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WSSD
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World
Summit for Social Development
Copenhagen, 6 - 12 March 1995
Check the Brief
Introduction to WSSD
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Chapeau
A. Current social situation and reasons for
convening the Summit
B. Principles and goals
C. Commitments 1 - 10
1. For the first time in history, at the
invitation of the United Nations, we gather as heads of State and Government to
recognize the significance of social development and human well-being for all
and to give to these goals the highest priority both now and into the
twenty-first century.
2. We acknowledge that the people of the world
have shown in different ways an urgent need to address profound social problems,
especially poverty, unemployment and social exclusion, that affect every
country. It is our task to address both their underlying and structural causes
and their distressing consequences in order to reduce uncertainty and insecurity
in the life of people.
3. We acknowledge that our societies must respond
more effectively to the material and spiritual needs of individuals, their
families and the communities in which they live throughout our diverse countries
and regions. We must do so not only as a matter of urgency but also as a matter
of sustained and unshakeable commitment through the years ahead.
4. We are convinced that democracy and
transparent and accountable governance and administration in all sectors of
society are indispensable foundations for the realization of social and people-centred
sustainable development.
5. We share the conviction that social
development and social justice are indispensable for the achievement and
maintenance of peace and security within and among our nations. In turn, social
development and social justice cannot be attained in the absence of peace and
security or in the absence of respect for all human rights and fundamental
freedoms. This essential interdependence was recognized 50 years ago in the
Charter of the United Nations and has since grown ever stronger.
6. We are deeply convinced that economic
development, social development and environmental protection are interdependent
and mutually reinforcing components of sustainable development, which is the
framework for our efforts to achieve a higher quality of life for all people.
Equitable social development that recognizes empowering the poor to utilize
environmental resources sustainably is a necessary foundation for sustainable
development. We also recognize that broad-based and sustained economic growth in
the context of sustainable development is necessary to sustain social
development and social justice.
7. We recognize, therefore, that social
development is central to the needs and aspirations of people throughout the
world and to the responsibilities of Governments and all sectors of civil
society. We affirm that, in both economic and social terms, the most productive
policies and investments are those that empower people to maximize their
capacities, resources and opportunities. We acknowledge that social and economic
development cannot be secured in a sustainable way without the full
participation of women and that equality and equity between women and men is a
priority for the international community and as such must be at the centre of
economic and social development.
8. We acknowledge that people are at the centre
of our concerns for sustainable development and that they are entitled to a
healthy and productive life in harmony with the environment.
9. We gather here to commit ourselves, our
Governments and our nations to enhancing social development throughout the world
so that all men and women, especially those living in poverty, may exercise the
rights, utilize the resources and share the responsibilities that enable them to
lead satisfying lives and to contribute to the well-being of their families,
their communities and humankind. To support and promote these efforts must be
the overriding goals of the international community, especially with respect to
people suffering from poverty, unemployment and social exclusion.
10. We make this solemn commitment on the eve of
the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations, with a determination to capture
the unique possibilities offered by the end of the cold war to promote social
development and social justice. We reaffirm and are guided by the principles of
the Charter of the United Nations and by agreements reached at relevant
international conferences, including the World Summit for Children, held at New
York in 1990; 1/ the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development,
held at Rio de Janeiro in 1992; 2/ the World Conference on Human Rights, held at
Vienna in 1993; 3/ the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small
Island Developing States, held at Bridgetown, Barbados in 1994; 4/ and the
International Conference on Population and Development, held at Cairo in 1994.
5/ By this Summit we launch a new commitment to social development in each of
our countries and a new era of international cooperation between Governments and
peoples based on a spirit of partnership that puts the needs, rights and
aspirations of people at the centre of our decisions and joint actions.
11. We gather here in Copenhagen in a Summit of
hope, commitment and action. We gather with full awareness of the difficulty of
the tasks that lie ahead but with a conviction that major progress can be
achieved, must be achieved and will be achieved.
12. We commit ourselves to this Declaration and
Programme of Action for enhancing social development and ensuring human
well-being for all throughout the world now and into the twenty-first century.
We invite all people in all countries and in all walks of life, as well as the
international community, to join us in our common cause.
13. We are witnessing in countries throughout the
world the expansion of prosperity for some, unfortunately accompanied by an
expansion of unspeakable poverty for others. This glaring contradiction is
unacceptable and needs to be corrected through urgent actions.
14. Globalization, which is a consequence of
increased human mobility, enhanced communications, greatly increased trade and
capital flows, and technological developments, opens new opportunities for
sustained economic growth and development of the world economy, particularly in
developing countries. Globalization also permits countries to share experiences
and to learn from one another's achievements and difficulties, and promotes a
cross-fertilization of ideals, cultural values and aspirations. At the same
time, the rapid processes of change and adjustment have been accompanied by
intensified poverty, unemployment and social disintegration. Threats to human
well-being, such as environmental risks, have also been globalized. Furthermore,
the global transformations of the world economy are profoundly changing the
parameters of social development in all countries. The challenge is how to
manage these processes and threats so as to enhance their benefits and mitigate
their negative effects upon people.
15. There has been progress in some areas of
social and economic development:
(a) The global wealth of nations has multiplied
sevenfold in the past 50 years and international trade has grown even more
dramatically;
(b) Life expectancy, literacy and primary
education, and access to basic health care, including family planning, have
increased in the majority of countries and average infant mortality has been
reduced, including in developing countries;
(c) Democratic pluralism, democratic institutions
and fundamental civil liberties have expanded. Decolonization efforts have
achieved much progress, while the elimination of apartheid is a historic
achievement.
16. Yet we recognize that far too many people,
particularly women and children, are vulnerable to stress and deprivation.
