of Heads of State or Government to tackle the critical problems of poverty, unemployment and social integration.

The WSSD PrepCom held its organizational session in New York from 12-16 April 1993. Amb. Juan Somava (Chile) was elected Chair. The PrepCom also adopted decisions on the working methods of the Bureau, the participation of NGOs, national preparations for the WSSD, mobilization of resources for the Trust Fund, a public information programme, the tasks of the PrepCom, expert group meetings, and the dates for the Summit and the PrepCom sessions.

PREPCOM I

The first session of the PrepCom met in New York from 31 January - 11 February 1994. The objective of PrepCom I was to define the expected output and provide elements for inclusion in the documents to be adopted at the Summit.

Delegates reached agreement on the existence, format and basic structure of a draft Declaration and draft Programme of Action as well as the possible elements to be included in these documents. Delegates agreed that the draft Declaration should contain three parts: a description of the world social situation; principles, goals, policy orientations and common challenges to be addressed by all actors at the local, national, regional and international levels; and an expression of commitment on issues relating to implementation and follow-up. They also agreed that the Declaration should be concise and focused, and reaffirm international agreements, instruments, declarations and decisions adopted by the UN system that are relevant to the Summit. The Secretariat was asked to prepare a draft negotiating text on the basis of the contents of the objectives and three core issues contained in General Assembly resolution 47/92.

PREPCOM II

The second session of the PrepCom met from 22 August - 2 September 1994, at UN Headquarters in New York. During the course of the two-week session, delegates focused primarily on the texts of the draft Declaration and Programme of Action to be adopted in Copenhagen. The Secretariat's initial draft met with much criticism for both its structure and content. Delegates' comments and drafting suggestions on the Programme of Action were then incorporated into a new compilation text, which was distributed at the end of the first week. Although the Secretariat, the Bureau and the delegates had hoped that the PrepCom would be able to produce a draft negotiating text by the conclusion of this session, this was not to be the case. Instead, the result was an unmanageable 200-250-page document containing the compilation text and all the amendments proposed by delegates during the second week. As a result, the Bureau was requested to convene intersessional informal consultations in October to facilitate the preparation of a new draft text to serve as the basis for negotiations at the third and final PrepCom.

INTERSESSIONAL INFORMAL CONSULTATIONS

The PrepCom met in New York for a week of intersessional informal consultations from 24-28 October 1994. The purpose of this intersessional meeting was to give delegates the opportunity to identify areas of convergence and divergence in both the draft Programme of Action and the draft Declaration. The specific goal was to provide enough guidance both to the Secretariat and PrepCom Chair Amb. Juan Somava to produce an integrated negotiating text.

It was apparent from the start of this session that the Declaration must serve as the philosophical basis for the Programme of Action, and that matters of substance in the Programme of Action could not be tackled until some degree of resolution was reached on the Declaration. There was agreement that the Declaration must be infused with a strong "presidential tone," with strong commitments on the empowerment of women, the special needs of Africa and the least developed countries and the need for socially-responsible structural adjustment programmes. The key issue on poverty was how to make the related commitments clear, credible and realistic. In the area of employment, it was felt that there was a lack of appreciation for the implications of the economic globalization process. The most difficult issues were creation of an enabling international economic environment and implementation and follow-up. While there was general agreement that the substantive commitments must be accompanied by commitments to make the necessary resources available, disagreement remained as to the possible sources and modalities. Likewise, few concrete proposals were generated around the issue of implementation and follow-up and the possible improvement of existing institutions.

The structure of the draft Programme of Action underwent a considerable metamorphosis as a result of a proposal by the G-77 on the first day. Delegates welcomed the G-77's proposed reorganization of each section of the Programme and agreed to request the Secretariat to reorganize the Programme of Action in line with that proposal.

PREPCOM III

The third and final session of the PrepCom met from 16-28 January 1995, at UN Headquarters in New York. Two working groups were established to conduct the first reading of the texts of the draft Declaration and the Programme of Action.

The Declaration, as drafted by the Secretariat, contained an Introduction, a section on Principles and a section with nine Commitments. The Programme of Action consisted of five chapters, each of which identified a basis for action and then outlined specific international and national-level actions.

In response to the slow progress in each of the working groups, small "consultative" groups were established to negotiate the contentious issues that could not be resolved in the larger groups. Yet, even by adding an extra day onto the PrepCom, delegates were unable to reach agreement on the Declaration and the Programme of Action. In the Declaration, the outstanding issues to be resolved included: debt cancellation; new and additional financial resources; increased ODA; respect for ILO conventions and workers' rights; human rights and national sovereignty; access to healthcare services; countries with economies in transition; and a new commitment on health and education.

