UN Human Rights Treaties

United Nations
E/1997/26
E/CN.5/1997/11
Commission for Social Development
Report on the thirty-fifth session
(25 February-6 March 1997)
Economic and Social Council
Official Records, 1997
Supplement No. 6
E/1997/26
E/CN.5/1997/11
Commission for Social Development
Report on the thirty-fifth session
(25 February-6 March 1997)
Economic and Social Council
Official Records, 1997
Supplement No. 6
United Nations • New York, 1997
NOTE
Symbols of United Nations documents are composed of capital letters combined with
figures.
ISSN 0251-964X
SUMMARY
At its thirty-fifth session, the Commission for Social Development
considered two main topics under its restructured agenda and multi-year
programme of work, namely the priority theme "Productive employment and
sustainable livelihoods"; and review of relevant United Nations plans and
programmes of action pertaining to the situation of social groups.
On the question of productive employment and sustainable livelihoods, the
Commission adopted a resolution in which it took note of the report of the
Secretary-General prepared in cooperation with the International Labour
Organization and decided to adopt agreed conclusions and transmit them to the
Economic and Social Council as a contribution to the high-level segment of its
substantive session of 1997 (resolution 35/2).
Key points from the agreed conclusions include the importance of:
• Full, productive, appropriately and adequately remunerated and
freely chosen employment as a central objective of economic and
social policies;
• Setting time-bound goals and targets for expanding employment and
reducing unemployment;
• Increasing productivity in rural and urban informal sectors through
improving access to credit, fertile land, productive inputs,
infrastructure, basic social services, information and extension
services;
• Balanced macroeconomic policies to ensure employment growth, price
stability and low interest rates;
• Maximizing the quality and accessibility of such social services as
education and health both to improve well-being and to increase
employment;
• Promoting consensual, equitable approaches to income determination
through a prices and incomes policy as a means of moderating
unemployment, inflation and industrial conflict;
• Promoting life-long learning, beginning with basic education and
continuing with opportunities for further education, training and
skills development;
• Encouraging flexible working time arrangements such as job sharing
and part-time work in order to promote equitable access to work;
• Increasing international, mutually reinforcing economic growth and
social cooperation;
• Improving statistical databases on key social indicators.
After reviewing relevant United Nations plans and programmes of action
relating to the situation of social groups, the Commission recommended five
draft resolutions for adoption by the Council and adopted one resolution to be
brought to the attention of the Council.
-iiiFor
the purpose of conducting the fourth review and appraisal of the
International Plan of Action on Ageing and reviewing the preparations for the
observance of the International Year of Older Persons in 1999, the Commission,
in accordance with Council decision 1996/243, convened an informal in-session
ad hoc working group. The Commission recommended to the Council the adoption
of a draft resolution for the General Assembly, by which the Assembly would
encourage States to establish a national focal point and formulate national
programmes for the Year, bearing in mind the conceptual framework referred to
in General Assembly resolution 50/141; invite States to consider actively
supporting the United Nations Secretariat in the preparation and
implementation of the projects for the Year, inter alia, through voluntary
financial or personnel contributions; request the Secretary-General to
officially launch the Year in 1998, on the occasion of the International Day
of Older Persons; and decide to devote four plenary meetings at its
fifty-fourth session to the follow-up to the Year, which should take place at
an appropriate global policy-making level (draft resolution I).
After taking note of the report of the Secretary-General on the fourth
review and appraisal of the International Plan of Action on Ageing, the
Commission invited the Secretary-General to make recommendations on different
options for the future review and appraisal of the implementation of the Plan
of Action and requested the Secretary-General to report to the Commission at
its thirty-sixth session on the implementation of the resolution (resolution
35/1).
In accordance with General Assembly resolution 48/96, the Commission
considered the report of its Special Rapporteur on Disability, as well as the
future mandate of the Special Rapporteur. After hearing a statement by the
Special Rapporteur, the Commission recommended to the Council the adoption of
a draft resolution, by which the Council would decide to renew the mandate of
the Special Rapporteur for a further period of three years so as to make it
possible to continue the monitoring of the implementation of the Standard
Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in
accordance with section IV of the Rules; urge States to make contributions to
the United Nations Voluntary Fund on Disability so as to support initiatives
on disability and also urged them to support, by financial and other means,
the important work of the Special Rapporteur (draft resolution II).
With regard to children with disabilities, the Commission recommended to
the Council the adoption of a draft resolution, by which the Council would
urge Governments, as well as the United Nations system, to give full attention
to the rights, special needs and welfare of children with disabilities (draft
resolution III).
After taking note with appreciation of the report of the
Secretary-General on the implementation of the World Programme of Action for
Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond, the Commission recommended to the Council
the adoption of a draft resolution, by which the Council would call upon all
States, the United Nations system, other intergovernmental organizations and
non-governmental organizations, in particular youth organizations, to make all
possible efforts to implement the Programme of Action, and would welcome the
offer of the Government of Portugal to host a World Conference of Ministers
Responsible for Youth in Lisbon in August 1998 (draft resolution IV).
-ivWith
regard to the follow-up to the International Year of the Family, the
Commission recommended to the Council the adoption of a draft resolution for
the General Assembly, calling for a more focused and coordinated approach to
family issues within the United Nations system and calling upon Governments to
encourage the active follow-up of the International Year of the Family at the
national and local levels (draft resolution V).
The Commission held two panel meetings with invited experts on the
subject of productive employment and sustainable livelihoods and a dialogue
with the chairpersons of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC)
inter-agency task forces on follow-up to recent major international
conferences in the economic, social and related fields.
The Commission also reviewed the proposed programme of work of the
Division for Social Policy and Development for the biennium 1998-1999 and the
report of the Board of the United Nations Research Institute for Social
Development (UNRISD) for the period 1995-1996. It nominated, for confirmation
by the Council, five candidates for membership in the Board.
Finally, the Commission recommended that the Council approve the
provisional agenda and documentation for its thirty-sixth session, in 1998.
-vCONTENTS
Chapter Page
I. MATTERS CALLING FOR ACTION BY THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL OR
BROUGHT TO ITS ATTENTION ......................................... 1
A. Draft resolutions ............................................ 1
B. Draft decision ............................................... 12
C. Decision calling for action by the Council ................... 13
D. Resolutions and decisions brought to the attention of the
Council ...................................................... 13
II. FOLLOW-UP TO THE WORLD SUMMIT FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT ............. 28
III. PROGRAMME QUESTIONS AND OTHER MATTERS ............................ 52
IV. PROVISIONAL AGENDA FOR THE THIRTY-SIXTH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION 54
V. ADOPTION OF THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSION ON ITS THIRTY-FIFTH
SESSION .......................................................... 55
VI. ORGANIZATION OF THE SESSION ...................................... 56
A. Opening and duration of the session .......................... 56
B. Attendance ................................................... 56
C. Election of officers ......................................... 56
D. Agenda and organization of work .............................. 56
E. Appointment of the co-chairpersons of the working group ...... 57
F. Panel discussions and dialogue ............................... 57
G. Consultations with non-governmental organizations ............ 59
Annexes
I. ATTENDANCE ....................................................... 60
II. LIST OF DOCUMENTS BEFORE THE COMMISSION AT ITS THIRTY-FIFTH
SESSION .......................................................... 65
-viChapter
I
MATTERS CALLING FOR ACTION BY THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
COUNCIL OR BROUGHT TO ITS ATTENTION
A. Draft resolutions
1. The Commission for Social Development recommends to the Economic and Social
Council the adoption of the following draft resolutions:
DRAFT RESOLUTION I
International Year of Older Persons:
towards a society for all ages*
The Economic and Social Council,
Recommends to the General Assembly the adoption of the following draft
resolution:
"The General Assembly,
"Recalling its resolution 47/5 of 16 October 1992, in which it decided
to observe the year 1999 as the International Year of Older Persons,
"Also recalling its resolution 40/30 of 29 November 1985, in which it
expressed its conviction that older persons must be considered an important
and necessary element in the development process at all levels within a
given society,
"Mindful of the need to promote adherence to the United Nations
Principles for Older Persons, as adopted in its resolution 46/91 of
16 December 1991,
"Recalling Economic and Social Council resolution 1993/22 of
27 July 1993, in which the Council invited Member States to strengthen
their national mechanisms on ageing, inter alia, to enable them to serve as
national focal points for the preparations for and observance of the Year,
"Further recalling the relevant provisions of the Copenhagen
Declaration and the Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social
Development,1 the Programme of Action of the International Conference on
Population and Development,2 and the Vienna Declaration and Programme of
* For the discussion, see chap. II, paras. 39-40.
1 Report of the World Summit for Social Development, Copenhagen,
6-12 March 1995 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.96.IV.8), chap. I,
resolution 1, annexes I and II.
2 Report of the International Conference on Population and Development, Cairo,
5-13 September 1994 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.95.XIII.18), chap. I,
resolution 1, annex.
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Action adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights,3 as well as of the
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action4 and the Habitat Agenda,5
"Keeping in mind that the ageing of societies in the twentieth
century, unprecedented in the history of humankind, is a major challenge
for all societies and requires a fundamental change in the way in which
societies organize themselves and view older persons,
"1. Encourages all States, the United Nations system and all other
actors, in reaching out for a future society for all ages, to take
advantage of the International Year of Older Persons so as to increase
awareness of the challenge of the demographic ageing of societies, the
individual and social needs of older persons, the contribution of older
persons to societies and the need for a change in attitudes towards older
persons;
"2. Welcomes the activities undertaken by States, United Nations
organizations and bodies and non-governmental organizations in preparation
for the observance of the Year and encourages them to continue their
efforts;
"3. Invites States to take account of the increasing number and
percentage of older persons in need of help;
"4. Also invites States to develop comprehensive strategies at the
national, regional and local levels to meet the increase in demand for care
and support for older persons as individuals, within their families and
communities, and within institutions, bearing in mind the changing
socio-economic, technological and cultural environment;
"5. Encourages States, with the support of United Nations
organizations, bodies and programmes and non-governmental organizations, to
formulate policies and programmes on ageing with a view to offering older
persons opportunities to utilize their experience and knowledge to promote
a society for all ages based on solidarity between generations, so that
they can contribute to and benefit from full participation in society;
"6. Further encourages States to establish a national focal point
and formulate national programmes for the Year, bearing in mind the
conceptual framework referred to in General Assembly resolution 50/141 of
21 December 1995;
"7. Calls upon States to include a gender dimension in their national
programmes for the Year;
"8. Encourages States to consider establishing ad hoc, broad-based
national coordinating mechanisms for the Year in order to enhance,
3 Report of the World Conference on Human Rights, Vienna, 14-25 June 1993
(A/CONF.157/24 (Part I)), chap. III.
4 Report of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, 4-15 September 1995
(United Nations publication, Sales No. E.96.IV.13), chap. I, resolution 1, annexes
I and II.
5 Report of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II),
Istanbul, 3-14 June 1996 (A/CONF.165/14), chap. I, annex II.
-2-
inter alia, collaboration with representatives of civil society;
"9. Invites States to consider convening high-level and other
meetings at the regional level to discuss the theme "A society for all
ages";
"10. Invites non-governmental organizations, including those
specialized in the question of older persons, to develop programmes and
projects for the Year, particularly at the local level, in cooperation,
inter alia, with local authorities, community leaders, enterprises, the
media and schools, and encourages them to support and participate in the
appropriate national coordinating mechanisms;
"11. Encourages relevant United Nations funds and programmes and
specialized agencies, non-governmental organizations and the private sector
to support local, national and international programmes and projects for
the Year and also encourages them, in particular the United Nations
Development Programme, as well as international financial institutions, to
ensure that the concerns and contributions of older persons are integrated
into their development programmes;
"12. Emphasizes that activities for the Year should be initiated
primarily at the national level;
"13. Invites national and international development agencies, bodies
and international financial institutions to explore feasible approaches to
improving the access of older persons to credit training and appropriate
technologies for income generation, and the participation of older persons
in family enterprises, community enterprises and microenterprises;
"14. Welcomes contributions by the Commission on the Status of Women
on the topic of older women in relation to the Year;
"15. Encourages the Secretary-General to allocate sufficient resources
for promoting and coordinating activities for the Year, bearing in mind
General Assembly resolution 47/5 in which it was decided that observance of
the Year would be supported from resources of the regular budget for the
biennium 1998-1999 and from voluntary contributions;
"16. Invites States to consider actively supporting the United Nations
Secretariat in the preparation and implementation of the projects for the
Year, inter alia, through voluntary financial or personnel contributions;
"17. Welcomes the continuing efforts of the Secretariat to promote
information exchange for 1999 and beyond, inter alia, through regular
publication of the Bulletin on Ageing, and invites the agencies, bodies and
programmes of the United Nations system to consider placing special
emphasis on the theme "A society for all ages" in their publications,
including the Human Development Report;
"18. Invites the Department of Public Information of the United
Nations Secretariat to consider producing a logo and press kit as well as
an exhibit for the Year and invites the United Nations Postal
Administration to consider producing stamps on the theme "A society for all
ages";
"19. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly
-3-
at its fifty-third session on the system-wide implementation of the present
resolution;
"20. Also requests the Secretary-General to officially launch the
International Year for Older Persons in 1998, on the occasion of the
International Day of Older Persons;
"21. Decides to devote four plenary meetings at its fifty-fourth
session to the follow-up to the Year, which should take place at an
appropriate global policy-making level."
DRAFT RESOLUTION II
Equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities*
The Economic and Social Council,
Recalling General Assembly resolution 37/52 of 3 December 1982, by which
the Assembly adopted the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons,
which designates a focal point within the United Nations for coordinating and
monitoring the implementation of the Programme of Action, including its review
and appraisal, and General Assembly resolution 48/96 of 20 December 1993, by
which it adopted the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for
Persons with Disabilities,
Recalling also the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,6 the Convention
on the Rights of the Child7 and other international human rights instruments
which proclaim that the rights therein should be ensured equally to all
individuals, without discrimination,
Recalling further the Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social
Development,8 in which Governments are requested to promote the Standard Rules
and to develop strategies for their implementation and in which it is emphasized
that policies concerning persons with disabilities should focus on their
abilities rather than their disabilities,
Recalling also that children with disabilities and their families or other
caretakers have special needs,
Noting with great satisfaction that the Standard Rules play an important
role in influencing legislation, policies, action and evaluations at both the
national and international levels,
Acknowledging the active role played by non-governmental organizations,
including organizations of persons with disabilities, in support of the Standard
Rules and their contribution to the implementation and monitoring of the Rules,
* For the discussion, see chap. II, paras. 43-46.
6 General Assembly resolution 217 A (III).
7 General Assembly resolution 44/25.
8 Report of the World Summit for Social Development, Copenhagen,
6-12 March 1995 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.96.IV.8), chap. I,
resolution 1, annex II.
-4-
Concerned about the effects of the current budgetary constraints of the
United Nations on its disability activities,
1. Takes note with appreciation of the valuable work done by the Special
Rapporteur on Disability of the Commission for Social Development and welcomes
his comprehensive report;9
2. Urges the United Nations, Governments and the non-governmental
organizations concerned to strengthen their efforts to implement at all levels,
by appropriate legal, administrative, financial and other measures, the goal of
full participation and equality for persons with disabilities, in accordance
with the Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development and the
Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with
Disabilities;
3. Requests the Secretary-General to give higher priority to disability
activities and to allocate the resources necessary to enable the United Nations
Secretariat to fulfil its function as focal point in a forceful way;
4. Urges the Secretary-General and Governments to further the effective
implementation of the Standard Rules and to emphasize the dimension of human
rights, including that dimension for persons with developmental and psychiatric
disabilities;
5. Also urges the Secretary-General and Governments to give full
attention to a gender perspective in all policies and programmes related to
disability;
6. Further urges the Secretary-General and Governments to give full
attention to the rights of children with disabilities;
7. Encourages the United Nations and Governments to involve organizations
of persons with disabilities in policy planning and decision-making processes
regarding education, communications, employment and health services;
8. Also encourages the United Nations and Governments to enhance
cooperation, through appropriate mechanisms of cooperation, with organizations
of persons with disabilities or concerned with disability issues so as to
improve the implementation of the Standard Rules;
9. Urges the United Nations, Governments and the non-governmental
organizations concerned to combat the sexual abuse of persons with disabilities;
10. Requests the Secretary-General to invite appropriate United Nations
bodies to provide advisory services and support to Governments in their efforts
to develop disability policies based on the Standard Rules and thereby
collaborate with the focal point in its role as policy coordinating body and
with organizations of persons with disabilities;
11. Encourages the United Nations Development Programme and other entities
of the United Nations system, including the Bretton Woods institutions and
inter-agency mechanisms, to mainstream disability issues in their development
activities and in their efforts to eradicate poverty;
12. Requests the Secretary-General, as Chairman of the Administrative
9 A/52/56, annex.
-5-
Committee on Coordination, to ensure that the United Nations Children’s Fund,
the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the World
Health Organization and all other relevant organizations and bodies of the
United Nations system take into account, in their policies and programmes, the
rights of children with disabilities and mainstream the particular needs of such
children;
13. Invites the Special Rapporteur and the Committee on the Rights of the
Child to pursue and enhance their cooperation to ensure that the rights of
children with disabilities are fully addressed in the Committee’s reporting
process;
14. Calls upon Governments, when formulating national policies and
strategies during the International Decade for the Eradication of Poverty, to
combat the social exclusion of persons with disabilities, to promote their
employment and to include disability measures in poverty eradication programmes;
15. Urges all Governments to provide education for disabled children,
youth and adults, regardless of the nature of the disability, in accordance with
the Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education;10
16. Urges Governments that have not ratified International Labour
Organization Convention (No. 159) concerning Vocational Rehabilitation and
Employment (Disabled Persons) to consider doing so, in order to strengthen their
policies, and to use the opportunity to obtain technical assistance from the
International Labour Organization, and urges Governments that have ratified the
Convention to seek further guidance when implementing it, in the accompanying
Recommendation No. 168;
17. Encourages donors to provide assistance to developing countries and
countries with economies in transition in their efforts to address the needs of
persons with disabilities and encourages Governments of recipient countries to
include disability matters in their applications for such assistance;
18. Decides to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur for a further
period of three years, so as to make it possible to continue the monitoring of
the implementation of the Standard Rules in accordance with section IV of the
Rules, and to request the Special Rapporteur, assisted by the Secretariat and in
consultation with the panel of experts, to prepare a report for submission to
the Commission for Social Development at its thirty-eighth session;
19. Requests the Special Rapporteur to pay special attention to the
situation of children with disabilities when monitoring the implementation of
the Standard Rules;
20. Urges States to make contributions to the United Nations Voluntary
Fund on Disability so as to support initiatives on disability and also urges
them to support, by financial and other means, the important work of the Special
Rapporteur;
21. Requests the Secretary-General to include in his reports to the
Commission at its thirty-sixth and thirty-seventh sessions information on
activities within the United Nations system that relate to the Commission’s
priority theme of promoting the social integration of disabled persons and its
10 See "Report of the World Conference on Special Needs Education: Access and
Quality", held at Salamanca, Spain, on 7 June 1994 (UNESCO, Paris, 1994).
