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Social Policy: Safety Net Or Springboard?

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Social Policy: Safety Net Or Springboard? DOCUMENT RESUME ED 471 169 SO 034 206 AUTHOR Gitta, Cosmas, Ed. TITLE Social Policy: Safety Net or Springboard? INSTITUTION United Nations Development Programme, New York, NY. ISSN ISSN-0259-3882 PUB DATE 2001-00-00 NOTE 164p.; Published by the Special Unit for Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries (TCDC). Theme issue. Published biannually. For issue number 2 of 2000, see SO 034 206. AVAILABLE FROM United Nations Development Programme, Special Unit for TCDC, One United Nations Plaza, FF-121, New York, NY 10017. Tel: 212-906-5737; Fax: 212-906-6352; Web site: http://www.undp.org/ . PUB TYPE Collected Works Serials (022) Reports Descriptive (141) JOURNAL CIT Cooperation South; n2 2001 EDRS PRICE EDRS Price MF01/PC07 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Case Studies; Development Communication; *Geographic Regions; International Communication; *Regional Cooperation; *Social Problems; Social Science Research; *Sustainable Development IDENTIFIERS Development Education; *Global Issues; *Social Policy ABSTRACT This issue of "Cooperation South" looks at recent experiences in protecting and advancing human welfare in the south as well as the north. It presents a shared learning exercise about an array of social policy options; which decision makers in the south can consider in their efforts to shape a caring society, alleviate poverty, promote human development and generate solid economic growth. The "Social Policy: Safety Net or Springboard?" section contains five articles:(1) "Latin America" (Enrique Vasquez; Enrique Mendizabal); (2) "Arab Region" (Salim Nasr); (3) "Southern Africa" (Viviene Taylor); (4) "Northern Input for South-South Dialogue on Social Policy?" (Bob Deacon); and (5)"Eradicating Poverty by Building a Welfare Society: Finland as a Case Study" (Hilkka Pietila). The "Environment and Sustainable Development" section contains three articles: (1) "Earth Summit 2002: New 'Global Deal'" (Felix Dodds);(2) "Ecosystems of the Humid Tropics: South-South Cooperation on Agenda 21" (Miguel Clusener-Godt; Ignacy Sachs); and (3)"South-South Cooperation on Food Security: Rice in West Africa" (Kanayo F. Nwanze; P. Justin Kouka; Monty P. Jones). The "Perspective" section contains three articles:(1) "Global Intellectual Hegemony and the International Development Agenda" (Branislav Gosovic); (2) "Windows on the South: Current Trends, Perspectives, and Events"; and (3) "Sharing Ideas Access to ICT, Access to Education" (Joshua S. Jacobs).(BT) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Social Policy: Safety Net or Springboard? Cosmas Gitta, Editor United Nations Development Programme, New York, NY. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) BEEN GRANTED BY This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. C. Gitta Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. BEST COPY AVAILABLE 2 UHL a AOmiL'N. t7t -.1100."7- afie SOCIAL POLICY: SAFETY NET OR SPRINGBOARD? HUMBER TWO 2 0 0 1 3 UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME SPECIAL UNIT FOR TECHNICAL COOPERATION AMONG DEVELOPING COUNTRIES THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CREATIVITY SAFIATOU BA-N" DAW OF 4.7 DESIGNS USED EDITOR BILLION ON ISSUES OF PEOPLE THIS JOURNAL COSMAS GITTA PRESENT ARTIFACTS PRODUCTION MANAGER OR ARTWORKS THAT DEMONSTRATE THE MAUREEN LYNCH CREATIVITY AND CONNECTIVITY OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE SOUTH. DESIGN KAYLEY LEFAIVER MARY VENGROFSKI ZEHNGUT A child's view of the world TRANSLATIONS Over a million MULTI-LANGUAGE children in 86 SERVICES INC. countries made EDITORIAL ASSISTANT paintings and ROGEL NUGUID drawings on the CIRCULATION ASSISTANT theme "My World LOURDES HERMOSURA-CHANG in the Year 2000" EDITORIAL as part of a global art program to illustrate what ADVISORY BOARD the new millennium means to 8 to 12 year olds. SALAH BOURJINI On the cover is art by Bhea S.Vacio, 11 years PAUL BOYD old, from the Philippines. It shows children SHARON CAPELING-ALAKIJA of various nationalities fishing, planting BABASHOLA CHINSMAN DJIBRIL DIALLO seedlings, using a computer and doing other CARLOS DI CERISANO activities. Working together in optimism and WALTER FRANCO even celebration, the children in this vision KERSTIN LEITNER seem to enjoy adequate social protection, CARLOS LOPES health, food security and learning opportunities, RAMADHAR unworried about welfare "safety nets." The MICHAEL SAKBANI program was organized by the International ODILE SORGHO-MOULINIER Children's Art Foundation (ICAF) which promotes the artistic creativity of children