In the Programme of Action, the outstanding issues to be resolved included: reorientation of agricultural policies; debt elimination; increased ODA; speculative gains; collective bargaining rights; self-determination; poverty vulnerability indicators; traditional rights to resources; healthcare access for low-income communities; social safety nets; ratification of ILO conventions; employment needs of indigenous people; social integration of migrants; arms trade; ratification of human rights treaties; impact of structural adjustment programmes (SAPs) on vulnerable groups; new and additional financial resources; the 20:20 initiative; and countries with economies in transition.

THE SOCIAL SUMMIT

The World Summit for Social Development, which was held in Copenhagen from 6-12 March 1995, brought together over 118 world leaders to agree on a political Declaration and Programme of Action to alleviate and reduce poverty, expand productive employment and enhance social integration.

The Summit consisted of three parts: a Plenary from 6-10 March for statements by high-level representatives; a Main Committee from 6-10 March for final negotiations of the Declaration and Programme of Action; and the Summit of Heads of State or Government on 11-12 March. Statements during the Plenary were organized around suggested daily themes: "enabling environment" on 6 March; "eradication of poverty" on 7 March; "gender and participation of women" on 8 March; "employment and problems of unemployment" on 9 March; and "social integration" and "implementation and follow-up" on 10 March.

The Main Committee and its subsidiary contact groups negotiated the outstanding issues in the Declaration and Programme of Action that were left bracketed at PrepCom III. Despite difficult debates and the desire of some delegates to reassess agreements reached during the Earth Summit in Rio, the Human Rights Conference in Vienna and the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, delegates managed to reach agreement on all outstanding issues. The Social Summit marked the first time that the international community expressed a clear commitment to eradicate absolute poverty. In addition, UN documents have not previously addressed the need for socially-responsible structural adjustment and greater accountability by the Bretton Woods institutions to the UN system. Despite qualifying language, progress was also made on the debt question and on the 20:20 initiative. Finally, where the Earth Summit legitimated the participation of NGOs in UN negotiating processes, the WSSD highlighted the fact that the empowerment of civil society is a sine qua non for sound social development policy.

The Declaration adopted in Copenhagen contains two parts. Part I assesses the current social situation and reasons for convening the Summit in addition to principles and goals. Part II contains ten commitments that address such issues as the need for an enabling international environment, the eradication of poverty, full employment, promoting social integration, equality and equity between women and men, universal access to quality education, accelerated development in Africa, structural adjustment programmes, resources and international cooperation.

The Programme of Action contains five chapters: I. An Enabling Environment for Social Development; II. Eradication of Poverty; III. The Expansion of Productive Employment and the Reduction of Unemployment; IV. Social Integration; and V. Implementation and Follow-up.

POST-SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTS

The 34th session of the Commission for Social Development was held at UN Headquarters in New York from 10-20 April 1995. In its consideration of the Social Summit, the Commission focused on the arrangements for the implementation and follow-up of the Copenhagen Declaration and the Programme of Action. It adopted a draft resolution on the follow-up to the Summit transmitting its views and considerations to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) at its substantive session of 1995. These views included: the recognition that the Commission for Social Development should have a central role in the follow-up to the Summit and that it should be in a position to increase the added value of its contributions to international cooperation for social development. The draft resolution also called for ECOSOC to review the mandate, agenda and composition of the Commission, including an expansion of its membership and the annualization of its meetings. The practice of opening its debates to experts and the main actors of civil society in the field of social development was also recommended.

COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

The 34th session of the Commission for Social Development was held at UN Headquarters in New York from 10-20 April 1995. In its consideration of the Social Summit, the Commission focused on the arrangements for the implementation and follow-up of the Copenhagen Declaration and the Programme of Action. It adopted a draft resolution on the follow-up to the Summit transmitting its views and considerations to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) at its substantive session of 1995. These views included: the recognition that the Commission for Social Development should have a central role in the follow-up to the Summit and that it should be in a position to increase the added value of its contributions to international cooperation for social development. The draft resolution also called for ECOSOC to review the mandate, agenda and composition of the Commission, including an expansion of its membership and the annualization of its meetings. The practice of opening its debates to experts and the main actors of civil society in the field of social development was also recommended.

