Structural Adjustment

International Agreements

Commitment 8 from the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development

Preparatory Committee for the Special Session of the General Assembly on the Implementation of the Outcome of the World Summit for Social Development, SOC/4513, 15 July 1999
Addressing commitment 8

World Summit on Social Development, Copenhagen 1995
Programme for Action of the World Summit for Social Development

Chapter III : Expansion of Productive Employment and Reduction of Unemployment
Section A the centrality of employment in policy formulation, point 49

Chapter IV : Social Integration; especially section C. Equality and social justice, point 74

Chapter V : Implementation and follow- up ; especially C: Mobilisation of financial resources, point 91,92

Commission on Social Development (CsocDev)
1996
Decision 4/14. Financial resources and mechanisms, point 18 (a)

Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, Earth Summit 1992:
Agenda 21:
Section I. Social and Economic Dimensions
Chapter 2: International Cooperation to Accelerate Sustainable development in developing Countries and Related Domestic Policies

Section A. Promoting sustainable development through trade, points 2.11, 2.12

Section D. Encouraging economic policies conducive to sustainable development, points 2.34

Chapter 3. Combating Poverty
points 3.10 (e)

Chapter 24. Global Action For Women Towards Sustainable and Equitable Development
Points 24.8 (b)

Section IV. Means of Implementation
Chapter 33. Financial Resources and Mechanisms, point 33.14
Chapter 36. Promoting Education, Public Awareness and Training, point 36.18

Human Rights Review
Section VII Rights of the Child, point 52

International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), Cairo 1994
Chapter 3 : Interrelationships between Population, sustained Economic Growth and Sustainable Development
Section B. Population, sustained economic growth and poverty, point 3.22
Chapter 8: Health, Morbidity and Mortality
section A. Primary health care and the health-care sector, point 8.2
Chapter 13 : National Action
Section C. Resource mobilization and allocation, point 13.12

4th World Conference on Women
Chapter 1. Resolution 1. annex II - The Beijing Platform for Action
II. Global Framework
point 13
IV. Strategic Objectives and Actions
A. Women and poverty
point 47

IV. Strategic Objectives and Actions
C. Women and Health, point 91
Strategic objective A.1 point 58 (b)
Strategic objective A.4 point 67 (a)
Section F. Women and the Economy, point 151
Strategic objective F.4, point 175 (b)
Strategic objective F.5, point 178 (e)

Habitat II Conference, Istanbul 1996
Habitat Agenda
Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements
Chapter III. Commitments
B. Sustainable human settlements, point 43 (w)

Chapter IV: Global Plan of Action
C. Sustainable human settlements development in an urbanizing world.
9. Improving Urban Economies, point 162

E. International Cooperation and coordination
3. Financial resources and economic instruments, point 204 (d).

F. Implementation and follow-up of the Habitat Agenda
Part 3. Implementation at the international level, point 236

UN Commissions
Commission on the Status of Women 1992
Resolution 36/5. Women and development
point 10

Commitment 8 from the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development

Commitment 8

We commit ourselves to ensuring that when structural adjustment programmes are agreed to they include social development goals, in particular eradicating poverty, promoting full and productive employment, and enhancing social integration.

To this end, at the national level, we will:

(a) Promote basic social programmes and expenditures, in particular those affecting the poor and the vulnerable segments of society, and protect them from budget reductions, while increasing the quality and effectiveness of social expenditures;

(b) Review the impact of structural adjustment programmes on social development, including, where appropriate, by means of gender-sensitive social impact assessments and other relevant methods, in order to develop policies to reduce their negative effects and improve their positive impact; the cooperation of international financial institutions in the review could be requested by interested countries;

(c) Promote, in the countries with economies in transition, an integrated approach to the transformation process, addressing the social consequences of reforms and human resource development needs;

(d) Reinforce the social development components of all adjustment policies and programmes, including those resulting from the globalization of markets and rapid technological change, by designing policies to promote more equitable and enhanced access to income and resources;

(e) Ensure that women do not bear a disproportionate burden of the transitional costs of such processes.

