Page 159 - 100 Reflections that Crafted Geneva International_V-Petrovsky_private special edition

Bringing the Concept to Life

ings forces governmental leaders and their bureaucracies to address difficult
issues. It generates increased public and media interest that keeps the issues
higher on the agenda than might otherwise have been. Grass roots organiza-
tions and other interested parties in civil society can - and do - use public
statements and accords signed at such meetings as a means to hold Govern-
ments accountable.

The recently-concluded World Summit for Social Development that took
place in Copenhagen illustrates this process. More than 110 Heads of State or
Government and representatives of some 70 other countries attended the
Summit, making it the largest gathering of world leaders in history. Dozens of
UN entities and some 2,400 non-governmental organizations helped Govern-
ments complete the Programme of Action which makes recommendations
towards the eradication of poverty, the promotion of productive employment
and the elimination of social exclusion. The “Copenhagen Declaration and the
Program of Action” sets out 10 commitments to confront “profound social
problems”, in particular, poverty, unemployment, and social exclusion. The
Program recommends that action be taken at the national, regional and inter-
national levels. For example, it urges wealthy nations to spend 0.7 per cent of
their gross national product on foreign aid and to cancel poor countries debt
and calls for development assistance and domestic budgets to earmark 20 per
cent on basic social programmes. Improving health care, sanitation, literacy,
and encouraging democracy, and tolerance of migrants and refugees were some
of the other needs that were stressed. The Summit set important and realistic
standards that give the UN additional legitimacy to demand subsequent ac-
tions.

The thousands of policy makers, expert, and representatives of civil society
who attended the Summit are returning to their communities empowered with
new information, greater contacts, and the chance to take advantage of
the increased awareness of the issues that the Summit has generated. All
these factors will help design and implement policies that deal more
effectively with unemployment, poverty and social integration.

The United Nations is the operational centre that implements the
decisions of the General Assembly and the Security Council. It also
monitors the programmes of the various UN bodies and coordinates
between them. Another endeavour at which the UN excels is education.
It produces and disseminates an enormous amount of information. The
UN works with, and provides these materials to, teachers and educational
institutions that help
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