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

At its substantive session of 1995, which took place in Geneva in July, ECOSOC held a debate on the follow-up to the Summit. In resolution 1995/60, the Council reaffirmed the recommendation of the Programme of Action that it should oversee system-wide coordination of the implementation of the outcome of the Summit and reiterated the need for all relevant organs, organizations and bodies of the UN system to be involved in the follow-up to the Summit. The Council also reiterated that the implementation of the Declaration and the Programme of Action would require the mobilization of financial resources at the national and international levels.

ECOSOC also considered the theme of coordinated follow-up by the UN system and the implementation of the results of the major international conferences organized by the UN in the economic, social and related fields. In its agreed conclusions, ECOSOC decided to carry out within the framework of its yearly coordination segment a review of cross-cutting themes common to all the major international conferences and to contribute to an overall review of the implementation of the programmes of action from each conference.

With regard to the Commission for Social Development, ECOSOC decided that the Commission should periodically review issues related to the follow-up and implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action. The Commission should also adapt its mandate so as to ensure an integrated approach to social development, develop a multi-year programme of work to the year 2000, establish the practice of opening up its debates to experts and the main actors of civil society, and review and update its methods of work. ECOSOC also recommended that the Commission should hold a special session in 1996 to review its mandate, elaborate its multi-year programme of work and review the frequency of meetings.

LATIN AMERICAN FOLLOW-UP

Latin American ministers in charge of social development met in Buenos Aires, Argentina on 4-5 May 1995 and adopted a declaration on the follow-up to the Social Summit as well as a set of actions to be taken at the regional level. Ministers from the 11 States of the Rio Group (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela) participated. The ministers agreed to formulate and manage social policies, create a regional database on social projects, programmes and initiatives, and provide technical cooperation for social development activities in Latin America.

UN SYSTEM FOLLOW-UP

Since Copenhagen, a number of UN programmes, agencies and commissions have begun to implement the Declaration and Programme of Action. The following list of initiatives is indicative of these efforts.

• <$TSpInterLn=1335;SpInterPar=135>The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has established a Summit follow-up strategy group, which is working with UNDP country offices and country-level partners to assist them in elaborating specific strategies and programmes for implementing the Programme of Action.

• UNDP is also working closely with governments and UN system partners on several post-Copenhagen initiatives, including a proposed international meeting on the 20:20 formula for funding social programmes; the possible establishment of a consultative group on the poorest; poverty monitoring; and the Secretary-General's Special Initiative for Africa.

• The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) informed all of its field and headquarters staff of the highlights of the Summit, in particular as they relate to the decisions and recommendations of the International Conference on Population and Development.

• At its meeting in October 1995, the Development Committee of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) considered the implications of the Social Summit for developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

• The International Labour Organization (ILO) Governing Body, at its session in March/April 1995, requested the Director-General to ensure that ILO research, operational and standard-setting activities are geared closely to the implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action. At its session in November 1995, the Governing Body considered the questions of promoting universal ratification of the ILO fundamental human rights conventions, combating child labor and improving the effectiveness of ILO supervision of labor standards.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY HIGHLIGHTS

The General Assembly Plenary considered implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development (Agenda Item 161) on Thursday and Friday, 7-8 December 1995. Delegates had before them the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development (A/50/670) as well as the report of the Social Summit (A/CONF.166/9).

During the course of the debate, most delegates noted that while it is the primary responsibility of States to attain the Summit's goals, those goals have to be achieved in the context of a broad partnership with the international community through the United Nations. Delegates stressed the importance of the role of ECOSOC as a coordinating body and called for a review of the mandate and method of work of the Commission for Social Development. Several delegates endorsed the recommendation that a special session be convened in the year 2000 to examine implementation of the Summit's outcome.

The following is a summary of the two-day debate.

THURSDAY, 7 DECEMBER 1995

SPAIN: Arturo Laclaustra, on behalf of the EU, Romania and Bulgaria, said that the implementation of the Social Summit's Programme of Action rested primarily at the national level. He added that the EU attaches special importance to the involvement of civil society in the implementation and follow-up of the outcome of the Summit. He welcomed the Norwegian plans to host a meeting in 1996 to explore the 20:20 initiative. He called on the Secretary-General to consider holding joint meetings with the Heads of the Bretton Woods Institutions, the ILO and UN funds and programmes to discuss mobilization of resources. He supported establishing a multi-year programme of work for the Commission for Social Development, an improved UN reporting system, and the involvement of all relevant organs and bodies of the UN system in Social Summit follow-up.