Poverty, unemployment and social disintegration too often result in isolation,
marginalization and violence. The insecurity that many people, in particular
vulnerable people, face about the future - their own and their children's - is
intensifying:
(a) Within many societies, both in developed and
developing countries, the gap between rich and poor has increased. Furthermore,
despite the fact that some developing countries are growing rapidly the gap
between developed and many developing countries, particularly the least
developed countries, has widened;
(b) More than one billion people in the world
live in abject poverty, most of whom go hungry every day. A large proportion,
the majority of whom are women, have very limited access to income, resources,
education, health care or nutrition, particularly in Africa and the least
developed countries;
(c) There are also serious social problems of a
different nature and magnitude in countries with economies in transition and
countries experiencing fundamental political, economic and social
transformations;
(d) The major cause of the continued
deterioration of the global environment is the unsustainable pattern of
consumption and production, particularly in industrialized countries, which is a
matter of grave concern, aggravating poverty and imbalances;
(e) Continued growth in the world's population,
its structure and distribution, and its relationship with poverty and social and
gender inequality challenge the adaptive capacities of Governments, individuals,
social institutions and the natural environment;
(f) Over 120 million people world wide are
officially unemployed and many more are underemployed. Too many young people,
including those with formal education, have little hope of finding productive
work;
(g) More women than men live in absolute poverty
and the imbalance continues to grow, with serious consequences for women and
their children. Women carry a disproportionate share of the problems of coping
with poverty, social disintegration, unemployment, environmental degradation and
the effects of war;
(h) One of the world's largest minorities, more
than 1 in 10, are people with disabilities, who are too often forced into
poverty, unemployment and social isolation. In addition, in all countries older
persons may be particularly vulnerable to social exclusion, poverty and
marginalization;
(i) Millions of people world wide are refugees or
internally displaced persons. The tragic social consequences have a critical
effect on the social stability and development of their home countries, their
host countries and their respective regions.
17. While these problems are global in character
and affect all countries, we clearly acknowledge that the situation of most
developing countries, and particularly of Africa and the least developed
countries, is critical and requires special attention and action. We also
acknowledge that these countries, which are undergoing fundamental political,
economic and social transformation, including countries in the process of
consolidating peace and democracy, require the support of the international
community.
18. Countries with economies in transition, which
are also undergoing fundamental political, economic and social transformation,
require the support of the international community as well.
19. Other countries that are undergoing
fundamental political, economic and social transformation require the support of
the international community as well.
20. The goals and objectives of social
development require continuous efforts to reduce and eliminate major sources of
social distress and instability for the family and for society. We pledge to
place particular focus on and give priority attention to the fight against the
world-wide conditions that pose severe threats to the health, safety, peace,
security and well-being of our people. Among these conditions are chronic
hunger; malnutrition; illicit drug problems; organized crime; corruption;
foreign occupation; armed conflicts; illicit arms trafficking, terrorism,
intolerance and incitement to racial, ethnic, religious and other hatreds;
xenophobia; and endemic, communicable and chronic diseases. To this end,
coordination and cooperation at the national level and especially at the
regional and international levels should be further strengthened.
21. In this context, the negative impact on
development of excessive military expenditures, the arms trade, and investment
for arms production and acquisition must be addressed.
22. Communicable diseases constitute a serious
health problem in all countries and are a major cause of death globally; in many
cases, their incidence is increasing. These diseases are a hindrance to social
development and are often the cause of poverty and social exclusion. The
prevention, treatment and control of these diseases, covering a spectrum from
tuberculosis and malaria to the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), must be given the highest priority.
23. We can continue to hold the trust of the
people of the world only if we make their needs our priority. We know that
poverty, lack of productive employment and social disintegration are an offence
to human dignity. We also know that they are negatively reinforcing and
represent a waste of human resources and a manifestation of ineffectiveness in
the functioning of markets and economic and social institutions and processes.
24. Our challenge is to establish a people-centred
framework for social development to guide us now and in the future, to build a
culture of cooperation and partnership, and to respond to the immediate needs of
those who are most affected by human distress. We are determined to meet this
challenge and promote social development throughout the world.
25. We heads of State and Government are
committed to a political, economic, ethical and spiritual vision for social
development that is based on human dignity, human rights, equality, respect,
peace, democracy, mutual responsibility and cooperation, and full respect for
the various religious and ethical values and cultural backgrounds of people.
Accordingly, we will give the highest priority in national, regional and
international policies and actions to the promotion of social progress, justice
and the betterment of the human condition, based on full participation by all.
26. To this end, we will create a framework for
action to:
(a) Place people at the centre of development and
direct our economies to meet human needs more effectively;
(b) Fulfil our responsibility for present and
future generations by ensuring equity among generations and protecting the
integrity and sustainable use of our environment;
(c) Recognize that, while social development is a
national responsibility, it cannot be successfully achieved without the
collective commitment and efforts of the international community;
(d) Integrate economic, cultural and social
policies so that they become mutually supportive, and acknowledge the
interdependence of public and private spheres of activity;
(e) Recognize that the achievement of sustained
social development requires sound, broadly based economic policies;
(f) Promote democracy, human dignity, social
justice and solidarity at the national, regional and international levels;
ensure tolerance, non-violence, pluralism and non-discrimination, with full
respect for diversity within and among societies;
(g) Promote the equitable distribution of income
and greater access to resources through equity and equality of opportunity for
all;
(h) Recognize the family as the basic unit of
society, and acknowledge that it plays a key role in social development and as
such should be strengthened, with attention to the rights, capabilities and
responsibilities of its members. In different cultural, political and social
systems various forms of family exist. It is entitled to receive comprehensive
protection and support;
(i) Ensure that disadvantaged and vulnerable
persons and groups are included in social development, and that society
acknowledges and responds to the consequences of disability by securing the
legal rights of the individual and by making the physical and social environment
accessible;
(j) Promote universal respect for, and observance
and protection of, all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, including
the right to development; promote the effective exercise of rights and the
discharge of responsibilities at all levels of society; promote equality and
equity between women and men; protect the rights of children and youth; and
promote the strengthening of social integration and civil society;
(k) Reaffirm the right of self-determination of
all peoples, in particular of peoples under colonial or other forms of alien
domination or foreign occupation, and the importance of the effective
realization of this right, as enunciated, inter alia, in the Vienna Declaration
and Programme of Action 3/ adopted at the World Conference on Human Rights;
(l) Support progress and security for people and
communities whereby every member of society is enabled to satisfy his or her
basic human needs and to realize his or her personal dignity, safety and
creativity;
(m) Recognize and support indigenous people in
their pursuit of economic and social development, with full respect for their
identity, traditions, forms of social organization and cultural values;
(n) Underline the importance of transparent and
accountable governance and administration in all public and private national and
international institutions;
(o) Recognize that empowering people,
particularly women, to strengthen their own capacities is a main objective of
development and its principal resource. Empowerment requires the full
participation of people in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of
decisions determining the functioning and well-being of our societies;
(p) Assert the universality of social development
and outline a new and strengthened approach to social development, with a
renewed impetus for international cooperation and partnership;
(q) Improve the possibility of older persons
achieving a better life;
(r) Recognize that the new information
technologies and new approaches to access to and use of technologies by people
living in poverty can help in fulfilling social development goals; and therefore
recognize the need to facilitate access to such technologies;
(s) Strengthen policies and programmes that
improve, ensure and broaden the participation of women in all spheres of
political, economic, social and cultural life, as equal partners, and improve
their access to all resources needed for the full exercise of their fundamental
rights;
(t) Create the political, legal, material and
social conditions that allow for the voluntary repatriation of refugees in
safety and dignity to their countries of origin, and the voluntary and safe
return of internally displaced persons to their places of origin and their
smooth reintegration into their societies;
(u) Emphasize the importance of the return of all
prisoners of war, persons missing in action and hostages to their families, in
accordance with international conventions, in order to reach full social
development.