At the international level, we will:

(f) Work to ensure that multilateral development banks and other donors complement adjustment lending with enhanced targeted social development investment lending;

(g) Strive to ensure that structural adjustment programmes respond to the economic and social conditions, concerns and needs of each country;

(h) Enlist the support and cooperation of regional and international organizations and the United Nations system, in particular the Bretton Woods institutions, in the design, social management and assessment of structural adjustment policies, and in implementing social development goals and integrating them into their policies, programmes and operations.

Preparatory Committee for the Special Session of the General Assembly on the Implementation of the Outcome of the World Summit for Social Development, SOC/4513, 15 July 1999

Addressing commitment 8

Addressing commitment 8, on inclusion of social development goals in structural adjustment programmes, the Committee invited the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to report on progress made and obstacles encountered in the integration of social development goals into structural adjustment programmes, with a view to presenting strategies to mitigate the negative effects of those programmes on social programmes and strengthening their social dimension, as well as to improving their positive impact, taking into account the need to enhance coordination with other United Nations organizations in this regard.

World Summit on Social Development, Copenhagen 1995

Programme for Action of the World Summit for Social Development

Chapter III : Expansion of Prodductive Employment and Reduction of Unemployment

Section A the centrality of employment in policy formulation, point 49

49. Minimizing the negative impact on jobs of measures for macroeconomic stability requires:

(a) Pursuing the coordination of macroeconomic policies so that they are mutually reinforcing and conducive to broad-based and sustained economic growth and sustainable development, as well as to substantial increases in productive employment expansion and a decline in unemployment world wide;

(b) Giving priority to programmes that most directly promote viable and long-term job growth when budgetary adjustments are required;

(d) Enabling competing claims on resources to be resolved in a non-inflationary manner through the development and use of sound industrial relations systems;

(e) Monitoring, analysing and disseminating information on the impact of trade and investment liberalization on the economy, especially on employment;

(f) Exchanging information on different employment promotion measures and their consequences, and monitoring the development of global employment trends;

(g) Establishing appropriate social safety mechanisms to minimize the adverse effects of structural adjustment, stabilization or reform programmes on the workforce, especially the vulnerable, and for those who lose their jobs, creating conditions for their re-entry through, inter alia, continuing education and retraining.

Chapter IV : Social Integration; especially section C. Equality and social justice, point 74

74. Governments should promote equality and social justice by:

(a) Ensuring that all people are equal before the law;

(b) Carrying out a regular review of public policy, including health and education policies, and public spending from a social and gender equality and equity perspective, and promoting their positive contribution to equalizing opportunities;

(d) Providing equal opportunities in public-sector employment and providing guidance, information and, as appropriate, incentives to private employers to do the same;

(e) Encouraging the free formation of cooperatives, community and other grass-roots organizations, mutual support groups, recreational/sports associations and similar institutions that tend to strengthen social integration, paying particular attention to policies that assist families in their support, educational, socializing and nurturing roles;

(f) Ensuring that structural adjustment programmes are so designed as to minimize their negative effects on vulnerable and disadvantaged groups and communities while ensuring their positive effects on them by preventing their marginalization in economic and social activities, and devising measures to ensure that such groups and communities gain access to and control over economic resources and economic and social activities. Actions should be taken to reduce inequality and economic disparity;

(g) Promoting full access to preventive and curative health care to improve the quality of life, especially by the vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, in particular women and children;

(h) Expanding basic education by developing special measures to provide schooling for children and youth living in sparsely populated and remote areas, for children and youth of nomadic, pastoral, migrant or indigenous parents, and for street children, children and youth working or looking after younger siblings and disabled or aged parents, and disabled children and youth; establishing, in partnership with indigenous people, educational systems that will meet the unique needs of their cultures;

(i) Ensuring that the expansion of basic education is accompanied by improved quality, appropriate attention to children of different abilities, cooperation between family and school, and a close link between the school curriculum and the needs of the workplace;

(j) Evaluating school systems on a regular basis by results achieved, and disseminating research findings regarding the appropriateness of different methods of evaluation;

(k) Ensuring that all people can have access to a variety of formal and non-formal learning activities throughout their lives that allows them to contribute to and benefit from full participation in society; making use of all forms of education, including non-conventional and experimental means of education, such as tele-courses and correspondence courses, through public institutions, the institutions of civil society and the private sector, to provide educational opportunities for those who in childhood missed necessary schooling, for youth in the process of transition from school to work, and for those who wish to continue education and upgrade skills throughout their lives;

(l) Providing equal access for girls to all levels of education, including non-traditional and vocational training, and ensuring that measures are taken to address the various cultural and practical barriers that impede their access to education through such measures as the hiring of female teachers, adoption of flexible hours, care of dependants and siblings, and provision of appropriate facilities.