-6-
priority theme of social services for all, and to counteract the social
exclusion facing persons with disabilities and eradicate poverty among them.
DRAFT RESOLUTION III
Children with disabilities*
The Economic and Social Council,
Recalling the Universal Declaration of Human Rights6 and other
international human rights instruments, including the Convention on the Rights
of the Child,7 which proclaim that the rights therein should be ensured equally
to all individuals without discrimination,
Recalling also the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for
Persons with Disabilities11 and the Long-term Strategy to Implement the World
Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons to the Year 2000 and Beyond,12
as well as the various resolutions and declarations adopted by the General
Assembly relating to persons with physical, mental and psychological
disabilities, including the Declaration on the Rights of Mentally Retarded
Persons13 and the Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons,14
Recalling further the disability provisions in the results of international
conferences, including the World Conference on Special Needs Education: Access
and Quality, held at Salamanca, Spain, in 199410 and the World Summit for Social
Development, held at Copenhagen in 1995,15
Welcoming the report of the Special Rapporteur on Disability of the
Commission for Social Development on monitoring the implementation of the
Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with
Disabilities,9
Noting with appreciation the activities in support of disability issues
carried out by non-governmental organizations,
Convinced that disability is not inability and that it is critically
important to take a positive view of abilities as the basis of planning for
persons with disabilities, in particular children with disabilities,
1. Recognizes the need for special attention to be directed towards
children with disabilities and their families or other caretakers;
* For the discussion, see chap. II, paras. 47-50.
11 General Assembly resolution 48/96, annex.
12 A/49/435, annex.
13 General Assembly resolution 2856 (XXVI).
14 General Assembly resolution 3447 (XXX).
15 See Report of the World Summit for Social Development, Copenhagen,
6-12 March 1995 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.96.IV.8), chap. I,
resolution 1, annexes I and II.
-7-
2. Notes with concern the large numbers of children who have become
disabled physically or mentally, or both, as a consequence, inter alia, of
poverty, disease, disasters, land mines and all forms of violence;
3. Urges both Governments and the Secretary-General to give full
attention to the rights, special needs and welfare of children with
disabilities;
4. Invites Governments, concerned United Nations organizations and
bodies, including the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the World Health
Organization, and non-governmental organizations, especially those of persons
with disabilities, to conduct awareness-raising activities, with a view to
combating and overcoming discrimination against children with disabilities;
5. Encourages further cooperation among Governments, in coordination,
where appropriate, with the United Nations Children’s Fund, other relevant
United Nations organizations and non-governmental organizations, to nurture the
talents and potential of children with disabilities by developing and
disseminating appropriate technologies and know-how;
6. Encourages Governments to include data on children when implementing
rule 13 on information and research of the Standard Rules;
7. Urges Governments to ensure, in accordance with rule 6 of the Standard
Rules, that children with disabilities have equal access to education and that
their education is an integral part of the educational system and also urges
Governments to provide vocational preparatory training appropriate for children
with disabilities;
8. Invites the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization to continue its programme activities aimed at the integration of
children and youth with disabilities into mainstream education and to provide
appropriate assistance to Governments, at their request, in designing and
setting up programmes to encourage the creative, artistic and intellectual
potential of children, including those with disabilities;
9. Calls upon Governments to ensure the participation of children with
disabilities in recreational activities and sports;
10. Emphasizes the right of children with disabilities to the enjoyment of
the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and urges
Governments to ensure the provision of equal access to comprehensive health
services and the adoption of holistic approaches to the total well-being of all
children with disabilities, particularly children at highest risk, including
refugee, displaced or migrant children, children living in situations of
violence and its immediate aftermath, children living in disaster areas, street
children and children in squatter colonies;
11. Encourages Governments to contribute to the United Nations Voluntary
Fund on Disability;
12. Requests the Special Rapporteur, in monitoring the implementation of
the Standard Rules, to pay special attention to the situation of children with
disabilities, to pursue close working relations with the Committee on the Rights
of the Child in its monitoring role with respect to the Convention on the Rights
of the Child and to include in his report to the Commission for Social
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Development at its thirty-eighth session his findings, views, observations and
recommendations on children with disabilities.
DRAFT RESOLUTION IV
Implementation of the World Programme of Action for Youth
to the Year 2000 and Beyond, including a World Conference
of Ministers Responsible for Youth*
The Economic and Social Council,
Recalling General Assembly resolution 50/81 of 14 December 1995, by which
the Assembly adopted the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000
and Beyond, annexed thereto, as an integral part of that resolution,
Noting especially that in paragraph 123 of the Programme of Action current
regional and interregional conferences of ministers responsible for youth
affairs in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean and Western
Asia were invited to intensify cooperation among each other and to consider
meeting regularly at the international level under the aegis of the United
Nations to provide an effective forum for a focused global dialogue on youthrelated
issues,
Noting also that in paragraph 124 of the Programme of Action youth-related
bodies and organizations of the United Nations system were invited to cooperate
with the above-mentioned conferences,
Welcoming the second session of the World Youth Forum of the United Nations
System at Vienna from 25 to 29 November 1996, pursuant to General Assembly
resolutions 44/59 of 8 December 1989 and 50/81, which was convened by the United
Nations in partnership with the Austrian Federal Youth Council, and taking note
of the report of the Forum,16
Mindful that the Secretary-General, in his report on the implementation of
the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond,17
recommended that action be taken to implement the global recommendations of the
Programme of Action and that a report be submitted to the General Assembly
through the Commission for Social Development on progress achieved and obstacles
encountered,
Reiterating the call on all States that have not already done so to
formulate and adopt an integrated national youth policy, in consultation with
youth and youth-related organizations, as reflected in paragraph 112 of the
Programme of Action;
1. Takes note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-General on
the implementation of the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000
and Beyond;
2. Calls upon all States, all United Nations bodies, the specialized
* For the discussion, see chap. II, paras. 51-55.
16 A/52/80-E/1997/14, annex.
17 A/52/60-E/1997/6.
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agencies, the regional commissions and the intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations concerned, in particular youth organizations, to
make all possible efforts for the implementation of the World Programme of
Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond, in accordance with their
experience, situation and priorities;
3. Encourages the regional commissions, within their mandates, pursuant
to the Programme of Action, to convene biennial meetings of regional youth
non-governmental organizations, regional offices of youth-related bodies and
organizations of the United Nations system and regional intergovernmental
organizations to review and discuss issues and trends as well as regional
action;
4. Stresses again the importance of the active and direct participation
of youth and youth organizations at the local, national, regional and
international levels in promoting and implementing the Programme of Action and
in evaluating the progress achieved and obstacles encountered in its
implementation, as well as the importance of the need to support the activities
of youth mechanisms that have been set up by youth and youth organizations;
5. Welcomes the offer of the Government of Portugal to host a World
Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth, to be held at Lisbon from 8 to
12 August 1998 in cooperation with the United Nations;
6. Notes with appreciation that the Government of Portugal has agreed to
support the participation of ministers responsible for youth in the least
developed countries as identified by the General Assembly;
7. Invites all States, youth-related bodies, organizations and agencies
of the United Nations system, the intergovernmental organizations concerned, as
well as non-governmental youth organizations, to support that Conference;
8. Recommends that the report of the Conference be submitted to the
General Assembly at its fifty-fourth session through the Commission for Social
Development at its thirty-seventh session.
DRAFT RESOLUTION V
Follow-up to the International Year of the Family*
The Economic and Social Council
Recommends to the General Assembly the adoption of the following draft
resolution:
"The General Assembly,
"Recalling its resolutions 44/82 of 8 December 1989, 46/92 of
16 December 1991, 47/237 of 20 December 1993 and 50/142 of
21 December 1995, concerning the proclamation, preparations for and
observance of the International Year of the Family,
"Recognizing that the basic objective of the follow-up to the
International Year of the Family should be to strengthen and support
* For the discussion, see chap. II, paras. 56-59.
-10-
families in performing their societal and developmental functions and to
build upon their strengths, particularly at the national and local levels,
"Noting that the family-related provisions of the outcomes of the
world conferences of the 1990s provide policy guidance on ways to
strengthen family-centred components of policies and programmes as part of
an integrated comprehensive approach to development,
"Emphasizing that equality between women and men and respect for the
rights of all family members is essential to family well-being and society
at large,
"1. Takes note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-
General on the International Year of the Family18 and welcomes the
proposals contained therein;
"2. Invites Governments to continue their actions to build familyfriendly
societies, inter alia, by promoting the rights of individual
family members, in particular gender equality and the rights of the child;
"3. Emphasizes the need for a more focused and coordinated approach
towards family issues within the United Nations system;
"4. Calls upon Governments, non-governmental organizations, other
organizations of civil society, the private sector and individuals to
contribute generously to the United Nations Trust Fund on Family
Activities;
"5. Urges Governments to take sustained action at all levels
concerning families, including studies and applied research on families,
and to promote the role of families in development and invites Governments
to develop concrete measures and approaches to address national priorities
to deal with family issues;
"6. Recommends that all relevant actors in civil society, including
research and academic institutions, contribute to and participate in
actions on families;
"7. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to play an active role
in facilitating international cooperation within the framework of the
follow-up to the International Year of the Family, to facilitate the
exchange of experiences and information among Governments on effective
policies and strategies, to facilitate technical assistance, with a focus
on least developed and developing countries, and to encourage the
organization of subregional and interregional meetings and relevant
research;
"8. Calls upon Governments to encourage the active follow-up to the
International Year of the Family at the national and local levels;
"9. Reaffirms Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/7, in which
the Council decided that the follow-up to the International Year of the
Family should be an integral part of the multi-year work programme of the
Commission for Social Development."
18 A/52/57-E/1997/4.
-11-
B. Draft decision
2. The Commission for Social Development recommends to the Economic and Social
Council the adoption of the following draft decision:
Report of the Commission for Social Development on
its thirty-fifth session and provisional agenda and
documentation for the thirty-sixth session of the
Commission
The Economic and Social Council
(a) Takes note of the report of the Commission for Social Development on
its thirty-fifth session and endorses the resolutions and decisions adopted by
the Commission;
(b) Approves the provisional agenda and documentation for the thirty-sixth
session of the Commission set out below.
PROVISIONAL AGENDA AND DOCUMENTATION FOR THE THIRTY-SIXTH
SESSION OF THE COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Election of officers.
2. Adoption of the agenda and other organizational matters.
3. Follow-up to the World Summit for Social Development:
The Commission will review progress made in the implementation
and follow-up to the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and
the Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development and
consider at each of its sessions issues relating to the enabling
environment for social development, the special situation of Africa
and the least developed countries, enhancement of social development
goals in structural adjustment programmes, the mobilization of
domestic and international resources for social development, and the
framework for international, regional and subregional cooperation for
social development.
(a) Priority theme: Promoting social integration and participation
of all people, including disadvantaged and vulnerable groups and
persons;
The Commission will consider the following specific topics:
(i) promoting social integration through responsive government, full
participation in society, non-discrimination, tolerance, equality and
social justice; (ii) enhancing social protection, reducing
vulnerability and enhancing employment opportunities for groups with
specific needs; and (iii) violence, crime and the problem of illicit
drugs and substance abuse as factors of social disintegration. The
Commission will consider the specific topics also from a gender
perspective.
(b) Review of relevant United Nations plans and programmes of action
pertaining to the situation of social groups.
-12-
Documentation
Report of the Secretary-General on promoting social integration and
participation
Report of the Secretary-General on different options for the future
review and appraisal of the International Plan of Action on Ageing
4. Provisional agenda for the thirty-seventh session of the Commission.
5. Adoption of the report of the Commission on its thirty-sixth session.
C. Decision calling for action by the Council
3. The following decision adopted by the Commission for Social Development
calls for action by the Economic and Social Council:
Decision 35/101. Nomination of members of the Board of the
United Nations Research Institute for
Social Development
At its 9th meeting, on 4 March 1997, on the proposal of the Chairman, the
Commission for Social Development decided to nominate, for confirmation by the
Economic and Social Council, the following new candidates for membership in the
Board of the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development for a
four-year term beginning on 1 July 1997: Heba Alimad Handoussa (Egypt),
Eveline Herfkens (Netherlands) Graça Simbine Machel (Mozambique), Marcia Rivera
(United States of America) and Gita Sen (India).
D. Resolutions and decisions brought to the
attention of the Council
4. The following resolutions and decisions adopted by the Commission for
Social Development are brought to the attention of the Economic and Social
Council:
Resolution 35/1. Fourth review and appraisal of the
International Plan of Action on
Ageing*
The Commission for Social Development,
Recalling the International Plan of Action on Ageing, in which it was
recommended that the Commission for Social Development be designated the
intergovernmental body to review the implementation of the Plan of Action every
four years and to make proposals for updating the Plan, as considered necessary,
and to transmit the findings of that exercise to the General Assembly for its
consideration through the Economic and Social Council,19
Taking note with appreciation of the conclusions and recommendations made
in the report of the Secretary-General on the fourth review and appraisal of the
* For the discussion, see chap. II, paras. 41-42.
-13-
International Plan of Action on Ageing,20
Taking note of the results of the in-session open-ended ad hoc working
group that carried out the fourth review and appraisal exercise,
Concerned that the number of countries responding to the questionnaire on
which the review and appraisal exercise is based has diminished,
Also concerned that the findings of the review and appraisal exercises have
consistently shown that although modest progress has been made in implementing
the Plan of Action, implementation remains a largely incomplete task,
particularly in developing countries,
1. Recommends that henceforth the United Nations Principles for Older
Persons be annexed to publications on the International Plan of Action on
Ageing;
2. Invites the Secretary-General to make recommendations on different
options for the future review and appraisal of the implementation of the Plan of
Action;
3. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Commission at its
thirty-sixth session on the implementation of the present resolution, under the
sub-item entitled "Review of relevant United Nations plans and programmes of
action pertaining to the situation of social groups" of the item entitled
"Follow-up to the World Summit for Social Development".
Resolution 35/2. Productive employment and
sustainable livelihoods*
The Commission for Social Development,
Recalling General Assembly resolutions 50/161 of 22 December 1995, by which
the Assembly endorsed the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and the
Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development, and 51/202 of
17 December 1996,
Recalling also Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/7 of
22 July 1996, by which the Council decided that the Commission for Social
Development, as a functional Commission of the Economic and Social Council,
should have the primary responsibility for the follow-up to the Summit and
review of the implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development
and the Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development;
Having considered the priority theme for 1997, "Productive employment and
sustainable livelihoods",
1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on productive
* For the discussion, see chap. II, paras. 30-38.
19 Report of the World Assembly on Ageing, Vienna, 26 July-6 August 1982
(United Nations publication, Sales No. E.82.I.16), chap. VI, para. 118.
20 E/CN.5/1997/4.
-14-
employment and sustainable livelihoods;21
2. Decides to adopt the following agreed conclusions and transmit them to
the Economic and Social Council as a contribution to the high-level segment of
its substantive session of 1997.
AGREED CONCLUSIONS ON PRODUCTIVE EMPLOYMENT
AND SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS
I. UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDEREMPLOYMENT
1. Over 120 million people worldwide are officially unemployed and many more
underemployed, causing massive personal suffering, widespread social
disintegration and huge economic waste. In many developing countries,
unemployment remains a major unresolved problem and there has been a rise in
underemployment, with a majority of the labour force remaining in lowproductivity
work that offers no escape from poverty. In a majority of
industrialized countries, unemployment has persisted for over two decades while
most transition economies have experienced a rapid rise in unemployment since
1990. These existing levels of unemployment and underemployment inflict a high
human cost on society in general and the unemployed in particular, in terms of
increased poverty, marginalization, exclusion, inequalities, reduced well-being
and loss of dignity.
