Mr. Chairman, your Excellency, Ambassador Mahmoud Saikal,
Let me start by extending my warm congratulations to you and other members of your Bureau on your election. It is DESA’s great honour to support the work of the Third Committee during the 73rd session of the General Assembly.
Let me also join you in welcoming all delegations from both Member States and observers to the Third Committee. DESA is looking forward to working with all delegations to ensure the smooth deliberation of all agenda items.
Distinguished Delegates,
We are gathered here to take stock of our efforts to ensure social development and promote social progress.
Ensuring inclusive social development is critical to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the universal Sustainable Development Goals. Our collective efforts must keep us on track to reach the people-centred Goals and targets that world leaders agreed to in 2015.
Distinguished Delegates,
The past decades have seen much social progress.
About one billion people have been lifted out of poverty since 1999. Progress has been recorded in job creation, gender equality, education and health care, social protection measures, agriculture and rural development.
Globally, more people are living longer, are more educated and have greater income.
In sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, life expectancy increased by 11 years since 1990 while school-age children are expected to stay in school 3.4 years longer than those in 1990.
Economic growth has played an important role in supporting this progress, and, after recent challenges, the world economy is showing considerable improvements.
Average growth in both developing and transition economies has strengthened since 2016. Global growth reached 3.1 per cent in 2017—the fastest pace since 2011, providing a favourable environment for sustaining and improving social progress.
However, the overall progress is not even. Global economic growth has not brought about commensurate social benefits to all people.
An estimated 736 million people lived in extreme poverty according to data in 2015. Of these, more than half were in sub-Saharan Africa and close to one-third in South Asia. Countries in conflict continue to experience worsening levels of poverty and deprivation. Extreme working poverty remains widespread across the globe – with youth bearing the brunt of its scourge.
For the first time in more than a decade, hunger is on the rise again, increasing from 777 million in 2015, to 815 million in 2016. People in conflict situations are extremely vulnerable to food insecurity.
Climate shocks are proving a main driver of food insecurity. Over 39 million people and more than 2 billion people are affected by water stress.
Fast technological advances also pose challenges to social development. As the future of employment and labour market institutions evolve, the benefits of such advances are not equitably shared.
Distinguished Delegates,
High and worsening inequality is becoming the defining issue of our time.
Global wealth inequality has been rising, particularly since the 2008 financial crisis. According to some estimates, the richest one percent of the global population owned 82 percent of stock of wealth in 2017, while the poorest half saw no increase in their wealth.
However, rising inequality is not inevitable.
Addressing inequalities and overcoming challenges to social inclusion can be achieved through fiscal, wage and social protection policies. This will be the priority theme of the 57th session of the Commission for Social Development that will be held next February.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The work of the Third Committee this year will also address questions relating to youth, older persons, persons with disabilities, the family and indigenous peoples. I am glad to see some of those issues have been listed as the priority issues by the President of the 73rd session of the General Assembly.
As the proportion of the world's older population increases, there is a growing need for affordable and high-quality long-term care.
Investment in long-term care is an investment in social and economic development. It contributes to improved well-being among older persons. It also enables family carers to participate in the labour market and attracts more workers into the care profession, thereby boosting growth in the care economy.
Investment in the world’s youth is also a must for accelerating progress. By tackling the challenges facing young people, addressing their needs and supporting their participation and empowerment, we have a unique opportunity to lay the foundation for a peaceful and sustainable future.
Distinguished Delegates,
Barriers persist that impede the full participation of persons with disabilities in social and economic development – as both agents of change and as beneficiaries. To overcome this challenge and remove barriers, concrete actions are needed to promote accessibility and ensure equal opportunities for persons with disabilities.
There have been some positive developments in upholding the rights of indigenous peoples. However, a wide gap continues between policies and their implementation. In line with the outcome document of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, the UN system has developed a system wide action plan on indigenous peoples that is currently being implemented, under my guidance as coordinator of the follow up to the World Conference.
Mr. Chairman,
Social protection is an important policy tool to help eradicate poverty, reduce inequality, and promote inclusion. This is the key message of the 2018 Report on the World Social Situation published by my Department. Nevertheless, close to 4 billion people were without any measures of social protection in 2016, and there is a global deficit of social protection for groups such as older persons, youth, persons with disabilities and the unemployed.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As you are aware, the High-Level Political Forum will be convened both under the ECOSOC and under the General Assembly in 2019. It will be critical that the HLPF in September – at the Summit level – gives renewed momentum to achieving the SDGs and become an important milestone in our path to implementing the 2030 Agenda.
This requires international cooperation to address common challenges and deliver benefits to all, leaving no person and no country behind. Multilateralism is key.
It requires transformative shifts. Political leadership is imperative; technological advances must be shared; and adequate financing must be mobilized.
Distinguished Delegates,
DESA stands ready to provide the best possible support to your endeavours.
I thank you for your attention and look forward to the outcome of your deliberations.
