Workshop Recommendations
An Enabling Environment

Recommendations to International Institutions,
Governments and Civil Society:

• Develop comprehensive poverty eradication policies which promote human development and the equitable distribution of wealth.
  
  
• Ensure the application of mechanisms to restrict excessive financial speculation through the creation of international financial regulations, such as the Tobin Tax, ensuring effective and efficient national taxation systems to generate sufficient resources for social development. This goal should be achieved by the time the United Nations holds its conference on Financing for Development in 2001.
  
  
• Promote the reform of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in order that it provide leadership and management services that benefit all nations, not only the wealthiest countries. Ensure improved interaction between ECOSOC, the UN Regional Commissions and other subregional intergovernmental organizations and effective supervision of the Bretton Woods institutions.
  
  
• Strengthen proposals aimed at drastically reducing or forgiving external debt in order to provide access to resources earmarked for social development.
  
  
• Negotiate and enter into more equitable and transparent trade agreements that will benefit developing countries and that include social and environmental-protection clauses under the tutelage of the United Nations.
  
  
• Take steps to ratify the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and provide strong support for the adoption of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights during the meeting of the Human Rights Commission to be held March 20 – April 28, 2000. The Protocol will state the rights of individuals and groups to present reports on non-compliance with the Covenant as recommended during the World Conference on Human Rights held in Vienna. Take steps to ensure that the Optional Protocol is adopted by 2003.
  
  
• Promote peace, respect for the law, the strengthening of civil society and the fight against corruption as necessary conditions to the achievement of social development.