(ANS – New York) – The Commission on Social Development took place at UN Headquarters in New York February 6-15, 2013. This time too there was no lack of Salesian contribution for reflection.
The priority theme was “Empowerment of people in achieving poverty eradication, social integration and full employment and decent work for all”. This theme unites the efforts to follow up on the Rio+20 Conference, prepare for the MDGs review, formulate the post-2015 development agenda and to design the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
A Civil Society Forum on February 5th under the theme “Civil society: Promoting empowerment of people to achieve the goals of social development” as it relates to the priority theme of the Commission. In addition to the empowerment theme, the Commission provided a forum to exchange views on other important key issues including disabled persons, youth, ageing, and the family. The Commission also reviewed several reports that the Secretary-General wrote on each of these issues, and participants were given an opportunity to respond to the reports and to give their country specific perspectives on the issues.
Frs. Thomas Brennan and James Berning represented the Salesians at the Commission, participating in the discussions and taking the opportunity to advocate on behalf of young people. Additionally, the representative of the Salesians to the UN, Fr. Tom Brennan, was one of the lead writers for the Civil Society Declaration.
Among the topics included in the declaration were the common good, the dignity and human rights of all people, participation, the empowerment of all people and addressing the eradication of poverty. The Salesian Work with the Blind in Bangkok is given as an example of an effective practice in the empowerment of people.
Noting that “Discrimination is debilitating, degrading and crippling for individuals and societies. It creates tension, strife and conflict as individuals are denied their basic rights,” Fr Brennan submitted a written statement to the Commission addressing the rights of those who belong to excluded or marginalized groups, especially those living with the HIV virus. Included in the intervention is a brief description of the Salesian program in South African, Love Matters.
On the final day of the Commission, the Salesians sponsored a side event: “Empowering People Living with HIV by Eliminating Stigma and Discrimination”. Organized and moderated by Fr. Brennan, with UNAIDS, The Positive Justice Project and the NGO Committee on HIV/AIDS as partners, the panel addressed:
Published 19/02/2013
