Security for People, not States

The main premise behind the Social Summit is that contemporary civilization is gradually being undermined by a lack of security in people's daily lives. While the threat of a catastrophic global war seems to have diminished, concern over unemployment, the persistence of poverty, and the lack of social cohesion in many countries around the world has given rise to a sense of crisis in virtually every country.



United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, left, addresses the Second Prepcom of the World Summit for Social Development last August 22 in New York. Looking on, right, is Ambassador Juan Somovia of Chile, chairman of the Preparatory Committee.



"In the past, challenges to international peace and security resulted mainly from conflicts," said United Nations Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali last August at the opening session of the Second Prepcom. But in recent times, he said, the forces of globalization and a general "weakening of the social fabric" have caused the stability and effective governance of States to be undermined. "The capacity of States to provide a social and political environment in which their citizens can lead useful, productive and fulfilling lives is eroding," said Mr. Boutros-Ghali. "The global social crisis threatens many States as much as any foreign army."

In setting an agenda for the Summit, the United Nations General Assembly has asked governments to focus on three areas: 1) the eradication of poverty; 2) enhancing productive employment; and 3) improving social integration.

"It must be seen in this context," said Ambassador Richard Butler of Australia during the intercessional meeting, referring to the draft documents: "We are taking humanity towards the future and talking about issues which center around people instead of issues of peace and security which are primarily directed at the welfare of states."

From the August Prepcom and the October intercessional meeting there emerged a proposed Declaration under which governments would "commit" themselves to nine general goals in the launching of "a global drive for social progress and development."

These goals would include making commitments to "create an enabling economic, political and legal environment conducive to social development" and to "the goal of eradicating poverty." Governments would promise to work towards "enabling all people to attain secure and sustainable livelihoods through freely chosen productive employment and work" and towards "promoting social integration and [the] participation of all people by fostering societies that are stable, safe and just." Governments would also be committed to "achieving full equity and equality between women and men" and to "promoting the economic, social and human resource development of Africa and the least developed countries." Other goals deal with "ensuring that structural adjustment programs include social development goals," making efforts to utilize resources more efficiently, and working to improve international cooperation for social development.




Efforts to eradicate poverty will be high on the agenda of the World Summit for Social Development. Worldwide, women and children are hit especially hard by the effects of poverty. Shown above are women in Burkina Faso, who spend long hours every day searching for and carrying fuel wood.



Throughout the draft Declaration and Plan of Action there is a general commitment to basic human rights and a subsidiary goal of uplifting and empowering marginalized groups around the globe. In this regard, both documents pay considerable attention to the concerns of women, the neglect of the poor and the subjugation of indigenous peoples.

The Program of Action seeks to convert the commitments of the Declaration into reality. Its language, in the present draft, ranges from rather vague pronouncements, such as suggesting that governments should give "priority to programs which most directly promote job growth when budgetary adjustments are required," to the specific. In the section on the "eradication of poverty," for example, it calls on "governments and other social organizations" to meet the basic needs of all members of society by providing universal access to basic education for at least 80 percent of primary school-age children, reducing infant mortality by one third, and cutting maternal mortality in half -- all by the year 2000.

In general terms, the documents indicate that free markets and democratic institutions -- along with strong assistance from the organizations of civil society -- should be among the primary mechanisms for delivering on these promises. While they mention the need for governments themselves to regulate private enterprise and to devote significant resources to social programs, much of the emphasis is on creating an "enabling environment" that will allow private actors to address social problems.

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