United Nations Conferences: What have they Accomplished?

Some 30,000 people journeyed to Istanbul to seek solutions to urban problems at the Habitat II Conference. Nearly 50,000 went to Beijing to set new standards for the advancement of women. And some 47,000 converged on Rio de Janeiro to find a better balance between environmental protection and economic development at the Earth Summit.

To some, the series of large-scale United Nations conferences held in the 1990s seemed like an extravagant talk-fest. But most of the world's leaders and policy-makers have viewed these events as a worthwhile investment -- and even a watershed -- in shaping our global future.

Conferences have played a key role in guiding the work of the UN since its inception. In fact, the world body was born when delegates from 50 nations met in San Francisco in April 1945 for the United Nations Conference on International Organization. The recent high-profile conferences on development issues, which have continued a series that began in the 1970s, have broken new ground in many areas:

By involving Presidents, Prime Ministers and other heads of State -- as pioneered at the 1990 World Summit for Children -- these events have put long-term, difficult problems like poverty and environmental degradation at the top of the global agenda. These problems otherwise would not have the political urgency to grab front-page headlines and command the attention of world leaders. The participation of thousands of NGOs, citizens, academics and businesspeople, in both the official and unofficial meetings, has turned these conferences into true "global forums". The UN has encouraged this, knowing that the support of a wide spectrum of society is needed to implement the policies being discussed.

To ensure effective follow-up, a series of special sessions of the UN General Assembly is being held to assess implementation of each Conference's action plan at the five-year mark, and to set future priorities.

Recognizing the valuable role that these major meetings play, the UNhas decided to hold several conferences on key socio-economic issues in the next two years. These include a Millennium Summit in September 2000, and global conferences in 2001 on financing for development and on the world's least developed countries.

The cost to the United Nations of the recent mega-conferences has been quite modest, ranging between $1.7 million and $3.4 million per conference. An exception was the Earth Summit, whose extraordinarily complex agenda required specialized staffing and more extensive preparations, costing the UN some $10 million.

As a rule, the UN covers only the costs of providing interpreters and other staff needed to service the meetings of the conference and preparatory negotiations, and the Secretariat office that organizes the event.

The bulk of the costs -- for conference facilities, security, local staff, travel and hotels for UN staff -- are paid by the country that offers to host the event.

The host country usually gets back more than it spends in hotel, restaurant and other business revenue, not to mention international prestige.

United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit, June 1992, Rio de Janeiro):

Gathered 108 heads of State, who adopted Agenda 21, a global blueprint for sustainable development that has become the basis for many national plans. Over 1,800 cities and towns worldwide have since created their own "local Agenda 21".

Motivated some 150 countries to set up national advisory councils to promote dialogue between government officials, businesspeople, environmentalists and others on sustainable development policies.

Led to four new international treaties, on climate change, biological diversity, desertification and high-seas fishing.

Set up the UN Commission on Sustainable Development to monitor the implementation of the Rio agreements and serve as a continuing forum for negotiating global environment and development policy.

In June 1997, a special session of the UN General Assembly to assess implementation of Agenda 21 found that, despite progress in many areas, the global environment continues to deteriorate. Government leaders, including over 50 heads of State, agreed to further action -- notably on fresh water, energy and transport -- but few concrete commitments were made.

Reaffirmed international commitment to all human rights, and to strengthening the mechanisms for monitoring and promoting human rights worldwide.

Led to the appointment of the first High Commissioner for Human Rights, to improve the ability of the UN to act quickly and efficiently to prevent rights violations and promote fundamental freedoms.

Instigated the inclusion of human rights as an integral element in UN peacekeeping missions, and declared the link between democracy, development and human rights.

International Conference on Population and Development (September 1994, Cairo):Built consensus for integrating family planning programmes into a new comprehensive approach to reproductive health

services, and won international recognition that educating and empowering women is the most effective way to reduce population growth rates and promote sustainable development.

Adopted a plan of action which sets specific resource targets for international population assistance, to enable countries to make reproductive health and family planning accessible to all by no later than 2015.

Spurred donor countries to significantly increase funding for population-related activities, although total pledges this year are still well below the year 2000 goals set by the Conference.

Reaffirmed the global consensus that voluntary family planning decisions are a basic human right of all couples and individuals, and that coercion in any form is unacceptable.

Brought together 117 heads of State who committed their governments to eradicating poverty "as an ethical, social, political and economic imperative". Since the Summit, a number of countries have set specific target dates for reducing poverty, and many have launched poverty assessment studies to plan long-term strategies.

Focused attention on the negative side of economic globalization: growing gaps between rich and poor, shrinking social safety nets, and increasing insecurity about jobs and social services in both developed and developing countries.

Integrated the decisions of other conferences into a comprehensive and holistic plan for meeting basic human needs, reducing economic and social inequalities, and providing sustainable livelihoods.

Agreed on a five-year action plan to enhance the social, economic and political empowerment of women, improve their health, advance their education and promote their marital and sexual rights. The action plan set time-specific targets, committing nations to carry out concrete actions in such areas as health, education and legal reforms.

Galvanized some 130 countries to announce new initiatives to carry out the action plan, including, in the USA, a $1.6 billion programme to fight violence against women, and the formation of a President's Council on Women.

Added a new urgency to providing women with greater legal protection. The 1979 UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, often described as a Bill of Rights for women, has now been ratified by 163 countries (as of June 1999), up from 139 in May 1995.

Second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II, June 1996, Istanbul):

Adopted a global plan and declaration setting out policy guidelines and Government commitments to improving living conditions in urban and rural settlements, and to the "full and progressive realization of the right to adequate housing".

Broke new ground by involving mayors and other local officials in the formal proceedings and recognized their key role as partners in implementing the Habitat action plan.

Promoted information-sharing by showcasing over 500 "best practices" for improving the living environment--initiatives by government authorities and grass-roots groups in over 90 countries that have proven effective in solving pressing housing and community problems.

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Published by the United Nations Department of Public Information-- DPI/1825/Rev.7--June 1999