2. The Commission urges all countries to strengthen and sustain their efforts
towards implementation of the commitments made in the Copenhagen Declaration and
the Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development, especially
in the context of chapter III on expansion of productive employment and
reduction of unemployment. The Commission restates its strong commitment to the
goals and programmes so effectively and authoritatively articulated at the
Summit.
II. THE GOAL OF FULL EMPLOYMENT
3. Against this background it is imperative for all countries and the
international community to reinstate the attainment of full, productive,
appropriately and adequately remunerated, and freely chosen employment as a
central objective of economic and social policies. Such a commitment is an
essential first step towards reversing the serious unemployment and
underemployment situations that exist in most parts of the world. A better
understanding of how policy actions impact on employment trends will help take
this commitment forward. Defining time-bound goals and targets for reducing
overall poverty and eradicating absolute poverty, expanding employment and
reducing unemployment, and enhancing social integration, within each national
context, would give a strong signal of the increased priority to be accorded to
the objective of full employment. With sufficient political will and the
coordinated implementation of a comprehensive set of policies, as well as
international cooperation in creating an enabling environment, full employment
remains an attainable goal. In this context, it is important that broad and
comprehensive policies include targeted measures to eradicate poverty and
address social and economic inequalities and exclusion.
4. Pursuit of full employment shall be guided by the objective of ensuring the
21 E/CN.5/1997/3.
-15-
well-being, equality, dignity and worth of the human person and the full
enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms. In this context, it is
important that Governments mainstream a gender perspective in all policies and
programmes related to employment.
5. Central importance should be assigned to employment in the formulation and
implementation of economic and social policies, with the understanding that the
public sector, private sector, cooperatives and civil society have a shared
interest in and responsibility for employment, and that the achievement of full
employment should be a permanent goal for all of them.
6. The involvement of communities and all actors of civil society for full
participation and maximum self-reliance should also draw on the resources,
strengths and networks that exist at grass-roots levels.
7. It is acknowledged that in economies in transition, employment markets are
characterized by indications of high non-registered components of working
activities, including both employment and unemployment. The promotion of full
employment in these countries in order to enable people to support themselves
should be considered a basic priority in social and economic strategies,
alongside the control of inflation and budget deficits.
III. EMPLOYMENT STRATEGY: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL
8. Open markets and the free flow of goods and services and investment among
the countries of the world contribute significantly to achieving the goal of
full employment. To this end it is important to sustain progress towards a more
open, stable, equitable and rule-based world economy. Pursuit of growthoriented
policies is equally important for achieving the goal of full employment
in each country. Strengthened international cooperation constitutes an
important factor in ensuring a stable environment for the growth of the world
economy. States are called upon to refrain from any unilateral measure not in
accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations that
creates obstacles to trade relations among States, impedes the full realization
of social and economic development and hinders the well-being of the population
of the countries affected. It will also be important to make further progress
towards effective, equitable, development-oriented and durable solutions to the
external debt and debt-servicing problems of developing countries, particularly
the poorest and heavily indebted countries.
9. Strengthened international cooperation and the application of appropriate
national policy will also contribute to ensuring a stable environment conducive
to promoting social development, including reduction of unemployment and
generation of productive employment in developing countries, in particular those
in Africa and the least developed countries. Particular consideration should
also be given to the specific needs of small island and land-locked developing
countries.
10. The social dimensions of international economic policies should receive
greater attention and, to this end, cooperation between the United Nations, the
International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Bretton Woods institutions
should be enhanced. In this context, the recommendation of the World Summit for
Social Development for joint meetings of the Secretary-General and the heads of
the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, ILO and other relevant United
Nations agencies should be implemented. It is also important to continue to
enhance the interaction between the Economic and Social Council and the Bretton
-16-
Woods institutions, in particular through the high-level segment of the Council.
In addition, the promotion of productive employment with fair wages and working
conditions should be recognized as an important objective of development
cooperation policies. To this effect, the United Nations, in cooperation with
the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and other multilateral
institutions should enhance the positive and address the negative impacts of
structural adjustment programmes on economic and social development and assist
adjusting countries in creating conditions for economic growth, employment
opportunities, poverty eradication and social development while protecting basic
social programmes and expenditures from budget reductions. A strong social
component should be incorporated into economic reform programmes in order to
enhance the positive effects and minimize the negative effects of globalization.
11. At the national level, sound fiscal and monetary policies that foster
broadly based long-term growth should be strengthened and promoted. Transparent
and accountable governance, an open and stable political, economic and social
environment, peace and security, and respect for all human rights are essential
for social development and full employment. In addition, Governments, together
with workers and employers, must provide an enabling environment that nurtures
the creation of highly productive new enterprises, encourages other forms of
productive work and employment, and generates sustainable growth and social
development.
12. Policies to promote growth and employment should be based on an appropriate
mix of sound policies. This could include restructuring public expenditure,
strengthening the social protection system to make it more employment-friendly,
enhancing investment in human resources and encouraging voluntary worker
mobility and more active labour market policies.
13. It should also be recognized that economic and social policies are mutually
reinforcing and that social policy is a productive factor that has an important
impact on social cohesion and sustainable development. Of particular importance
are policies that place the creation of employment at the centre of national
strategies, through expanding work opportunities and increasing productivity in
both rural and urban sectors, through upgrading skills to provide security in
the context of changing patterns of work, and through raising the motivation of
workers by, inter alia, fostering participatory relations at the workplace. The
environmental perspective should also be integrated into employment policies by
promoting and taking into account sustainable utilization of environmental
resources and fully exploiting the potential for growth and employment creation
in activities that prevent, repair or limit environmental damage.
14. Governments should utilize and develop fully the potential and contribution
of cooperatives for the attainment of social development goals, in particular
the generation of productive employment.
IV. POVERTY ERADICATION, EQUALITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
15. Higher rates of growth of productive employment are essential for meeting
peoples’ aspirations for participation in economic and social life, for
eradicating poverty and ensuring equity, and for preserving social cohesion. A
high rate of employment generation facilitates the task of ensuring that all
workers - men and women, young and old, minorities and persons with
disabilities - have the opportunity to be productive participants in the
workforce. But the goal must not only be the creation of more jobs; there must
be simultaneous concern with improving the quality of employment and working
-17-
conditions. Governments should enhance the quality of work and employment and
safeguard and promote respect for basic worker’s rights, including the
prohibition of forced labour and child labour, freedom of association and the
right to organize and bargain collectively, equal remuneration for men and women
for work of equal value, and non-discrimination in employment, fully
implementing the conventions of ILO in the case of States parties to those
conventions, and taking into account the principles embodied in those
conventions in the case of States not parties to the conventions. These basic
worker rights must and can be protected for all individuals in all countries.
There should be strong support for ILO to promote the ratification and
implementation of relevant conventions.
16. In addition to improving the quality of employment, public policy should
also emphasize strengthening the capacity of people living in poverty and other
disadvantaged and marginalized groups to benefit from economic growth and new
employment opportunities. In developing countries this implies special
attention to the rural and urban informal sectors where the poor are
concentrated. Small and marginal farmers, especially those in ecologically
fragile and remote areas, are handicapped in their access to productive
resources and cannot benefit fully from new economic opportunities. They
require increased State support to improve their access to credit, fertile land,
productive inputs and extension services. This needs to be supplemented by
investments in rural infrastructure, measures to improve access of the rural
population to basic social services and the implementation of targeted measures
to develop sustainable livelihoods.
17. Similarly, a majority of the urban labour force in many developing
countries continue to depend for survival on low-productivity activities in both
the formal and informal sectors. The dependence on such activities has grown in
countries where employment in the modern sector has either stagnated or
declined. Therefore acceleration of industrialization in these developing
countries is crucial for economic growth, employment and enhancing their
competitive capacity in this age of globalization and liberalization. It is
thus important to adopt policies and programmes to raise productivity and
earnings in informal sector activities and improve working conditions. This
should include action to remove unnecessary regulatory obstacles to the
formation and operation of micro and small enterprises, to improve the access of
such enterprises to credit and other enterprise development programmes, and to
provide sites endowed with basic infrastructure to enable such enterprises to
operate. In particular, innovative alternatives to formal credit systems, such
as group-based micro-credit schemes, need to be actively promoted.
18. There is a need for a coherent set of legislative measures with programmes
to strengthen the small business sector through the development of appropriate
legal, management and financial structures and enable the sector to develop in a
sustained and organized way, and to initiate and strengthen financing mechanisms
that enhance small business sector access to financial services and reduce the
cost of providing and acquiring these services.
19. Apart from the problems relating to the rural and informal sectors in
developing countries, an important aspect of policy that should be emphasized in
all countries is the need to provide adequate safety nets for those adversely
affected by economic change and to facilitate their redeployment into new
activities. The need for such policies is increasing in today’s rapidly
changing global economy. Freer flows of trade and investment, together with
rapid technological change, increase the pressures to adjust structures of
production and to reform economic policies and institutions. The impact of
-18-
these pressures has been seen in reduced employment prospects for low-skilled
workers in the industrialized countries, in the sharp rise in unemployment and
inequality in the transition economies, and in the social costs of structural
adjustment and economic reform in developing countries. A key requirement for
coping with these problems is the enhancement of the "employability" of all
workers. This involves measures to ensure that workers have the skills and
abilities they need to move efficiently from job to job and that they
continually maintain and upgrade those skills and abilities.
20. Another crucial dimension is equal opportunity for men and women. A gender
perspective should permeate all policies and programmes aimed at employment
creation, including attention to paid and unpaid work. This is particularly
important at the stage of policy formulation, where the potential impact of
proposed policies on gender equality should be analysed. Gender impact analyses
should also be a regular feature in all stages of policy-making. Employment
policies should also contain positive actions to ensure equal opportunities for
women. In this connection all countries should fully implement the commitments
assumed in Beijing and their obligations under the Convention on the Elimination
of Discrimination against Women and other international human rights instruments
to which they are parties concerning women’s economic rights and independence,
including access to employment and resources and appropriate working conditions.
21. The Commission therefore recommends that:
(a) A gender perspective should be mainstreamed throughout all policies
and programmes aimed at employment creation, so that, before decisions are
taken, an analysis is made of their effects on men and women, respectively.
Gender-sensitive employment policies should not only contain special policies to
enhance the labour market prospects for women, but also include gender-impact
analysis as a regular feature in all stages of the overall policy-making
process;
(b) Governments should actively combat gender discrimination in the labour
market. Flexible working time arrangements and social support mechanisms, such
as child care, should be provided to allow men and women to harmonize work and
family responsibilities. Occupational segregation should be eliminated,
inter alia, by ensuring that girls complete their education and by encouraging
both boys and girls to make non-traditional career choices. Steps should also
be taken to ensure that the high representation of women in part-time
employment, or another factor, does not exclude them from training. Women’s
active participation in political decision-making, as well as in the structures
of economic decision-making, and in workers’ and employers’ organizations should
be strengthened;
(c) Governments should allocate resources to improve women’s access to
credit and technology so as to facilitate self-employment and the setting-up of
small enterprises - a type of measure that has been successful in many
countries;
(d) Governments should undertake legislative and administrative reforms to
give women equal rights with men to economic resources, including access to
ownership and control over land and other forms of property, credit,
inheritance, natural resources and appropriate new technology;
(e) The importance and relevance of micro-credit programmes for poverty
eradication, creation of productive employment and sustainable livelihoods for
people living in poverty is recognized. Micro-credit programmes should
-19-
therefore be promoted actively at both the national and global levels, with the
active cooperation of the international organizations concerned.
V. NATIONAL ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL POLICIES
22. Within national economic and social strategies in which full employment is
a central goal, countries should:
(a) Apply a balanced and credible macroeconomic policy mix over the medium
term in order to ensure both price stability and low interest rates as well as
sustainable growth, productive investment and employment. In some countries
this implies budgetary consolidation to make room for productive investment in
line with rising demand. In this context it is worth noting that there is no
inherent conflict between sound macroeconomic and budget policies on the one
hand and strong and sustainable growth in output and employment on the other;
(b) Implement a stability-oriented policy to promote growth and employment
based on an appropriate mix of policies. This should include the restructuring
of public expenditure, reform of social protection systems, where appropriate,
to make them more employment-friendly, investment in human resources and the
encouragement of voluntary worker mobility and more active labour market
policies, as well as the establishment, where appropriate, of a social safety
mechanism to minimize the adverse effect of structural adjustment;
(c) Recognize that economic and social policies are mutually reinforcing:
social policy should be considered as a productive factor that can have a
positive impact on social cohesion. Important in this regard are: upgrading
the levels of skills and providing security in the context of changing patterns
of work and increasing the trust and motivation of workers;
(d) Concentrate public outlays where they will maximize the quality and
accessibility of services. Expansion of social services, such as education and
health, can improve the well-being of the population and increase employment;
(e) Make taxation and social protection systems more employment-friendly
by providing clear incentives for job seekers to take jobs or participate in
other employment-enhancing activities and for employers to hire more workers;
(f) Strengthen the legal and institutional framework of emerging financial
markets so as to increase their attractiveness for both domestic and foreign
investors, and also the value of investments to recipient countries.
Governments and international financial institutions have a contribution to make
to reducing the risks of volatility of short-term capital flows and to promoting
stability in domestic financial markets, within their respective competences;
(g) Promote productive employment with fair wages and working conditions
as an important objective of development cooperation policies;
(h) As part of poverty eradication strategies, increase support for basic
social services in view of the positive effects on enhancing the quality of the
labour force and in line with the continuing work between interested developing
and developed countries as a result of the 20/20 initiative;
(i) Promote investment in the developing countries, both foreign direct
and domestic, taking into account the comparative advantages of these countries,
and direct it towards a balanced growth pattern between the modern, rural and
-20-
informal sectors within the framework of sustainable development;
(j) Also promote investment in countries with economies in transition,
taking into account the specific features of their economic and social
development;
(k) Give urgent attention to improving the enabling environment for small
and micro enterprises, cooperatives and the informal sector, which can make a
significant contribution to reducing underemployment and unemployment in urban
as well as rural areas. This should include the development of appropriate
legal, management and financial structures to enable small and micro enterprises
and the self-employed to develop in a sustained and organized way, and to
initiate and strengthen financing mechanisms that enhance equal access to credit
and other financial services and reduce the cost of providing and acquiring
these services;
(l) Promote, in ways that are appropriate to national institutional
structures, prices and incomes policy and are consensual, equitable approaches
to income determination as effective means of moderating both unemployment and
inflation;
(m) Develop tripartite forms of social dialogue among Governments, workers
and employers’ organizations in support of employment generation as a priority
item on the national policy agenda and promote labour management cooperation
that contributes to productivity enhancement and job creation.
VI. EDUCATION, TRAINING, LABOUR MARKET
POLICIES AND PATTERNS OF WORK
23. With a view to creating and expanding employment and improving its quality,
countries at all levels of development should have policies and programmes to
improve education, training and the functioning of the labour market. The
Commission encourages Governments to:
(a) Promote investment in and universal equal and non-discriminatory
access to basic education;
(b) Promote lifelong learning, beginning with basic education and
continuing with opportunities for further education, training and skills
development, including opportunities combined with employment. Lifelong
learning should be supported by incentives for job seekers to take jobs or
participate in other employment-enhancing activities and for employers to hire
more workers, as well as by establishing a better link between education and
training systems and the business world;
(c) Improve and strengthen vocational training and adapt training systems
to improve the supply response to skill requirements and to meet the training
needs of the self-employed;
(d) Engage in integrated policy-making that highlights and fosters the
linkages between education and training policies on the one hand and labour
market policies on the other;
(e) Implement labour market policies that facilitate worker adjustment,
provide a safety net to those adversely affected by economic change and promote
skill development and increased employability. Efforts should aim at promoting
-21-
"employability and livelihood security" by ensuring that workers have the skills
and abilities they need and the opportunity to continually maintain and upgrade
them in order to move efficiently from job to job and that the self-employed
have a work-friendly and enabling environment to freely engage in any form of
productive and socially useful work;
(f) Combine worker protection and security with the need for appropriate
labour market flexibility, establishing a new balance between flexibility and
security;
(g) Establish a well functioning public employment service or strengthen
the capacity of public and private employment services to offer training,
individual job-search counselling and adequate social protection. Efforts
should be targeted at groups with particular labour market difficulties and aim
at preventing long-term unemployment;
(h) Take urgent action to prevent long-term unemployment, in particular by
strengthening the capacity of public and private employment services to offer
training and individual job-search counselling as necessary, while offering an
adequate social protection mechanism.
24. There is a need to intensify efforts to achieve a broader recognition and
understanding of work, employment and different patterns of work. The
Commission therefore recommends:
(a) Giving due attention to socially productive activities, including
unremunerated work, a relatively large part of which is done by women;
(b) Giving due attention to the work done in the informal sector;
(c) Adopting policies to stimulate flexible working time arrangements,
such as job sharing and part-time work, in order to promote equitable access to
work and ensure that each individual is given the opportunity to combine paid
employment, training and education, unpaid caring tasks and volunteer activity;
(d) Adopting policies to enable workers to combine work and family
responsibilities and better share paid employment and unpaid caring tasks
between women and men through the enhanced availability of facilities such as
child care and flexible working conditions.
