Mr. Hongbo’s opening statement highlighted the recent adoptions of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development, 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the climate change agreement in Paris. Progress has been made since Copenhagen, such as halving the proportion of undernourished people in the developing regions and lifting more than 1 billion people out of extreme poverty. This commission provides a platform for Member States to deliberate on social policies to advance social development.

Ms. Bas introduced three reports of the Secretary-General. The first, E/CN.5/2016/3, “examines key linkages between the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development and provides examples of policies that leverage the synergies among them.” The second, E/CN.5/2016/2, notes the “significant progress that African countries have made to eradicate poverty and hunger, improve education and health outcomes, as well as improving agricultural productivity and investing in critical infrastructure,” while also noting the critical challenges that persist with “over 40% of sub-Sahara Africa’s population still living on less than $1.25 a day.” The third, A/71/61-E/2016/7, “highlights recent family trends and emphasizes the need for access to justice through fair family laws.”

Ms. Mayce said that a central focus in all development efforts should be to  increase equitable access to the goods and services of the global community. “If poverty is to be alleviated in any lasting way, inequality in all its dimensions – from education to opportunity and from discrimination to dignity – must be addressed.” Mr. Sarki emphasized family, that “poverty, inequality, education, health, housing, water and sanitation have direct linkage with the family, hence the importance of emphasizing the centrality of the family unit in the implementation of the 2030 development Agenda.”

Opening Session of the 54th Session of the Commission for Social Development

Conference Room 4, February 3, 2016

Speakers: Mr. Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs; Daniela Bas, Director, Division for Social Policy and Development, DESA; Ms. Margaret Mayce, “Civil Society Declaration”, Chair of the NGO Committee on Social Development; H.E. Mr. Virachai Plasai, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Thailand; H.E. Mr. Paul Alex Menkveld, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations, on behalf of the EU; H.E. Dato Abdul Ghafar Ismail, Permanent Representative of Brunei Darussalam to the UN, on behalf of ASEAN; H.E. Dr. Carolina Stanley, Permanent Representative of Argentina; Vice-Minister Juan Eduardo Faúndez, Chile; H.E. Mrs. Mihaela Ungureanu, Deputy Minister, President of the National Authority for Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Protection and Elderly; Mr. Sylapov Muhammetseyit, Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection and Population, Turkmenistan; Permanent Representative from the Russian Federation; Sr. Marlon Aguilar-George, Jefe de Planificación y Relaciones Internacionales de México; Ambassador Usman Sarki, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Nigeria; Mr. Marlon Aguilar, Head of Planning and International Affairs, Ministry of Social Development of Mexico, SEDESOL; Ana Martinez de Luco, SURE WE CAN

Written by: WIT Representative Alex Margolick

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