DENMARK: Poul Nielson, Minister for Development Cooperation, said that the follow-up process must be innovative and concrete, and must lead to practical results. To provide a firm structure for this process, one approach would be to establish an Independent Forum on Social Development. To serve its purpose, the Forum would need consensus in terms of political backing as well as broad support in terms of financing its activities. From the consultations the Danes have had, he drew the conclusion that these preconditions will not be met. As a consequence, he did not consider it appropriate to pursue the idea as originally developed. Instead Denmark is considering alternative approaches, including a research project on the possibilities of international statistical follow-up to the Programme of Action. The Danes will also convene international high-quality seminars on selected social development issues.

MEXICO: Amb. Manuel Tello said that to fulfill the commitments of the Social Summit, Member States must adopt a global approach that links social and economic questions, sees social development questions from a political and cultural perspective and recognizes the direct relationship between promoting equal opportunity, economic growth and the international economic situation. The participation of civil society is indispensable in the implementation of any social development policy. The UN must provide support to countries' efforts to convert the results of the Social Summit into concrete national programmes.

CHILE: Amb. Juan Somava said the message of the Social Summit was simple — stability requires equality and respect for the environment. He said the policies of structural adjustment must place the costs on the strongest elements of society, not the weakest. The world has more than enough resources. All that is lacking is a mechanism to channel those resources to fulfilling the recommendations of the Summit. To those who wish to eliminate world conferences, he said, there is no other process for achieving such a high-level consensus. The major conferences represent a creative, intellectual exercise that results in the formulation of policy in a very cost-effective manner. The Summit cost only US$2.5 million out of the regular budget, equivalent to the cost of half a day of peacekeeping operations in the former Yugoslavia.

CANADA: Amb. Robert Fowler said that coherent and coordinated implementation of the conclusions of the major UN international conferences should be the principal vocation of the UN system in the economic and social fields. Given the inevitable overlap of issues among conferences, a thematic approach to follow-up is the only practical way forward. The work programme of the Commission for Social Development should recognize the important interrelationships between the core themes of the Summit and adapt its mandate in order to ensure an integrated approach to social development and seek creative ways to involve independent experts and representatives of civil society.

PERU: Amb. Fernando Guilln said he attached great importance to Denmark's idea to establish an independent forum for social development. To implement the outcome of the Social Summit, Peru is undertaking a programme of structural adjustment and social support with its own resources. Peru's major challenge is to overcome poverty. At the beginning of 1995, at least 40% of Peru's national budget was devoted to social expenditures (200% more than the level agreed upon in Copenhagen).

INDONESIA: Amb. Nugroho Wisnumurti said that the implementation of the Programme of Action requires mustering the necessary financial resources and revitalizing institutional structures. Institutions with cross-cutting mandates are needed and ECOSOC's role should be strengthened. Close coordination among ECOSOC's functional commissions will have a positive impact on the activities of the UN system's funds and programmes. He emphasized the need to strengthen the UN's operational activities for development.

INDIA: MP John Fernandes said that the empowerment of people must be the central strategy in social and economic development to sustain human progress. International cooperation is essential to facilitate and accelerate national economic and social development. Countries have to commit the resources required to realize the rights of the poor by infrastructure-building, institution-building and formulation of policies. He supported a three-tiered structure for follow-up involving the Commission for Social Development, ECOSOC and the General Assembly.

CTE D'IVOIRE: Djnbou Kaba said African countries are working to create an enabling environment by implementing development strategies and structural adjustment programmes. However, a genuine partnership has not come about. Donors must be mobilized and encouraged to act to combat poverty, hunger and destitution. The Commission for Social Development must be strengthened and a fund for social development should be created.

BRAZIL: Amb. Celso L. N. Amorim said that none of the Conferences should be seen as isolated events — they must be seen as integral parts of a concerted effort to upgrade the treatment of the issue of development within the UN system. Brazil has recently created the Solidarity Community Programme, which seeks to coordinate efforts between the government and civil society for the eradication of absolute poverty. He stressed the importance of ensuring consistency of approach among the multisectoral strategies being pursued by the World Bank, IMF, UNDP and other organizations.

REPUBLIC OF KOREA: Amb. Park Soo Gil supported the decision to hold a special session in the year 2000 for an overall review and appraisal of the outcome of the Summit. Implementation should comprise a number of elements of economic development and social progress, while respecting the diversity of social, traditional and cultural conditions of the respective country. In this regard, the UN must play a coordinating role. Greater attention should be given to the contributions of civil society.

