Marking Anniversary of Social Development Summit, Deputy Secretary-General Calls for Inclusive, Effective Post-2015 Strategy
Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson’s remarks at the Economic and Social Council’s commemoration of the twentieth anniversary of the World Summit for Social Development, in New York today:
I am honoured to join you today at this commemoration of the twentieth anniversary of the World Summit for Social Development. Today’s event gives us an opportunity for reflection on progress and experiences to date, as well as on remaining challenges and the road ahead.
Twenty years ago at the Summit in Copenhagen — the largest-ever gathering of world leaders at the time — an important conceptual consensus was reached. This consensus has helped shape our development pathway to the present day. At the Summit, it was agreed that we must place the human being at the centre of our development efforts in the spirit of the first three words of the United Nations Charter, “We the Peoples”. The Member States pledged to make the conquest of poverty, the goal of full employment and the fostering of social integration the overriding objectives of development.
The objectives set in Copenhagen in 1995 had deep roots in decades of thinking on how to effectively integrate the social, economic and environmental dimensions of development to ensure not only sustainable growth but also dignity and justice for all. I recall lively discussions on this in the early 1990s with my friend and colleague Juan Somavía, a driving and creative force — indeed an architect — behind the Summit, who will speak here later today, and I know he had great support from President Eduardo Frei, who has always stood up for social justice.
Poverty eradication, employment and social integration are still basic requirements if people are to live a life in security and dignity and in full exercise of their human rights. These elements were clearly and loudly echoed in 2012 and in our efforts since then to shape a transformative post-2015 development agenda, and of course, these principles of integrating socioeconomic and environmental perspectives were so strongly reinforced by the Rio meeting in 2012, as we all know.
2015 is a milestone year for the United Nations — a year of global action for inclusive, equitable and sustainable development. It invites us to look at what we have achieved, and what remains to be done in promoting social progress, social inclusion and social justice.
Progress has been made. A smaller proportion of the world’s population now live in extreme poverty than 15 years ago. More people live longer and healthier lives. We have seen important advances in health and education.
Yet, more than 1 billion people still live in extreme poverty. Inequality tends to be systemic and is in many cases widening to an alarming degree. Economic opportunities for women and girls are lacking in far too many places. Environmental degradation and climate change threaten the basis of healthy lives and even our survival. We certainly do not live in peace and harmony with Nature. We are endangering the lives of future generations.
Unemployment remains high — and not least, our youth are bearing the brunt. Globally, as many as 73 million young people are looking for jobs — 73 million. Young people are three times more likely than adults to be unemployed. Many more are trapped in jobs where they are objects of exploitation. When young people sense frustration and anger at a glaring lack of opportunity, they are more likely to lose faith in Government and in institutions. In many parts of the world, this leaves young people receptive and vulnerable to marginalization and radicalization.
Related to this lack of opportunity is today an alarming growth in extremism. The principle and practice of social integration — the peaceful coexistence of cultures and communities — are increasingly under threat in today’s world.
Delegates at the World Summit for Social Development 20 years ago affirmed that poverty eradication, full employment and social integration were closely interlinked. This rings even more relevant and true in today’s world. That is why we need a set of new sustainable development goals which are universal, people-centred and cross-cutting in nature.
As we all know, after the Sendai Conference in Japan in March, three major international decision-making processes stand before us this year: the third International Financing for Development Conference in July, in Addis Ababa; the United Nations Summit to adopt the Post-2015 Development Agenda in September, here in New York; and the United Nations Climate Change Conference in December, in Paris.
As was the case with the development conferences of the 1990s, the outcomes of these key meetings will affect global political, economic, social and environmental priorities and policies for many, many years to come. These processes must complement and support each other. Peoples’ needs, people’s rights and people’s aspirations are the glue that should bind together all our development efforts at local, national, regional and international levels.
In Copenhagen, in 1995, we highlighted the critical importance of adopting an integrated approach to development. We were to be mindful of the interaction between the agreements reached. And we were reminded of the impact of such interactions on people to live meaningful, secure and dignified lives.
The year 2015 presents an historic test and challenge for the international community and national institutions. We are embarking on a voyage of transformative change affecting all sectors of our societies. This change must be built on universality, sustainability and acceptance of interdependence as a win-win proposition for both nations and people.
The experience of the past two decades — and in particular, the years of the Millennium Development Goals — has shown the potential of a true global pact for development. Today, as we strengthen and reinforce our combined commitment to achieve a life of dignity for all, let us use the lessons of the past to ensure a better future for all. No one must be left behind on our common voyage.