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With over 700 million people around the world living on less than $1.90 a day, the United Nations declared in 2015 that its number one Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) was to end poverty in all its forms.
In February 2017 the 55th Commission for Social Development (CSocD55) took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, with the priority theme ‘strategies for eradicating poverty to achieve sustainable development for all’.
On the morning of February 1 the Commission was declared open, with the afternoon session providing the opportunity for member states, academics and civil society to engage in a high-level panel discussion on the priority theme.
During the opening session the chair, Mr Philipp Charwath, emphasised the need to place social groups such as indigenous peoples, older persons and youth at the forefront of social policy at the national level, given the evidence that these groups are at higher risk of poverty.
The president of the Economic and Social Council, Frederick Musiiwa Makamure Shava, addressed the packed room, explaining the platform for discussion provided by ECOSOC functional commissions such as CSocD55 and highlighted their role in the implementation of the global development 2030 Agenda.
Lenni Montiel, Assistant Secretary General for Economic Development, read a message on behalf of the Secretary General reminding member states that the Commission for Social Development was meeting at a time of global conflict, a conflict that would result in decades of worsening social development.
Making reference to a recent Secretary General report on poverty eradication, Daniela Bas, Director of the Division for Social Policy and Development, reminded policy makers and programme coordinators that mainstreaming would not work. Achieving the SDGs, said Ms. Bas, would be determined at the national level.
The high-level discussion also included a presentation from Australian economist, Professor Martin Ravallion, who commended the global community on the huge economic growth made during the years of the Millennium Development Goal Implementation. However, Professor Ravallion cautioned that poverty continues to increase in those furthest behind, thereby highlighting the importance of the mantra of the SDGs: to leave no one behind and to reach those furthest behind first.
The ten days of the Commission provided a platform for discussion on strategies for poverty eradication with a resolution on the priority theme drafted during the second week. The Commission afforded the opportunity for member states, academics and civil society to discuss strategies for poverty eradication and the influence of social development on this topic.
For more information on CSocD55, please click here.
Source: UNDESA/DSPD