As the new editor of the Social Development Review, I am enthusiastic about the prospect of working with authors from both the North and South in developing topics and articles that will provide insightful and varied perspectives on the multiple challenges facing social development today. Through this process, I look forward to the challenge of contributing to the on-going debate about how to progress towards sustainable social development.

This combined December 2001 and March 2002 issue includes an extended section on the ICSW June 2002 conference “Bridging the Gaps: economic, social, and cultural opportunities at global and local levels” (see pages 16 to 19). The conference will discuss and debate ways to address the social development deficit – that at least in part created the tragedy that the world witnessed on September 11th – and how to bridge the growing gaps between and within nations, regions of the world, and different ethnic and population groups. This is a theme that runs throughout the issue.

Another focus of this issue - ageing in the 21st century – is a subject of tremendous significance for both developing and developed countries due to the massive demographic transitions taking place around the world. As the world’s population continues to grow older at an ever faster and more frantic pace, innovative approaches to ageing will have to be mainstreamed and integrated into social development policies in all regions of the world. While ageing effects almost every sector in society, it also effects communities, families and individuals on a much deeper and more personal level. The concept of “a society for all ages”, adopted by the UN, acknowledges this far-reaching impact.

Three articles in this issue are devoted to the topic of ageing. Dr. Alexandre Sidorenko from the UN Programme on Ageing provides an extensive overview of the various UN policy initiatives on ageing, and highlights some of the key considerations for the Madrid Second World Assembly on Ageing. Christoph Linzbach from the German Government focuses on the challenge that Europe faces in the lead-up to a regional UN meeting on the development of an effective regional implementation plan on ageing. Without effective and timely implementation, UN Action Plans can simply become empty words on paper. Diane Loughran, also with the UN Programme on Ageing, discusses some of the policy implications to the huge demographic changes currently taking place.

Financing and political commitment – critical success factors behind implementation of any UN Action Plan or development initiative – are discussed at various points. Bruno Gurtner’s article on International Tax Evasion calculates the amount that developing countries lose every year - US$50 billion - due to international tax competition and capital flight to off shore tax havens. The Government Reports section, which covers the fourth and final preparatory committee meeting on Financing for Development, highlights some of the most heated points of debate and disagreement between many of the Northern governments and the Group of 77 during the negotiations for a plan to harness the financial resources necessary to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Readers will be interested to note that the lead article in our June 2002 issue will provide an in-depth analysis of the Financing for Development process and outcome, and discuss what steps are next.

The NGO Report section includes an overview of the Commonwealth People’s Summit by David Kalete from ICSW, and a discussion of the proceedings that took place at the Vancouver Conference on Currency Transaction Taxes, by Pam Foster of the Halifax Initiative. The multilateral report on the fall 2001 IMF and World Bank meetings, written by Peter Willetts, discusses several of the progressive proposals put forth by Gordon Brown, Britain’s finance minister, to increase ODA levels and regulate financial markets to prevent crises.
It is hoped that the articles in this issue will stimulate discussion and new thinking about the various topics covered.

Nandini Saxena
Editor