Unprecedented gathering adopts Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action

UN Chronicle, June, 1995

A global blueprint for action, with specific

commitments for the creation of more just and humane societies, was adopted by the World Summit for Social Development in the early hours of 13 March, as participants concluded seven days of meetings in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The Summit, which began on 6 March, culminated in one of the largest gatherings of world leaders ever held--a total of 117--and was the first meeting of its kind at the highest governmental level to squarely confront the major social challenges and underlying causes of poverty unemployment and social exclusion--the core issues of the conference.

The Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted in the closing moments of the Summit, recommend measures to be taken at the UN, national and international levels. aimed at eliminating inequalities within and among countries and at fostering social development.

"The international community is today taking a clear stand against social injustice, exclusion and poverty in the world", said Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali on 6 March, at the opening of the Summit. "A new social contract, at the global level, is required to bring hope to States and to nations, and to men and women around the world."

Inaugurating two days of high-level meetings of Heads of State and Government, Mr. Boutros-Ghali declared on 11 March: "Now is the time to act because the potential for cooperation has never been greater." The spirit of the Summits agenda must reflect a sense of solidarity, he said, which "cannot permit these who are privileged to ignore those who are poor, vulnerable or marginalized".

A total of 187 States participated, along with some 2,000 nongovernmental organizations. The event was covered by more than 2,500 media representatives from around the world.

Breakthrough language

The Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action contain what has been described as breakthrough language related to, among other things. the need for structural adjustment programmes to be socially responsible. Also. for the first time, a major UN conference adopted "commitments". as opposed to "principles" or "objectives".

The final document is the first intergovernmentally negotiated text which urges mobilization of new and additional financial resources for official development assistance (ODA).

Furthermore, the Summit is the first UN conference to agree on ways to mobilize resources through the "20/20 Initiative". which is based on the idea of allocating 20 per cent of ODA and 20 per cent of national budgets to priority basic social programmes.

The documents call for the General Assembly to declare a UN Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (an international Year for the Eradication of Poverty wild be observed in 1996) and recommend that the Economic and Social Council consider holding joint meetings with the Development Committee of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Programme of Action

The five-chapter Programme of Action recommends actions aimed at achieving social development, eradicating poverty, fostering social integration and reducing unemployment.

The introduction stresses that all recommended actions are linked, either in the requirements for their design. including the participation of all concerned, or in their consequences for the various facets of the human condition.

"The special importance of this Programme of Action lies in its integrated approach. its attempt to combine many different actions for poverty eradication, employment creation and social integration in coherent national and international strategies for social development", the document states.

The Programme of Action recommends, among other actions:

* Creating an enabling environment for social development through coordination of macroeconomic policies to promote stable and sustained economic growth and sustainable development through a higher degree of stability in financial markets, reducing the risk of financial crisis, improving the stability of exchange rates, and striving for low interest rates in the long run;

* Eradicating absolute poverty and reducing substantially overall poverty by, among other actions, formulating or strengthening, preferably by 1996. national eradication plans to address the structural causes of poverty and include affordable time-bound goals and targets:

* Expanding productive employment and reducing unemployment by facilitating access to productive employment and developing better quality jobs; enhancing the quality of work and employment by promoting workers rights: and ensuring that employment opportunities are equitable and nondiscriminatory. as well as efficient and effective in meeting the needs of particular groups, such as older workers and single parents: and

* Enhancing social integration by promoting human rights, nondiscrimination, equality, social justice, tolerance and respect for diversity. Governments should recognize and promote the needs and abilities of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, as well as refugees, displaced persons, asylum seekers and migrants. Effective strategies should be adopted to combat violence, crime, and drug abuse.