This NGLS Development Dossier reproduces most of the key speeches made by NGOs to governmental and non-governmental participants at the World Summit for Social Development held in Copenhagen on 6-12 March 1995. NGOs and other groups and organizations of civil society made a major contribution to shaping the summit's outcomes, and NGLS believes that the viewpoints, aspirations and demands expressed by NGOs at Copenhagen should be made available to the wider NGO and international community. NGLS also hopes that this Development Dossier will serve as a timely reminder of the issues at stake in the social summit and of the vital role NGOs have to play in the follow-up to the summit.
The opinions expressed in the speeches are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those oh NGLS or any other part of the United Nations system. Given the broad language backgrounds of participating NGOs, distinctions between American and British English in spelling and grammar have been left untouched. Speeches are also reproduced in the language in \vhich they were originally submitted.
The designations used do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of NGLS or any other part of the United Nations system, concerning the legal status of any country, area or territory or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers
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UNCTAD/NGLS/59 Published in July 1996 by UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS) Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10 Switzerland Room 6015, 866 UN Plaza New Cork, N.Y. 10017 USA
Foreword 4
Preface 5
Introduction 6
Baha'i International Community 8
BUSCO: Association mondiale des entrepreneurs pour le sommet social 10
Caucus Latinoamericano 12
Coalition of People of Faith 15
Commission on Global Governance 18
Confederación Mundial del Trabajo 20
Conférence on NGOs in Consultative Status with ECOSOC (CONGO) 22
The Cousteau Society 25
The Development Caucus 28
Disabled People's Organizations Umbrella Group 32
Eurostep 34
Fédération mondiale des cités unies 36
ICC/IOE High-Level Group for the WSSD 39
Independent Commission for Population and Quality of Life 42
International Center for Economic Growth 45
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) 48
International Council of Women 50
International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW) 51
International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP) 53
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies 55
International Movement ATD Fourth World 58
International Planned Parenthood Federation 61
International Youth Consultation on Social Development 64
Inter-Parliamentary Union 66
Mouvement mondial des mères 68
National Union of Working Women 70
NGO Committee on Aging 73
ONG africaines 75
Rights of the Child Caucus 77
Rotary International 79
Small Farmers, Producers, and Microentrepreneurs Caucus 80
Soroptimist International 82
South Asia Caucus 84
L'Union nationale de la femme tunisienne 87
The Values Caucus 90
Women's Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) 94
World Council of Churches 97
APPENDICES
Inaugural Address 100
Statement on the Copenhagen Alternative Declaration 105
Copenhagen Alternative Declaration 107
The Quality Benchmark for the Social Summit 113
Did We Achieve the Quality Benchmark? An NGO Assessment 117
FOREWORD
"Economic activities, through which individuals express their initiative and creativity and which enhance the wealth of communities, are a fundamental basis for social progress. But social progress will not be realized simply through the free interaction of market forces. Public polices are necessary to correct market failures, to complement market mechanisms, to maintain social stability and to create a national and international economic environment that promotes sustainable growth on a global scale. Such growth should promote equity and social justice, tolerance, responsibility and involvement."
Programme of Action, World Summit for Social Development
(Copenhagen, March 1995)
Social progress refers to the individual in the society. It is a concept rooted in a philosophy of human dignity and fundamental equality of all human beings. It is also a concept related to specific historical circumstances, to obstacles that have to be overcome and to desirable objectives.
The World Summit for Social Development and the NGO Forum '95 only represented a first step towards placing the fundamental political questions of social development on the international agenda, but carried the message to the peoples of the world that their right to a decent life is taken seriously by the highest political level. We still have to implement and follow up the political intentions.
This book illustrates in how many ways NGOs contributed ideas to the outcome of the summit. I hope that its publication will inspire NGOs to play an equally important role in the follow up of the summit.
The high hopes of the summit must be met. True and lasting success can only be achieved through patient and deliberate efforts by all concerned, day after day. It will require a coalition of all societal actors, working together towards the same objectives. Governments will need to act in partnership. They will need to join hands with experts, parliamentarians, grass root and religious organizations, trade unions, community associations, businesses, scientists and non-governmental organizations, all of whose talent and enthusiasm have already added so much to the cause of social progress.
Poul Nielson
Minister for Development Cooperation, Denmark
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