VII. CHILD LABOUR
25. The continued prevalence of child labour, often in inhumane and
exploitative conditions, blights the future of the children involved and
represents a short-sighted sacrifice by society. The elimination of child
labour requires the following measures:
(a) All States that have not yet done so should sign and ratify the
Convention on the Rights of the Child, and furthermore, all States that are
parties or signatories should promote and implement the provisions of the
Convention;
(b) Governments should translate into concrete action their commitment to
the progressive and effective elimination of child labour and should implement,
inter alia, national action plans that would incorporate, inter alia, the
recommendation contained in the resolution on the elimination of child labour
-22-
adopted by the International Labour Organization at its eighty-third session
(June 1996), as well as other relevant resolutions on the subject adopted by the
General Assembly and the Commission on Human Rights;
(c) The elimination of child labour should be achieved as part of a larger
programme in which society provides alternative assistance or economic
opportunity; the International Labour Organization, in close cooperation with
the United Nations Children’s Fund and other United Nations agencies, supports
national efforts to eliminate child labour. Continued financial support from
the donor community for the ILO International Programme for the Elimination of
Child Labour (IPEC) is particularly important;
(d) ILO should pursue its normative work on child labour by promoting the
ratification and implementation of Convention (No. 138) concerning Minimum Age
for Admission to Employment;
(e) Governments should support ILO work on the drafting of a new ILO
convention on the elimination of the most intolerable forms of child labour.
VIII. GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
26. The Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and the Programme of
Action of the World Summit for Social Development identified necessary
requirements for improvements in the design of policies and programmes to
enhance employment opportunities for groups with special needs and to combat
exclusion from the labour market. To achieve this end requires:
(a) Developing and implementing policies designed to ensure that all those
with special needs have the opportunity to be productive participants in the
workforce, and are given access to credit, technologies and training on a
non-discriminatory basis;
(b) Intensifying efforts to integrate young people in the world of work by
providing them with opportunities to acquire sufficient basic education and
adequate vocational qualifications and by focusing training and work experience
on their specific needs. Particular efforts are necessary to help young people,
especially school leavers who have virtually no qualifications, by offering them
either employment or training. In this regard, the offer of the Government of
Portugal to host in August 1998 a World Conference of Ministers Responsible for
Youth, in cooperation with the United Nations, which will deal, inter alia, with
the issue of youth employment, is warmly welcomed. All Member States, the
programmes and agencies of the United Nations system, youth non-governmental
organizations and intergovernmental organizations are called upon to support the
World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth;
(c) Taking appropriate measures, in collaboration with employers’ and
workers’ organizations, to combat the unemployment of older workers by ensuring,
to the maximum extent possible, that older workers can continue to work under
satisfactory conditions and have the opportunity to update their knowledge and
skills and to enjoy security of employment;
(d) Facilitating the opportunity for those who retire early, and wish to
do so, to take up socially productive activities (socially useful services),
remunerated or not, part-time or casual, as appropriate, and to create the
conditions for this broader recognition of work and employment;
-23-
(e) Widening the range of employment opportunities for persons with
disabilities by: (i) ensuring that regulations and public policy do not
discriminate against persons with disabilities and that they have equal access
to education and training; (ii) encouraging and assisting disabled persons to
obtain employment in the open market to the extent possible, and when this is
not practical, emphasizing appropriate adjustment in the workplace to
accommodate persons with disabilities as well as alternative forms of
employment. Government agencies, workers' organizations and employers should
cooperate with organizations of disabled persons to create training and
employment opportunities, as well as rehabilitation services. Access to viable
self-employment and possibilities to set up businesses should be facilitated;
Governments and civil society should work together to formulate and implement
policies and strategies in order to create equal job opportunities for persons
with disabilities. Workers with disabilities should be integrated in the
mainstream of labour market policy-making in order to allow them to participate
fully in the labour force in general;
(f) Encouraging and facilitating the creation and development of various
forms of cooperatives, especially among people living in poverty and/or
belonging to vulnerable groups through providing them with greater access to
micro credits and productive resources;
(g) Helping vulnerable and disadvantaged groups to integrate better into
society and thus participate more effectively in economic and social
development. In this regard, it may be appropriate to create socially
productive activities, allowing them to develop their full potential so as to
facilitate their social integration.
IX. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
27. Globalization offers opportunities, challenges and risks. There is general
agreement on the value of a more open and rule-based international system
characterized by a freer flow of trade and foreign investment and increased
financial flows. National strategies of economic reform and international
cooperation must incorporate strong concern for the social implications in order
to enhance the positive and minimize the negative effects of the global economy.
28. Increased international economic and social cooperation is essential.
Growth of trade and increased financial flows offer opportunities for expansion
of employment in many countries. Increased integration should be accompanied by
mutually reinforcing economic growth and adequate social programmes for all
countries concerned. The Commission urges countries to strengthen their
coordination mechanisms so that markets expand and are equally accessible to all
countries.
29. The Governments of all countries should strengthen international
cooperation and promote the establishment of an open, equitable, cooperative and
mutually beneficial international economic environment. Such an environment is
important for the expansion of productive employment and sustainable
livelihoods. Developed countries and the international community at large,
including relevant United Nations organizations, are urged to assist developing
countries, in particular African countries and the least developed countries,
including through technical cooperation and financial assistance, in their
efforts to improve the ability and the competitive capacity to participate in
global economic development and alleviate unemployment. Particular attention
should also be given to the specific needs of small island and landlocked
-24-
developing countries.
30. The international community is also urged to assist countries with
economies in transition to overcome their specific problems in productive
employment.
31. The Commission reaffirms the urgent need for the international community to
strive for the fulfilment of the agreed target of 0.7 per cent of the gross
national product of developed countries for overall official development
assistance as soon as possible. It calls upon Governments and the international
community, including international financial institutions, to implement fully
and effectively all initiatives that will contribute to a durable solution of
the debt problems of developing countries, in particular African countries and
the least developed countries, and thus support their efforts to achieve social
development.
32. The Commission calls upon Governments and the international community to
seek to mobilize new and additional financial resources that are both adequate
and predictable and mobilized in such a way as to maximize the availability of
such resources and to use all available funding sources and mechanisms,
inter alia, multilateral, bilateral and private sources, including on
concessional and grant terms.
33. The Commission invites the Economic and Social Council to continue to
consider new and innovative ideas for generating funds.
34. The Commission invites Governments to contribute to the Trust Fund for the
Follow-up to the World Summit for Social Development.
35. The Commission reaffirms the need to promote greater access to technology
and technical assistance, as well as corresponding know-how, which is crucial
for economic growth and employment, particularly in developing countries. The
international community is invited to participate actively towards the
attainment of this goal through multilateral institutions and bilaterally.
X. ADDITIONAL SPECIFIC FOLLOW-UP ACTIONS
36. The Commission renews the call to all relevant organs, organizations and
bodies of the United Nations system to be involved in the follow-up to the
Summit, and invites specialized agencies and related organizations of the United
Nations system to strengthen and adjust their activities, programmes and mediumterm
strategies, as appropriate, to take into account the follow-up to the
Summit.
37. Statistical databases and data collection at the national and international
levels on key social indicators, including employment indicators, particularly
in the informal sector, should be improved. In this regard, United Nations
funds, programmes and agencies are urged to support and assist the efforts of
developing countries, in particular the least developed countries. In the
United Nations, the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) should have
an increased role in the coordination of social indicators. Data reporting to
ILO should be more regular, updated and complete.
38. The United Nations system’s capacity for gathering and analysing
information and developing indicators of social development should be
strengthened, taking into account the work carried out by different countries,
-25-
in particular developing countries. The capacity of the United Nations system
for providing policy and technical support and advice, upon request, to improve
national capacities in this regard should also be strengthened.
39. Coordination of United Nations system efforts at the field level in support
of developing country programmes for employment creation and sustainable
livelihoods should be enhanced, taking full account of the Copenhagen
Declaration on Social Development and the Programme of Action of the World
Summit for Social Development and related international agreements. The
importance of common guidelines for the resident coordinator system as
recommended by the ACC Task Force on Employment and Sustainable Livelihoods is
stressed.
40. The Secretary-General is invited to give appropriate attention to the
cross-sectoral themes identified in paragraph 15 of the Economic and Social
Council resolution 1996/7 in the preparation of the annual analytical report on
the thematic issues before the Commission.
41. The Secretary-General is requested, in the framework of United Nations
system-wide coordination, to assist the Commission for Social Development and
the Economic and Social Council to broaden and deepen the policy debate on
employment issues.
Decision 35/102. Chairman’s summary of the dialogue with the
chairpersons of the inter-agency task forces
on follow-up to international conferences and
of the panel discussions on productive
employment and sustainable livelihoods
The Commission for Social Development decides to include in the report on
its thirty-fifth session the Chairman’s summary of the dialogue with the
chairpersons of the inter-agency task forces on follow-up to international
conferences and of the panel discussions on productive employment and
sustainable livelihoods.
Decision 35/103. Documents considered in connection with the
follow-up to the World Summit for Social
Development
The Commission for Social Development takes note of the following
documents:
(a) Report of the Secretary-General on follow-up to the World Summit for
Social Development (E/CN.5/1997/2);
(b) Report of the Secretary-General on emerging issues, trends and new
approaches, and programme activities of the Secretariat and the regional
commissions relating to social development, including the situation of specific
groups (E/CN.5/1997/5);
(c) Report of the Secretary-General on social welfare and social
development activities of the regional commissions for the biennium 1995-1996
(E/CN.5/1997/5/Add.1 and Corr.1);
(d) 1997 report on the world social situation (E/CN.5/1997/8 (Parts I
-26-
and II));
(e) Note by the Secretary-General on agreed conclusions 1996/1 adopted by
the Economic and Social Council at its 1996 coordination segment on coordination
of the United Nations system activities for poverty eradication (E/CN.5/1997/9).
Decision 35/104. Documents considered in connection with
programme questions and other matters
The Commission for Social Development takes note of the following
documents:
(a) Note by the Secretary-General on the nomination of members of the
Board of the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development
(E/CN.5/1997/6 and Add.1 and 2);
(b) Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Board of
the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (E/CN.5/1997/7);
(c) Note by the Secretary-General on the proposed programme of work of the
Division for Social Policy and Development for the biennium 1998-1999
(E/CN.5/1997/L.2).
-27-
Chapter II
FOLLOW-UP TO THE WORLD SUMMIT FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
1. The Commission for Social Development considered item 3 of its agenda
(Follow-up to the World Summit for Social Development: (a) Priority theme:
Productive employment and sustainable livelihoods; (b) Review of relevant United
Nations plans and programmes of action pertaining to the situation of social
groups) at its 1st to 8th, 10th and 12th meetings on 25 to 28 February and 5 and
6 March 1997. The Commission had before it the following documents:
(a) Final report of the Special Rapporteur of the Commission for Social
Development on monitoring the implementation of the Standard Rules on the
Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (A/52/56, annex);
(b) Report of the Secretary-General on the International Year of the
Family (A/52/57-E/1997/4);
(c) Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the World
Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond (A/52/60-E/1997/6);
(d) Letter dated 21 February 1997 from the Permanent Representative of
Austria to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General transmitting
the report of the second session of the World Youth Forum of the United Nations
system, held at the Vienna International Centre from 25 to 29 November 1996
(A/52/80-E/1997/14);
(e) Report of the Secretary-General on follow-up to the World Summit for
Social Development (E/CN.5/1997/2);
(f) Report of the Secretary-General on the priority theme: Productive
employment and sustainable livelihoods (E/CN.5/1997/3);
(g) Report of the Secretary-General on the fourth review and appraisal of
the International Plan of Action on Ageing (E/CN.5/1997/4);
(h) Report of the Secretary-General on emerging issues, trends and new
approaches, and programme activities of the Secretariat and the regional
commissions relating to social development, including the situation of specific
groups (E/CN.5/1997/5);
(i) Report of the Secretary-General on the social welfare and social
development activities of the regional commissions for the biennium 1995-1996
(E/CN.5/1997/5/Add.1 and Corr.1);
(j) 1997 report on the world social situation (E/CN.5/1997/8 (Parts I
and II));
(k) Note by the Secretary-General on agreed conclusions 1996/1 adopted by
the Economic and Social Council at its 1996 coordination segment on coordination
of the United Nations system activities for poverty eradication (E/CN.5/1997/9);
(l) Letter dated 6 February 1997 from the Permanent Representative of
Denmark to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General, transmitting
the report of the first Copenhagen Seminar for Social Progress (Havreholm,
Denmark, 4-6 October 1996), entitled "Conditions for social progress: a world
-28-
economy for the benefit of all" (E/CN.5/1997/10).
2. At the 1st meeting, on 25 February, the temporary Chairman, Koos Richelle
(Netherlands) made a statement.
3. At the same meeting, the Under-Secretary-General for Policy Coordination
and Sustainable Development addressed the Commission.
4. At the same meeting, introductory statements were made by the Director of
the Division for Social Policy and Development of the Department for Policy
Coordination and Sustainable Development of the United Nations Secretariat, a
senior official of the Employment and Training Department of the International
Labour Organization, and the officer-in-charge of the Macroeconomic and Social
Analysis Division of the Department for Economic and Social Information and
Policy Analysis of the United Nations Secretariat.
5. At the same meeting, the Commission heard an oral report by
Aurelio Fernandez (Spain), also on behalf of Julia Tavares de Alvarez (Dominican
Republic), Co-Chairpersons of the ad hoc informal open-ended support group to
assist the Commission for Social Development in the preparations for the
International Year of Older Persons in 1999.
6. At the same meeting, the Special Rapporteur on Disability, Bengt Lindqvist,
addressed the Commission.
7. Statements were then made by the representatives of the Netherlands (on
behalf of the States members of the European Union, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia,
Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia) Norway,
China, the United States of America, the Philippines, South Africa, Cuba and the
Republic of Korea and the observers for Ireland and Costa Rica.
8. The representative of the International Labour Organization made a
statement.
9. The observers for Disabled People’s International, Inclusion International
and Rehabilitation International, non-governmental organizations in consultative
status with the Economic and Social Council, also made statements.
Dialogue with the chairpersons of the inter-agency task forces
on follow-up to international conferences*
10. At its 2nd meeting, on 25 February, the Commission held a dialogue with the
chairpersons of the inter-agency task forces on follow-up to international
conferences.
11. At the same meeting, following presentations by the chairpersons of the
inter-agency task forces, statements were made by the representatives of
Argentina, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Finland, Jamaica, the Netherlands,
Pakistan, Sudan and the United States and the observers for Algeria and
Nicaragua.
12. At the same meeting, the representative of the World Bank made a statement.
* For the Chairman’s summary of the dialogue, see para. 62 below.
-29-
Panel discussions on the priority theme: productive*
employment and sustainable livelihoods
13. At its 3rd and 5th meetings, on 26 and 27 February, the Commission held
panel discussions on the priority theme: Productive employment and sustainable
livelihoods.
14. At the 3rd meeting, on 26 February, following presentations by the
panellists, statements were made by the representatives of Jamaica, India,
Ukraine, the United States, the Sudan, Austria and Cuba and the observer for
Algeria.
15. At the 5th meeting, on 27 February, following presentations by the
panellists, statements were made by the representatives of Pakistan, the
Netherlands, Norway, Cuba, China, South Africa and Jamaica and the observers for
Ghana and Algeria.
16. At the same meeting, a statement was made by the observer for the
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), a non-governmental
organization in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council.
17. At the 4th meeting, on 26 February, statements were made by the
representatives of the Netherlands (on behalf of the States members of the
European Union, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania,
Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia), France, Argentina, the United States, the
Dominican Republic, Germany, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Korea
and Ecuador and the observer for Portugal.
18. At the same meeting, a statement was made by the representative of the
United Nations Development Programme. The representative of the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization also made a statement.
19. Also at the same meeting, statements were made by the observers for the
International Council on Social Welfare and the International Federation of
Settlements and Neighbourhood Centres, non-governmental organizations in
consultative status with the Economic and Social Council. The observer for the
Business Association for the World Social Summit, a non-governmental
organization accredited to the World Summit for Social Development, also made a
statement.
20. At the 6th meeting, on 27 February, statements were made by the
representatives of Malta, Japan, Jamaica, China, Mongolia, Ukraine, Belarus, the
Russian Federation and Peru and the observers for Nicaragua, Costa Rica and
Morocco. The observer for Switzerland also made a statement.
21. At the same meeting, the representative of the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations made a statement.
22. Also at the same meeting, statements were made by the observers for the
International Chamber of Commerce, ATD Fourth World, the Foundation for the
Rights of the Family (PRODEFA) and the World Leisure and Recreational
Association, non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the
Economic and Social Council.
23. At the 7th meeting, on 28 February, statements were made by the
* For the Chairman’s summary of the panel discussions, see para. 63 below.
-30-
representatives of Guatemala, Canada, India, Venezuela, Chile, South Africa,
Romania, Spain and the Sudan and the observers for Bangladesh and Sweden.
24. At the same meeting, the representative of the United Nations Conference on
Trade and Development made a statement.
25. At the same meeting, statements were made by the observers for the European
Women’s Lobby and the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions,
non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and
Social Council.
