GFDD Submits Oral Statement on the Future of Social Development during the 53rd Session of the Commission for Social Development

On Wednesday February 11, 2014, GFDD/FUNGLODE participated in the 53rd Session of the Commission for Social Development which is convening from 4-13 February 2015, in New York, US.

The Commission which opened on Wednesday February 4, under the priority theme “Rethinking and strengthening social development in the contemporary world”, began its two-week session with a general debate and a high-level panel discussion that took stock of
current and emerging challenges and considered green, inclusive paths to progress.

Summing up the work ahead, Commission Chair Simona-Mirela Miculescu (Ambassador of the Permanent Mission of Romania to the UN) said “our task today is to carry the vision, principles and commitments adopted at the Social Summit into the post-2015 development agenda.  This will achieve a truly transformative, inclusive and socially, economically and environmentally sustainable
development.”

Wednesday’s Open Plenary Discussion, provided an opportunity for all relevant stakeholders, including members of civil society organizations, to put forward their own case studies and vision for the future of social development.

During
the session, GFDD’s UN Representative, Mr. Marc Jourdan submitted an oral statement on behalf of the foundation calling for a new social development agenda, where public participation of communities is enhanced and economic decisions are conditioned by social and environmental outcomes.

Under this new agenda, Mr. Jourdan explained that the social considerations are key to economic prosperity as the system seeks to strengthen the local productivity and social
fabric of communities, offer sustainable development education and professional development to communities on a local level, and promote decision making that enhances public participation and keeps sustainability at its core.

A copy of the written statement is available here.

About the Commission for Social
Development:
Since the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen in 1995, the Commission for SCSocD has been the key United Nations body in charge of the follow up and implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action.

Originally known as the Social Commission but renamed in 1966, CSocD was established by ECOSOC res. 10 (II) (1946). Its purpose was to advise ECOSOC on social policies of a general character and, in
particular, on all matters in the social field not covered by the specialised inter-governmental agencies. Since 2006, the Commission has taken up key social development themes as part of its follow up to the outcome of the Copenhagen Summit.

Related links:
http://undesadspd.org/CommissionforSocialDevelopment/Sessions/2015.aspx
https://www.facebook.com/commissionsocial
https://twitter.com/undesadspd