MEDIA RELEASE
CONCLUSION OF THE HIGH LEVEL MEETING OF MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT IN THE SADC REGION, TO DELIBERATE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN
AFRICAN REGIONAL SOCIAL POLICY
Ministers responsible for social development in the Southern African
Development Community (SADC) met in Johannesburg on 23-24 November, for
a dialogue on the development of a Regional Social Policy, in the
context of the African Unions New Partnership for Africas Development
(NEPAD).
The dialogue was organised by the United Nations Department of Economic
and Social Affairs, in cooperation with the Government of South Africa.
The session was attended by Ministers as well as senior officials from
Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mauritius,
Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The meeting noted previous interaction and recalled in particular the
following milestones:
The meeting during 1999 and 2000 of SADC Ministers responsible for
social development, to discuss the implementation of the outcomes of the
World Summit for Social Development. The meeting culminated in the SADC
Statement of Intent on Copenhagen +5, held in Geneva during 2000. The
Copenhagen Summit came up with a programme for social development, which
culminated it in the Millennium Development Goals.
The SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP),
launched in 2004 which covered Social and Human development as one of
the core areas of cooperation. In 2004 in preparation for the Ten Year
Review of the Implementation of the Copenhagen Commitments, the
Ministers responsible for social development committed to an ongoing
coordinated approach to tackling and promoting social development by
promoting continental dialogues focused on integrated poverty
eradication strategies, social integration and full employment.
The Ministerial meeting, hosted by South Africa, in partnership with
UNESCO, in November 2004. The meeting recommended to the Integrated
Committee of Ministers to approve the establishment of a forum for SADC
Ministers responsible for Social Development in line with the amended
SADC Treaty Article 12 (paragraph 2.1).
The Third Ordinary Session of the African Union Labour and Social
Affairs Commission, in April 2005 in Johannesburg, in which delegates
represented by Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs agreed that a
detailed discussion, led by African Ministers responsible for Social
Affairs should have an intensive discussion on the Social Policy
Framework for Africa. This decision was reiterated at the Fourth
Ordinary Session in Cairo, April 2006.
The Ministers appreciated the opportunity to meet again to take the
dialogue forward, and discussed wide-ranging issues, including the
following:
Employment and Decent Work
Social protection
Cross-border issues in health, disaster prevention/management, and
social regulation of services
Mainstreaming gender and social groups in development (children,
youth, older persons, persons with disabilities).
Human Rights and Empowerment Issues
The impact of HIV and AIDS.
They highlighted the following issues:
That despite recent positive GDP growth performance in many African
countries, the continent continues to battle with poverty, unemployment
and social exclusion.
The social challenges facing the region have a high human and capital
cost.
Regional social policy should be based on the understanding that
economic and social development cannot be divorced from each other, and
that both are critical for comprehensive and sustainable development.
The need to expand the focus of NEPAD action plans towards an
inclusion of social development imperatives over and above governance
and economic issues.
Informed by the extensive discussions, the Ministers;-
Reaffirmed their commitment to work together to promote accelerated
social and economic integration and development of the African
continent, which will lead to greater unity and solidarity between
African countries and peoples.
Confirmed the need for a regional social policy that will equip the
SADC region to tackle social development challenges.
Underscored the importance of working within the parameters of SADC
and the AU, and highlighted the importance of the current development
and finalisation of a continent-wide Social Policy Framework by the AU.
Resolved to mainstream social development and the social policy
dimensions of NEPAD into the SADC regional action plans, and promote
this process to colleagues in other regions.
Welcomed the involvement of the international community in African
development programmes and plans, in particular the United Nations
family, European Union, World Bank, several global funds and
institutions, and urged continued partnerships and cooperation.
Emphasised the need for the continuation of the dialogue, and the
development and adoption, without any delay, of an implementation plan
that would lead to consensus on a Social Policy Framework for the SADC
region, in line with the AUs Draft Social Policy Framework for Africa.
With regards to the promotion of the rights of women and children, the
Ministers:
Noted the important day of the 25th of November, the International Day
of No Violence against Women and Children, and the International
campaign of 16 Days of No Violence against Women and Children which
begins on the 25th and ends on the 10th of December, International Human
Rights Day.
Committed themselves to ensuring the development of social policies
that would protect the rights, status as well as safety and security of
women and children in the SADC region.
At the conclusion of the cordial and productive dialogue, the Ministers
and delegates:
Extended their gratitude to South Africa, in particular the Minister
of Social Development, Dr Zola Skweyiya for co-hosting the event and for
the warm hospitality extended to the delegates.
Thanked Dr Sergei Zelenev and the UN DESA for their key role in the
organisation and co-hosting of the meeting, and requested continued
partnership and support in taking the process forward.
Issued in Johannesburg on the 24th of November 2006. |
|