KAZAKSTAN: Amb. Akmaral Kh. Arystanbekova said that the results of the Social Summit have provided the basis for the social policy in Kazakstan. National legislation has established forms of social assistance for the poorer sections of the population. More than 5 million people are covered by social services, and the President of Kazakstan has established regional charitable funds to improve the social-welfare services targeting needy and disabled citizens.

MALAYSIA: Amb. V. Yoogalingam agreed with the emerging consensus on the three themes in addressing poverty eradication: the formulation of an integrated strategy; meeting the basic human needs of all; and the promotion of self-reliance and community-based initiatives. The primary responsibility of implementing the Social Summit's goals falls on individual Member States, which must be facilitated by a conducive external economic environment. The move by ECOSOC to review cross-cutting themes common to the major international conferences is both timely and necessary. The proposal to convene a meeting of high-level representatives in 1997 may again divert human and financial resources towards its preparation rather than focusing on implementation.

AUSTRALIA: Amb. Richard Butler said the effective follow-up and implementation of the results of the major international conferences must contribute to an integrated framework of a global partnership for development. At the intergovernmental level, this means harmonizing the agendas and work programmes of the functional commissions that will follow-up on the conferences. At the operational level, this means enhancing inter-agency coordination, involving the active participation of NGOs and civil society. The strengthening of ECOSOC's role in overseeing system-wide coordination remains of paramount importance.

COLOMBIA: Arturo Infante said that Colombia has proposed a new social development model. Next January, a national meeting will take place to coordinate application of the commitments of the Heads of State at the Summit and the plan of action. The United Nations has a crucial role to play in the follow-up. The Commission for Social Development should consider convening a meeting of high-level delegates in 1997 to deal with the follow-up to the Summit. The Bretton Woods institutions should also take up the implementation of the commitments at the Summit.

KENYA: Amb. Francis K. Muthaura said poverty continues to be the root cause of many problems of society. Primary responsibility for poverty eradication rests with national governments and their ability to mobilize grassroots involvement in income-generating programmes. While national action programmes are fundamental, the implementation of the Summit's commitments will not achieve the desired result without international support.

CHINA: Amb. Wang Xuexian said that the following should be emphasized in the follow-up to the Summit: creation of a favorable environment of peace; promotion of economic development and social progress; respect for the national conditions of each country; expansion of international cooperation; promotion of social development on a global scale, for which the developed countries should undertake greater responsibilities; and enabling the UN system to play a greater role in promoting the effective implementation of the follow-up.

PHILIPPINES: Amb. Felipe Mabilangan, on behalf of the G-77 and China, said that international cooperation is imperative to the easing of poverty. The mobilization of new and additional financial resources that are both adequate and predictable is also needed in order to implement the commitments made in Copenhagen toward the eradication of poverty. He called on governments to fulfill the agreed target of 0.7% of GNP for ODA and 0.15% to the least developed countries as soon as possible, and to increase the share of funding for social development programmes. He called on States to fulfill the Copenhagen commitments, and he welcomed the adoption of a 1996 substantive theme of the Commission for Social Development that hinges on the eradication of poverty.

BENIN: Amb. Ren Valry Mongb said that a new form of international cooperation is required to tackle poverty, to provide employment and to eliminate unemployment and underemployment. However, investment in social development is costly and many developing nations require assistance, including debt reduction, transfer of technology, and promotion of education. Within the United Nations system, ECOSOC must be strengthened so that increased priority can be given to social development. It would be a pity if all the decisions taken at Copenhagen were to flounder in interminable debate in meetings.

ZIMBABWE: Ngoni Francis Sengwe said success for the Copenhagen commitments requires the joint effort of governments and grassroots and non-governmental organizations. At the national level, Zimbabwe has been expanding social services, particularly healthcare and educational facilities. The mandate of the Commission for Social Development should be strengthened to monitor the implementation of the Summit's Programme of Action. The implementation of the 20:20 initiative is crucial to the success of the Programme of Action.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION: Ivan V. Khryskov said the main task now is to ensure the practical implementation of the Social Summit proposals. Solutions to social and economic problems remain the responsibility of States, but international cooperation in the area of resources is also necessary. The Commission for Social Development should play a significant role in the implementation of the Programme of Action and should also be given additional resources to carry out its work.

