Social Development Division, United Nations ESCAP
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Social
Policy Section Social Development Division, United Nations ESCAP |
| Report of the
Fifth Asian and Pacific Ministerial Conference on Social
Development Manila, 5-11 November 1997 |
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I. ORGANIZATION OF THE CONFERENCE The Fifth Asian and Pacific Ministerial Conference on Social Development was convened by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in Manila from 10 to 11 November 1997. The Conference was hosted by the Government of the Philippines. The Conference was held in pursuance of General Assembly resolution 50/161 of 22 December 1995, in which the regional commissions were invited, in cooperation with the regional intergovernmental organizations and banks, to consider convening, on a biennial basis, meetings at a high political level to review progress made towards implementing the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development. The Conference was also held in pursuance of Commission resolution 51/4: Agenda for Action on Social Development in the ESCAP Region of 1 May 1995, in which the Commission called for the convening of a regional ministerial conference on social development in 1997 to review and assess the progress achieved towards attaining the goals and targets of the regional Social Development Agenda, and to consider the means of enhancing regional cooperation in support of the Agenda. The Conference was attended by ministers and representatives of the following ESCAP members and associate members: Armenia, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, China, Fiji, France, India, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Federated States of Micronesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, United States of America, Uzbekistan and Viet Nam. In addition, Peru was represented in an observer capacity. The following intergovernmental organizations were represented: Asian Development Bank (ADB), Asian and Pacific Development Centre (APDC), Colombo Plan Secretariat (CPS). The following United Nations bodies and specialized agencies were represented: Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (HABITAT), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), International Labour Organization (ILO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Health Organization (WHO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). The following non-governmental and other organizations were represented: Asian Cultural Forum on Development (ACFOD), ASEAN Confederation of Women’s Organizations ACWO), International Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW International), Centre for Public Policy of the University of Melbourne, Regional Network of Local Authorities for Management of Human Settlements (CITYNET), HelpAge International (HAI), International Alliance of Women (IAW), International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW), International Council of Women (ICW), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS), International Federation of Non-governmental Organizations for the Prevention of Drug and Substance Abuse (IFNGO), International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), International Social Security Association (ISSA), Socialwatch Asia, Muslim World League (MWL), World Association for Small and Medium Enterprises (WASME), World Confederation of Labour (WCL) and World Veterans Federation (WVF). II. OPENING OF THE MEETING A. Inaugural address The Conference was inaugurated by HE Mr Fidel V. Ramos, President of the Republic of the Philippines. In his inaugural address, President Ramos pointed out that the Fifth Asian and Pacific Ministerial Conference on Social Development provided a unique opportunity for all countries in the region to reconfirm collectively the commitments agreed upon in the regional Social Development Agenda, which had been adopted by the members and associate members of ESCAP in 1995. That Agenda had been transmitted by the President to the 1995 World Summit for Social Development, of which the concerns of the Asian and Pacific region were incorporated into the Programme of Action of the World Summit. The President stated that the present Conference was being held to survey the extent of the region’s implementation of the regional Social Development Agenda. On the part of the Philippines, much action had been taken in support of that Agenda. National policies and programmes had been geared towards addressing poverty, unemployment and social inequity, as reflected in the “Philippine 2000" programme as well as in the Philippine Development Plan for 1992 to 1998. The President also stated that the Government of the Philippines was committed to the continuous increase of resources for human development priorities. The President noted that, while the countries of Asia and the Pacific had recorded considerable progress in social development, the poverty challenge continued to be daunting. He called for a more conducive policy and programme implementation environment, and greater access to human development opportunities and services, including those offered by non-governmental organizations. He concluded by stating that this Conference would support the members and associated members of ESCAP in working collectively to address the human development challenges faced by the region and thereby to secure a better future for the peoples of Asia and the Pacific. B. Opening statements In her welcoming remarks, Her Excellency Ms Lina Laigo, Secretary, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippines, recalled that the members and associate members of ESCAP had expressed their firm commitment to social development through effective policies, programmes and adequate resources. She noted that this Ministerial Conference was aimed at reviewing the progress achieved and deciding on further courses of action to accelerate the implementation of the Agenda for Action on Social Development in the ESCAP