26. At the 8th meeting, on 28 February, statements were made by the
representatives of Poland, Norway, Egypt, the Philippines, Pakistan and Gabon
and the observers for Algeria and the Syrian Arab Republic.
27. At the same meeting, statements were made by the observers for the
International Federation of Social Workers, the International Federation of
Associations of the Elderly (FIAPA) and the American Association of Retired
Persons, non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic
and Social Council.
28. At the 9th meeting, on 4 March, the Chairman read out the following
statement:
"Taking into account the views expressed at the meeting, namely,
recognizing that NGOs have played an important role in the deliberations on
social development, both in the Commission and in other forums, and also
recognizing the manifestations of support for NGOs to be present in the
room during consultations, as expressed by many delegations at the meeting,
I would like to propose to the Commission that representatives of NGOs be
allowed to be present as observers during consultations. It is understood
that such an agreement shall not constitute a precedent."
29. At the same meeting, on the proposal of the representative of China, the
Commission agreed to include the Chairman’s statement in the report of the
Commission.
Action taken by the Commission
Productive employment and sustainable livelihoods
30. At the 10th meeting, on 5 March, the representative of Argentina introduced
a draft resolution (E/CN.5/1997/L.5) entitled "Productive employment and
sustainable livelihoods", which read as follows:
"The Commission for Social Development
"Decides to adopt the following general guiding principles with
respect to employment:
"(a) Central importance should be assigned to employment in the
formulation and implementation of economic and social policies, with the
understanding that the public sector, the private sector and the welfare
system have a shared interest in and responsibility for employment, and
that the achievement of full employment should be a permanent goal for all
of them;
-31-
"(b) This goal should be based on the effort to ensure the dignity and
worth of the human being and the full enjoyment of human rights and
fundamental freedoms;
"(c) Economic growth and increased productivity, which are essential
factors for increasing employment, and particularly those economic
activities which are likely to generate higher employment, should receive
the proper attention from the sectors involved;
"(d) Workers must be provided with education, training and appropriate
guidance in order to secure employment and better working conditions in a
competitive market;
"(e) The adoption of measures to ensure the right kind of flexibility
in the labour market and adaptability to that market, with due regard for
the relationship between employers and workers, and with a view to higher
employment, should be promoted;
"(f) The activities of non-governmental organizations and other social
welfare agencies concerned with employment should be encouraged and
supported and coordination between them should be promoted for the better
fulfilment of their aims;
"(g) Studies and research on employment and ways of addressing the
issue of unemployment effectively are an additional tool and can make an
important contribution to economic and social policies;
"(h) Exchanges of experience concerning employment and employment
policies in various countries should be promoted and reviewed periodically
by the United Nations, with the participation of the international
organizations concerned."
31. At the 12th meeting, on 6 March, the Commission had before it a draft
resolution (E/CN.5/1997/L.13 and Add.1) entitled "Productive employment and
sustainable livelihoods".
32. The Chairman informed the Commission that the draft resolution and the
addendum thereto contained the agreed conclusions of the Commission, submitted
by the Vice-Chairmen, Seyed Houssein Rezvani (Islamic Republic of Iran) and
Aurelio Fernandez (Spain), on the basis of informal consultations.
33. At the same meeting, the Vice-Chairmen, Mr. Rezvani (Islamic Republic of
Iran) and Mr. Fernandez (Spain) proposed an amendment to the draft resolution.
34. At the same meeting, the Commission adopted the draft resolution, as orally
amended (see chap. I, sect. D., Commission resolution 35/2).
35. At the same meeting, the Vice-Chairmen informed the Commission of
amendments to the agreed conclusions, which had been agreed upon during informal
consultations.
36. At the same meeting, the Commission adopted the agreed conclusions, as
orally amended (see chap. I, sect. D, Commission resolution 35/2).
37. The representatives of the United States and Mongolia made statements.
38. At the 12th meeting, on 6 March, in the light of the adoption of draft
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resolution E/CN.5/1997/L.13 and Add.1, draft resolution E/CN.5/1997/L.5 was
withdrawn by the sponsor.
International Year of Older Persons: towards a society for all ages
39. At the 10th meeting, on 5 March, the representative of the Dominican
Republic, on behalf of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Fourth Review and
Appraisal of the Implementation of the International Plan of Action on Ageing
and Preparations for the International Year of Older Persons, introduced a draft
resolution (E/CN.5/1997/L.7), entitled "International Year of Older Persons:
towards a society for all ages".
40. At the 12th meeting, on 6 March, the Commission adopted the draft
resolution (see chap. I, sect. A, draft resolution I).
Fourth review and appraisal of the International Plan of Action on Ageing
41. At the 10th meeting, on 5 March, the representative of the Dominican
Republic, on behalf of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Fourth Review and
Appraisal of the Implementation of the International Plan of Action on Ageing
and Preparations for the International Year of Older Persons, introduced a draft
resolution (E/CN.5/1997/L.8), entitled "Fourth review and appraisal of the
International Plan of Action on Ageing".
42. At the 12th meeting, on 6 March, the Commission adopted the draft
resolution (see chap. I, sect. D, Commission resolution 35/1).
Equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities
43. At the 10th meeting, on 5 March, the observer for Sweden,1 on behalf of
Canada, Denmark,1 Finland, Iceland,1 Ireland,1 Norway and Sweden,1 introduced a
draft resolution (E/CN.5/1997/L.9) entitled "Equalization of opportunities for
persons with disabilities", which he orally revised. Subsequently, Austria,
Bangladesh,1 Costa Rica,1 the Dominican Republic, Italy,1 Lithuania,1 Malta,
Morocco,1 the Philippines, South Africa and Uruguay1 joined in sponsoring the
draft resolution.
44. At the 12th meeting, on 6 March, the observer for Sweden, on behalf of the
sponsors, further orally revised the draft resolution.
45. At the same meeting, the representatives of the United States and France
made statements.
46. The Commission then adopted the draft resolution, as orally revised (see
chap. I, sect. A, draft resolution II).
Children with disabilities
47. At the 10th meeting, on 5 March, the representative of the Philippines, on
behalf of Costa Rica,1 Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mongolia, Morocco,1
Pakistan, Panama,1 the Philippines, Poland, South Africa and the Sudan,
introduced a draft resolution (E/CN.5/1997/L.10), entitled "Children with
disabilities". Subsequently, Bangladesh,1 Benin, Canada, Denmark,1 Guatemala,
India, Ireland,1 Italy,1 Malta, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Sweden1 and
1 In accordance with rule 69 of the rules of procedure of the functional
commissions of the Economic and Social Council.
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Uruguay1 joined in sponsoring the draft resolution, which read as follows:
"The Economic and Social Council
"Recommends to the General Assembly the adoption of the following
draft resolution:
’The General Assembly,
’Recalling the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other
international human rights instruments, which proclaim that the rights
therein should be ensured equally for all individuals without
discrimination,
’Also recalling the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in
particular article 23 thereof, which requires special measures to
ensure the rights of children with disabilities, and establishes the
standards and parameters for recognizing and responding to the special
needs and protection of children with mental and/or physical
disabilities,
’Taking note of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled
Persons and the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities
for Persons with Disabilities, as well as the Declaration on the
Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons and the Declaration on the Rights
of Disabled Persons,
’Also taking note of the various other resolutions passed by the
General Assembly related to persons with disabilities, including its
resolution 46/119 of 17 December 1991 on the protection of persons
with mental illness and the improvement of mental health care,
’Noting the convening of the Global Workshop on Children with
Disabilities in Developing Countries at Washington, D.C., from 3 to
7 February 1997,
’Convinced that disability is not inability and that it is
critically important to take a positive view of abilities as the basis
of planning for persons with disabilities, in particular children with
disabilities,
’1. Welcomes the report of the Special Rapporteur on Disability
on the implementation of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of
Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities;
’2. Notes, with concern, the growing incidence of disability in
children, either of a physical or mental nature or both, as a
consequence of wars, civil strife, mines, natural and man-made
disasters, violence, poverty, disease and other conditions that
destroy the quality of life;
’3. Recognizes the need to further address the special needs of
children with disabilities;
’4. Encourages Governments to promote and protect the rights,
special needs and welfare of children with disabilities through,
inter alia, the development or strengthening of relevant legislation,
-34-
and to provide adequate budgetary allocations to implement such
legislation;
’5. Invites Governments to consider conducting awareness-raising
activities, where appropriate with the cooperation and assistance of
the United Nations Children’s Fund and other relevant United Nations
agencies and non-governmental organizations, especially of the
disabled, with a view to developing sensitivity to children with
disabilities and combating and overcoming social prejudice and
discrimination directed against them;
’6. Encourages further technical, educational and economic
cooperation among States, in coordination with the United Nations
Children’s Fund, other relevant United Nations agencies and
non-governmental organizations, towards the development of human
resources by nurturing the talents and potentials of children with
disabilities, the development and dissemination of appropriate
technologies and know-how, and the development of common standards for
the national evaluation of childhood disability, with due regard for
the situation of poor or developing countries;
’7. Recommends to Governments, United Nations bodies and
agencies concerned and relevant non-governmental organizations to
establish data banks on childhood disability, which should include
information on the causes, types and frequencies of disability,
national legislation and programmes, including support measures, and
the results of studies or researches and surveys, if any, on the
subject;
’8. Urges Governments to provide free access to education for
children with disabilities, to integrate disability issues within the
regular education curriculum and to mainstream disabled children in
the school system;
’9. Also urges Governments to provide vocational preparatory
training appropriate for children with disabilities;
’10. Requests the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization to continue its programme activities aimed at
the integration of children and youth with disabilities into
mainstream education, in line with the Salamanca Declaration adopted
at the World Conference on Special Needs Education: Access and
Quality, Salamanca, Spain, June 1994;
’11. Also requests the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization to extend appropriate assistance to Governments
in designing and setting up programmes to encourage the creative,
artistic and intellectual potential of children with disabilities, and
through its regional offices, to conduct seminars and workshops to
provide appropriate training in those fields to teachers, parents,
social workers and others concerned;
’12. Calls upon Governments to encourage the participation of
children with disabilities in recreation activities and sports events,
such as the Special Olympics;
’13. Requests relevant United Nations agencies and
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non-governmental organizations to establish indicators to
facilitate the monitoring of the implementation of the Standard
Rules as they apply to children with disabilities;
’14. Emphasizes the right of children with disabilities to the
enjoyment of the highest attainable standards of physical,
psychological and mental health, and urges Governments to guarantee
this through free access to health services and the adoption of
holistic approaches towards the total well-being of disabled children,
which should include:
’(a) Services for prevention, education/training programmes,
early detection, comprehensive treatment and community-based
rehabilitation programmes, including rehabilitation care through home
visits;
’(b) Strategies that protect children at highest risk, including
refugee, displaced or migrant children, children living in settings of
continued violence and its immediate aftermath, children living in
disaster areas, and children living on the streets and in squatter
colonies;
’(c) Priority consideration for the provision of effective mental
health services that are integrated within all forms of health care,
that meet local needs and that provide prevention strategies,
including prenatal and perinatal care, immunization, optimal
nutrition, day care, child safety measures, school-based programmes on
family life and appropriate treatment of common childhood
neuropsychiatric disorders. Since schools are the principal social
institutions for furthering the cognitive and emotional development of
children, teachers should be trained to recognize signs and symptoms
of mental disabilities, to manage problems in the classroom, and to
refer children that require more assistance to appropriate mental
health services;
’(d) Provision of free supportive and mobility devices/equipment;
’(e) Support systems for families as primary caretakers,
including financial, psychological and community support systems, to
enable families to attend to the special needs of children with
physical and mental disabilities;
’15. Decides to consult with international organizations of
persons with disabilities and specialized agencies, in accordance with
rules 71 and 76 of the rules of procedure of the functional
commissions of the Economic and Social Council, during the thirtysixth
session of the Commission for Social Development, to be held in
1998, on how to improve the application of the Standard Rules so that
it fully addresses the special needs of children with disabilities,
and requests that the recommendations and/or agreed conclusions
emanating from the consultation be submitted to the General Assembly
for adoption at its fifty-third session, through the Economic and
Social Council at its substantive session of 1998;
’16. Requests the Secretary-General, for the purposes of the
above-mentioned consultation within the framework of the follow-up to
the World Summit for Social Development, under the theme "Promoting
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social integration and participation of all people, including
disadvantaged and vulnerable groups and persons", to make a
compilation of the provisions of existing conventions, resolutions and
other resource material with respect to the promotion and protection
of the rights, special needs and welfare of children with
disabilities, for submission to the Commission for Social Development
at its thirty-sixth session;
’17. Encourages Governments to contribute to the United Nations
Voluntary Fund on Disability specifically for projects to benefit
children with disabilities;
’18. Requests the Special Rapporteur on disability to pay special
attention to the situation of children with disabilities, and to
establish close working relations with the Committee on the Rights of
the Child for monitoring article 23 of the Convention on the Rights of
the Child and the Standard Rules in relation to children with
disabilities, and to include in his next report his views,
observations and recommendations thereon.’"
48. At the 12th meeting, on 6 March, the representative of the Philippines read
out amendments to the draft resolution, which had been agreed upon during
informal consultations.
49. At the same meeting, statements were made by the representatives of the
Russian Federation and the United States and the observer for Costa Rica.
50. The Commission then adopted the draft resolution, as orally amended (see
chap. I, sect. A, draft resolution III).
Implementation of the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and
Beyond, including a World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth
51. At the 10th meeting, on 5 March, the representative of Cuba introduced a
draft resolution (E/CN.5/1997/L.11), entitled "Holding of the first session of
the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth in cooperation with the
United Nations and in pursuance of the World Programme of Action for Youth to
the Year 2000 and Beyond", which read as follows:
"The Commission for Social Development,
"Recalling General Assembly resolution 50/81 of 14 December 1995 by
which the Assembly adopted the World Programme of Action for Youth to the
Year 2000 and Beyond, annexed thereto, as an integral part of that
resolution,
"Noting especially that in paragraph 123 of the Programme of Action,
current regional and interregional conferences of ministers responsible for
youth affairs in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean and
Western Asia were invited to intensify cooperation among each other and to
consider meeting regularly at the international level under the aegis of
the United Nations to provide an effective forum for a focused global
dialogue on youth-related issues,
"Noting that in paragraph 124 of the Programme of Action, youthrelated
bodies and organizations of the United Nations system were invited
to cooperate with the above-mentioned conferences,
-37-
"Mindful that the Secretary-General, in his report on the
implementation of the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000
and Beyond, recommended that action be taken to implement the global
recommendations of the Programme of Action and to report to the General
Assembly through the Commission for Social Development on progress achieved
and obstacles encountered,
"1. Welcomes the offer of the Government of Portugal to host the
first session of the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth,
to be held at Lisbon, from 8 to 12 August 1998, in cooperation with the
United Nations;
"2. Calls upon all Member States, youth-related organizations and
bodies of the United Nations system, and concerned intergovernmental
organizations as well as non-governmental youth organizations in both
general and special consultative status with the Economic and Social
Council, to support that session of the World Conference, to be convened in
pursuance of General Assembly resolution 50/81;
"3. Notes with appreciation that the Government of Portugal has
agreed to support the participation of ministers responsible for youth in
the least developed countries as identified by the General Assembly;
"4. Requests that the report of the World Conference at its first
session be submitted to the General Assembly at its fifty-fourth session as
well as to the Commission for Social Development at its thirty-seventh
session pursuant to the items in their respective agendas concerned with
implementation of the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000
and Beyond."
52. At the 12th meeting, on 6 March, the representative of Cuba read out
amendments to the draft resolution, which had been agreed upon during informal
consultations. He informed the Commission that the draft resolution, as
amended, would be entitled "Implementation of the World Programme of Action for
Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond, including a World Conference of Ministers
Responsible for Youth" and sponsored by the United Republic of Tanzania,1 on
behalf of the States Members of the United Nations that are members of the Group
of 77 and China, and Andorra.1
53. At the same meeting, the Chairman read out the following statement:
"It is the understanding of the Commission that the cooperation of the
United Nations with the Government of Portugal in holding the World
Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth and any preparatory meetings
would not suggest United Nations sponsorship of the Conference, or result
in any financial implications. Any assistance provided by the United
Nations for the holding of the World Conference and any preparatory
meetings will be subject to reimbursement by the Government of Portugal, as
relevant.
"It is also understood that United Nations cooperation in the
Conference and in any preparatory meetings would be in accordance with the
policies of the United Nations relating to meetings and conferences held
under its auspices, as established by relevant United Nations resolutions
and decisions. The nature and scope of the United Nations cooperation with
the Government of Portugal will be the subject of an agreement to be
concluded between them at the earliest possible date and progress thereon
-38-
will be reported to the Economic and Social Council at its substantive
session of 1997."
54. At the same meeting, statements were made by the representatives of the
United States, the Philippines, Jamaica, the Netherlands and Cuba and the
observers for the Syrian Arab Republic and Costa Rica.
55. The Commission then adopted the draft resolution, as orally amended (see
chap. I, sect. A, draft resolution IV).
