By the Minister for Social Affairs: Guri Ingebrigtsen

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

It gives me great pleasure to velcome you to Geneva and to this international conference organised by the Council of Europe’s Campaign on Globalization without Poverty. The Government of Norway is very pleased to have been able to support this conference which is held in the context of the Special Session of the United Nation General Assembly on Copenhagen plus 5.

As you all know, we live in times of tremendous progress and breathtaking change. Development processes leading to growth and new opportunities have become increasingly global. International cooperation for the common good has in many ways grown and contributed to positive trends. As a result, new partnerships have emerged. There are new networks and alliances for optimizing knowledge and information for the purpose of development. And more than ever before, there are movements in civil society that manage to link local and global action.

Yet, there continues to be a disturbing and unjust contrast between the power and wealth of some groups and the vulnerability and marginalization of others. Global and national inequalities cut across all regions of the world and promote powerlessness and deprivation of large groups. In a globalized world , poverty has also become globalized In addition, it is becoming increasingly feminized. Poverty has become a reality for more women than men. This is the situation in a global perspective, the is also the situation in Eastern and Central Europe. The problems of poverty and social exclusion are immense. Using Russia as an example, in 1986 a teacher’s salary was on average $ 250 a month, in 1998 it was down to $ 25 a month. According to official Russian statistics, Russia in 1991, had 10% of population living below the the official poverty line. In 1996 the number had risen to 40%, and in 1999 it has jumped up to 60%. The dangers of a divided society are clear and evident across all of Central and Eastern Europe, and for the sake of all Europe’s future it cannot be an issue for these countries alone. We need to address the situation up-front and not cover it up.

The fact remains that the root causes of poverty are are numerous, complex and interlinked. They are related to policies, power relations, systems of government, institutions and traditions. There is a web of factors within countries that render people poor and powerless, such as lack of fundamental human rights, gender discrimination, lack of access to health and social services, lack of adequate means of livelihood, lack of knowledge and information.

This also the case when seeking the roots and causes of the negative side effects of globalisation. It is a multifacetted and complex issue which cannot be addressed from a narrow perspective.

It is easy to be overwhelmed by all the human sufferings and institutional shortcomings you see and encounter. None the less I chose to approach the task of strengthening the role of civil society in fostering social cohesion in Eastern and Central Europe with optimism.

We have largely reached agreement consensus on the complex causes of poverty. There is also a european consensus that at the heart of the European social model, both in east and west is a cohesive society, based on values of solidarity, gender equality , collective and individual rights, as well as responsibilities and active citizenship. This fact provides an important building brick in the development of practical and concrete measures to reduce poverty and strengthen democratic and human rights.

What then should be the main pillars in a such a concerted and coordinated strategy for poverty eradication and civil society development.

Development, in terms of fostering social cohesion in any country, rich or poor, rests on three fundamental legs that have to be seen in a context and have to be taken into consideration, when paving the way for strengthening civil society’s role:.

2. 1. First of all it is a question of ensuring all members of society fundamental democratic and civil rights. The Council of Europe has, since it was established in 1949 , proved to play an important role in helping goverments to overcome obstacles to progress in fostering democracy and strenthening human rights.
3. Secondly, it is a crucial question to improve the democratic functioning of governments and public institutions. Poor governance is one of the main reasons why poverty persists. It is a question of making governments, both local and national, more responsive to peoples needs. Marginalization and exclusion cannot merely be judged along social and economic dimensions. Human dignity in terms of having the right to have a say in matters affecting you and your familiy and to influence deciscions affecting your own life is crucial in combatting poverty. Ensuring publicparticipation is the key to an active democratic society and a well-functioning state.
4. Thirdly, it is a question of paving the way for a sound and equitable economic development. Poverty is a reflection of weak economic development and ineffective mechanism of wealth distribution. A sound and balanced economic growth creates jobs and income. We have to acknowledge that the basis for tax revenues for public spending and contributions to health and social services, decent housing and education is primarily created by the private sector. However, economic growth does not automatically benefit the poor. Social cohesion is a key factor for a long-term economic progress.

Norway is known as a front line nation in the fight against poverty. We have endorsed the UN and OECD target for poverty eradication. At the same time we are a small nation that only can become influential through building coalitions and seeking partnerships on the international arena. It is both in our interests and in the interests of the the far less priviledged countries of the Eastern and Central Europe to ensure that all major stakeholders both private and public are bound as far as possible by the same rules. Now, with the Cold War well behind us, - and the start of the new Millennium - we strongly believe that governments both national and local, along with private sector and NGO’s have the capabilities and will to discuss and eventually implement policies to promote social cohesion and democracy in the transition countries. All participating in this debate will have a job to do in order to ensure that our governments fullfill the ten committments from the Social Summit in Copenhagen in 1995. A top priority for Norway has been to promote mesures that will provide universal access to basic sosial services.

Last, but not least: What are our expectations for this conference.

• First of all, Norway would like to see a more coherent approach and visible results in terms of strenthening civil society’s role in paving way for a improved social development in Central and Eastern Europe. We know the will and determination is there, now it is time to reaffirm our committment and capitalize our knowledge through concerted and coordinated action.

• Secondly, we do not believe globalization can be stopped or reversed. Globalization creates possibilities that provide us with new weapons in combatting poverty. It is important to use this conference to highlight and assess the close links between economic growth. fundamental democratic and human rights, citizen partipation, gender equality and social development.

• Thirdly, by bringing together prominent representatives of international organisations, governments and civil society , we really hope that this conference will serve successfully as a ouverture to the Special Session of the UN Assembly .

We need inspiration and ideas from all sectors of society.

I wish you every success in your discussions and look forward to your conclusions and recommendations.

Thank you for your attention.