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MAHSRA Partakes in the Stakes of the 53rd Session of the UN Commission for Social Development
On the occasion of the UN Commission for Social Development 53rd Session that was held from 4-13 February 2015 at the United Nations Head Quarters in New York, MAHSRA’s representation was fully enhanced by Ms Pamela Mungo.
In perspective for the Division for Social Policy and Development (DSPD), UNDESA; the preparative committee meeting held a day earlier on Tuesday 3rd Feb or the Civil Society Forum: “Civil Society Perspective: Recentering Social Development in a Sustainable World” and chaired by Margaret Mayce, as well as the 53rd session of the Commission chaired by H.S. Mirela Miculescu, Ambassador and permanent mission of Romania had MAHSRA’s full representation.
MAHSRA’s NGO Representation at 53CSocD
In caption for the high level panel discussion on the Priority Theme: “Rethinking and strengthening social development in the contemporary world”, the ASG of UNDESA gave an opening address to the Commission during the opening session while a youth representative from the ECOSOC Youth Forum (2-3 Feb.) highlighted the outcome of the Forum relevant to the priority theme of CSocD.
In order to effectively address the priority theme of the 53rd session of the CSocD, the high level panel discussions were engaged through three options that included the:
- High level panel discussion on the priority theme;
- Commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of the World Summit for Social Development “2015 Time for Global Action, For Inclusion, For Equality, For People”;
- Panel discussion on the Emerging issues “Contributions of social development to the transition from MDGs to the SDGs”.
In effect, the high level discussion on the priority theme of the 53rd session engaged in a substantive dialogue that focussed on:
- The areas in which progress has been achieved the most and what made this progress happen;
- The main social development challenges in the contemporary world (both existing and emerging);
- The challenges social development has to address in the next 20 years, and how the Commission can address these challenges, taking into consideration of the post-2015 development agenda.
With respect to the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the World Summit for Social Development, the Commission celebrated this by hosting a roundtable entitled, Social Development: From Copenhagen to the post-2015 development agenda.
With regard to the panel discussion on emerging issues of the 53rd Session of CSocD, the working topic “Contributions of social development to the transition from Millennium Development Goals to the Sustainable Development Goals” was chosen by the bureau with a background note prepared by the Secretariat.
Concerning the General Discussions of the 53rd Session of CSocD, the Commission duly addressed the substantive issues during the opening session, starting with item on the priority theme. It as well, addressed the agenda item and the review of relevant United Nations plans and programs of action pertaining to the situation of social groups. Particularly, as the Commission continued its general discussion of the agenda item on the priority theme, Cameroon Minister of Social Affairs Catherine Bakang Mbock was given the occasion to present the economic and social development of Cameroon.
In general focus, the 53rd session of CSocD centred its working perspectives upon the following major points:
- Rethinking and strengthening social development in the contemporary world;
- Celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family in 2014;
- Emerging issues – contributions of social development to the transition from the Millennium Development Goals to the sustainable development goals;
- Further implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing 2002;
- Report of the Special Rapporteur on disability to the Commission for Social Development;
- Social dimensions of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development;
- Report of the Board of the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development;
- Nomination of members of the Board of the United Nations Research institute for social development.
The anticipated draft resolutions of the 53rd session of CSocD as adopted by the commission include:
- “Social Dimensions of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)” (facilitated by South Africa);
- “Modalities for the third review and appraisal of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002” (facilitated by Germany);
- “Policies and programs involving youth” (facilitated by Portugal, Moldova and Senegal);
- “Promoting the rights of persons with disabilities and strengthening the mainstreaming of disability in the post 2015 development agenda”( facilitated by Romania)
Download MAHSRA’s written Statements:
CSocD54 HERE, Or access in on UN Docs Database
CSocD56 HERE, Or access in on UN Docs Database
CSocD57 HERE, Or access in on UN Docs Database
CSocD60 HERE, Or access in on UN Docs Database
