The Commission facilitated a range of general debates, including three high-level panel discussions covering the important topics of: eradication of poverty; youth development and poverty; and disability. Outside of the formal consultations a total of 49 side events also took place, the topics of which ranged from social protection programmes and access to mental health services, to sustainable transport and the role of media in promoting social development for all .

By way of concluding the fifty-fifth session, the Commission unanimously approved three draft resolutions for adoption by the Economic and Social Council that addresses the issues of African development, youth and the rights of persons with disabilities. Immediately following the conclusion of the fifty-fifth session, the Commission Chair Philipp Charwath (Austria) declared opened the fifty-sixth session.
Learn more about the high-panel discussions on the eradication of poverty,youth development and poverty,and disability.

Learn more about the approved resolutions here.

UN DESA-DSPD spoke with the bureau of the 55th Commission for Social Development, which played a vital role in facilitating the preparation for, and in ensuring the successful outcome of the session. The members of the bureau included the chairperson, Mr. Philipp Charwath (Austria) and four vice-chairpersons: Ms. Elisabeta David (Romania); Ms. Ana Sandoval Espinola (Paraguay); Ms. Alanoud-Al-Temimi (Qatar); and Mr. Lot Dzonzi (Malawi). During the video, entitled ‘Development for all: the fight to end global poverty’, each member of the bureau discusses why the Commission for Social Development is so important, particularly in light of the adoption of the 2030 Agenda. Specifically, the members of the bureau highlight that it is now an opportune time for all of us at a global level to enhance our efforts to eradicate poverty, to engage in in-depth discussion with multiple stakeholders, to create a sense of tranquility in the hearts of people and communities by ensuring that basic needs are met and to remain focused on achieving the transformative, interdependent and integrated goals of the 2030 Agenda.

Employment at centre of discussions on

World Day of Social Justice

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the World Day of Social Justice on 20 February 2017, a panel discussion took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 21 February 2017. The event was co-organised by the Permanent Missions of Columbia, France, Kyrgyz and Tunisia, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO). The theme chosen to commemorate this 10th World Day of Social Justice was “Preventing conflict and sustaining peace through decent work”. 

The event opened with the ILO Director General, Mr. Vinicius Pinheiro, underlining the importance of employment in the context of social justice by recalling the message given by Secretary General António Guterres that, “Despite significant social and economic progress in recent decades, too many people have been left behind, including in developed countries, where millions of old jobs have disappeared and new ones are out of reach for many.”

The key point of the discussion, a point on which all participants agreed, was that achieving peace and sustainable development required social justice and that social justice could not be possible without effective employment strategies. Specific attention was given to the issue of employment and youth, with the point being made that young people often find themselves trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty and social exclusion and that employment should be used as a means of eradicating poverty and inequalities and enabling young people to integrate (or reintegrate) into society. More generally, participants also agreed on the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach when developing employment strategies and policies, that is partnership between government, civil society and the private sector.

Looking forward, it was suggested that attention should not only be directed at job creation, but also at the type of jobs that are being created, for example; are job creation strategies adapting to the needs of the market and do the jobs that are created generate the most value? The event ended by recalling the importance of an agenda for all people in which no one is left behind.

Learn more about the history of World Social Justice Day here.

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General Assembly: Informal consultations on indigenous peoples’ participation at the UN

In Africa, as in other regions, persons with disabilities are disproportionately likely to live in poverty and, too often, lack access to education, health care, employment opportunities, housing, social protection systems, justice, cultural expression and participation in political life. The ability of persons with disabilities to participate in society is often frustrated because physical environments, transportation and information and communications systems are not accessible.

In this context, UN-DESA developed and launched a ‘Toolkit on Disability for Africa’ that aims to provide practical tools for Government officials, Parliamentarians, civil servants, organisations of people with disabilities (DPOs) and all those working for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in society and development. The toolkit supports the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and disability inclusive development, and offers examples of good practices from countries in the African region.

There are 14 modules in the toolkit all of which focus on various topics of socio-economic development related to disability issues in Africa. The modules cover: accessibility; building multi-stakeholders partnerships for disability inclusion; national plans on disability, legislating for disability rights; access to justice for persons with disabilities; the rights of persons with disabilities to work; inclusive health services for persons with disabilities; participation in political and public life; information and communication technology (ICT) and disability; culture, beliefs and disability; and inclusive education.

Learn more about the toolkit modules here.