JAPAN: Amb. Shunji Maruyama said that in the follow-up to the Social Summit, ECOSOC should ensure that the agendas and work programmes of the functional commissions are harmonized and coordinated. Follow-up requires close coordination among relevant organizations of the UN system and with the Bretton Woods institutions. The Commission for Social Development must revitalize its activities under its current mandate, establish more effective working methods and formulate more focused agendas. The General Assembly should formulate policy and guide implementation of the outcome of the Summit, and perhaps these tasks should be allocated to a joint meeting of the Second and Third Committees. He also stressed the important roles of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) and NGOs.

ZAMBIA: Amb. Peter L. Kasanda said that at the national level, implementation of the outcome of the Social Summit is the primary responsibility of governments after determining their own national priorities. At the international level, the UN must play a key role in consolidating the commitments entered into by Member States and the international community in Copenhagen. A revitalized ECOSOC has a major role to play. The mandate of the Commission for Social Development must be reviewed and strengthened. A high-level segment should be given serious consideration. It might be beneficial to designate UNDP as the lead agency in terms of implementation of the outcome of the Social Summit.

COSTA RICA: Amb. Fernando Berrocal Soto welcomed the ACC's decision to establish three task forces to analyze the implementation of the Copenhagen agreements. He emphasized the fact that the World Bank has agreed to lead the work of one of these task forces. Since 1996 is the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty, Member States should establish a target year in which absolute poverty will be eradicated.

TANZANIA: Radhia Msuya said one of the major commitments made in Copenhagen was the commitment to poverty eradication. The imperative, therefore, for most developing countries is to expand productive employment, which is the basis for improved living standards. One of the central challenges is to give practical meaning to people-centered development. Civil society should be empowered to participate in economic and social decision-making. While it is the primary responsibility of States to attain the Summit's goals, those goals have to be achieved in broad partnership with the international community through the United Nations.

ANDORRA: Juli Minoves-Triquell wished to see a debate and programme of action aimed at youth unemployment. More than "kind words" is required to implement the Copenhagen Declaration.

NAMIBIA: Amb. Tunguru Huaraka described the Namibia National Committee for the implementation and monitoring of the outcome of the Social Summit and Namibia's First National Development Plan, in which its poverty reduction efforts have been integrated. He supported convening a special session in the year 2000 for the review and appraisal of the outcome of the Social Summit. The Commission for Social Development should be provided with sufficient resources to ensure effective follow-up to the Summit.

SOUTH AFRICA: Frederick Bergh said his Government has embarked on a fundamental reform of its welfare system, in line with its Reconstruction and Development Programme and the Constitution. The policy included restructuring of social welfare services, development programmes and social security. Through that policy, the Government is committed to creating a people-centered social welfare system that facilitates the development of human capacity, self-reliance and promotion of social well-being.

SWAZILAND: Amb. Moses M. Dlamini said that the Summit provided a landmark for a people-centered strategy for sustainable development. The role of NGOs in the spheres of education, health, poverty, social integration and other areas is important. Gender issues need to be addressed as development issues and as human rights concerns. Youth must also participate in the development process.

FRIDAY, 8 DECEMBER 1995

BOTSWANA: Gabosele Masusu said his country has always attached importance to social development, as reflected in its national goals of economic growth and independence, social justice and sustained development. On average, 50 percent of social spending goes to education. In accordance with the recommendations of the Social Summit, Botswana has taken initiatives to ensure full participation of people in decision-making on matters affecting their future.

UNITED STATES: Amb. Victor Marrero said the US believes that the cooperative effort to integrate the commitments of the Rio Summit and subsequent global conferences will require at least a decade of work. The United States has committed to accelerated development activities in Africa and the less developed countries through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Eight months after the Summit, progress can be reported. The Women and Girls Education Initiative pledged US$100 million over 10 years. The New Partnership Initiative emphasized work at the local level to build sustainable institutional capacity in non-governmental organizations, small business and democratic local governance. USAID has continued to make strides in its microenterprise funding in less developed countries. Programmes supporting women's political participation and women's legal rights are underway.

PANAMA: Amb. Jorge E. Illueca said social change must be effected at the grassroots level with the full participation of civil actors. The United Nations has the responsibility for fostering international cooperation. It must take an integrated approach to the outcomes of United Nations conferences. Cooperation between the United Nations, the specialized agencies and the Bretton Woods institutions should be strengthened. Countries of the Central American region are working towards social integration, and a secretariat headquartered in Panama has been set up for that purpose.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Amb. Mohammad J. Samhan said that development programmes should take into account the aspirations of the future, as well as respect for religions and customs. The United Arab Emirates has made the development of the individual the focus of its programmes. Education, culture and free healthcare programmes have been established. The country has also worked to make employment opportunities available to all men and women and has created programmes to promote women.