worldwide. Together with many educators, ICAF believes that visual learning and The emblem of Technical Cooperation among Developing participation in the visual arts are important Countries (TCDC) displaysa symbolic bridge joining the coun- for child development. A non-governmental tries and people of the Southern organization based in Washington D.C., ICAF hemisphere. The centre of the emblem was founded in 1997 by Dr. Ashfaq Ishaq from where the Souther, Northern, Eastern and Western "parts of the Pakistan, who serves as its Executive Director. world joinsymbolizes a further The cover art is reproduced with the and ultimate objective of TCDC: the promotion of a truly global permission of ICAE See additional child partnership for development. art on its website: www.icaf.org. 3IEST COPY AVAITILA CONTENTS NUMBER TWO-2001 2 Message from the Administrator SOCIAL POLICY: SAFETY NET OR SPRINGBOARD? Social protection policies and challenges in... 4 ...Latin America ENRIQUE VASQUEZ AND ENRIQUE MENDIZABAL 31 ...The Arab Region SALIM NASR 49 ...Southern Africa VIVIENE TAYLOR 66 Northern Input for South-South Dialogue on Social Policy? BOB DEACON 79 Eradicating Poverty by Building a Welfare Society: Finland as a Case Study HILKKA PIETILA ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 97 Earth Summit 2002: New "Global Deal"? FELIX DODDS 108 Ecosystems of the Humid Tropics: South-South Cooperation on Agenda 21 MIGUEL CLUSENER -GODT AND IGNACY SACHS 114 South-South Cooperation on Food Security: Rice in West Africa KANAYO F. NWANZE, P. JUSTIN KOUKA AND MONTY P. JONES PERSPECTIVE 132 Global Intellectual Hegemony and the International Development Agenda BRANISLAV GOSOVIC 147WINDOWS ON THE SOUTH: Current Trends, Perspectives, and Events TRADE MEETING APPROVES NEW PLANS FOR NEGOTIATIONS AND AFFORDABLE MEDICINES FROM SELLING SHEEP TO BOOKING TOURISM TRIPS: E-COMMERCE GROWING IN THE SOUTH POVERTY DECLINING IN LATIN AMERICA THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY IS BACK 156SHARING IDEASAccess to ICT, Access to Education COOPERATION SOUTH is published twice a year by the Special Unit for TCDC, United Nations Develop- ment Programme, One United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017, USA (212) 906-5737, FAX (212) 906-6352, email: [email protected]. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the United Nations, the United Nations Development Programme, or governments. The designations employed and material presented on maps do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or its frontiers or boundaries. 5 BEST COPY AVMLP FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR -REtectos For many developing countries, globalization brings increased social insecurity. With it comes stronger impact from external economic forces, significant restructuring of national economies and labour markets, accelerated socio-economic change and increased social risk. A number of middle-income countries have experienced erratic financial flows and market shocks, resulting in severe job losses thrusting millions back into absolute poverty. The already weak "safety nets" for the unemployed, poor workers in the informal sector, the elderly, the sick, and other vulnerable groups become more frayed. The state's ability to provide social protection decreases just when it is becoming more needed. A traditional way of coping for those in crisis is to seek support from family sources and social networks. But these where they still exist are strained and insuffi- ciently resourced for a larger burden. All too often, the poor resort to coping strate- gies that deplete productive assets or dangerously slow their accumulation, as happens when money saved for school fees is spent to buy food. Investment in the future suf- fers, including education and entrepreneurial ventures, perpetuating the cycle of poverty. In some instances, policies designed to ensure macroeconomic and fiscal sta- bility contribute to widespread social exclusion. Setbacks in covering people's basic needs and in strengthening the social fabric, in addition to their human effects, are also obstacles in the path toward sustainable development. What would it take to reverse the downward spiral and turn the situation around? The key first step is to move beyond current emphasis on a residual "safety net" approach. It is essential to address the underlying causes of insecurities, not just the 2 COOPERATION SOUTH 6 symptoms, and to attack chronic deprivation, not just temporary adversity. The focus should be on generating household assets and creatingnew opportunities. Among the methods of achieving this are programs of job creation and micro-creditto defeat income poverty, and health care services
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