27. We acknowledge that it is the primary
responsibility of States to attain these goals. We also acknowledge that these
goals cannot be achieved by States alone. The international community, the
United Nations, the multilateral financial institutions, all regional
organizations and local authorities, and all actors of civil society need to
positively contribute their own share of efforts and resources in order to
reduce inequalities among people and narrow the gap between developed and
developing countries in a global effort to reduce social tensions, and to create
greater social and economic stability and security. Radical political, social
and economic changes in the countries with economies in transition have been
accompanied by a deterioration in their economic and social situation. We invite
all people to express their personal commitment to enhancing the human condition
through concrete actions in their own fields of activities and through assuming
specific civic responsibilities.
28. Our global drive for social development and
the recommendations for action contained in the Programme of Action are made in
a spirit of consensus and international cooperation, in full conformity with the
purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, recognizing that
the formulation and implementation of strategies, policies, programmes and
actions for social development are the responsibility of each country and should
take into account the economic, social and environmental diversity of conditions
in each country, with full respect for the various religious and ethical values,
cultural backgrounds and philosophical convictions of its people, and in
conformity with all human rights and fundamental freedoms. In this context,
international cooperation is essential for the full implementation of social
development programmes and actions.
29. On the basis of our common pursuit of social
development, which aims at social justice, solidarity, harmony and equality
within and among countries, with full respect for national sovereignty and
territorial integrity, as well as policy objectives, development priorities and
religious and cultural diversity, and full respect for all human rights and
fundamental freedoms, we launch a global drive for social progress and
development embodied in the following commitments.
Commitment 1 [ UP ]
We commit ourselves to creating an economic,
political, social, cultural and legal environment that will enable people to
achieve social development.
To this end, at the national level, we will:
(a) Provide a stable legal framework, in
accordance with our constitutions, laws and procedures, and consistent with
international law and obligations, which includes and promotes equality and
equity between women and men, full respect for all human rights and fundamental
freedoms and the rule of law, access to justice, the elimination of all forms of
discrimination, transparent and accountable governance and administration and
the encouragement of partnership with free and representative organizations of
civil society;
(b) Create an enabling economic environment aimed
at promoting more equitable access for all to income, resources and social
services;
(c) Reinforce, as appropriate, the means and
capacities for people to participate in the formulation and implementation of
social and economic policies and programmes through decentralization, open
management of public institutions and strengthening the abilities and
opportunities of civil society and local communities to develop their own
organizations, resources and activities;
(d) Reinforce peace by promoting tolerance,
non-violence and respect for diversity, and by settling disputes by peaceful
means;
(e) Promote dynamic, open, free markets, while
recognizing the need to intervene in markets, to the extent necessary, to
prevent or counteract market failure, promote stability and long-term
investment, ensure fair competition and ethical conduct, and harmonize economic
and social development, including the development and implementation of
appropriate programmes that would entitle and enable people living in poverty
and the disadvantaged, especially women, to participate fully and productively
in the economy and society;
(f) Reaffirm, promote and strive to ensure the
realization of the rights set out in relevant international instruments and
declarations, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 6/ the Covenant
on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 7/ and the Declaration on the Right to
Development, 8/ including those relating to education, food, shelter,
employment, health and information, particularly in order to assist people
living in poverty;
(g) Create the comprehensive conditions to allow
for the voluntary repatriation of refugees in safety and dignity to their
countries of origin, and the voluntary and safe return of internally displaced
persons to their places of origin and their smooth reintegration into their
societies.
At the international level, we will:
(h) Promote international peace and security and
make and support all efforts to settle international disputes by peaceful means
in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations;
(i) Strengthen international cooperation for
achieving social development;
(j) Promote and implement policies to create a
supportive external economic environment, through, inter alia, cooperation in
the formulation and implementation of macroeconomic policies, trade
liberalization, mobilization and/or provision of new and additional financial
resources that are both adequate and predictable and mobilized in a way that
maximizes the availability of such resources for sustainable development, using
all available funding sources and mechanisms, enhanced financial stability, and
more equitable access of developing countries to global markets, productive
investments and technologies and appropriate knowledge, with due consideration
to the needs of countries with economies in transition;
(k) Strive to ensure that international
agreements relating to trade, investment, technology, debt and official
development assistance are implemented in a manner that promotes social
development;
(l) Support, particularly through technical and
financial cooperation, the efforts of developing countries to achieve rapid,
broadly based sustainable development. Particular consideration should be given
to the special needs of small island and land-locked developing countries and
the least developed countries;
(m) Support, through appropriate international
cooperation, the efforts of countries with economies in transition to achieve
rapid broadly based sustainable development;
(n) Reaffirm and promote all human rights, which
are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated, including the right
to development as a universal and inalienable right and an integral part of
fundamental human rights, and strive to ensure that they are respected,
protected and observed.
