UNA-Canada Fact Sheets > The UN and Social Development

The major challenges faced by humankind are war and poverty. The United Nations focuses much of its attention on achieving peace, but it also dedicates many resources to fighting poverty, starvation, disease and social and economic dislocation.

The United Nations has developed a variety of programs to ease the pressures and conflicts created by social problems. 1995 is an especially critical time for advancements in social issues with the UN World Summit for Social Development, which took place March 6-12 in Copenhagen. Canada played playing an active role in the Social Development Summit, through both its diplomatic delegation and the contributions of non-governmental organizations (with the active participation of the UN Association in Canada).

Many issues were discussed at the conference including: productive employment; alleviation of poverty; social integration of groups such as women, youth, the disabled and indigenous peoples; and integration of social and economic policy. Over the years, the UN has addressed many of these issues through the work of its various programs and specialized agencies, and by declaring international days, months, years and decades to bring attention to them.

Adjusting Economic Policy

UN agencies recognize that it is important to take account of human needs when restructuring economic programs in developing countries, and have promoted measures to safeguard the poor and children, especially in areas like health and education.

Promoting Democracy

The UN provides extensive assistance to countries wishing to hold free and fair elections, including provision of advice on electoral processes and independent monitoring of results. Many Canadians have participated in election monitoring and organizing missions for the UN, including in Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique and Cambodia.

Women

Through the 1975-85 Decade of Women, the United Nations played an important role in increasing awareness of the basic inequalities faced by women throughout the world. In 1993 at the Vienna World Conference on Human Rights, for the first time, major steps were taken to promote and protect the rights of women, children and indigenous peoples.

In September 1995 in Beijing, the UN will host the Fourth World Conference on Women, which will discuss a global Platform for Action on issues such as women's poverty, access to education and health, violence against women, sharing of power, human rights, media and the environment.

The UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) have supported programs and projects to improve the quality of life for women in over 100 countries. The UN continues to work for equality for women, and to involve women in issues facing the international community.

Children

In September 1990, the UN held the first World Summit for Children, where a plan of action was adopted for a World Declaration on the Survival, Protection and Development of Children. The Declaration outlined plans for reducing child poverty, malnutrition, discrimination, disease, lack of education, and exploitation. The International Convention on the Rights of Children came into force in 1990 and the UN has called on all nations to ratify it by 1995.

The UN has contributed to the reduction (by half since 1960) of child mortality rates in developing countries and to the improvement of the lives of vulnerable children everywhere. The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) carries out programs in health, nutrition, education, water and sanitation, the environment, human rights, child labour and other fields. Many millions of children have been saved from starvation and the crippling effects of malnutrition by the rapid response of the World Food Programme and other food agencies in providing emergency food aid.

Disabled Persons

The Decade for Disabled Persons, which ended in 1992, brought attention to the special problems of the disabled. In that year, a long-term strategy to implement a World Programme of Action was produced in a meeting held in Vancouver.

Indigenous Peoples

In 1982, the UN established a Working Group on Indigenous Populations to give special attention to the promotion and protection of human rights for indigenous peoples. 1993 was declared the International Year for Indigenous Peoples, and, subsequently, 1994 was designated as the start of an International Decade for the World's Indigenous Peoples.

Housing

The UN Centre for Human Settlements (HABITAT), through its Global Strategy for Shelter to the Year 2000, is in the midst of a collective and sustainable self-help effort among people most affected by poor housing conditions. In June 1996 in Istanbul, a major world conference, Habitat II, will address issues such as local management of human settlements - water, sanitation, shelter, waste, etc. The two primary themes are 'Shelter for All' and 'Sustainable Development in an Increasingly Urbanized World'. The conference is a follow-up to Habitat I, held in Vancouver in 1976.

Drugs

Many countries face severe problems from trafficking and consumption of illegal drugs. Through the UN International Drug Control Programme, the International Narcotics Control Board, and the UN fund for Drug Abuse Control, efforts are being made to control the $500 billion-a-year illegal drug trade.

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