Speakers at the General Assembly Special Session in Geneva on 27
June called for greater cooperation and increases in aid. Government
leaders speaking before the follow-up conference to the 1995 United
Nations Social Summit addressed the problems posed by globalisation,
poverty, widening gaps in wealth and economic growth, and the foreign-debt
burdens of the world’s poorest nations. Speakers sounded additional
calls for debt relief, for higher levels of official development
assistance (ODA) to impoverished countries, for greater attention
to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and for concerted efforts to temper the
negative effects of global markets and financial regimes. They also
noted that social welfare nets were lacking in many developing countries
and still allowed millions to live in poverty even in such prosperous
regions as Europe.
Norway
Jens
Stoltenberg, Prime Minister of Norway, said there was a basic knowledge
of what it would take to make a lasting difference in the struggle
against poverty. Reaching the goal of halving world poverty by 2015
was a tall order, but it was possible. What was needed was a stronger
will to translate knowledge into action. Real efforts should be
made on human rights and labour rights. Development meant respecting
human rights. But poverty was a direct abuse of human rights and
human dignity. Combating poverty was the most crucial task for securing
human rights for all. There should also be a call for ratification
of the International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions on basic
workers’ rights.
Real efforts also had to be made on debt
relief, on health, against AIDS, and to empower women, Mr. Stoltenberg
said. Without debt relief, how could poor countries be expected
to invest in health, education and new infrastructure? Since Copenhagen
it had been learned that a good health policy could be a highly
effective instrument for poverty eradication. More healthy people
led to more sustainable development – and the way out of poverty.
AIDS was a roadblock against development.
There needed to be a global mobilisation and awakening. It had to
be on every development agenda. Concerning the empowerment of women,
seven out of ten of the extreme poor were women. In large parts
of the world, women were denied political, economic and legal rights
– rights that could have helped them fight poverty. Combating
poverty meant investing in women, and it meant focusing on the role
and responsibility of men.
Malta
Lawrence
Gonzi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Social Policy of Malta,
said it was clear that a knowledge-based society, life-long learning,
flexi-time and flexible working conditions required educational
systems that could respond to modern economic demands.
Malta had developed a capacity-building
model to improve the economic and social situation of its citizens,
and the Government had taken measures to strengthen social security,
ensure employment without discrimination, foster the equal status
of women, provide equal and universal opportunity and access to
free education, and offer the whole range of health services. Among
problems facing society were drugs, social exclusion, new medical
and psychological problems, materialism and extreme individualism.
Solidarity and cooperation were essential
for translating words into deeds; social safety nets had to be built
to assure citizens’ basic needs. The recent Lisbon conference
had highlighted the fact that Europe’s economic success was
dependent on, and intertwined with its unique social model. Europe
would not have reached its present state of security, peace, and
prosperity without its welfare system, but this needed to be enhanced,
as millions in Europe still lived below the poverty line.
Czech
Republic
Valdimir
Spidla, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Social Policy of
the Czech Republic, said that for five years a new public policy
had been developed in his country around the idea that real social
integration and the well-being of the population were solid supports
of durable economic growth.
That concept was supported by the
European Union, and beyond that he hoped that the financial institutions,
such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund would
systematically integrate it into their development strategies.
Mr. Spidla said that within his country’s
employment policy, the Government attached great importance to coordinating
actions designed to reduce inequality that struck certain groups
of citizens. The minorities, particularly members of the Roma community,
were the country’s riches and measures were being taken to
improve the conditions of those segments of the population.
Nepal
Ram
Chandra Paudel, Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal, said the review
of achievements since the Copenhagen Summit in 1995 had found that
the world was facing paradoxes. On the one hand, there were unprecedented
achievements in science and technology, with full capacity to get
rid of human suffering. Yet, there was an ever-widening gap between
the rich and poor. Humankind had acquired enough capacity to comfortably
feed itself. Yet, it had the largest number of people going to bed
with empty stomachs. Beginning with the United Nations Charter,
the number and coverage of commitments to defend human rights and
to do away with human miseries were at a record high. But so were
the number of unfulfilled promises.
Developing countries needed a much
higher level of assistance. It was important that the commitment
to provide 0.7 per cent of the industrialised countries’ gross
domestic product (GDP) as overseas development assistance be met.
There should also be improvement in the efficiency and efficacy
of assistance, and it was high time that transparency be assured
at all levels and on all sides – national and international.
Considering the severity of the debt burden on the least developed
countries and the much-needed resources flowing out of these countries
in debt repayment, the international community should expand the
scope of the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiatives to
cover total debt relief of all least developed countries.
Lithuania
Irena
Degutiene, Minister of Social Security and Labour of Lithuania,
said the country had established an inter-institutional social committee,
to report on the implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and
to develop a Lithuanian poverty reduction strategy. The report,
which had been presented to the United Nations in 1999, indicated
that expenditures for social protection in Lithuania were increasing,
and that there had been a decrease in relative poverty. The immediate
social challenges confronting the country were the well-being of
the rural population, the support of large families, and the integration
of socially vulnerable population groups into society. A draft of
the poverty-reduction strategy had been presented to all political
parties, non-governmental organisations and the general public for
comment.
The strategy aimed at economic growth
that was socially, politically and economically related to the improvement
of the welfare of all citizens; a main objective was to increase
employment. Other activities aimed at ensuring gender equality in
the labour market and eliminating women’s poverty.
Gambia
Ann
Therese Ndong-Jatta, Secretary of State for Education of Gambia,
said that her Government had put in place a programme of rectification
that had created an environment conducive to social development.