SLOVENIA: Amb. Danilo Trk said there are two basic requirements for implementing the Social Summit's outcome: an ethical commitment and careful policy-making. The question of how to involve non-State actors in the process of implementing the Summit's outcome is of critical importance. The Commission for Social Development should be strengthened in order to meet its responsibilities as the central intergovernmental body for the Summit's follow-up. The Commission should adopt a multi-year thematic work programme based on the Summit's main themes of poverty, unemployment and social disintegration.

PAKISTAN: Samiya Waheed Junjejo said that the United Nations should contribute to Social Summit follow-up through the work of ECOSOC, the General Assembly and specialized agencies. The developed countries must fulfill their commitment to allocate 0.7% of GNP for official development assistance (ODA). Pakistan has launched a comprehensive US$8 billion programme for social action to address the urgent needs for basic education, primary healthcare, nutrition, water supply and sanitation.

JAMAICA: Amb. Patricia Durrant said Jamaica has established a monitoring committee to oversee the country's plan of action for implementing the Summit's recommendations. Human resource development is the foundation of Jamaica's poverty eradication efforts. To generate employment in Jamaica, efforts are being made to provide additional credit and technical assistance to strengthen the participation of the poor in the micro-enterprise sector, which has experienced some growth in recent years. Jamaica supports the proposal to hold a special session in the year 2000 to review and appraise the Summit's outcome.

MALTA: Amb. Joseph Cassar said measures to foster social development that have been agreed upon must now be transformed into practical modalities and acted upon at the national, international and United Nations levels. The family, as the basic unit of society, has an enormous role to play in facilitating a stable and secure social environment, not only for its immediate members, but for society as a whole. He reiterated Malta's standing offer to host global or regional training centres to cover areas such as the design and implementation of the Programme of Action.

TURKEY: Hseyin E. elem said the time had come to translate the objectives set out in Copenhagen into action. Global wealth has increased considerably, but has not been equitably distributed; therefore there is a need for formulation of national strategies. But national economic and social plans cannot be achieved by governments alone. He said that the Turkish Parliament has recently adopted the seventh five-year plan emphasizing development of human resources, eradication of poverty, bridging the gaps between regions, and development of adequate rural and social infrastructures.

BANGLADESH: Amb. Raez Rahman said the Summit itself identified actions to be taken to ensure implementation of its outcome, and these must be pursued. Among them was the recommendation that closer links be forged between the Bretton Woods institutions and the United Nations system. It was also recommended that a special session be convened in the year 2000 to examine overall implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action. The Danish Minister for Development Cooperation recently stated that the establishment of an independent commission was not possible due to lack of financial and political backing. Alternative approaches are needed to attain the goals of the proposed commission.

NORWAY: Amb. Svein Aass said one of the most concrete outcomes of the Social Summit was the adoption of the 20:20 concept, which calls for interested developed and developing country partners to allocate, on average, 20% of ODA and 20% of national budgets, respectively, to basic social programmes. In order to help make the 20:20 concept operational, Norway proposes hosting a meeting among interested countries in 1996. A small preparatory group, consisting of three developed and three developing countries, has begun work on the meeting in cooperation with the relevant UN organizations. The preparatory group has recommended that the meeting work toward a common definition of basic social programmes, define modalities for implementing the 20:20 concept, and agree on ways to monitor implementation.

TUNISIA: Amb. Slaheddine Abdellah said that Tunisia has established a national solidarity fund with the goal of reducing social marginalization. The country aims to reconcile economic growth and environmental protection. Particular attention has been paid to providing goods, services and infrastructure to those in rural areas. He supported convening a special session in the year 2000 to review the implementation of the Summit's outcome.

EGYPT: Abdel-Gaffar Eldeeb said the stage of implementation of international programmes stemming from Copenhagen has already begun. To truly implement the strategy and programmes of work for social development, States must take the primary responsibility. Nevertheless, international cooperation is indispensable. It is also necessary that all subsidiary bodies of the UN play their role, especially the Commission for Social Development. The eradication of poverty is the first stage of a strategy for social development.