Follow-up to the International Year of the Family
56. At the 10th meeting, on 5 March, the representative of the Sudan, also on
behalf of Cuba, introduced a draft resolution (E/CN.5/1997/L.12) entitled
"Follow-up to the International Year of the Family". Subsequently, Costa Rica,1
the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Morocco1 and the Philippines joined in
sponsoring the draft resolution, which read as follows:
"The Economic and Social Council
"Recommends to the General Assembly the adoption of the following
resolution:
’The General Assembly,
’Recalling its resolutions 44/82 of 8 December 1989, 46/92 of
16 December 1991, 47/237 of 20 December 1993 and 50/142 of
21 December 1995, concerning the proclamation, preparations for and
observance of the International Year of the Family,
’Recognizing that the basic objective of the follow-up to the
International Year of the Family should be to strengthen and support
families in performing their societal and developmental functions and
to build upon their strengths, particularly at the national and local
levels,
’Emphasizing the necessity of providing policy guidance on ways
to strengthen family-centred components of policies and programmes as
part of an integrated comprehensive approach to development,
’Noting that the family-related provisions from the outcomes of
the seven global conferences of the 1990s highlight the value of a
family-sensitive perspective in policy development and implementation,
’Noting also that a cornerstone of the follow-up to the
International Year of the Family and long-term action regarding
families should be the implementation of family goals and objectives
resulting from the major global conferences of the 1990s,
’Taking note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-
General on the International Year of the Family and welcoming the
proposals contained therein,
’1. Invites Governments to continue their actions to build
family-friendly societies, inter alia, by promoting the rights of
individual family members, in particular gender equality and the
protection and development of the child;
-39-
’2. Calls upon Governments, non-governmental organizations,
other organizations of civil society, the private sector and
individuals to contribute generously to the United Nations Trust Fund
on Family Activities;
’3. Urges the continuation of long-term actions at all levels
concerning families and a focus on the interrelationship of families
and society, including the role of families as main providers and
consumers of commodities and services and as agents of development;
’4. Requests the Secretariat to enhance the resources of the
United Nations Trust Fund on Family Activities and widen its
operational activities in developing countries, particularly the least
developed countries;
’5. Invites Governments to develop concrete measures and
approaches with respect to addressing national priorities including
the elaboration of a country family profile and the strengthening of
national capacities to deal with family issues;
’6. Recommends that formal and informal networks and institutes
such as the International Family Policy Forum, the Bratislava
International Centre for Family Studies, the Australian Institute of
Family Studies, the Austrian Institute for Family Research, the
Confederation of Family Organizations in the European Community, and
similar bodies contribute and participate at all levels of action on
families;
’7. Urges research and academic institutions to continue to play
an active role in the policy process and in strengthening the
partnerships between the producers and users of family research and to
promote international research on family issues, needs and priorities;
’8. Decides that the follow-up of the Commission for Social
Development to the International Year of the Family should be an
integrated part of the multi-year work programme of the Commission for
Social Development and that, at its annual sessions, the Commission
should consider the topic of reconciling family life and work under
the priority theme "Social integration" in 1998 and the topic of a
global profile of family policies and programmes under the priority
theme "Social services for all" in 1999, within the framework of
assessing the outcomes of the World Summit for Social Development;
’9. Requests the Secretary-General to enable the Secretariat to
play an active role in facilitating international cooperation on the
family in the areas of experience and information exchange, including
an inventory of best practices of family policies to facilitate
exchange of experiences among Member States; technical assistance,
with a focus on least developed and developing countries; the
organization of subregional and interregional meetings; and the
promotion of relevant research that would inform future policy;
’10. Calls upon Member States to encourage the identification of
appropriate administrative mechanisms and resources to ensure the
active follow-up of the International Year of the Family at national
and local levels.’"
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57. At the 12th meeting, on 6 March, the representative of the Sudan read out
amendments to the draft resolution, which had been agreed upon during informal
consultations.
58. At the same meeting, statements were made by the representatives of the
Islamic Republic of Iran, the Netherlands (on behalf of the States Members of
the European Union), the Sudan and the United States and the observer for
Costa Rica.
59. At the same meeting, the Commission adopted the draft resolution, as orally
amended (see chap. I, sect. A, draft resolution V).
Chairman’s summary of the dialogue with the chairpersons of the inter-agency
task forces on follow-up to international conferences and of the panel
discussions on productive employment and sustainable livelihoods
60. At the 12th meeting, on 6 March, on the proposal of the Chairman, the
Commission decided to include in its report the Chairman’s summary of the
dialogue with the chairpersons of the inter-agency task forces on follow-up to
international conferences and of the panel discussions on productive employment
and sustainable livelihoods (see chap. I, sect. D, Commission decision 35/102).
61. At the same meeting, statements were made by the representatives of France,
Spain and the United States.
62. The summary of the dialogue with the chairpersons* of the inter-agency
task forces on follow-up to international conferences is set out below.
Introduction
At the special session of the Commission in 1996, the dialogue, the
first of its kind, concentrated on actions being initiated, in an
integrated and coordinated fashion, to implement commitments made at major
United Nations conferences in the social, economic and related sectors. At
the present session of the Commission, the discussion focused on lessons
learnt in the course of the ongoing exercise and on the substantive
conclusions emerging from it that could guide practical follow-up
activities, particularly at the country or field level, involving the
United Nations system in a coherent manner in support of national plans and
programmes.
Translating intergovernmental decisions into country-
* Katherine Hagen, Deputy Director-General of the International Labour Office,
Chairperson of the Task Force on Employment and Sustainable Livelihoods; Nafis
Sadik, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund, Chairperson of the
Task Force on Basic Social Services; John Page, Chief Economist, Middle East and
North Africa Region of the World Bank, Chairperson of the Subgroup on the Economic
and Social Environment of the Task Force on the Enabling Environment for Economic
and Social Development; Kristen Timothy, Deputy Director of the Division for the
Advancement of Women of the United Nations Secretariat and Secretary of the
Steering Committee for the Advancement of Women.
The dialogue was moderated by James Gustave Speth, Administrator of the United
Nations Development Programme.
-41-
and field-level activities
On the basis of a common understanding of the goals and commitments
agreed at major United Nations conferences and developed during
consultations at the headquarters level, the Task Forces have embarked on a
series of country review exercises and the exploration of specific
methodological issues in the setting of small groups of interested entities
of the United Nations system in order to define key elements of strategies
for country application and prepare syntheses of best practices.
Among the factors that were kept in mind in the country reviews was
the diversity of situations, with countries differing in circumstances,
objectives and priorities. The Task Force on Employment and Sustainable
Livelihoods conducted one review in a country where poverty eradication was
the primary focus in a setting of low economic growth and rapid labour
force expansion; in another country, the main concern was how to move from
structural adjustment to growth with equity; in another, the review focused
on the employment aspects associated with a shift from a planned to a
market-oriented economy. Strategies to be applied might need to focus on
growth or equity, or target particular groups. An important lesson
emerging from the different reviews was the crucial role played by efforts
to build national consensus through extensive consultations typically
involving representatives of social partners.
The Task Force on the Enabling Environment for Economic and Social
Development is also completing a number of country studies as part of the
effort to clarify the key elements of the macroeconomic and social
framework for policy dialogue. Specific recommendations are being
developed in four areas: information sharing, coordination, collaboration
among United Nations entities and methods of collaboration between
Governments and civil society. Through its subgroup on governance, the
Task Force is also preparing a series of studies in order to draw up best
practices in supporting national capacity development in the area of
governance.
The Task Force on Basic Social Services for All is continuing its work
on preparing guidelines for the use of resident coordinators as well as a
compendium of relevant international commitments. It has issued
information cards for advocacy and a wall chart of indicators on basic
social needs and services. Detailed activities are conducted in the
framework of working groups on primary health care, reproductive health,
basic education, international migration and national capacity in
monitoring child and maternal mortality.
The Inter-Agency Committee on Women and Gender Equality has among its
concerns the objective of ensuring the mainstreaming of gender and has
established links for this purpose with the Task Forces. The Committee has
also elaborated indicators for monitoring the gender issue.
Cooperation in the United Nations system
The task force activities revealed a high level of cooperation among
entities of the United Nations system, which was noted by both task force
members and delegations participating in the dialogue. It was also noted
that the activities of the Task Forces themselves were highly
decentralized. Agencies participated in country reviews or subject area
-42-
working groups according to the degree of their involvement in the
countries concerned or interest in particular issues. The practice of
assigning different lead agencies to different country reviews and subject
areas was working satisfactorily and ensured a desirable matching of
available expertise and priority concerns.
The development of a common framework for the United Nations system
for the follow-up of conferences was welcomed, but the question was raised
as to whether the common framework applied only to specific issues. There
was still a lack of real integration, common definitions and databases.
There was also a proliferation of targets, which imposed a heavy burden on
monitoring and reporting. The implications of pending reform of the United
Nations at both the Secretariat and intergovernmental levels for
operational activities and system collaboration were noted.
In response to a question on what guidelines from Governments would be
useful, the moderator stressed the importance of strong governmental
support for United Nations system collaborative efforts and for the system
to come together in an integrated way.
Regarding targets, it was noted that as part of the collaborative
efforts, the quantitative targets from the various conferences had been
synthesized and that a comparison had also been made with the relevant
targets adopted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD). It was also suggested that the elaboration of an
integrated approach could be facilitated by Economic and Social Council
reviews of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) country programmes
based on presentations of the resident representative or coordinator.
The experience of the Task Force on the Enabling Environment for
Economic and Social Development was that there was a far greater
convergence of views in the system on major strategic issues at the
country-level than might have been expected. In this context the
cooperation between the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions
was welcomed and further encouraged.
Information, indicators and evaluation
The lack of common definitions, indicators and databases continued to
impede efforts. The lack of a common United Nations system database was
considered particularly serious, although it was noted that in the
development of policy at the national level this did not necessarily
present a major hindrance.
The work of the task forces, nevertheless, revealed rich experience of
collaboration in the areas of statistics, development of indicators,
exchange of information and efforts at standardization of definitions. The
quantitative targets referred to were one reflection of this. Gender
indicators provided another example. But it was also noted that there were
many formidable problems, conceptual and practical, in arriving at greater
overall coherence. Also, the traditional indicators sometimes provided an
inadequate picture of reality; a case in point being unemployment, where it
was possible for low levels of unemployment to coexist with mass poverty.
Input and output targets: resource mobilization
-43-
The use of quantitative targets has spread partly as a result of the
effort to assess more accurately the progress being made in key areas.
There has also been a shift from input to output targets. The Task Forces
are continuing to give attention to the delineation and monitoring of
targets and their adaptation to specific circumstances.
The question of the value of targets for the purpose of resource
mobilization was raised. It was pointed out that one of the oldest and
best known input targets, the 0.7 per cent target for official development
assistance, was not being met; indeed the flow of such resources was
diminishing. Various suggestions were made on how to ensure a greater flow
of resources for promoting social development in the context of the work of
the Task Forces. In this connection, reference was made to the newer 20/20
concept. Another suggestion was to link resources with specific end-use by
mobilizing funds to support specific activities, as was done for specific
goals agreed at the International Conference on Population and Development
in Cairo.
Efficient use of resources was stressed, both as important in itself
and as a way of demonstrating to voters that their money was being well
spent, thus retaining their support.
Regarding the broader issue of the damaging and disillusioning effect
when resources fall short of goals and targets, it was noted that it was
important to explore all possible means to avoid this situation. At the
same time, not all initiatives required substantial resources, for example
work on policy development and exchange of experience and technical
expertise. The networks of civil society also represented a valuable, if
intangible, resource in the social area.
63. The summary of the panel discussions on productive employment and
sustainable livelihoods is set out below.
Introduction
The Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and the Programme of
Action of the World Summit for Social Development recognize the
interrelated nature of three core issues of social development:
eradication of poverty, expansion of productive employment and promotion of
social integration. Growth of opportunities for freely chosen, productive
work is perhaps the most direct and constructive way to reduce poverty,
inequality and social marginalization. The commitment to full employment
adopted by heads of State and Government at Copenhagen expresses a renewed
determination to focus on employment generation as a fundamental aspect of
national economic policy.
The importance of employment
Productive employment is the primary means by which individuals ensure
economic security for themselves and their families. Employment generates
the income necessary to meet daily subsistence requirements, fulfil
economic and social obligations and plan and invest for the future. In a
larger sense, employment serves to define and regulate social relations, as
people’s identity and personal esteem are often intimately linked to their
occupation. Unemployment, particularly when extended over long periods of
-44-
time, can lead to isolation and alienation for the individual and reduced
social cohesion for society.
The fundamental importance of employment is further revealed by the
fact that for many people, especially in developing countries, a good job
is unattainable. Since they cannot afford to be unemployed, they resort to
various means of informal activity to obtain even the most meagre income
necessary for basic survival.
Some prerequisites for generating employment
To generate employment over a period of time, it is clear that
sustained economic growth is necessary. It is equally clear, however, that
economic growth will not automatically result in increased employment or
reduced levels of poverty. It may be said that growth is necessary but not
sufficient for expanding employment. A more sophisticated analysis is
required in order to examine the type and appropriateness of the economic
growth to be promoted in any particular country.
Furthermore, the predominant view of the past decade or so has been
that economic growth requires a framework of macroeconomic policies that
promote financial stability, including low inflation and reduced fiscal
deficits. While growth with low inflation is the best and most sustainable
growth, low inflation achieved with little or no growth does little for
levels of employment.
The need is to create a situation of positive, dynamic growth with due
emphasis on sectors with the potential to create employment. Export-driven
growth needs to be supplemented by increases in domestic demand and
international coordination of policies to promote increased, balanced trade
and financial liberalization.
Analysing the current situation
Rising levels of unemployment
Over time in most countries, the number of people who are unemployed
or underemployed has increased, both in absolute numbers and as a
proportion of the labour force. Workers in some countries have witnessed
an increase in insecurity: overall job security, hourly wages and employee
benefits have been reduced. Some workers have been encouraged to take
part-time situations or early retirement so as to reduce the size of the
labour force. In other instances, workers may have to hold more than one
job in order to meet their subsistence needs.
In many countries, workers have become unemployed or have suffered
increased insecurity of employment as a result of policies designed to
achieve the transition to market economies or to implement structural
adjustment measures. Many concerns have arisen over the nature of these
programmes and the speed with which they are undertaken.
Globalization
Blame has often been placed on distant and intangible forces of
globalization and technological innovation. It can be argued that
-45-
globalization and technological progress, while neutral in themselves, can
have a profound effect on economic growth and on levels and types of
employment. They can open opportunities in new fields. Widespread
restructuring of economies, including substantial cuts in protective
tariffs, need not be damaging to employment growth in the economy as a
whole, although they may cause problems for some industries or sectors and
create considerable concern in the workforce regarding job security and job
satisfaction and may require workers to display increased flexibility. A
paradox arises in that, while globalization may be considered desirable
because of the potential beneficial effects on national economic growth, at
the same time, current levels of growth and dynamism in a particular
economy may determine whether the effects of globalization are positive or
negative.
Fighting inflation
In recent years, most countries have given emphasis to restraining
inflation and budget deficits. Achieving the goal of full employment has
generally not received a high priority. Central banks commonly set
inflation targets but not employment targets. Thus, employment has usually
become the "swing item" in policy-making, a secondary residual that is
expected to occur only if other prime targets are met, and thus readily
sacrificed to the goal of achieving low rates of inflation.
Promoting the appropriate role of the market
Great emphasis is given in current economic and financial policy to
the role of the market. But markets cannot build social cohesion, which is
a product of public and private institutions and the relations that
constitute civil society. At the national level, institutions for
resolving competing demands and potential social conflicts must be
strengthened and the innovation and dynamism of markets need to be balanced
with policies that demonstrate a renewed concern for people.
Individual self-interest and the common good
Attention was drawn to a phenomenon labelled "the prisoner’s dilemma",
which describes a case in which a prisoner who accuses his accomplice may
be acquitted, as long as the accomplice does not, in turn, accuse him. If
each accuses the other, however, they may both be convicted. In other
words, an action which makes sense or provides benefits for an individual,
when multiplied across a number of individuals, no longer makes sense and
is often counter-productive. This is a fundamental concept essential for
achieving sustainable development, for what makes sense for an individual
can be disastrous for a society.
Thus, a country may decide, or be encouraged, to adopt policies to
restrain domestic demand while encouraging production for export - policies
that should result in higher levels of economic growth and employment as
other countries meet their increasing demand by importing the first
country’s goods. Such a policy may work for an individual country, as long
as other countries do not follow suit. But if many countries begin to
adopt a similar strategy to restrain domestic demand, the result will be
stagnation or a general decrease in demand. In another example, policies
to increase exports of tropical commodities may make sense for an
individual developing country, but, when pursued by a large number of
developing countries, they are likely to result in a decrease in commodity
-46-
prices and a decline in earnings for all the countries concerned. This was
a lesson of the structural adjustment experience.
Small-scale, informal and rural enterprises
In developing countries, the vast majority of people living in poverty
will continue to rely on agriculture for their livelihoods for many years
to come. Policies to reduce poverty and increase employment in rural areas
will need to emphasize growth and productivity in agriculture.
At the same time, small manufacturing enterprises, rural
agro-processing and other non-farm activities, as well as the urban
informal sector, are likely to produce increased opportunities for
employment. In most developing countries, the formal sector is incapable
of providing a sufficient number of jobs to meet existing and future
projected requirements. The very existence of the informal sector confirms
this situation, as people seek any possibility of earning some income.