Commitment 2 [ UP ]
We commit ourselves to the goal of eradicating
poverty in the world, through decisive national actions and international
cooperation, as an ethical, social, political and economic imperative of
humankind.
To this end, at the national level, in
partnership with all actors of civil society and in the context of a
multidimensional and integrated approach, we will:
(a) Formulate or strengthen, as a matter of
urgency, and preferably by the year 1996, the International Year for the
Eradication of Poverty, 9/ national policies and strategies geared to
substantially reducing overall poverty in the shortest possible time, reducing
inequalities and eradicating absolute poverty by a target date to be specified
by each country in its national context;
(b) Focus our efforts and policies to address the
root causes of poverty and to provide for the basic needs of all. These efforts
should include the elimination of hunger and malnutrition; the provision of food
security, education, employment and livelihood, primary health-care services
including reproductive health care, safe drinking water and sanitation, and
adequate shelter; and participation in social and cultural life. Special
priority will be given to the needs and rights of women and children, who often
bear the greatest burden of poverty, and to the needs of vulnerable and
disadvantaged groups and persons;
(c) Ensure that people living in poverty have
access to productive resources, including credit, land, education and training,
technology, knowledge and information, as well as to public services, and
participate in decision-making on a policy and regulatory environment that would
enable them to benefit from expanding employment and economic opportunities;
(d) Develop and implement policies to ensure that
all people have adequate economic and social protection during unemployment, ill
health, maternity, child-rearing, widowhood, disability and old age;
(e) Ensure that national budgets and policies are
oriented, as necessary, to meeting basic needs, reducing inequalities and
targeting poverty, as a strategic objective;
(f) Seek to reduce inequalities, increase
opportunities and access to resources and income, and remove any political,
legal, economic and social factors and constraints that foster and sustain
inequality.
At the international level, we will:
(g) Strive to ensure that the international
community and international organizations, particularly the multilateral
financial institutions, assist developing countries and all countries in need in
their efforts to achieve our overall goal of eradicating poverty and ensuring
basic social protection;
(h) Encourage all international donors and
multilateral development banks to support policies and programmes for the
attainment, in a sustained manner, of the specific efforts of the developing
countries and all countries in need relating to people-centred sustainable
development and to meeting basic needs for all; to assess their existing
programmes in consultation with the concerned developing countries to ensure the
achievement of the agreed programme objectives; and to seek to ensure that their
own policies and programmes will advance the attainment of agreed development
goals that focus on meeting basic needs for all and eradicating absolute
poverty. Efforts should be made to ensure that participation by the people
concerned is an integral part of such programmes;
(i) Focus attention on and support the special
needs of countries and regions in which there are substantial concentrations of
people living in poverty, in particular in South Asia, and which therefore face
serious difficulties in achieving social and economic development.
Commitment 3 [ UP ]
We commit ourselves to promoting the goal of full
employment as a basic priority of our economic and social policies, and to
enabling all men and women to attain secure and sustainable livelihoods through
freely chosen productive employment and work.
To this end, at the national level, we will:
(a) Put the creation of employment, the reduction
of unemployment and the promotion of appropriately and adequately remunerated
employment at the centre of strategies and policies of Governments, with full
respect for workers' rights and with the participation of employers, workers and
their respective organizations, giving special attention to the problems of
structural, long-term unemployment and underemployment of youth, women, people
with disabilities, and all other disadvantaged groups and individuals;
(b) Develop policies to expand work opportunities
and productivity in both rural and urban sectors by achieving economic growth,
investing in human resource development, promoting technologies that generate
productive employment, and encouraging self-employment, entrepreneurship, and
small and medium-sized enterprises;
(c) Improve access to land, credit, information,
infrastructure and other productive resources for small and micro-enterprises,
including those in the informal sector, with particular emphasis on the
disadvantaged sectors of society;
(d) Develop policies to ensure that workers and
employers have the education, information and training needed to adapt to
changing economic conditions, technologies and labour markets;
(e) Explore innovative options for employment
creation and seek new approaches to generating income and purchasing power;
(f) Foster policies that enable people to combine
their paid work with their family responsibilities;
(g) Pay particular attention to women's access to
employment, the protection of their position in the labour market and the
promotion of equal treatment of women and men, in particular with respect to
pay;
(h) Take due account of the importance of the
informal sector in our employment development strategies with a view to
increasing its contribution to the eradication of poverty and to social
integration in developing countries, and to strengthening its linkages with the
formal economy;
(i) Pursue the goal of ensuring quality jobs, and
safeguard the basic rights and interests of workers and to this end, freely
promote respect for relevant International Labour Organization conventions,
including those on the prohibition of forced and child labour, the freedom of
association, the right to organize and bargain collectively, and the principle
of non-discrimination.
At the international level, we will:
(j) Ensure that migrant workers benefit from the
protections provided by relevant national and international instruments, take
concrete and effective measures against the exploitation of migrant workers, and
encourage all countries to consider the ratification and full implementation of
the relevant international instruments on migrant workers;
(k) Foster international cooperation in
macroeconomic policies, liberalization of trade and investment so as to promote
sustained economic growth and the creation of employment, and exchange
experiences on successful policies and programmes aimed at increasing employment
and reducing unemployment.
Commitment 4 [ UP
]
We commit ourselves to promoting social
integration by fostering societies that are stable, safe and just and that are
based on the promotion and protection of all human rights, as well as on
non-discrimination, tolerance, respect for diversity, equality of opportunity,
solidarity, security, and participation of all people, including disadvantaged
and vulnerable groups and persons.