Region. She drew attention to the “Message to Manila”, adopted by the NGO Forum on Social Development, which contained priority targets for poverty alleviation and social integration, particularly of marginalized groups. She emphasized that the achievement of the goals and targets of the regional Social Development Agenda required close collaboration within and among governments, and regional and international development partners. The president of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Mr Mitsuo Sato, stated that ADB recognized that the objectives of social development and economic growth were closely interrelated as well as interdependent, and that neither could be achieved at the expense of the other. This concept had influenced the reshaping of the Bank’s strategy formulation and operations. ADB therefore had decided to achieve a portfolio mix of about 50/50 between projects aimed at economic growth and those having social or environmental objectives. Towards that end, it had established a target that by 2000, 40 per cent of the volume of ADB’s lending would be for social and environmental projects. He stated that ADB will continue to increase its emphasis on social development taking into account the recommendations of the Conference. In his opening statement, the Executive Secretary of ESCAP, Mr Adrianus Mooy, pointed out that the Asia-Pacific region could be proud of its significant social and economic development in recent decades. He noted, however, that poverty, hunger, unemployment, and gender, ethnic and other forms of discrimination remained critical social issues. Most recently, some countries of the region had experienced severe shocks from the currency crisis, escalating foreign debt and economic downturn which threatened to have wider regional socio-economic impact. In the light of these challenges, he urged the Conference to review the adequacy of the measures taken to fulfill the commitments in the regional Social Development Agenda. It was necessary to build strong communities and strengthen social protection measures to withstand unexpected economic crises. He stressed the importance of regional and international cooperation, and emphasized that governments must act as prime movers, in close collaboration with the non-governmental and private sectors. He expressed deep appreciation to the Government of the Philippines for the excellent facilities extended in hosting the Conference. He also acknowledged the support provided by the Asian Development Bank in the organization of the Conference. III. ELECTION OF OFFICERS The Meeting elected the following bureau: Chairperson:
Vice-Chairpersons:
Rapporteur:
IV. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA The Conference adopted the following agenda: 1. Opening of the Conference. 2. Election of officers. 3. Adoption of the agenda. 4. Social development into the twenty-first century: progress in and prospects of the implementation of the Agenda for Action on Social Development in the ESCAP Region: (a) Review of the progress achieved towards meeting the goals and targets of the Agenda for Action, in the context of the Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development; (b) Proposals for accelerating the implementation of the Agenda for Action in the light of current and emerging social development challenges in Asia and the Pacific: priorities for national action and regional cooperation; (c) Report of the Meeting of Senior Officials. 5. Ministerial declaration on accelerated implementation of the Agenda for Action on Social Development in the ESCAP Region: follow-up of the World Summit for Social Development. 6. Other matters. 7. Adoption of the report. V.
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT INTO THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY:
PROGRESS IN AND PROSPECTS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
AGENDA FOR ACTION ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE ESCAP
REGION The Conference had before it the following documents: - The social development situation and prospects of Asia and the Pacific into the twenty-first century: summary (E/ESCAP/SD/MCSD/1) - Review of national progress achieved in the implementation of the Agenda for Action on Social Development in the ESCAP Region, in the context of the Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development (E/ESCAP/ SD/MCSD/2) - Review of regional action taken in support of the Agenda for Action, and follow- up of the World Summit for Social Development (E/ESCAP/SD/MCSD/3) - Report of the Meeting of Senior Officials (E/ESCAP/SD/MCSD/4). The delegations delivered statements on the progress achieved, in their respective countries and areas, towards meeting the goals and targets of the regional Social Development Agenda, in the context of the Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development. (a) Social development repercussions of international economic volatility The Conference acknowledged that a major new challenge had emerged for some Asian and Pacific countries that had achieved rapid socio-economic progress in the past decade. That challenge was how to preserve the social development gains of recent years in the face of international economic turbulence and volatility. Fears were expressed that the serious economic volatility that had appeared in the region recently might continue and even intensify into the twenty-first century. It was felt that the adverse social consequences of such volatility could spread beyond the countries currently affected to other countries, especially those being rapidly integrated into the global economy. The Conference underlined the need to examine intensively the inter-relationships and inter-dependence between the economic and social dimensions of development in the region in order to take effective action to maintain the region’s course of social development in the presence of international economic fluctuations. The Conference felt that, in the context of the present financial crisis in some parts of the region, it would be