Declaration of the Commission for Social Development on the 10th Anniversary of the World Summit for Social Development

E/DEC/2005/234View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Decision of the Economic and Social Council, published in 2006.

What subjects does this mandate have?

6 subjects

Anniversaries Conferences Declarations (Text)Programme Implementation Programmes of Action Social Development

What’s in this document?

9 operative paragraphs

At its 35th plenary meeting, on 21 July 2005, the Economic and Social Council decided to transmit the following declaration to the General Assembly at its sixtieth session, including the

32 See General Assembly resolution 55/2.

33 Report of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, 4–15 September 1995 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.96.IV.13), chap. I, resolution 1, annexes I and II.

34 General Assembly resolution S-23/2, annex, and resolution S-23/3, annex.

35 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1249, No. 20378.

High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on the review of the United Nations Millenium Declaration.

Declaration on the tenth anniversary of the World Summit for Social Development

We, the representatives of Governments gathering at the forty-third session of the Commission for Social Development, in New York, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the World Summit for Social Development, held at Copenhagen in 1995, in the context of the review of the outcome of the Summit and of the twenty-fourth special session of the General Assembly and its contribution to the High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on the review of the United Nations Millennium Declaration,36 to be held from 14 to 16 September 2005,

Reaffirm that the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and the Programme of Action37 adopted by the World Summit for Social Development and the further initiatives for social development adopted by the General Assembly at its twenty-fourth special session38 constitute the basic framework for the promotion of social development for all at the national and international levels;

Recognize that the implementation of the Copenhagen commitments and the attainment of the internationally agreed development goals, including those contained in the Millennium Declaration,36 are mutually reinforcing and that the Copenhagen commitments are crucial to a coherent, people-centred approach to development;

Stress that policies and programmes designed to achieve poverty eradication should include specific measures to foster social integration, including by providing marginalized socioeconomic sectors and groups with equal access to opportunities;

Reaffirm that an employment strategy that aims to promote full, freely chosen and productive employment with full respect for fundamental principles and rights at work under conditions of equity, equality, security and dignity should constitute a fundamental component of any development strategy. We further reaffirm that macroeconomic policies should, inter alia, support employment creation. The social impact and dimension of globalization deserve further attention;

Recommit ourselves to promoting social integration by fostering societies that are stable, safe and just and that are based on the promotion and protection of all human rights, as well as on non-discrimination, tolerance, respect for diversity, equality of opportunity, solidarity, security and participation of all people, including disadvantaged and vulnerable groups and persons;

Reaffirm the importance of promoting and attaining the goals of universal and equitable access to quality education, the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the access of all to primary health care as part of the effort to eradicate poverty, promote full and productive employment and foster social integration. We also recognize the continued need to address the impact of HIV/AIDS and other major infectious diseases on social and economic development;

Recognize that gender equality and the full participation of women in society are integral to building a society for all and must be at the centre of all economic and social development. We recommit ourselves to the urgent goal of achieving gender equality, to eliminating discrimination against women and to ensuring their full participation in all areas of life and at all levels;

36 See General Assembly resolution 55/2.

37 Report of the World Summit for Social Development, Copenhagen, 6–12 March 1995 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.96.IV.8), chap. I, resolution 1, annexes I and II.

38 General Assembly resolution S-24/2, annex.

Reaffirm that enhanced international cooperation and action at the national level are essential to the implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and the Programme of Action. We underline the importance of adopting effective measures, including new financial mechanisms, as appropriate, to support the efforts of developing countries to achieve sustained economic growth, sustainable development, poverty eradication and strengthening of their democratic systems. We reaffirm that each country has primary responsibility for its own economic and social development and that national policies have the leading role in the development process. We also reaffirm that good governance is essential to sustainable development;

Recognize that ten years after Copenhagen, despite the efforts made and progress achieved in economic and social development, the situation of many developing countries, particularly in Africa and the least developed countries, as well as countries with economies in transition, requires further attention and action. We renew our commitment to support national efforts to promote a favourable environment for social and economic development, including the provision of technical and financial assistance, as appropriate, including through regional and other initiatives such as the New Partnership for Africa’s Development;39

Dedicate ourselves, a decade after Copenhagen, on the basis of our common pursuit of social development, to building solidarity, and renew our invitation to all people in all countries and in all walks of life, as well as the international community, to join in realizing our shared vision for a more just and equitable world. Therefore, we reaffirm our will and commitment to continue implementing the Copenhagen Declaration and the Programme of Action, in particular to eradicate poverty, promote full and productive employment and foster social integration to achieve stable, safe and just societies for all.

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