Gambia’s version of the Vision 2020 comprised a forward-looking
strategy that placed emphasis on, among other things, guaranteeing
a decent standard of living for all Gambians. Also, a comprehensive
National Poverty Alleviation Programme was the focal point for poverty
alleviation. In addition, an institutional coordinating mechanism
had been put in place for the mainstreaming of programmes for gender
and poverty concerns.
Ms. Ndong-Jatta said the current special
session was an important watershed in the history of human development.
The link of cause and effect between the debt burden and poverty
and the slow rate of development could not be over-emphasised. She
also appealed for cancellation or conversion of the debt stock of
the least developed countries to enable them to target especially
education, health and agricultural provisions for the general population.
She said that armed conflict diverted resources that were needed
for social development.
Cyprus
Andreas
Moushouttas, Minister of Labour and Social Insurance of Cyprus,
said the review and appraisal of the outcome of the Copenhagen Summit
showed that many new policies and programmes were initiated at the
national level. However, much still needed to be done. There was
a need to anticipate and offset the negative and potentially negative
social and economic consequences resulting from the globalisation
process, and to maximise its benefits for all members of society.
In this connection, Cyprus attached the greatest importance to the
International Labour Organisation’s Declaration on Fundamental
Labour Rights, and to the promotion of the goal of full and productive
employment. Decent work was the cornerstone for preventing and alleviating
poverty, and achieving greater social cohesion.
Tanzania
Edward
Lowassa, Minister of State (Vice-President’s Office) of the
United Republic of Tanzania, said his country, despite various obstacles,
had increased its gross domestic product (GDP) in recent years,
had significantly lowered inflation, had improved school attendance,
and had cut infant mortality. It was seeking to provide education,
safe water, and health services to its population and had taken
a number of steps to create an environment for social and economic
development. However, Tanzania remained one of the least developed
countries, and about half its population lived below the poverty
line of US$0.65 per day. Refugee flows into the country remained
a serious drain on limited resources and a potential source of instability.
Jens
Stoltenberg, Prime Minister of Norway, said there was a basic knowledge
of what it would take to make a lasting difference in the struggle
against poverty. Reaching the goal of halving world poverty by 2015
was a tall order, but it was possible. What was needed was a stronger
will to translate knowledge into action. Real efforts should be
made on human rights and labour rights. Development meant respecting
human rights. But poverty was a direct abuse of human rights and
human dignity. Combating poverty was the most crucial task for securing
human rights for all. There should also be a call for ratification
of the International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions on basic
workers’ rights. 
Lawrence
Gonzi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Social Policy of Malta,
said it was clear that a knowledge-based society, life-long learning,
flexi-time and flexible working conditions required educational
systems that could respond to modern economic demands. 
Valdimir
Spidla, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Social Policy of
the Czech Republic, said that for five years a new public policy
had been developed in his country around the idea that real social
integration and the well-being of the population were solid supports
of durable economic growth. 
Ram
Chandra Paudel, Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal, said the review
of achievements since the Copenhagen Summit in 1995 had found that
the world was facing paradoxes. On the one hand, there were unprecedented
achievements in science and technology, with full capacity to get
rid of human suffering. Yet, there was an ever-widening gap between
the rich and poor. Humankind had acquired enough capacity to comfortably
feed itself. Yet, it had the largest number of people going to bed
with empty stomachs. Beginning with the United Nations Charter,
the number and coverage of commitments to defend human rights and
to do away with human miseries were at a record high. But so were
the number of unfulfilled promises. 
Irena
Degutiene, Minister of Social Security and Labour of Lithuania,
said the country had established an inter-institutional social committee,
to report on the implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and
to develop a Lithuanian poverty reduction strategy. The report,
which had been presented to the United Nations in 1999, indicated
that expenditures for social protection in Lithuania were increasing,
and that there had been a decrease in relative poverty. The immediate
social challenges confronting the country were the well-being of
the rural population, the support of large families, and the integration
of socially vulnerable population groups into society. A draft of
the poverty-reduction strategy had been presented to all political
parties, non-governmental organisations and the general public for
comment. 
Ann
Therese Ndong-Jatta, Secretary of State for Education of Gambia,
said that her Government had put in place a programme of rectification
that had created an environment conducive to social development.
Gambia’s version of the Vision 2020 comprised a forward-looking
strategy that placed emphasis on, among other things, guaranteeing
a decent standard of living for all Gambians. Also, a comprehensive
National Poverty Alleviation Programme was the focal point for poverty
alleviation. In addition, an institutional coordinating mechanism
had been put in place for the mainstreaming of programmes for gender
and poverty concerns. 
Andreas
Moushouttas, Minister of Labour and Social Insurance of Cyprus,
said the review and appraisal of the outcome of the Copenhagen Summit
showed that many new policies and programmes were initiated at the
national level. However, much still needed to be done. There was
a need to anticipate and offset the negative and potentially negative
social and economic consequences resulting from the globalisation
process, and to maximise its benefits for all members of society.
In this connection, Cyprus attached the greatest importance to the
International Labour Organisation’s Declaration on Fundamental
Labour Rights, and to the promotion of the goal of full and productive
employment. Decent work was the cornerstone for preventing and alleviating
poverty, and achieving greater social cohesion. 
Edward
Lowassa, Minister of State (Vice-President’s Office) of the
United Republic of Tanzania, said his country, despite various obstacles,
had increased its gross domestic product (GDP) in recent years,
had significantly lowered inflation, had improved school attendance,
and had cut infant mortality. It was seeking to provide education,
safe water, and health services to its population and had taken
a number of steps to create an environment for social and economic
development. However, Tanzania remained one of the least developed
countries, and about half its population lived below the poverty
line of US$0.65 per day. Refugee flows into the country remained
a serious drain on limited resources and a potential source of instability.