necessary to monitor the impact of the crisis on the population at large and ensure that social development targets and goals were not adversely affected by the corrective economic measures being undertaken or planned. Countries in the region, with the support of major regional and international development partners, also needed to engage themselves collectively to formulate policies to stem the negative side-effects of economic globalization and developmental fragility. (b) Poverty alleviation A number of delegations, including those representing the most populous countries of the region, reported that significant progress had been made in reducing poverty through macro- and micro-economic strategies and multisectoral social development programmes for improved health, education, literacy, shelter, family planning, population and gender equality. Nevertheless, the Conference recognized the need for further efforts to accelerate poverty alleviation, particularly those targeted at “hard-core poor” communities and focused on income creation and asset accumulation, if the targets of the regional Social Development Agenda were to be met. The Conference underscored the value of partnerships between government agencies, non-governmental organizations and civic society at the local level in improving the lives of the rural and urban poor, especially under conditions of acute resource constraint. It was recognized that decentralization of decision-making authority served as an effective and efficient means of supporting the development of such partnerships in practice. Many delegations reported that their countries had increased the quantum of financial and human resources allocated for poverty alleviation, especially in the health and education sectors. Concerning efforts to ensure the sustainability of micro-finance institutions for poverty eradication, one delegation highlighted the mobilization of domestic resources as a first step towards self-reliance and called for initiatives to develop an alternative path to sustainable progress. Several delegations emphasized the continuing need for regional and international action by developed countries to augment the national resources provided for poverty alleviation. It was felt that such action should include renewed efforts to (i) realize the 20/20 compact, (ii) establish an international fund for social development and (iii) provide preferential interest rates for loans earmarked for social development programmes and projects. The Conference called on the donor countries to fulfil the agreed target of 0.7 per cent of GNP for official development assistance. It also called upon them to increase significantly their contributions to meet the social development needs of the least developed countries and the economies in transition, particularly through economic assistance, technology transfer and debt reduction. One delegation expressed the view that international assistance had not adequately addressed the problems faced by those countries in the region which were in transition from centrally planned to market economies. It called on ESCAP and other international agencies to initiate more effective measures to assist those countries in their social development efforts, particularly in addressing the rising poverty associated with the transition from central planning to market systems. (c) Employment expansion The Conference noted that sustained economic growth had, over recent decades, led to substantial expansion of productive employment, particularly in the urban areas of the region. As part of national development plans, many governments of the region had implemented a wide variety of programmes for productive employment. It was pointed out that human resources development, including through education, skills training and health care, was a major tool for increasing employment opportunities in the region. The Conference stressed the importance of investment in human resources as a means of employment promotion. Improvements in social indicators, particularly those for education and health, were noted. Many delegations emphasized the need to intensify efforts to attain basic education for all, practical skills training and improvement of access to basic health services and a clean environment. Several delegations referred to the importance of policies and programmes to further promote gender equity, child and youth development, as well as capacity-building of local governments to accelerate people-centred and equitable development. The Conference noted that increased international trade and investment, which had contributed positively to the employment situation in the region, had at the same time led to greater economic dependence. That dependence had left workers in many countries vulnerable to the impact of international economic fluctuations. In the countries facing economic transition, the positive impact of economic growth on employment had not yet been widely felt, nor had the increased vulnerability of employment to international economic fluctuations yet become a serious issue. One delegation informed the Conference of its Government’s efforts to increase employment opportunities in the context of reform of state-owned enterprises and accelerated industrial restructuring. Those efforts included a massive urban re-employment project, as well as the development of the service sector, establishment of service centres, promotion of small and medium enterprises and provision of community services. The Conference noted with concern the adverse effect of globalization on vulnerable social groups, resulting in such problems as the sexual abuse and exploitation of children and youth and the erosion of traditional values among young people. Increased international labour mobility had also created a need to address international and regional issues related to the employment and protection of migrant workers. (d) Social integration The Conference referred to the diverse approaches adopted by governments in the region to achieve social harmony and cohesion. It