Chapter V : Implementation and follow- up ; especially C: Mobolisation of financial resources, points 91,92

91. In order to ensure that structural adjustment programmes include social development goals, in particular the eradication of poverty, the generation of productive employment and the enhancement of social integration, Governments, in cooperation with the international financial institutions and other international organizations, should:

(a) Protect basic social programmes and expenditures, in particular those affecting the poor and vulnerable segments of society, from budget reductions;

(b) Review the impact of structural adjustment programmes on social development by means of gender-sensitive social-impact assessments and other relevant methods, and develop policies to reduce their negative effects and improve their positive impact;

(c) Further promote policies enabling small enterprises, cooperatives and other forms of micro-enterprises to develop their capacities for income generation and employment creation.

92. International financial institutions should contribute to the mobilization of resources for the implementation of the Declaration and Programme of Action. To this end, the relevant institutions are urged to take the following measures:

(a) The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the regional and subregional development banks and funds, and all other international finance organizations should further integrate social development goals in their policies, programmes and operations, including by giving higher priority to social-sector lending, where applicable, in their lending programmes;

(b) The Bretton Woods institutions and other organizations and bodies of the United Nations system should work together with concerned countries to improve policy dialogues and develop new initiatives to ensure that structural adjustment programmes promote sustained economic and social development, with particular attention to their impact on people living in poverty and vulnerable groups;

(c) The United Nations, in cooperation with the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and other multilateral development institutions, should study the impact of structural adjustment programmes on economic and social development and assist adjusting countries in creating conditions for economic growth, job creation, poverty eradication and social development.

Commission on Social Development (CsocDev)

1996

Decision 4/14. Financial resources and mechanisms, point 18 (a)

18. As to the desirability of strengthening cooperation, the Commission emphasizes that:

(a) Bilateral aid agencies, United Nations organizations, funds and programmes, the Bretton Woods institutions and other multilateral financial institutions should become more responsive to national priorities and sustainable development strategies, and should enhance their cooperation and coordination efforts for greater effectiveness in meeting the objectives of Agenda 21, particularly the mobilization of financial resources. In structural adjustment programmes, more consideration should be given to economic, social and environmental impacts, taking into account commitment 8 of the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development; 15/

Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, Earth Summit 1992:

Agenda 21:

Section I. Social and Economic Dimensions

Chapter 2: International Cooperation to Accelerate Sustainable development in developing Countries and Related Domestic Policies

Section A. Promoting sustainable development through trade, points 2.11, 2.12

2.11. The international community should aim at finding ways and means of achieving a better functioning and enhanced transparency of commodity markets, greater diversification of the commodity sector in developing economies within a macroeconomic framework that takes into consideration a country's economic structure, resource endowments and market opportunities, and better management of natural resources that takes into account the necessities of sustainable development.

2.12. Therefore, all countries should implement previous commitments to halt and reverse protectionism and further expand market access, particularly in areas of interest to developing countries. This improvement of market access will be facilitated by appropriate structural adjustment in developed countries. Developing countries should continue the trade-policy reforms and structural adjustment they have undertaken. It is thus urgent to achieve an improvement in market access conditions for commodities, notably through the progressive removal of barriers that restrict imports, particularly from developing countries, of commodity products in primary and processed forms, as well as the substantial and progressive reduction of types of support that induce uncompetitive production, such as production and export subsidies.

Section D. Encouraging economic policies conducive to sustainable development, points 2.34

2.34. Many indebted developing countries are undergoing structural adjustment programmes relating to debt rescheduling or new loans. While such programmes are necessary for improving the balance in fiscal budgets and balance-of-payments accounts, in some cases they have resulted in adverse social and environmental effects, such as cuts in allocations for health care, education and environmental protection. It is important to ensure that structural adjustment programmes do not have negative impacts on the environment and social development so that such programmes can be more in line with the objectives of sustainable development.