Small-scale enterprises in the urban informal sector sometimes grow
into highly productive enterprises, but in general they are precarious and
do not achieve sufficient levels of productivity to provide adequate levels
of income. There are often close linkages between formal and informal
sector activities. The informal sector provides evidence of the strategies
which people develop in order to manage, in terms of both achieving basic
survival and attempting to raise themselves out of poverty.
Increased participation of women in the labour force
In many countries, increasing numbers of women participate in the
labour force, either by choice or by necessity. In many instances, women
must work as primary or secondary wage-earners. Survival strategies are
primarily the concern of poor women who struggle to fulfil gender-ascribed
roles to meet the daily needs of their families. The scope for female
employment has been rapidly expanded by technological change, increasing
concentration of employment in service industries, increased flexibility of
work times and availability of part-time work, changing social attitudes
towards female employment, and improved provision of childcare.
Marginalized and vulnerable groups
Large numbers of people, including people with disabilities, the
long-term unemployed, older workers, young people and school leavers, in
all countries find it difficult to compete in the labour market. In times
of high unemployment, these groups are at a further disadvantage. Their
tenuous situation has frequently been exacerbated as special programmes to
promote their participation in the labour force and as basic services and
social safety nets have been weakened or dismantled in order to meet strict
budgetary requirements.
The way ahead for policy-making
There is need for a combination of policies at the national and
international levels. Because of the changing circumstances brought on by
increasing globalization, it is essential for Governments to develop a
framework for cooperation, both within and among countries.
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National level
Strengthening mechanisms for cooperation
Within countries, national Governments should seek to develop
partnerships with the private sector, with trade unions and with the
organizations of civil society to promote employment generation. New,
stronger international pressures require that national institutions that
enable various actors to join together in collaborative relationships,
inter alia for the purpose of identifying and resolving conflicts, become
stronger and more effective. Establishing trust among the various actors
is essential and it can be enhanced through mechanisms to improve
communication and understanding among all concerned. Otherwise, rather
than being seen as a potential source of growth and prosperity,
globalization will appear to many people as a threat, leading to increased
isolationism, xenophobia and calls for protectionist policies.
Improving policies for national economic and social development
Concerning fiscal and monetary policy, a more sophisticated balance is
required between achieving low inflation and encouraging growth of
employment, between efficiency and equity and between economic development
and environmental sustainability.
Country examples were cited where broad-based agreement was achieved
between government and trade unions to adopt policies aimed at
simultaneously maximizing economic and employment growth. To do this,
moderate wage increases were required and agreed to, in return for
significant improvements in social security and non-cash benefits. The
goal was to lower inflationary pressures, thereby reducing the burden of
tackling inflation, to some degree at least, resulting from monetary and
fiscal policy and allowing those policies to be more growth-oriented than
would otherwise have been the case.
It is essential to make employment growth a primary target of national
economic and social policies. Making inflation the primary target
relegates employment to a less important status. There should be a joint
objective: low inflation and substantial employment growth.
There is also need for national policies to achieve much greater
integration of micro and macro considerations. It is now widely recognized
that the attainment of full employment requires the implementation of
mutually supportive macroeconomic policies on the one hand and labour and
social policies on the other. More flexible macroeconomic policies to
achieve higher levels of growth must be complemented by micro policies to
promote employment generation. Perhaps the most fundamental requirement
for achieving full employment is the genuine political commitment of
Governments to that goal, backed up by the broad support of social partners
and civil society.
National policies must stimulate flexibility and emphasize education
and training. Policies should aim at increasing the speed of adaptation to
change. Resistance to change stems from fear and insecurity. Flexibility
and security in employment are not contradictory. Policies should also
take into consideration whether there is any inconsistency in the
distribution of work between some people who are overworked and others who
remain unemployed or underemployed.
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Adherence to core international labour standards should also be
assured. Governments may, for example, be tempted to increase their share
of world markets by reducing wages and working conditions for their
workers, thus improving the competitiveness of their products. In addition
to causing deteriorating conditions for their own workers, such policies
may only encourage others to adopt similar measures and lead to growing
social and economic costs in a downward spiral of reduced consumer
confidence, reduced demand, lower consumption and fewer jobs. Seeking
trade advantages for themselves, countries may, perhaps unwittingly, begin
to undermine the global good. Treating people decently is not a cost but
an investment.
Education and training
The most commonly expressed goal was for countries to develop policies
and programmes that emphasize improved education and training. This was
considered absolutely essential for all countries. People are a country’s
greatest natural resource. Developing countries, in particular, should
embark on extensive campaigns to widen access to education and improve its
quality and relevance, particularly for women and girls, if the gap in
international competitiveness is not to widen.
Support for the rural and informal sector
The majority of the workforce in many developing countries continues
to be engaged in agricultural activities in rural areas. Because of the
size of this labour force and the often already large migration to urban
areas, it makes sense to promote policies to increase investment both in
the agricultural sector and in rural, non-farm activities. Promoting
agro-business activities and small-scale manufacturing can help to increase
rural incomes, improve rural living conditions and discourage urban
migration. Additional support should be provided for activities involving
agricultural extension, irrigation, fertilizers and pesticides, storage and
marketing facilities, and education and training.
Because of its importance as a generator of employment, additional
assistance to the micro-enterprise and urban informal sector is also called
for. Governments should seek to reduce regulations that are unnecessary or
cumbersome, as well as harassment of small-scale enterprises. Increased
assistance should be provided to support and encourage the growth of these
enterprises and to improve their effectiveness and efficiency.
In the short term, assistance should take the form of training to
improve knowledge and expertise, improved machinery and technology to
increase productivity and expanded access to credit, finance and markets.
Micro-enterprises can often find a niche for their products in domestic
markets, but may require assistance to exploit it. In the longer term,
attention must be given to education so as to improve the qualifications of
young people entering the labour market. The education of women is of
particular importance. It is also important to ensure that increased
labour force participation of women does not result in declining wages and
conditions of work.
Support for the disadvantaged and groups with specific needs
It is essential to improve the capacities of people living in poverty
and disadvantaged groups to participate more fully in the labour market and
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to benefit from economic growth. Active labour market policies should be
established and programmes implemented to strengthen and support the
efforts of young people, people with disabilities, older persons and the
long-term unemployed to take advantage of new opportunities for employment.
International level
Internationally, Governments should accept the reality of their
interdependence in a global market economy. There is an important role for
cooperative international policies in promoting a more open, stable and
socially just international economic system. The "prisoner’s dilemma" has
to be overcome through strengthened international cooperation and
coordination of macroeconomic policies and mutual guarantees to promote
growth in domestic demand along with an opening of markets.
Governments, working together through the United Nations and other
international and regional organizations, can strengthen the enabling
environment necessary for equitable economic and social development.
International cooperation should also entail assistance provided by
the agencies and programmes of the United Nations system. Work has been
done by the ACC Task Force on Productive Employment and Sustainable
Livelihoods to develop a framework for collaborative country-level
assistance. The International Labour Organization and the United Nations
Development Programme have taken the lead in cooperative efforts with
Governments, social partners and civil society on employment generation and
training projects. International cooperation also involves enhancing
collaboration between international agencies with economic mandates and
those with social mandates.
There is a continuing need for international transfers of resources,
in terms of official development assistance, debt relief and increased
private foreign investment. To achieve this, donors and investors will
need more confidence in the openness and overall stability of recipient
economies and in the process of foreign assistance.
International assistance can also take the form of knowledge,
information and expertise shared or transferred from country to country.
Examples of positive experience with policies and programmes can be
exchanged at both the regional and international levels.
Documents considered in connection with the follow-up to the World Summit for
Social Development
64. At the 12th meeting, on 6 March on the proposal of the Chairman, the
Commission took note of documents it had before it for its consideration of the
follow-up to the World Summit for Social Development (see chap. I, sect. D,
Commission decision 35/103).
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Chapter III
PROGRAMME QUESTIONS AND OTHER MATTERS
1. The Commission considered item 4 of its agenda (Programme questions and
other matters: (a) Programme performance and implementation; (b) Proposed
programme of work for the biennium 1998-1999; (c) United Nations Research
Institute for Social Development) at its 9th and 12th meetings, on 4 and
6 March 1997. The Commission had before it the following documents:
(a) Note by the Secretary-General on the nomination of members of the
Board of the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development
(E/CN.5/1997/6 and Add.1 and 2);
(b) Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Board of
the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (E/CN.5/1997/7);
(c) Note by the Secretary-General on the proposed programme of work of the
Division for Social Policy and Development for the biennium 1998-1999
(E/CN.5/1997/L.2).
2. At the 9th meeting, on 4 March, the Director of the United Nations Research
Institute for Social Development made an introductory statement.
3. At the same meeting, statements were made by the representatives of Chile,
the Sudan, Argentina and the Netherlands (on behalf of the States members of the
European Union, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania,
Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia) and the observer for Swaziland.
4. At the same meeting, the Director of the Division for Social Policy and
Development of the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable
Development of the United Nations Secretariat made a statement.
5. Also at the same meeting, the representative of the Netherlands made a
statement.
6. At the 12th meeting, on 6 March, a statement was made by the representative
of Argentina.
7. Also at the 12th meeting, the representative of the Netherlands, on behalf
of the States members of the European Union, made a statement, which the
Commission agreed should be included in the report. The statement was as
follows:
"In general the proposed programme of work of the Division for Social
Policy and Development for the biennium 1998-1999 does not yet appear to be
adequately geared to the multi-year programme of work of the Commission for
Social Development, as decided upon at the Commission’s special session of
1996 and as approved by the Economic and Social Council. The structure and
the content of the work programme should be directly based upon and in
detail related to the above-mentioned multi-year programme of work.
"Specifically, the European Union requests further information on the
following:
"(a) Follow-up to the International Year of the Family (1994):
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(i) formulating family-sensitive strategies and policy options and measures
to attain them and (ii) survey of national family policies, which should be
deleted;
"(b) Activities relating to the role of cooperatives;
"(c) The number of meetings of a proposed global conference on youth
and what conference services are envisaged."
Action taken by the Commission
Nomination of members of the Board of the United Nations Research Institute for
Social Development
8. At the 9th meeting, on 4 March, on the proposal of the Chairman, the
Commission decided to nominate, for confirmation by the Economic and Social
Council, the following new candidates for membership in the Board of the United
Nations Research Institute for Social Development for a four-year term beginning
on 1 July 1997: Heba Alimad Handoussa (Egypt), Eveline Herfkens (Netherlands),
Graça Simbine Machel (Mozambique), Marcia Rivera (United States of America) and
Gita Sen (India) (see chap. I, sect. C, Commission decision 35/101).
Documents considered in connection with programme questions and other matters
9. At the 12th meeting, on 6 March, on the proposal of the Chairman, the
Commission took note of the note by the Secretary-General on the nomination of
members of the Board of the United Nations Research Institute for Social
Development (E/CN.5/1997/6 and Add.1 and 2), the note by the Secretary-General
transmitting the report of the Board of the Institute (E/CN.5/1997/7) and the
note by the Secretary-General on the proposed programme of work of the Division
for Social Policy and Development for the biennium 1998-1999 (E/CN.5/1997/L.2)
(see chap. I, sect. D, Commission decision 35/104).
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Chapter IV
PROVISIONAL AGENDA FOR THE THIRTY-SIXTH SESSION
OF THE COMMISSION
1. At its 12th meeting, on 6 March 1997, the Commission considered item 5 of
its agenda. The Commission had before it a note by the Secretariat containing
the draft provisional agenda for the thirty-sixth session, together with a list
of requested documentation (E/CN.5/1997/L.3).
2. Statements were made by the representatives of the Netherlands (on behalf
of the States members of the European Union), the United States, Canada, the
Russian Federation, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Japan and Argentina and the
observer for Costa Rica.
3. The representative of the Netherlands, on behalf of the States members of
the European Union, informed the Commission of amendments to the draft
provisional agenda, which had been agreed upon during informal consultations.
4. The Commission then decided to approve the provisional agenda for the
thirty-sixth session of the Commission, as orally amended, together with the
requested documentation (see chap. I, sect. B, draft decision).
Inter-sessional work of the Commission
5. The Chairman made a statement in connection with the inter-sessional work
of the Commission.
6. It was then agreed that the precise manner in which the Commission would
consider United Nations plans and programmes of action pertaining to the
situation of social groups would be discussed further at the inter-sessional
meeting of the Bureau and related open-ended consultations. For that purpose,
the Secretariat would prepare an information note containing a description of
the current review and appraisal processes within the United Nations pertaining
to these plans and programmes of action. The Bureau and the Commission would
also consider the desirability of making more extensive use of the support group
concept.
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Chapter V
ADOPTION OF THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSION ON ITS
THIRTY-FIFTH SESSION
1. At the 12th meeting, on 6 March 1997, the Rapporteur introduced the draft
report of the Commission (E/CN.5/1997/L.6), which he orally corrected.
2. The Commission then adopted the report and entrusted the Rapporteur with
its completion.
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Chapter VI
ORGANIZATION OF THE SESSION
A. Opening and duration of the session
1. The Commission for Social Development held its thirty-fifth session at
United Nations Headquarters from 25 February to 6 March 1997. The Commission
held 12 meetings (1st to 12th) and a number of informal meetings.
2. At its 1st meeting, on 25 February 1997, the Commission heard an opening
statement by the temporary Chairman, Koos Richelle (Netherlands).
3. At the same meeting, the Commission heard a statement by the Under-
Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development.
B. Attendance
4. In accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/7, the
Commission is composed of 46 States Members of the United Nations, elected on
the principle of equitable geographical distribution.
5. The session was attended by 44 States members of the Commission. Observers
for other States Members of the United Nations and for non-member States and
representatives of specialized agencies and intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations also attended. A list of participants is given
in annex I to the present report.
C. Election of officers
6. At its 3rd and 4th meetings, on 25 and 26 February, the Commission elected
the following officers by acclamation:
Chairman: Ion Gorita (Romania)
Vice-Chairmen: Seyed Hossein Razvani (Islamic Republic of Iran)
Aurelio Fernandez (Spain)
Ahmed Abdel Halim (Sudan)
Vice-Chairman-cum-Rapporteur: Santiago Apunte Franco (Ecuador)
D. Agenda and organization of work
7. At its 1st meeting, on 25 February, the Commission adopted the provisional
agenda contained in document E/CN.5/1997/1. The agenda was as follows:
1. Election of officers.
2. Adoption of the agenda and other organizational matters.
3. Follow-up to the World Summit for Social Development:
(a) Priority theme: Productive employment and sustainable
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livelihoods;
(b) Review of relevant United Nations plans and programmes of action
pertaining to the situation of social groups.
4. Programme questions and other matters:
(a) Programme performance and implementation;
(b) Proposed programme of work for the biennium 1998-1999;
(c) United Nations Research Institute for Social Development.
5. Provisional agenda for the thirty-sixth session of the Commission.
6. Adoption of the report of the Commission on its thirty-fifth session.
8. At the same meeting, the Commission approved the organization of the work
of the session (see E/CN.5/1997/L.1), as orally amended.
E. Appointment of the co-chairpersons of the working group
9. At its 3rd meeting, on 26 February, the Commission endorsed the appointment
of Julia Tavares de Alvarez (Dominican Republic) and Aurelio Fernandez (Spain)
as Co-Chairpersons of the in-session Ad Hoc Working Group on the Fourth Review
and Appraisal of the Implementation of the International Plan of Action on
Ageing and Preparations for the International Year of Older Persons.
F. Panel discussions and dialogue
10. At the 2nd meeting, on 25 February, the chairpersons of the inter-agency
task forces on the follow-up to the World Summit for Social Development
addressed the Commission. James Gustave Speth, Administrator of the United
Nations Development Programme, acted as moderator.
11. At the same meeting, the Under-Secretary-General for Policy Coordination
and Sustainable Development made a statement.
12. Also at the same meeting, members of the Commission held a general exchange
of views with the chairpersons.
13. The following chairpersons of the inter-agency task forces made
presentations:
Katherine Hagen, Deputy Director-General of the International Labour Office
and Chairperson of the Task Force on Employment and Sustainable
Development;
Nafis Sadik, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund and
Chairperson of the Task Force on Basic Social Services;
John Page, Chief Economist, Middle East and North Africa Region of the
World Bank and Chairperson of the Subgroup on the Economic and Social
Environment;
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Kristen Timothy, Deputy Director of the Division for the Advancement of
Women of the United Nations Secretariat and Secretary of the Steering
Committee for the Advancement of Women.
14. At its 3rd and 5th meetings, on 26 and 27 February, the Commission held two
panel discussions on the priority theme "Productive employment and sustainable
livelihoods".
Panel Discussion I
15. John Langmore, Director of the Division for Social Policy and Development
of the United Nations Secretariat, acted as moderator.
16. The following panel members addressed the Commission:
Bill Jordan, General Secretary of the International Confederation of Free
Trade Unions (Belgium);
Ashraf Tabani, President of the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan;
Isabelle Grunberg, Senior Policy Analyst, Office of Development Studies of
the United Nations Development Programme;
Jesus Aguilar Cruz, Director, ALTERNATIVA, Centro de Investigación Social y
Educación Popular (Peru).
17. Members of the Commission held a general exchange of views with the panel
members.
Panel Discussion II
18. Katherine Hagen, Deputy Director-General of the International Labour
Office, and Michel Hansenne, Director-General of the International Labour
Office, acted as moderators.