To this end, at the national level, we will:
(a) Promote respect for democracy, the rule of
law, pluralism and diversity, tolerance and responsibility, non-violence and
solidarity by encouraging educational systems, communication media and local
communities and organizations to raise people's understanding and awareness of
all aspects of social integration;
(b) Formulate or strengthen policies and
strategies geared to the elimination of discrimination in all its forms and the
achievement of social integration based on equality and respect for human
dignity;
(c) Promote access for all to education,
information, technology and know-how as essential means for enhancing
communication and participation in civil, political, economic, social and
cultural life, and ensure respect for civil, political, economic, social and
cultural rights;
(d) Ensure the protection and full integration
into the economy and society of disadvantaged and vulnerable groups and persons;
(e) Formulate or strengthen measures to ensure
respect for and protection of the human rights of migrants, migrant workers and
their families, to eliminate the increasing acts of racism and xenophobia in
sectors of many societies, and to promote greater harmony and tolerance in all
societies;
(f) Recognize and respect the right of indigenous
people to maintain and develop their identity, culture and interests, support
their aspirations for social justice and provide an environment that enables
them to participate in the social, economic and political life of their country;
(g) Foster the social protection and full
integration into the economy and society of veterans, including veterans and
victims of the Second World War and other wars;
(h) Acknowledge and encourage the contribution of
people of all age groups as equally and vitally important for the building of a
harmonious society, and foster dialogue between generations in all parts of
society;
(i) Recognize and respect cultural, ethnic and
religious diversity, promote and protect the rights of persons belonging to
national, ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities, and take measures to
facilitate their full participation in all aspects of the political, economic,
social, religious and cultural life of their societies and in the economic
progress and social development of their countries;
(j) Strengthen the ability of local communities
and groups with common concerns to develop their own organizations and resources
and to propose policies relating to social development, including through the
activities of non-governmental organizations;
(k) Strengthen institutions that enhance social
integration, recognizing the central role of the family and providing it with an
environment that assures its protection and support. In different cultural,
political and social systems, various forms of the family exist;
(l) Address the problems of crime, violence and
illicit drugs as factors of social disintegration.
At the international level, we will:
(m) Encourage the ratification of, the avoidance
as far as possible of the resort to reservations to, and the implementation of
international instruments and adherence to internationally recognized
declarations relevant to the elimination of discrimination and the promotion and
protection of all human rights;
(n) Further enhance international mechanisms for
the provision of humanitarian and financial assistance to refugees and host
countries and promote appropriate shared responsibility;
(o) Promote international cooperation and
partnership on the basis of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit.
Commitment 5 [ UP
]
We commit ourselves to promoting full respect for
human dignity and to achieving equality and equity between women and men, and to
recognizing and enhancing the participation and leadership roles of women in
political, civil, economic, social and cultural life and in development.
To this end, at the national level, we will:
(a) Promote changes in attitudes, structures,
policies, laws and practices in order to eliminate all obstacles to human
dignity, equality and equity in the family and in society, and promote full and
equal participation of urban and rural women and women with disabilities in
social, economic and political life, including in the formulation,
implementation and follow-up of public policies and programmes;
(b) Establish structures, policies, objectives
and measurable goals to ensure gender balance and equity in decision-making
processes at all levels, broaden women's political, economic, social and
cultural opportunities and independence, and support the empowerment of women,
including through their various organizations, especially those of indigenous
women, those at the grass-roots level, and those of poverty-stricken
communities, including through affirmative action, where necessary, and also
through measures to integrate a gender perspective in the design and
implementation of economic and social policies;
(c) Promote full and equal access of women to
literacy, education and training, and remove all obstacles to their access to
credit and other productive resources and to their ability to buy, hold and sell
property and land equally with men;
(d) Take appropriate measures to ensure, on the
basis of equality of men and women, universal access to the widest range of
health-care services, including those relating to reproductive health care,
consistent with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on
Population and Development; 5/
(e) Remove the remaining restrictions on women's
rights to own land, inherit property or borrow money, and ensure women's equal
right to work;
(f) Establish policies, objectives and goals that
enhance the equality of status, welfare and opportunity of the girl child,
especially in regard to health, nutrition, literacy and education, recognizing
that gender discrimination starts at the earliest stages of life;
(g) Promote equal partnership between women and
men in family and community life and society, emphasize the shared
responsibility of men and women in the care of children and support for older
family members, and emphasize men's shared responsibility and promote their
active involvement in responsible parenthood and responsible sexual and
reproductive behaviour;
(h) Take effective measures, including through
the enactment and enforcement of laws, and implement policies to combat and
eliminate all forms of discrimination, exploitation, abuse and violence against
women and girl children, in accordance with relevant international instruments
and declarations;
(i) Promote and protect the full and equal
enjoyment by women of all human rights and fundamental freedoms;
(j) Formulate or strengthen policies and
practices to ensure that women are enabled to participate fully in paid work and
in employment through such measures as positive action, education, training,
appropriate protection under labour legislation, and facilitating the provision
of quality child care and other support services.
At the international level, we will:
(k) Promote and protect women's human rights and
encourage the ratification of, if possible by the year 2000, the avoidance, as
far as possible, of the resort to reservations to, and the implementation of the
provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women 10/ and other relevant instruments, as well as the implementation
of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, 11/ the
Geneva Declaration for Rural Women, 12/ and the Programme of Action of the
International Conference on Population and Development;
(l) Give specific attention to the preparations
for the Fourth World Conference on Women, to be held at Beijing in September
1995, and to the implementation and follow-up of the conclusions of that
Conference;
(m) Promote international cooperation to assist
developing countries, at their request, in their efforts to achieve equality and
equity and the empowerment of women;
(n) Devise suitable means to recognize and make
visible the full extent of the work of women and all their contributions to the
national economy, including contributions in the unremunerated and domestic
sectors.
