Commission for Social Development focuses attention on poverty eradication and population ageing

While much of the global reduction in poverty had occurred in East and South Asia and the Pacific regions, all other regions have experienced setbacks, the Commission for Social Development heard. (Photo by Wanphen Sreshthaputra)

The Commission for Social Development at its forty-fourth session adopted five texts concerning issues related to persons with disabilities, older persons, African Development, youth employment, and the Commission’s organization of work.
The two-week session of the Commission held in New York from 8 to 17 February focused on progress during the first United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006), as well as on relevant United Nations’ plans and programmes of action pertaining to the situation of social groups, particularly older and disabled persons.
Poverty eradication is a cornerstone of the United Nations’ comprehensive development agenda that emerged from the major conferences and summits since the 1990s, Secretary-General Kofi Annan recalled in his report to the Commission. He noted that despite progress in some regions that strongly suggests that the target of halving poverty will be achieved by 2015, progress is weak and falling short of what is needed, especially in the poorest countries.
“We are at a major turning point in human history”, Clare Short, Member of Parliament of the United Kingdom told the Commission in a keynote address, noting that for the first time ever, the world was capable of reducing poverty and improving the lives of its people.
“The current intensification of global economic integration has demonstrated that there is enough knowledge, technology and capital to bring development to all people”. While pointing to the massive economic growth and poverty reduction in China and India over a very short period of time, Ms. Short added that the experience of development in both countries with over 1 billion people each also demonstrated that the current way of life on the planet was unsustainable.
The Commission also turned its attention towards the situation of vulnerable segments of society. Among others, the discussions focused on preparations under way for the five-year review and appraisal of a landmark United Nations action plan for improving the quality of life of older persons (see page 3).
The Madrid Plan of Action, adopted at the Second World Assembly on Ageing in 2002, recognized the potential of older people to contribute to the development of their societies and committed Member States to include ageing in all social and economic development policies.
In her statement, Ms. Thelma Kay, Director, Emerging Social Issues Division said that the rapid process of population ageing in Asia and the Pacific was an emerging reality that would compound the challenges faced by many developing countries in providing income and health security to a burgeoning elderly population. In this context, the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) could not be attained without incorporating ageing concerns within their development efforts, she said.
Ms. Kay stated that ESCAP had developed a modality for systematic bottom-up review and appraisal of ageing policies and programmes, piloted in several training workshops. The results of studies carried out showed that a combination of community-based care provision, mobilization of elderly groups, activities to improve physical and mental functions and the removal of environmental barriers were effective in promoting active ageing.
She also said that ESCAP’s activities focused on continuing to help Governments develop effective national plans of action on disability. ESCAP worked on employment opportunities for persons with disabilities with the International Labour Organization (ILO) as well, and on developing capacity for disability data collection. A high-level intergovernmental meeting on the midpoint review of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons is scheduled for 2007, she said.
(Sources: UN News Centre, February 2006, various press releases)