The promotion and protection of Peace between Countries is the overarching common objetive of the United Nations, which has always been seen as the basic political responsibility of the Security Council whose decisions engage all 193 members. (Today under severe questioning)
But it also covers, Peace within Countries, social peace, with citizens living in harmony, dignity, equal opportunities and participation, with health, education, decent work and social protection to overcome poverty. In the Club de Madrid we call it Shared Societies.
The 1995 Copenhagen Declaration, the outcome of the biggest meeting of Heads of State and Government up to that date, gave political expression and support to what can be called the “United Nations Social Development Mandate”. They synthesized the essence of that mandate by committing themselves to policies that “put people at the center of
development” and agreeing “We can continue to hold the trust of the peoples of the world only if we make their needs our priorities” That mandate originates in the UN Charter (preamble 2 and 4, ECOSOC), the 1948 Declaration of Human Rights and takes practical shape mainly through the social mandates of ILO, FAO,UNESCO, WHO, UNDP, UN WOMEN, UNEP, UNICEF, Regional Commissions and the processing of key issues trough ECOSOC and the social committee of the General Assembly.
This makes the UN the major source of global information and knowledge on social issues. It also gives their decisions a sound basis of legitimacy, since the commitments taken and policies proposed are the result of international agreements among Governments. Nothing is being imposed.
Some practical suggestions on what the Doha Summit could do:
1. Declare the existence of the United Nations Social Development Mandate as mentioned above, to be promoted today as part of the implementation of the 2030 agenda, where a large majority of its goals are properly social, or socioeconomic or ecosocial. The convergence of both processes gives a powerful global orientation from now to 2030 together with the foundation for an initial conversation on the post 2030 Agenda which probably should begin during these preparatory discussions of the Doha Summit.
2. It is important to single out that the Social Development Mandate, does not have an operational locus in the UN System and this is good for it ensures the autonomy and deepens the specific knowledge of each Body. At the same time social problems are increasingly multidimensional and require an integrated and synergetic approach to solve them. Already Copenhagen and numerous other instances since then, including the 2030 Agenda, have called for integrated thinking and policy making. Yet, we still have quite a way to go. We need to reiterate this pending issue and suggest steps ahead.
3. It is a fact that both the 10 Commitment of the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen and the 17 goals of the 2030 Agenda have not been reached, some of them far from it. This points to the fact that at the UN we are very good at agreeing on ambitious goals and less so at identifying the difficulties to make them happen at the country and regional level. It would be useful to develop a knowledgeable approach, a methodology to address at the same time, both the proposals and their obstacles from the outset.
4. These, and many other dimensions not mentioned here, point to the need to generate a much closer relationship and define an institutional space of their own, where the UN organisations with a strong social mandate con meet according to need at the principal’s, secretariat and governing body levels. To begin with by having a joint perspective of their contribution to the instalment of the United Nations Social Development Mandate.
This could be an Important part of Doha Summit follow-up and implementation.
5. This process will reinforce the social responsibility of ECOSOC as well as the need for integrated thinking and multidimensional policy solutions, among other questions. In many ways the specific identification of a United Nations Social Mandate. will bring it closer to people. The Copenhagen Summit was rapidly labelled, the “people’s Summit”. And it is certain that the “ the social question” is at the heart of personal development and dignity, family life, community integration, gender equality, voice and participation, harmony, respect and more security, all I all we come back to the beginning: SOCIAL PEACE.
Ambassador Juan Somavia
Honorary Member, Club de Madrid
Former PR of Chile, President of ECOSOC
and Director General of ILO.