Let me start by extending my warm congratulations to you and other members of your Bureau on your election. It is DESA’s great honour to support the work of the Third Committee during the 73rd session of the General Assembly.
Let me also join you in welcoming all delegations from both Member States and observers to the Third Committee. DESA is looking forward to working with all delegations to ensure the smooth deliberation of all agenda items.
Distinguished Delegates,
We are gathered here to take stock of our efforts to ensure social development and promote social progress.
Ensuring inclusive social development is critical to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the universal Sustainable Development Goals. Our collective efforts must keep us on track to reach the people-centred Goals and targets that world leaders agreed to in 2015.
Distinguished Delegates,
The past decades have seen much social progress.
About one billion people have been lifted out of poverty since 1999. Progress has been recorded in job creation, gender equality, education and health care, social protection measures, agriculture and rural development.
Globally, more people are living longer, are more educated and have greater income.
In sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, life expectancy increased by 11 years since 1990 while school-age children are expected to stay in school 3.4 years longer than those in 1990.
Economic growth has played an important role in supporting this progress, and, after recent challenges, the world economy is showing considerable improvements.
Average growth in both developing and transition economies has strengthened since 2016. Global growth reached 3.1 per cent in 2017—the fastest pace since 2011, providing a favourable environment for sustaining and improving social progress.
However, the overall progress is not even. Global economic growth has not brought about commensurate social benefits to all people.
An estimated 736 million people lived in extreme poverty according to data in 2015. Of these, more than half were in sub-Saharan Africa and close to one-third in South Asia. Countries in conflict continue to experience worsening levels of poverty and deprivation. Extreme working poverty remains widespread across the globe – with youth bearing the brunt of its scourge.
For the first time in more than a decade, hunger is on the rise again, increasing from 777 million in 2015, to 815 million in 2016. People in conflict situations are extremely vulnerable to food insecurity.
Climate shocks are proving a main driver of food insecurity. Over 39 million people and more than 2 billion people are affected by water stress.
Fast technological advances also pose challenges to social development. As the future of employment and labour market institutions evolve, the benefits of such advances are not equitably shared.
Distinguished Delegates,
High and worsening inequality is becoming the defining issue of our time.
Global wealth inequality has been rising, particularly since the 2008 financial crisis. According to some estimates, the richest one percent of the global population owned 82 percent of stock of wealth in 2017, while the poorest half saw no increase in their wealth.
However, rising inequality is not inevitable.
Addressing inequalities and overcoming challenges to social inclusion can be achieved through fiscal, wage and social protection policies. This will be the priority theme of the 57th session of the Commission for Social Development that will be held next February.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The work of the Third Committee this year will also address questions relating to youth, older persons, persons with disabilities, the family and indigenous peoples. I am glad to see some of those issues have been listed as the priority issues by the President of the 73rd session of the General Assembly.
As the proportion of the world's older population increases, there is a growing need for affordable and high-quality long-term care.
Investment in long-term care is an investment in social and economic development. It contributes to improved well-being among older persons. It also enables family carers to participate in the labour market and attracts more workers into the care profession, thereby boosting growth in the care economy.
Investment in the world’s youth is also a must for accelerating progress. By tackling the challenges facing young people, addressing their needs and supporting their participation and empowerment, we have a unique opportunity to lay the foundation for a peaceful and sustainable future.
Distinguished Delegates,
Barriers persist that impede the full participation of persons with disabilities in social and economic development – as both agents of change and as beneficiaries. To overcome this challenge and remove barriers, concrete actions are needed to promote accessibility and ensure equal opportunities for persons with disabilities.
There have been some positive developments in upholding the rights of indigenous peoples. However, a wide gap continues between policies and their implementation. In line with the outcome document of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, the UN system has developed a system wide action plan on indigenous peoples that is currently being implemented, under my guidance as coordinator of the follow up to the World Conference.
Mr. Chairman,
Social protection is an important policy tool to help eradicate poverty, reduce inequality, and promote inclusion. This is the key message of the 2018 Report on the World Social Situation published by my Department. Nevertheless, close to 4 billion people were without any measures of social protection in 2016, and there is a global deficit of social protection for groups such as older persons, youth, persons with disabilities and the unemployed.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As you are aware, the High-Level Political Forum will be convened both under the ECOSOC and under the General Assembly in 2019. It will be critical that the HLPF in September – at the Summit level – gives renewed momentum to achieving the SDGs and become an important milestone in our path to implementing the 2030 Agenda.
This requires international cooperation to address common challenges and deliver benefits to all, leaving no person and no country behind. Multilateralism is key.
It requires transformative shifts. Political leadership is imperative; technological advances must be shared; and adequate financing must be mobilized.
Distinguished Delegates,
DESA stands ready to provide the best possible support to your endeavours.
I thank you for your attention and look forward to the outcome of your deliberations.
File date:
Tuesday, October 2, 2018