Commitment 6 [ UP
]
We commit ourselves to promoting and attaining
the goals of universal and equitable access to quality education, the highest
attainable standard of physical and mental health, and the access of all to
primary health care, making particular efforts to rectify inequalities relating
to social conditions and without distinction as to race, national origin,
gender, age or disability; respecting and promoting our common and particular
cultures; striving to strengthen the role of culture in development; preserving
the essential bases of people-centred sustainable development; and contributing
to the full development of human resources and to social development. The
purpose of these activities is to eradicate poverty, promote full and productive
employment and foster social integration.
To this end, at the national level, we will:
(a) Formulate and strengthen time-bound national
strategies for the eradication of illiteracy and universalization of basic
education, which includes early childhood education, primary education and
education for the illiterate, in all communities, in particular for the
introduction, if possible, of national languages in the educational system and
by support of the various means of non-formal education, striving to attain the
highest possible standard of learning;
(b) Emphasize lifelong learning by seeking to
improve the quality of education to ensure that people of all ages are provided
with useful knowledge, reasoning ability, skills, and the ethical and social
values required to develop their full capacities in health and dignity and to
participate fully in the social, economic and political process of development.
In this regard, women and girls should be considered a priority group;
(c) Ensure that children, particularly girls,
enjoy their rights and promote the exercise of those rights by making education,
adequate nutrition and health care accessible to them, consistent with the
Convention on the Rights of the Child, 13/ and recognizing the rights, duties
and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for
children;
(d) Take appropriate and affirmative steps to
enable all children and adolescents to attend and complete school and to close
the gender gap in primary, secondary, vocational and higher education;
(e) Ensure full and equal access to education for
girls and women, recognizing that investing in women's education is the key
element in achieving social equality, higher productivity and social returns in
terms of health, lower infant mortality and the reduced need for high fertility;
(f) Ensure equal educational opportunities at all
levels for children, youth and adults with disabilities, in integrated settings,
taking full account of individual differences and situations;
(g) Recognize and support the right of indigenous
people to education in a manner that is responsive to their specific needs,
aspirations and cultures, and ensure their full access to health care;
(h) Develop specific educational policies, with
gender perspective, and design appropriate mechanisms at all levels of society
in order to accelerate the conversion of general and specific information
available world wide into knowledge, and the conversion of that knowledge into
creativity, increased productive capacity and active participation in society;
(i) Strengthen the links between labour market
and education policies, realizing that education and vocational training are
vital elements in job creation and in combating unemployment and social
exclusion in our societies, and emphasize the role of higher education and
scientific research in all plans of social development;
(j) Develop broad-based education programmes that
promote and strengthen respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms,
including the right to development, promote the values of tolerance,
responsibility and respect for the diversity and rights of others, and provide
training in peaceful conflict resolution, in recognition of the United Nations
Decade for Human Rights Education (1995-2005); 14/
(k) Focus on learning acquisition and outcome,
broaden the means and scope of basic education, enhance the environment for
learning and strengthen partnerships among Governments, non-governmental
organizations, the private sector, local communities, religious groups and
families to achieve the goal of education for all;
(l) Establish or strengthen both school-based and
community-based health education programmes for children, adolescents and
adults, with special attention to girls and women, on a whole range of health
issues, as one of the prerequisites for social development, recognizing the
rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally
responsible for children consistent with the Convention on the Rights of the
Child;
(m) Expedite efforts to achieve the goals of
national Health-for-All strategies, based on equality and social justice in line
with the Alma-Ata Declaration on Primary Health Care, 15/ by developing or
updating country action plans or programmes to ensure universal,
non-discriminatory access to basic health services, including sanitation and
drinking water, to protect health, and to promote nutrition education and
preventive health programmes;
(n) Strive to ensure that persons with
disabilities have access to rehabilitation and other independent living services
and assistive technology to enable them to maximize their well-being,
independence and full participation in society;
(o) Ensure an integrated and intersectoral
approach so as to provide for the protection and promotion of health for all in
economic and social development, taking cognizance of the health dimensions of
policies in all sectors;
(p) Seek to attain the maternal and child health
objectives, especially the objectives of reducing child and maternal mortality,
of the World Summit for Children, the United Nations Conference on Environment
and Development and the International Conference on Population and Development;
(q) Strengthen national efforts to address more
effectively the growing HIV/AIDS pandemic by providing necessary education and
prevention services, working to ensure that appropriate care and support
services are available and accessible to those affected by HIV/AIDS, and taking
all necessary steps to eliminate every form of discrimination against and
isolation of those living with HIV/AIDS;
(r) Promote, in all educational and health
policies and programmes, environmental awareness, including awareness of
unsustainable patterns of consumption and production.
At the international level, we will:
(s) Strive to ensure that international
organizations, in particular the international financial institutions, support
these objectives, integrating them into their policy programmes and operations
as appropriate. This should be complemented by renewed bilateral and regional
cooperation;
(t) Recognize the importance of the cultural
dimension of development to ensure respect for cultural diversity and that of
our common human cultural heritage. Creativity should be recognized and
promoted;
(u) Request the specialized agencies, notably the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the World
Health Organization, as well as other international organizations dedicated to
the promotion of education, culture and health, to give greater emphasis to the
overriding goals of eradicating poverty, promoting full and productive
employment and fostering social integration;
(v) Strengthen intergovernmental organizations
that utilize various forms of education to promote culture; disseminate
information through education and communication media; help spread the use of
technologies; and promote technical and professional training and scientific
research;
(w) Provide support for stronger, better
coordinated global actions against major diseases that take a heavy toll of
human lives, such as malaria, tuberculosis, cholera, typhoid fever and HIV/AIDS;
in this context, continue to support the joint and co-sponsored United Nations
programme on HIV/AIDS; 16/
(x) Share knowledge, experience and expertise and
enhance creativity, for example by promoting the transfer of technology, in the
design and delivery of effective education, training and health programmes and
policies, including substance-abuse awareness, prevention and rehabilitation
programmes, which will result, inter alia, in endogenous capacity-building;
(y) Intensify and coordinate international
support for education and health programmes based on respect for human dignity
and focused on the protection of all women and children, especially against
exploitation, trafficking and harmful practices, such as child prostitution,
female genital mutilation and child marriages.
