6 October 2008

Mr. Chairman, Allow me at the outset, to congratulate you and other members of the Bureau on your election to the 63rd session of the Third Committee. I would also like to thank the Secretary General for his useful and informative reports on this agenda item which helps us to enrich our deliberations and discussions. Moreover, my delegation aligns itself with the statement delivered by Antigua and Barbuda on behalf of the G77 and China. Mr. Chairman, More than a decade after World Summit for social Development, the overall assessment of the implementation of the outcome of the WSSD and the twenty–fourth special session of the General Assembly indicates that despite the efforts made and the progress achieved in some areas, the world social development progress is minimum and the principal commitments made by the governments are not materialized as expected. Inequalities have increased in many parts of the world and the gap between rich and poor is widening and deepening at an alarming pace. The figures on youth situations in 2 the world reveal that the young people are facing a tremendous pressure of unemployment, poverty, illiteracy, addiction and disappointment. This year marks the last year of implementation cycle on the social development priority theme, “Promoting full employment and decent work for all”. Employment has a central role in poverty eradication, social inclusion and integration as well as promoting peace and stability in societies. The World Summit for Social Development has also recognized employment and productive work as central to the development process and “an effective way to combat poverty and promote social integration”. Yet, given the existing levels and trends of unemployment, the commitments to generate full and productive employment and decent work are facing considerable challenges. Recent researches indicate that 1.5 billion people are either unemployed or underemployed, and about one third of the world’s working –age population is not participating at all in the labor markets. The current situation of the world is characterized by high and increasing unemployment and underemployment, unproductive jobs, unsafe work and insecure income. Still today young people without privilege and wealth struggle to find a way to the labor market and older persons enjoy less and less security for a lifetime of work. We believe that the efforts to generate full employment transcend national policies. The achievement of full employment rests upon the promotion of a conducive macroeconomic environment based on the implementation of an integrated and coherent policies, programs and activities at the national and international levels. As indicated in the report of Secretary General contained in document A/63/133, enhanced international cooperation, including through fulfilling commitments for official development assistance and debt relief, is important to fully implement the decent work agenda. Furthermore, greater policy coherence among trade, aid, economic policies and social policies is essential. The international community must address the employment implication of global macroeconomic conditions and of the international trading system to that effect. 3 Mr. Chairman, The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran remains committed to accomplish the goals set by the World Summit for Social Development and its subsequent review sessions as well as relevant UN plans and programs of action pertaining to social development at the national level. The progress in the implementation by Iran of the Copenhagen commitments indicates the significant efforts made in order to promote policies and develop institutions and programs that directly or indirectly relate to social development. Iran attaches great importance to the human development in its all aspects. Among the programs adopted and actions taken at the national level to realize the goals of human development, especial emphasis has been placed on improving health, fighting poverty and providing job opportunities. The Government has also developed a comprehensive social security system based on a national commitment to advance social cohesion and integration. In this context, attention has been focused mainly on fair income distribution, removing disparities and assisting and protecting the limited income families as well as improving quality of life for vulnerable segment of the population. In resent years, Iran has achieved notable successes in the field of education, and is undertaking efforts to decentralize decisionmaking especially on literacy programs while ensuring that the most disadvantaged regions are able to improve their literacy rates. We hope that such initiatives and policies will lead to positive and tangible results by providing and promoting a secure and decent life for the present and next generation. Thank you