HOLY SEE: Archbishop Renato Martino noted that unlike other recent international conferences, the Social Summit does not have one clear focal point within the UN system to coordinate its follow-up. He hoped that the Commission for Social Development can be strengthened and rendered more effective to play this role. The human person can only reach full development in a spirit of community and solidarity with others. Providing access for all to opportunities for economic security and development is a major challenge for the future. He also discussed the ethical and spiritual values that are essential for social development.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION

During December, interested delegates drafted a resolution on "Implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development." Consensus on this resolution was achieved only after lengthy consultations. One of the more difficult issues was agreement on the methodology for involving relevant actors of civil society in the field of social development to contribute to the work of the Commission for Social Development. Since this item was considered in the General Assembly Plenary, it was not brought to the Third Committee for adoption but rather was expected to be adopted in the General Assembly Plenary before it adjourned on 22 December 1995.

The draft resolution addressed both the critical importance of national action and international cooperation for social development and the role of the UN system. With regard to national action and international cooperation, the resolution endorses the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action and reaffirms the pledge by the Heads of State and Government to give the highest priority to national, regional and international policies and actions for social development. The draft resolution also:

• stresses the need for political will;

• emphasizes the interdependence of economic development, social development and environmental protection;

• recognizes that implementation of the Programme of Action is primarily the responsibility of Governments;

• reiterates the call to governments to define time-bound goals and targets for poverty reduction and eradication, expanding employment and reducing unemployment, and enhancing social integration;

• reiterates the call for comprehensive cross-sectoral strategies for implementing the Summit outcome;

• reiterates the call for assessing national progress toward implementing the outcome of the Summit through periodic national reports;

• reaffirms the need for an effective partnership between governments and civil society;

• recognizes that the implementation of the Programme of Action and the Declaration will require mobilization of financial resources at the national and international levels as well as substantial debt reduction;

• reaffirms the importance of implementing the 20:20 concept between interested developed and developing countries; and

• urges the Secretary-General, the World Bank and the IMF to study the impact of structural adjustment programmes on economic and social development.

With regard to the role of the UN system, the draft resolution calls on all parts of the UN system to adjust their activities and programmes to take into account follow-up to the Summit. The General Assembly, ECOSOC and the Commission for Social Development will form a three-tiered intergovernmental process for Summit follow-up. A special session of the General Assembly will be held in the year 2000 for overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action.

The draft resolution also calls on ECOSOC to: oversee system-wide coordination in the implementation of the Summit outcome; improve its own effectiveness; and review the reporting system in the area of social development.

The draft resolution calls on the Commission for Social Development to:

• develop a multi-year programme of work to the year 2000, selecting specific themes and addressing them from an interrelated and integrated perspective;

• adapt its mandate to ensure an integrated approach to social development;

• integrate the current sectoral issues on its agenda; review and update its methods of work;

• invite experts to contribute to its work;

• consider integrating high-level representatives on social development issues into its work;

• consider at its next session the composition of its membership and the frequency of its sessions and make recommendations therein to ECOSOC; and

• enable the participation of relevant actors of civil society in the field of social development.

The draft resolution also invites the Regional Commissions in cooperation with regional intergovernmental organizations and banks to consider convening, on a biennial basis, a high-level meeting to review progress made toward implementing the outcome of the Summit. UNDP is requested to facilitate UN-system capacity building efforts. The ILO, the Bretton Woods institutions and the World Trade Organization are also asked to contribute to the implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action.

The Secretary-General is requested to: ensure an effectively functioning Secretariat to assist in the implementation and follow-up of the Summit; and strengthen UN capacity for gathering and analyzing information and developing indicators for social development. Finally, the resolution decides that the Trust Fund of the Social Summit should be continued and renamed "Trust Fund for the Follow-up to the World Summit for Social Development," with the aim of supporting programmes, seminars and activities for the promotion of social development and the implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action and invites all States to contribute to it.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN 1996

COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: The Commission for Social Development will meet in a special session from 21-30 May 1996 at UN Headquarters in New York. The theme of the session will be "Strategies and actions for the eradication of poverty: formulation of integrated strategies; meeting basic human needs of all; and promotion of self-reliance and community-based initiatives."

NORWEGIAN INITIATIVE ON THE 20:20 CONCEPT: Norway has proposed hosting a meeting on operationalizing the 20:20 concept. A small preparatory group, consisting of three developed and three developing countries, has begun work on the meeting in cooperation with the relevant UN organizations. The preparatory group has recommended that the meeting work towards a common definition of basic social programmes, define modalities for implementing the 20:20 concept, and agree on ways to monitor implementation.

DANISH SEMINARS: The Government of Denmark will be convening in Copenhagen international seminars on selected social development issues. The Danes will be setting up a small secretariat to prepare for these seminars.