Commitment 7 [ UP
]
We commit ourselves to accelerating the economic,
social and human resource development of Africa and the least developed
countries.
To this end, we will:
(a) Implement, at the national level, structural
adjustment policies, which should include social development goals, as well as
effective development strategies that establish a more favourable climate for
trade and investment, give priority to human resource development and further
promote the development of democratic institutions;
(b) Support the domestic efforts of Africa and
the least developed countries to implement economic reforms, programmes to
increase food security, and commodity diversification efforts through
international cooperation, including South-South cooperation and technical and
financial assistance, as well as trade and partnership;
(c) Find effective, development-oriented and
durable solutions to external debt problems, through the immediate
implementation of the terms of debt forgiveness agreed upon in the Paris Club in
December 1994, which encompass debt reduction, including cancellation or other
debt-relief measures; invite the international financial institutions to examine
innovative approaches to assist low-income countries with a high proportion of
multilateral debt, with a view to alleviating their debt burdens; and develop
techniques of debt conversion applied to social development programmes and
projects in conformity with Summit priorities. These actions should take into
account the mid-term review of the United Nations New Agenda for the Development
of Africa in the 1990s 17/ and the Programme of Action for the Least Developed
Countries for the 1990s, 18/ and should be implemented as soon as possible;
(d) Ensure the implementation of the strategies
and measures for the development of Africa decided by the international
community, and support the reform efforts, development strategies and programmes
decided by the African countries and the least developed countries;
(e) Increase official development assistance,
both overall and for social programmes, and improve its impact, consistent with
countries' economic circumstances and capacities to assist, and consistent with
commitments in international agreements;
(f) Consider ratifying the United Nations
Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious
Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa, 19/ and support African
countries in the implementation of urgent action to combat desertification and
mitigate the effects of drought;
(g) Take all necessary measures to ensure that
communicable diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, do not
restrict or reverse the progress made in economic and social development.
Commitment 8 [ UP
]
We commit ourselves to ensuring that when
structural adjustment programmes are agreed to they include social development
goals, in particular eradicating poverty, promoting full and productive
employment, and enhancing social integration.
To this end, at the national level, we will:
(a) Promote basic social programmes and
expenditures, in particular those affecting the poor and the vulnerable segments
of society, and protect them from budget reductions, while increasing the
quality and effectiveness of social expenditures;
(b) Review the impact of structural adjustment
programmes on social development, including, where appropriate, by means of
gender-sensitive social impact assessments and other relevant methods, in order
to develop policies to reduce their negative effects and improve their positive
impact; the cooperation of international financial institutions in the review
could be requested by interested countries;
(c) Promote, in the countries with economies in
transition, an integrated approach to the transformation process, addressing the
social consequences of reforms and human resource development needs;
(d) Reinforce the social development components
of all adjustment policies and programmes, including those resulting from the
globalization of markets and rapid technological change, by designing policies
to promote more equitable and enhanced access to income and resources;
(e) Ensure that women do not bear a
disproportionate burden of the transitional costs of such processes.
At the international level, we will:
(f) Work to ensure that multilateral development
banks and other donors complement adjustment lending with enhanced targeted
social development investment lending;
(g) Strive to ensure that structural adjustment
programmes respond to the economic and social conditions, concerns and needs of
each country;
(h) Enlist the support and cooperation of
regional and international organizations and the United Nations system, in
particular the Bretton Woods institutions, in the design, social management and
assessment of structural adjustment policies, and in implementing social
development goals and integrating them into their policies, programmes and
operations.
Commitment 9 [ UP
]
We commit ourselves to increasing significantly
and/or utilizing more efficiently the resources allocated to social development
in order to achieve the goals of the Summit through national action and regional
and international cooperation.
To this end, at the national level, we will:
(a) Develop economic policies to promote and
mobilize domestic savings and attract external resources for productive
investment, and seek innovative sources of funding, both public and private, for
social programmes, while ensuring their effective utilization;
(b) Implement macroeconomic and micro-economic
policies to ensure sustained economic growth and sustainable development to
support social development;
(c) Promote increased access to credit for small
and micro-enterprises, including those in the informal sector, with particular
emphasis on the disadvantaged sectors of society;
(d) Ensure that reliable statistics and
statistical indicators are used to develop and assess social policies and
programmes so that economic and social resources are used efficiently and
effectively;
(e) Ensure that, in accordance with national
priorities and policies, taxation systems are fair, progressive and economically
efficient, cognizant of sustainable development concerns, and ensure effective
collection of tax liabilities;
(f) In the budgetary process, ensure transparency
and accountability in the use of public resources, and give priority to
providing and improving basic social services;
(g) Undertake to explore new ways of generating
new public and private financial resources, inter alia, through the appropriate
reduction of excessive military expenditures, including global military
expenditures and the arms trade, and investments for arms production and
acquisition, taking into consideration national security requirements, so as to
allow possible allocation of additional funds for social and economic
development;
(h) Utilize and develop fully the potential and
contribution of cooperatives for the attainment of social development goals, in
particular the eradication of poverty, the generation of full and productive
employment, and the enhancement of social integration.
