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Criteria	Follow-up Evaluation	Actions Taken
Ratification and application of human rights agreements, DESC and ILO conventions.	Nothing was added to declarations already made at the Vienna Convention. Emphasis was placed on individual rather than collective rights.	Latin American NGOs have been working on integrating human rights and focusing on DESCs and the Quito Declaration. The most noteworthy activities include anti-impunity campaigns and the establishment of an international tribunal on criminal law.
Evaluation of the impact of economically active populations and review of the roles played by the IMF and IBRD respectively.	We need to evaluate and encourage economically active populations to establish social development objectives.	The 50-year campaign has led to an evaluation of economically active populations. Exercises on the part of SAPRI (joint evaluation of the restructuring program), changes in the financial management of the IBRD and few changes in the IMF.
Evaluation of international financial institutions and WTO programs to ensure they comply with international conventions.	Little mention of the WTO, but emphasis was placed on ensuring co-ordination between World Bank and UN.	Monitoring of the WTO through conferences and the Quito Declaration.
Special support programs for the poorest countries provided by the WTO.	Special actions are called for to support the poorest countries. Emphasis must be placed on supporting farmers and small businesses.	Little advancement. Participation of NGOs in the Microcredit Summit.
Social evaluation of the WTO, particularly with regard to sufficient food supplies.	Special actions are called for to support the poorest countries. Emphasis must be placed on supporting farmers and small businesses.	Little advancement. Participation of NGOs in the Microcredit Summit. Actions to follow in the Rome Summit.
Increased public control over market and business trends, including codes of conduct for the ETNs.	Little success.	NGOs continue to monitor the actions of various ETNs and promote codes of conduct.
Initiatives regarding debt, especially in the poorest countries.	No new initiatives included.	As a result of pressure from NGOs, the HIPC initiative was approved. “Jubilee 2000” campaign.
Ensure that development assistance reaches the agreed target of 0.7% of the richest countries’ GDP and that 20% is earmarked for social spending.	No commitment on financial support or percentages. The only proposal made was the 20/20 formula.	Monitor the ROA on development support. Exert pressure on the DAC and OECD to ensure a greater emphasis on social issues.
Control spending and the trading of arms.	The dangerous role of military spending and business was confirmed.
Establish legal and political frameworks favourable to civil organization and participation.	The document includes participation proposals made by NGOs and social organizations.	NGOs have promoted social participation in various forums, particularly among bilateral and multilateral co-operative organizations.
Explicitly identify gender issues in the Declaration and corresponding Program of Action. It is likewise necessary to consider the situation of specific social groups such as displaced or migrant populations.	Throughout the document there are special provisions regarding gender issues, women and other groups.	Several campaigns on gender issues were held, culminating in the Beijing Conference.
Improve access to information on social development and evaluation of programs.	Commitment to improve the communication of information and monitor results.	Independent monitoring by NGOs: Social Watch, ICSW and others.

Of the 12 above-mentioned criteria, three were adequately met and three obtained positive results. Through concerted lobbying efforts, dialogue with governments, public awareness campaigns, effective communications strategies and working groups, NGOs made significant progress in ensuring that Summit commitments were carried out.

NGO Actions Following the Copenhagen Summit

    NGOs put an emphasis on monitoring the Declaration and Program of Action, lobbying governments and intergovernmental organizations to ensure that the proposals were implemented. The two most important monitoring activities were carried out by Social Watch and the follow-up agreement made among Latin American NGOs and the Rio Group.

    Social Watch has produced an annual publication including a worldwide country analysis, using 14 simple and comparable social development indicators. Country studies are conducted according to various indicators established at the Summit, and the political will to implement social development policies is assessed. Studies were carried out for 1996, 1997 and 1998 and the results were published and distributed internationally.

    Latin American NGOs agreed to monitor results, together with the social ministers of countries belonging to the Rio Group. Public officials connected with the NGOs that attended the Summit generally supported this agreement. During this meeting, it was agreed that a preparatory meeting would be held in Quito, to which delegates from 14 countries in the region would be invited. After this preparatory meeting, a follow-up meeting was planned in Buenos Aires that took place towards the end of 1995, but did not result in any further action. National associations and NGO networks in the region decided to continue to play a regional leadership role, and in 1996, held a first regional meeting of this type during which a common agenda was developed and plans for a coordinated follow-up of all these groups were made. Lobbying activities were also planned at the national, regional and international levels.

Manuel Chiriboga is Executive Director of Asociación Latinoamericana de Organizaciones de Promoción in Costa Rica.