General Assembly discussion at the Commission on Social Development

On the last day of the first week of the Commission, the General Assembly's discussions began in the morning with a focus on the rights of persons with disabilities, and then moved towards a general discussion. Amongst the statements made by various delegations during the general discussions, a comment made by the Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation really stood out. He stated, "The moral health of the community relies on how we treat the most vulnerable." In a conversation that until this point had been predominantly social and political in its focus, the introduction of the moral and ethical dimension of social integration was refreshing and insightful. For a government to be concerned with the moral health of its communities and to share with the international community its approaches in this regard, was exemplary. 

The Permanent Representative of Kyrgyzstan also made an observation that struck a chord with me. He stated, "We see the development process through the prism of human development, that is, development of the individual." This articulation of the relationship between individual development and collective progress resonates with a statement made by the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith: "We cannot segregate the human heart from the environment outside us and say that once one of these is reformed everything will be improved. Man is organic with the world. His inner life moulds the environment and is itself also deeply affected by it. The one acts upon the other and every abiding change in the life of man is the result of these mutual reactions." 

The delegation of Israel made a frank comment on the state of affairs in his state of origin, acknowledging that the labor participation rate of Arabs is much lower than that of the general population, and announced that the government has initiated an affirmative action plan to promote the employment of Arabs. He described that at its core, social integration is about providing opportunities and encouraging people to seize them. He expressed regret that the Commission's statement had not made a more unequivocal statement explaining that true democracy is an inseparable element of social integration, and not merely a goal or complement to social integration. He also identified that gender inequality is one of the most prevalent forms of social exclusion in the world, and recognized that Israel is no exception. He concluded his speech, stating, "Equality of opportunity is a just cause in itself. A dynamic, informed and engaged population, including all social groups, is of benefit to the nation."