At the international level, we will:
(i) Seek to mobilize new and additional financial
resources that are both adequate and predictable and are mobilized in a way that
maximizes the availability of such resources and uses all available funding
sources and mechanisms, inter alia, multilateral, bilateral and private sources,
including on concessional and grant terms;
(j) Facilitate the flow to developing countries
of international finance, technology and human skill in order to realize the
objective of providing new and additional resources that are both adequate and
predictable;
(k) Facilitate the flow of international finance,
technology and human skill towards the countries with economies in transition;
(l) Strive for the fulfilment of the agreed
target of 0.7 per cent of gross national product for overall official
development assistance as soon as possible, and increase the share of funding
for social development programmes, commensurate with the scope and scale of
activities required to achieve the objectives and goals of the present
Declaration and the Programme of Action of the Summit;
(m) Increase the flow of international resources
to meet the needs of countries facing problems relating to refugees and
displaced persons;
(n) Support South-South cooperation, which can
take advantage of the experience of developing countries that have overcome
similar difficulties;
(o) Ensure the urgent implementation of existing
debt-relief agreements and negotiate further initiatives, in addition to
existing ones, to alleviate the debts of the poorest and heavily indebted
low-income countries at an early date, especially through more favourable terms
of debt forgiveness, including application of the terms of debt forgiveness
agreed upon in the Paris Club in December 1994, which encompass debt reduction,
including cancellation or other debt-relief measures; where appropriate, these
countries should be given a reduction of their bilateral official debt
sufficient to enable them to exit from the rescheduling process and resume
growth and development; invite the international financial institutions to
examine innovative approaches to assist low-income countries with a high
proportion of multilateral debt, with a view to alleviating their debt burdens;
develop techniques of debt conversion applied to social development programmes
and projects in conformity with Summit priorities;
(p) Fully implement the Final Act of the Uruguay
Round of multilateral trade negotiations 20/ as scheduled, including the
complementary provisions specified in the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the
World Trade Organization, 20/ in recognition of the fact that broadly based
growth in incomes, employment and trade are mutually reinforcing, taking into
account the need to assist African countries and the least developed countries
in evaluating the impact of the implementation of the Final Act so that they can
benefit fully;
(q) Monitor the impact of trade liberalization on
the progress made in developing countries to meet basic human needs, giving
particular attention to new initiatives to expand their access to international
markets;
(r) Give attention to the needs of countries with
economies in transition with respect to international cooperation and financial
and technical assistance, stressing the need for the full integration of
economies in transition into the world economy, in particular to improve market
access for exports in accordance with multilateral trade rules, taking into
account the needs of developing countries;
(s) Support United Nations development efforts by
a substantial increase in resources for operational activities on a predictable,
continuous and assured basis, commensurate with the increasing needs of
developing countries, as stated in General Assembly resolution 47/199, and
strengthen the capacity of the United Nations and the specialized agencies to
fulfil their responsibilities in the implementation of the outcome of the World
Summit for Social Development.
Commitment 10 [ UP
]
We commit ourselves to an improved and
strengthened framework for international, regional and subregional cooperation
for social development, in a spirit of partnership, through the United Nations
and other multilateral institutions.
To this end, at the national level, we will:
(a) Adopt the appropriate measures and mechanisms
for implementing and monitoring the outcome of the World Summit for Social
Development, with the assistance, upon request, of the specialized agencies,
programmes and regional commissions of the United Nations system, with broad
participation of all sectors of civil society.
At the regional level, we will:
(b) Pursue such mechanisms and measures as are
necessary and appropriate in particular regions or subregions. The regional
commissions, in cooperation with regional intergovernmental organizations and
banks, could convene, on a biennial basis, a meeting at a high political level
to evaluate progress made towards fulfilling the outcome of the Summit, exchange
views on their respective experiences and adopt appropriate measures. The
regional commissions should report, through the appropriate mechanisms, to the
Economic and Social Council on the outcome of such meetings.
At the international level, we will:
(c) Instruct our representatives to the
organizations and bodies of the United Nations system, international development
agencies and multilateral development banks to enlist the support and
cooperation of these organizations and bodies to take appropriate and
coordinated measures for continuous and sustained progress in attaining the
goals and commitments agreed to by the Summit. The United Nations and the
Bretton Woods institutions should establish regular and substantive dialogue,
including at the field level, for more effective and efficient coordination of
assistance for social development;
(d) 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;
(e) Strengthen the structure, resources and
processes of the Economic and Social Council and its subsidiary bodies, and
other organizations within the United Nations system that are concerned with
economic and social development;
(f) Request the Economic and Social Council to
review and assess, on the basis of reports of national Governments, the regional
commissions, relevant functional commissions and specialized agencies, progress
made by the international community towards implementing the outcome of the
World Summit for Social Development, and to report to the General Assembly,
accordingly, for its appropriate consideration and action;
(g) Request the General Assembly to hold a
special session in the year 2000 for an overall review and appraisal of the
implementation of the outcome of the Summit and to consider further actions and
initiatives.
Notes
1/ See First Call for Children (New York, United
Nations Children's Fund, 1990).
2/ See Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development,
Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992, vol. I, Resolutions Adopted by the Conference
(United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigenda).
3/ See Report of the World Conference on Human Rights, Vienna, 14-25 June 1993
(A/CONF.157/24 (Part I)).
4/ See Report of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small
Island Developing States, Bridgetown, Barbados, 25 April-6 May 1994 (United
Nations publication, Sales No. E.94.I.18 and corrigenda).
5/ See Report of the International Conference on Population and Development,
Cairo, 5-13 September 1994 (A/CONF.171/13 and Add.1).
6/ General Assembly resolution 217 A (III).
7/ General Assembly resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex.
8/ General Assembly resolution 41/128, annex.
9/ See General Assembly resolution 48/183.
10/ General Assembly resolution 34/180, annex.
11/ Report of the World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of
the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace, Nairobi,
15-26 July 1985 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.85.IV.10), chap. I,
sect. A.
12/ A/47/308, annex.
13/ General Assembly resolution 44/25, annex.
14/ See General Assembly resolution 49/184.
15/ See Report of the International Conference on Primary Health Care, Alma-Ata,
Kazakhstan, 6-12 September 1978 (Geneva, World Health Organization, 1978).
16/ See Economic and Social Council resolution 1994/24.
17/ General Assembly resolution 46/151, annex, sect. II.
18/ Report of the Second United Nations Conference on the Least Developed
Countries, Paris, 3-14 September 1990 (A/CONF.147/18), part one.
19/ A/49/84/Add.2, annex, appendix II.
20/ See The Results of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations: The
Legal Texts (Geneva, GATT secretariat, 1994).
(This document has been made
available in electronic format by the United Nations.)
[ UP
]
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