Statement by Mr. Saad Ahmad Warraich, Counsellor, on Agenda Item 26: Social Development
Third Committee, 71st Session of UN General Assembly
(New York, 5 October 2016)

Madam Chair,

At the outset, let me congratulate you and the members of the bureau, on their election, and assure you of my delegations’ full support in the work of the Third Committee.

My delegation wishes to align itself with the statement delivered by Thailand, on behalf of G-77 and China.

Madam Chair,

The goal of social development is often viewed as an adjunct to economic growth and prosperity. In-fact, the social and economic dimensions of development are indivisible and mutually reinforcing. Development cannot be sustainable if it is not broad-based and inclusive.

The World Summit for Social Development, held in Copenhagen in 1995, first enunciated this inextricable linkage.

The Post-2015 Development Agenda takes a step further by placing individuals at the core of the development paradigm. It views social development as a process that involves a fairer distribution of opportunities and resources to foster social justice. It aims at accomplishing this outcome by reducing inequalities within and between states by promoting social, economic and political inclusion of all members of the society. All the more so in an environment where discrimination and exclusion based on religion, race, gender, or ethnicity, are on the rise.

Madam Chair,

We have recently marked the 30th Anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Right to Development- an interrelationship between the right and the development process. The Declaration complements the SDGs, by recognizing that development cannot be fully realized without the ability to freely participate in the development process. Recognizing this right and taking practical steps towards its implementation, are therefore, intrinsic, not only to the accomplishment of the SDGs, but also towards creating fair and just societies.

Madam Chair,

Pakistan accords great importance to the social uplift of our people.

The underlying philosophy behind the Pakistan Vision 2025, the blueprint for long-term sustainable development in the country, is “putting people first”-creating new and better opportunities, benefitting cross-section of the society.

The government has undertaken a number of wide-ranging initiatives, in support: the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) is a large nation-wide social safety programme that provides financial support to the vulnerable segments, to help them graduate from poverty. Likewise, strategies and policy frameworks have also been outlined to enable women, youth and disabled segments of the population, to be partners in their own development through participation in the family, community and national life.

Steps are also being taken towards financial inclusion through policies that facilitate an investment friendly environment; encourage sustainable inclusive growth by investing in our human capital, empowering women, and formalizing the undocumented economy.

In conclusion, let me reaffirm that for Pakistan, our goals and priorities for social development complement the Post-2015 Development Agenda. We remain fully committed to the realization of these goals to ensure that no one is left behind in our joint quest for inclusive and sustainable development.

I thank you.