19. The following panel members addressed the Commission:
Ralph Willis, Member of Parliament, former Federal Treasurer, former
Minister of Finance, former Minister of Employment and Industrial Relations
(Australia);
David Boateng, Minister for Employment and Social Welfare (Ghana);
Magda Kosa Kovacs, Member of Parliament, former Minister of Labour,
Executive Vice-Chairman of the Hungarian Socialist Party (Hungary);
Gustavo Yamada, Vice-Minister of Social Promotion, Ministry of Labour and
Social Promotion (Peru).
20. Members of the Commission had a general exchange of views with panel
members.
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G. Consultations with non-governmental organizations
21. In accordance with rule 76 of the rules of procedure of the functional
commissions of the Economic and Social Council (E/5975/Rev.1), observers for the
following non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Council
made statements under agenda item 3:
General consultative status
American Association of Retired Persons, International Chamber of Commerce,
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), International
Council on Social Welfare, International Federation of Associations of the
Elderly (FIAPA), International Movement ATD Fourth World
Special consultative status
Disabled People’s International, European’s Women’s Lobby, Foundation for
the Rights of the Family (PRODEFA), Inclusion International, International
Federation of Settlements and Neighbourhood Centres, International
Federation of Social Workers, Rehabilitation International, World Leisure
and Recreation Association
Non-governmental organization accredited to the World Summit for Social
Development
BUSCO - Business Association for the World Social Summit
22. Written statements submitted by non-governmental organizations are listed
in annex II to the present report.
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Annex I
ATTENDANCE
Members
Argentina: Juan Carlos Beltramino, Martín García Moritán
Austria: Elke Atzler, Eveline Hoenigsperger,
Helmut Hoepflinger, Susanne Kepler-Schlesinger,
Harald Koller, Elfriede Böhm-Peterla
Belarus: Volga Dargel, Natallya Drozd, Igar Gubarevich
Benin: Fassassi A. Yacoubou, Leon Klouvi, Rogatien Biaou,
Houssou Paul Houansou
Cameroon:
Canada: Ross Hynes, Ruth Archibald, Rolando Bahamondes,
Louise Galarneau, André Giroux, Hugh Adsett,
Remy Beaulieu
Chile: Juan Somavía, Eduardo Galvez, Eduardo Tapia,
Fidel Coloma
China: Wang Xuexian, Meng Xianying, Zhang Fengkun,
Sun Zhonghua, Lieu Hehua, Shi Weigiang, Li Sangu,
Su Jinghua, He Ping, Yun Qi
Cuba: Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Rodolfo Reyes Rodríguez
Dominican Republic: Julia Tavares de Alvarez, Margarita Guerra de Sturla
Ecuador: Santiago Apunte Franco, Monica Martínez
Egypt: Nabil Elaraby, Soliman Awaad, Alaa Kahirat Issa,
Karim Wissa, Yehia Oda
Ethiopia: Fesseha Asghedom Tessema, Meheret Getahoun
Finland: Aino-Inkeri Hansson, Taisto Huimasalo, Pekka Hakala,
Reijo Väarlä, Anna-Maija Korpi, Ralf Ekebom,
Raili Lahnalampi
France: Yvon Chotard, Danièle Refuveille, Pierre Vimont,
Jean Prieur, Annie Ornon de Calan
Gabon: Pierre Claver Zeng Ebome, Eugene Revangue,
Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, Yves Owanlele Adiahenot,
Taty Jeannine Ngouempaza, Charles Essonghe,
Ginette Arondo, Jean François Allogho
Gambia:
Germany: Gerhad Henze, Claus A. Lutz, Volker Berger,
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Christoph Linzbach, Holger Mahnicke, Patricia Flor
Guatemala: Julio Armando Martini Herrera, Luis Fernando Carranza
Cifuentes, Silvia Cristina Corado Cuevas
India: S. R. Hashim, G. Mukhopadhaya, Nandhini Iyer Krishna
Iran (Islamic
Republic of): Bagher Asadi, Seyed Hossein Rezvani, Mehdi Hamzehei
Jamaica: Faith Innerarity, Ann-Marie Bonner
Japan: Masaki Konishi, Fumiko Saiga, Yoko Maejima,
Mika Ichihara
Malawi: David Rubadiri, E. Kalemba, Dorothy D. Thunyani,
F. D. J. Matupa
Malta: Carmel L. De Gabriele, Victor Pace, Joanna Darmanin,
Elaine Miller, Claire Micallef
Malaysia: Datuk Hasmy bin Agam, Anizan Siti Hajjar Bt Adnin
Mauritania: Yahya N’Gam, Amadou N’Diaye
Mongolia: Nyam-Osor Tuya, O. Enkhtsetseg
Nepal:
Netherlands: Koos N. M. Richelle, Peter H. B. Pennekamp,
Henk C. V. Scharama, Joke Swiebel,
Mark W. van der Voet, Gerard L. van Rienen,
René C. Aquarone, Rob A. F. van der Meulen,
Monique Middelhoff, Mieke B. Bos, Usha S. Gopie
Norway: Hilde Caroline Sundrehagen, Anne-Sofie Trosdahl Oraug,
Helge Havie, Ann-Marit Saebones, Sten Arne Rosnes,
Ella Ghosh
Pakistan: Ahmad Kamal, Masood H. Kizalbash, Mohammad Masood Khan
Peru: Fernando Guillén, Rosa Flores Medina, Arturo Jarama,
Alfredo Chuquihuara
Philippines: Felipe Mabilangan, Maria Lourdes V. Ramiro-Lopez,
Ruth S. Limjuco, Libran N. Cabactulan
Poland: Zbigniew M. Wlosowicz, Jaroslaw Strejczek
Republic of Korea: Myung-Chul Hahm, Young Han Bae, Jae Hong Yuh,
Young Sam Ma
Romania: Dorin Nicolae Parvu, Ion Gorita, Victoria Sandru
Russian Federation: B. A. Tsepov, O. Y. Sepelev, Sergei A. Sukharev,
I. V. Khryskov
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South Africa: Khiphusizi J. Jele, G. Bloch, Irma Engelbrecht
Spain: Carlos Westendorp, Arturo Laclaustra, Héctor Maravall,
Aurelio Fernandez, María Dolores Cano, Marta Betanzos,
Delmira Seara, María Luisa Lopez Peña
Sudan: Ahmed Abdul Halim, Shahira H.A. Wahbi
Togo: Sadissou Miziyawa
Uganda: Semakula Kiwanuka, Paul Mukasa-Ssali
Ukraine: Ella M. Libanova, Yevhen V. Koziy, Ivanna S. Markina
United States
of America: Victor Marrero, Lillian Rangel Pollo, Marla Bush,
Joan Barrett, William Benson, John Kemp,
Susan M. Selbin, David Hohman, Lucy Tamlyn,
Betty Mullen, David Shapiro, Melinda Kimble,
Seth Winnick, Leslie Lebl
Venezuela: Oscar R. de Rojas, Norman Monagas-Lesseur,
Lyda Aponte de Zacklin, Elke Stockhausen
States Members of the United Nations represented by observers
Algeria, Andorra, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh,
Belgium, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Czech Republic,
Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Greece, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Kazakstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lesotho,
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco,
Namibia, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Portugal, Republic of Moldova,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,
United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Viet Nam, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Non-member States represented by observers
Holy See, Switzerland
United Nations bodies
Economic Commission for Europe, Economic and Social Commission for Western
Asia, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, United Nations
Development Programme, United Nations Research Institute for Social Development
Specialized agencies
International Labour Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization, International Civil Aviation Organization, World Health
Organization, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, United Nations Industrial
Development Organization
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Intergovernmental organizations represented by observers
European Community, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies, Organization of African Unity
Non-governmental organizations
General consultative status
American Association of Retired Persons, Franciscans International,
International Chamber of Commerce, International Confederation of Free Trade
Unions, International Council on Social Welfare, International Federation of
Associations of the Elderly, International Movement ATD Fourth World,
International Union of Family Organizations, Inter-Parliamentary Union,
Soroptimist International, World Federation of United Nations Associations,
Zonta International
Special consultative status
AFS International Programs, Inc., Agence Internationale pour le
développement, American Association of Jurists, Arab Lawyers Union, Asian
Women’s Human Rights Council, Association for the Advancement of Psychological
Understanding of Human Nature, Association tunisienne de mères, Baha’í
International Community, Caritas Internationalis, Commission of the Churches on
International Affairs of the World Council of Churches, Disabled People’s
International, COUNTERPART Foundation, Economists Allied for Arms Reduction,
European Women’s Lobby, Federation of Associations of Former International Civil
Servants, Foundation for the Rights of the Family, Global Education Associates,
Inclusion International,* International Association for Impact Assessment,
International Catholic Child Bureau, International Catholic Union of the Press,
International Federation of Settlements and Neighborhood Centers, International
Federation of Social Workers, International Society for Traumatic Stress
Studies, International Statistical Institute, Netherlands Organization for
International Development Cooperation, Pax Christi, International Catholic Peace
Movement, Rehabilitation International, Solar Cookers International, Wittenberg
Center for Alternatives Resources, World Information Transfer, World Leisure and
Recreation Association, World Movement of Mothers, World Safety Organization,
World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations
Roster
Asociación Cultural Sejekto de Costa Rica, Center of Concern, Friedrich
Ebert Foundation, Fundación Hernandiana, Grand Council of the Crees (Eenou
Astchee),** International Court of the Environment Foundation, International
Right to Life Federation, International Studies Association, SERVAS
International, Third World Institute, UNDA - International Catholic Association
for Radio and Television, Women’s Environment Development Organization, Working
Women’s Forum (India)
* Formerly known as International League of Societies for Persons with Mental
Handicap.
** Formerly known as Grand Council of the Crees (of Quebec).
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NGOs accredited to the World Summit for Social Development
Advisory Commission of the Evangelical Church in Germany, Afghan
Development Association, Ambedkar Centre for Justice and Peace, Armenian Relief
Society, Inc., Asociación Intersectorial para el Desarrollo Economico y el
Progreso Social, Association pour le progrés et la défense des droits des femmes
maliennes, Association pour la promotion de l’emploi et du logement, Australian
Council for Overseas Aid, Basaisa Community Cooperative for Development, BUSCO -
Business Association for the World Social Summit, Comité catholique contre la
faim et pour le développement, China Disabled Person’s Federation, Cómite de
Américana y Caribe para la Defensa de los Derechos de la Mujer, Council on
Economic Priorities, Federación Argentina de Apoyo Familiar, Federation of
Independent Trade Unions of Russia, FES SAIS Association, Global Action on
Aging, General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church,
International Institute of Peace Studies and Global Philosophy, International
Research Foundation for Development, Inc., International Textile, Garment and
Leather Workers’ Federation, International Union for Land-Value Taxation and
Free Trade, North American Coalition on Religion and Ecology, Norwegian
Association for Children with Congenital Heart Disorders, Norwegian Federation
of Organizations of Disabled People, OIKOS - Cooperçao e Desenvolvímento, Parti
communiste français, Peace and Cooperation - Paz y Cooperacíon, Religious
Consultation on Population, Reproductive Health and Ethics, School Sisters of
Notre Dame, Solidarité Populaire Québec, Summer Institute of Linguistics, SPUC
Educational Research Trust, United Church Board for World Ministries, World
Council of Peoples for the United Nations
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Annex II
LIST OF DOCUMENTS BEFORE THE COMMISSION AT
ITS THIRTY-FIFTH SESSION
Document number Agenda item Title or description
A/52/56 3 Note by the Secretary-General containing
the final report of the Special Rapporteur
of the Commission for Social Development
on monitoring the implementation of the
Standard Rules on the Equalization of
Opportunities for Persons with
Disabilities
A/52/57-E/1997/4 3 Report of the Secretary-General on the
International Year of the Family
A/52/60-E/1997/6 3 Report of the Secretary-General on the
implementation of the World Programme of
Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and
Beyond
A/52/80-E/1997/14 3 Letter dated 21 February 1997 from the
Permanent Representative of Austria to the
United Nations addressed to the
Secretary-General transmitting the report
of the second session of the World Youth
Forum of the United Nations System
(Vienna, 25-29 November 1996)
A/51/128/Add.1 4 Report of the Secretary-General on the
programme performance of the United
Nations for the biennium 1994-1995
E/CN.5/1997/1 2 Annotated provisional agenda
E/CN.5/1997/2 3 Report of the Secretary-General on the
follow-up to the World Summit for Social
Development
E/CN.5/1997/3 3 Report of the Secretary-General on the
priority theme: Productive employment and
sustainable livelihoods
E/CN.5/1997/4 3 Report of the Secretary-General on the
fourth review and appraisal of the
International Plan of Action on Ageing
E/CN.5/1997/5 3 Report of the Secretary-General on
emerging issues, trends and new
approaches, and programme activities of
the Secretariat and the regional
commissions relating to social
development, including the situation of
specific groups
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Document number Agenda item Title or description
E/CN.5/1997/5/Add.1 3 Report of the Secretary-General on social
and Corr.1 welfare and social development activities
of the regional commissions for the
biennium 1995-1996
E/CN.5/1997/6 4 Note by the Secretary-General on the
and Add.1 and 2 nomination of members of the Board of the
United Nations Research Institute for
Social Development
E/CN.5/1997/7 4 Note by the Secretary-General transmitting
the report of the Board of the United
Nations Research Institute for Social
Development
E/CN.5/1997/8 3 1997 report on the world social situation
(Parts I and II)
E/CN.5/1997/9 3 Note by the Secretary-General on agreed
conclusions 1996/1 adopted by the Economic
and Social Council at its 1996
coordination segment on coordination of
the United Nations system activities for
poverty eradication
E/CN.5/1997/10 3 Letter dated 6 February 1997 from the
Permanent Representative of Denmark to the
United Nations addressed to the
Secretary-General transmitting the report
of the first Copenhagen Seminar for Social
Progress (Havreholm, Denmark,
4-6 October 1996), entitled "Conditions
for social progress: a world economy for
the benefit of all"
E/CN.5/1997/L.1 2 Note by the Secretariat on the
organization of work of the session
E/CN.5/1997/L.2 4 Note by the Secretary-General on the
proposed programme of work of the Division
for Social Policy and Development for the
biennium 1998-1999
E/CN.5/1997/L.3 5 Note by the Secretariat on the provisional
agenda for the thirty-sixth session of the
Commission
E/CN.5/1997/L.4 2 Note by the Secretariat on the status of
documentation for the session
E/CN.5/1997/L.5 3 (a) Productive employment and sustainable
livelihoods: draft resolution
E/CN.5/1997/L.6 6 Draft report
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Document number Agenda item Title or description
E/CN.5/1997/L.7 3 (b) International Year of Older Persons:
towards a society for all ages: draft
resolution
E/CN.5/1997/L.8 3 (b) Fourth review and appraisal of the
International Plan of Action on Ageing:
draft resolution
E/CN.5/1997/L.9 3 (b) Equalization of opportunities for persons
with disabilities: draft resolution
E/CN.5/1997/L.10 3 (b) Children with disabilities: draft
resolution
E/CN.5/1997/L.11 3 (b) Holding of the first session of the World
Conference of Ministers Responsible for
Youth in cooperation with the United
Nations and in pursuance of the World
Programme of Action for Youth to the Year
2000 and Beyond: draft resolution
E/CN.5/1997/L.12 3 (b) Follow-up to the International Year of the
Family: draft resolution
E/CN.5/1997/L.13 3 (a) Productive employment and sustainable
and Add.1 livelihoods: draft resolution
E/CN.5/1997/NGO/1 3 (b) Statement submitted by the Foundation for
the Rights of the Family (PRODEFA), a
non-governmental organization in special
consultative status with the Economic and
Social Council
E/CN.5/1997/NGO/2 3 (b) Statement submitted by Greek Orthodox
Archdiocesan Council of North and South
America; HelpAge International;
International Council of Women;
International Council on Social Welfare;
International Federation of Business and
Professional Women; International
Federation on Ageing; International Union
of Family Organizations; Soroptimist
International; Zonta International
(non-governmental organizations in general
consultative status); All India Women’s
Conference; Associated Country Women of
the World; Baha’í International Community;
Caritas Internationalis; Foundation for
the Rights of the Family (PRODEFA);
International Catholic Child Bureau;
International Confederation of Christian
Family Movements; International Council of
Jewish Women; International Federation for
Home Economics; International Federation
-66-
Document number Agenda item Title or description
of Settlements and Neighbourhood Centres;
International Federation of Social
Workers; International Federation of
University Women; International Kolping
Society; Italian Centre of Solidarity; New
Humanity; Pax Romana ICMICA-IMCS;
SOS-Kinderdorf International; World
Association of Girl Guides and Girl
Scouts; World Federation of Methodist
Women; World Leisure and Recreation
Association; World Movement of Mothers;
World Union of Catholic Women’s
Organizations (non-governmental
organizations in special consultative
status); International Association of
Charities; Catholic International
Education Office; European Union of Women;
International Inner Wheel; International
Round Table for the Advancement of
Counselling; World Peace Council (Roster)
E/CN.5/1997/NGO/3 3 (b) Statement submitted by the American
Association of Retired Persons (AARP), a
non-governmental organization in general
consultative status with the Economic and
Social Council
97-11696 (E)
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