was noted that national differences in approaches to social integration issues were due primarily to differences in the priorities accorded to the overriding economic and social issues and in the target groups identified by governments. Delegations identified the following social groups as the primary targets for their countries’ social integration programmes: women, youth, people with disabilities, older persons, people with HIV/AIDS, ethnic minorities, tribal groups and migrant workers. Furthermore, the following social issues associated with social disintegration and requiring urgent remedial action were referred to: family breakdown, child abuse, drug abuse and juvenile delinquency as revised in Annex I of the attached Manila Declaration. A number of delegations pointed to their countries’ efforts to develop social security systems and safety nets as prime examples of social integration programmes. However, it was recognized that the coverage of those programmes was limited to relatively small sections of the population. Furthermore, the benefits provided through those programmes generally did not provide adequately for the groups targeted. It was proposed that the countries of the region should share knowledge and experience in the implementation of social security programmes, to assist in avoiding fundamental errors in the design of national systems. The Conference also referred to issues concerning the integration of ethnic, religious and political minorities into the national social mainstream. A number of delegations stressed the importance of tolerance and respect for divergent views and practices as a fundamental constituent element in all national social integration policies and programmes. The need for social mobilization, fostering of positive traditional values of mutual assistance and support, as well as priority action to address the deprivation faced by ethnic minorities located in remote areas and other socially discriminated communities was noted. Many delegations mentioned recent initiatives which had led to a decline in violence and to enhanced community integration and social harmony. One delegation emphasized the need for a holistic approach to social integration, incorporating ethical values, to reinforce social and cultural resilience in all societies especially those experiencing rapid transformation. Several delegations drew attention to initiatives by their Governments to protect human rights, particularly those of women, children, people with disabilities, older persons and people with HIV/AIDS. Specific social integration measures included public education on human rights, access improvements to public venues and public transportation, as well as the reform of legislation, policies and social practices and institutions. Some delegations stressed that good governance was an integral part of social integration. One delegation reported that its Government had enacted a local government code to expand the scope and power of local government units for social development. The Conference was informed that implementation of the code was supported by a devolution of responsibility and an increase in revenue allocation for the delivery of basic social services. (e) Report of the Meeting of Senior Officials The Conference endorsed the Report of the Meeting of Senior Officials (E/ESCAP/SD/MCSD/4) and the proposals contained therein for accelerating the implementation of the Agenda for Action in the light of the current and emerging social development challenges in Asia and the Pacific. VI. MINISTERIAL DECLARATION ON ACCELERATED IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGENDA FOR ACTION ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE ESCAP REGION The Conference had before it a draft declaration on accelerated implementation of the Agenda for Action on Social Development in the ESCAP Region, as submitted by the Meeting of Senior Officials. The Conference agreed to several amendments to the draft declaration. The Conference unanimously adopted the Manila Declaration on Accelerated Implementation of the Agenda for Action on Social Development in the ESCAP Region. VII. OTHER MATTERS The Conference expressed its appreciation of the support extended by the Asian Development Bank to the secretariat’s preparations for the Conference. The Meeting took note of the “Message to Manila”, adopted by the NGO Forum on Social Development in Asia and the Pacific, in September 1997. It welcomed the Message as an important initiative by NGOs, especially in its presentation of a three-year (1997 to 2000) regional priority plan along with a set of measures to address the underlying causes of poverty, unemployment and social exclusion. The Meeting voiced its support for empowering non-governmental organizations and strengthening the role of civil society in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of social development policies, programmes and projects. The role of collective political will was emphasized in promoting collaborative action of governments, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and civil society to attain the targets and goals of the regional Social Development Agenda. The Conference agreed to meet again, in accordance with the mandate provided by General Assembly resolution 50/161, to review further progress in implementation of the Agenda for Action on Social Development in the ESCAP Region, as revised. The Conference noted with regret the impending retirement of Mr Edward Van Roy, Director, ESCAP Social Development Division, and commended him for his contributions to social development in the Asian and Pacific region particularly through his direct involvement in the formulation of the regional Social Development Agenda. VIII. ADOPTION OF THE REPORT The Conference adopted its report on 11 November 1997. Back to the overview page of the Ministerial Conference Editorial Note: This page has been posted for information purposes only and does not serve as official reference document. |
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