Global Policy Forum

An International Anti-Poverty Pact

The Copenhagen Summit identified a number of specific anti-poverty targets but they were not given great prominence in the final agreement. In the following year, however, the OECD, comprising the major donor countries, agreed on a number of International Development Targets (IDTs) for achievement by the year 2015.

The IDTs focus on:

These targets cannot be met without substantial commitments of resources and other support by the wealthier countries and the international financial institutions that they control. Since they established the targets they should provide adequate support to achieve them.

If they do not do so, the targets will rapidly be seen as unfair and unattainable impositions on developing countries, rather than as realistic and reciprocal commitments by all members of the international community.

This concept of reciprocal commitments could be implemented by establishing an international Anti-Poverty Pact between developed and developing countries, and international financial institutions. The Pact would involve commitments to inputs, as well as to the outcomes specified in the IDTs.

The agreed inputs could include timetables for improving debt relief, for achieving the 0.7% of GDP target for official aid, for increasing support from key international financial institutions, and for implementing the 20:20 principle on basic social services.

A coordinated system of national taxes on international financial transactions and some other international services could be adopted, with the proceeds being earmarked by donor and developing countries to finance their commitments to the Pact. The Pact could also include specific forms of financial regulation, to improve developing countries' access to sustainable levels of productive financial investment rather than damagingly volatile speculation. Other possible elements relate to anti-corruption measures, reductions in military expenditure and fair trade codes.

Governments should agree in Geneva the key elements to be included in the Pact and should establish an independent task force to prepare a detailed draft for consideration and finalisation at the Millennium Session of the General Assembly later this year. ECOSOC should be principally responsible for facilitating and monitoring implementation of the Pact, and the General Assembly should agree to review its implementation on International Poverty Day each year (October 17).

International Standards for Social Development

Governments should agree in Geneva to support progressive development by ECOSOC of a broad-based framework of International Standards for Social Development (ISSDs) that address key aspects of both economic and social policy and practice.

The UN Charter clearly gives ECOSOC the powers to develop ISSDs and many have already been agreed, including a number of human rights treaties and ILO conventions. But much more action is necessary.

First, existing standards that are of special value and importance could be included, without modification, in a special new framework of ISSDs. Under the supervision of ECOSOC, special priority should be given within the UN and national government systems to monitoring and enforcing implementation of these ISSDs.

Second, other agreements could be modified before their inclusion. This could involve, for example, developing explicit variations according to national or regional circumstances.

Third, ISSDs should cover key aspects of issues such as taxation, financial regulation, and business conduct, which have substantial impacts on social development.

ECOSOC could nominate particular intergovernmental organisations (individually or jointly) to prepare draft Standards in specified areas, for final authorisation by ECOSOC itself. This would provide a flexible framework within which, for example, standards in an area that impacts on trade, the environment, labour and basic human needs could be drafted and finalised in a cooperative and balanced manner.

The World Bank and IMF recently requested ECOSOC to develop agreed sets of principles and practices for social policy. This strengthens the case for it to take the initiative in developing and overseeing a framework of ISSDs. It is essential, however, that the Standards recognise legitimate scope for variation according to national circumstances and that they are accompanied by an Anti-Poverty Pact that guarantees provision of resources and other support from wealthy countries.

Strengthening ECOSOC

ECOSOC is uniquely qualified to play the leading role in international economic and social policy that is vested in it by the UN Charter. It represents all countries rather than being controlled by those which are rich and powerful; its mandate covers both economic and social issues; and it has ultimate responsibility for many of the relevant intergovernmental agencies.

To date, however, ECOSOC has largely failed to fulfil its responsibilities and realise its potential. This is due partly to sustained opposition from the major economic powers and partly to lack of pragmatic determination by the developing countries, which have most to gain if it becomes more effective.

ECOSOC must either strengthen the size, role and effectiveness of its five-person executive committee, or develop some other mechanism that enables prompt, focused and vigorous action to be taken without calling a full Council meeting of more than 50 members. A grouping of up to about 20 members could be selected from regional constituencies to reflect modern realities and genuine commonality of interest.

Effective use must be made of the opportunities that have developed in recent years for greater interaction with the leaders of the World Bank, IMF and WTO. ECOSOC must also engage closely with newer groupings, such as the G-20, which may acquire major global significance.

ECOSOC should also engage more closely with regional groupings outside the UN system. Groupings such as the European Union, Southern African Development Community and Association of South East Asian Nations are usually regarded as much more significant by the highest levels of government. Stronger regional interaction through these groupings could help to balance the benefits and imperatives of internationalisation with the need for flexibility and sensitivity to local circumstances and cultures. These groupings need to operate within an effective global framework, of the kind that ECOSOC should provide. A useful step in that direction would be for ECOSOC to establish an annual regional consultation, within the annual Council meeting.

Governments in Geneva should endorse changes to enable ECOSOC to fulfil its important Charter responsibilities, including development and oversight of the proposed Anti-Poverty Pact and International Standards for Social Development.

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