User:Robert Pollard/World Summit on Social Development

The World Summit on Social Development was held in Copenhagen, Denmark from 6-12 March 1995

Background and History
In December 1992, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 47/92, "Convening of a world summit for social development," and set the process in motion for organizing a meeting of Heads of State or Government to tackle the critical problems of poverty, unemployment and social integration.

Key Documents
Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development At the end of the Summit, Governments adopted the Copenhagen Declaration, the Ten Commitments (listed below) and the Programme of Action of the World Social Summit.


 * Create an economic, political, social, cultural and legal environment that will enable people to achieve social development;
 * Eradicate absolute poverty by a target date to be set by each country;
 * Support full employment as a basic policy goal;
 * Promote social integration based on the enhancement and protection of all human rights;
 * Achieve equality and equity between women and men;
 * Attain universal and equitable access to education and primary health care;
 * Accelerate the development of Africa and the least developed countries;
 * Ensure that structural adjustment programmes include social development goals;
 * Increase resources allocated to social development;
 * Strengthen cooperation for social development through the UN.

Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development

At the World Summit for Social Development, Governments reached a new consensus on the need to put people at the centre of development. The Social Summit was the largest gathering ever of world leaders at that time. It pledged to eradicate poverty, create full employment and foster social integration.

Five-Year Review
Five years later, Governments reconvened in Geneva in June 2000 for the 24th Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly, to review what had been achieved, and to commit themselves to new initiatives.

Further initiatives for social development
The principal resolution of the 24th Special Session adopted Further initiatives for social development, incorporating: a political declaration, a review and assessment of the implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development and further actions and initiatives to implement the commitments made at the World Summit for Social Development.