Chapter 3. Combating Poverty

points 3.10 (e)

3.10. The United Nations system, through its relevant organs, organizations and bodies, in cooperation with Member States and with appropriate international and non-governmental organizations, should make poverty alleviation a major priority and should:

(a) Assist Governments, when requested, in the formulation and implementation of national action programmes on poverty alleviation and sustainable development. Action-oriented activities of relevance to the above objectives, such as poverty eradication, projects and programmes supplemented where relevant by food aid, and support and special emphasis on employment and income generation, should be given particular attention in this regard;

(b) Promote technical cooperation among developing countries for poverty eradication activities;

(c) Strengthen existing structures in the United Nations system for coordination of action relating to poverty eradication, including the establishment of a focal point for information exchange and the formulation and implementation of replicable pilot projects to combat poverty;

(d) In the follow-up of the implementation of Agenda 21, give high priority to the review of the progress made in eradicating poverty;

(e) Examine the international economic framework, including resource flows and structural adjustment programmes, to ensure that social and environmental concerns are addressed, and in this connection, conduct a review of the policies of international organizations, bodies and agencies, including financial institutions, to ensure the continued provision of basic services to the poor and needy;

(f) Promote international cooperation to address the root causes of poverty. The development process will not gather momentum if developing countries are weighted down by external indebtedness, if development finance is inadequate, if barriers restrict access to markets and if commodity prices and the terms of trade in developing countries remain depressed.

Chapter 24. Global Action For Women Towards Sustainable and Equitable Development

Points 24.8 (b)

(b) The impact of structural adjustment programmes on women. In research done on structural adjustment programmes, special attention should be given to the differential impact of those programmes on women, especially in terms of cut-backs in social services, education and health and in the removal of subsidies on food and fuel;

Section IV. Means of Implementation

Chapter 33. Financial Resources and Mechanisms, point 33.14

33.14. Funding for Agenda 21 and other outcomes of the Conference should be provided in a way that maximizes the availability of new and additional resources and uses all available funding sources and mechanisms. These include, among others:

(a) The multilateral development banks and funds:

(i) The International Development Association (IDA). Among the various issues and options that IDA deputies will examine in connection with the forthcoming tenth replenishment of IDA, the statement made by the President of the World Bank at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development should be given special consideration in order to help the poorest countries meet their sustainable development objectives as contained in Agenda 21;

(ii) Regional and subregional development banks. The regional and subregional development banks and funds should play an increased and more effective role in providing resources on concessional or other favourable terms needed to implement Agenda 21;

(iii) The Global Environment Facility, managed jointly by the World Bank, UNDP and UNEP, whose additional grant and concessional funding is designed to achieve global environmental benefits, should cover the agreed incremental costs of relevant activities under Agenda 21, in particular for developing countries. Therefore, it should be restructured so as to, inter alia:

Encourage universal participation;

Have sufficient flexibility to expand its scope and coverage to relevant programme areas of Agenda 21, with global environmental benefits, as agreed;

Ensure a governance that is transparent and democratic in nature, including in terms of decision-making and operations, by guaranteeing a balanced and equitable representation of the interests of developing countries and giving due weight to the funding efforts of donor countries;

Ensure new and additional financial resources on grant and concessional terms, in particular to developing countries;

Ensure predictability in the flow of funds by contributions from developed countries, taking into account the importance of equitable burden-sharing; Ensure access to and disbursement of the funds under mutually agreed criteria without introducing new forms of conditionality;

(b) The relevant specialized agencies, other United Nations bodies and other international organizations, which have designated roles to play in supporting national Governments in implementing Agenda 21;

(c) Multilateral institutions for capacity-building and technical cooperation. Necessary financial resources should be provided to UNDP to use its network of field offices and its broad mandate and experience in the field of technical cooperation for facilitating capacity-building at the country level, making full use of the expertise of the specialized agencies and other United Nations bodies within their respective areas of competence, in particular UNEP and including the multilateral and regional development banks;

(d) Bilateral assistance programmes. These programmes will need to be strengthened in order to promote sustainable development;

(e) Debt relief. It is important to achieve durable solutions to the debt problems of low- and middle-income developing countries in order to provide them with the needed means for sustainable development. Measures to address the continuing debt problems of low- and middle-income countries should be kept under review. All creditors in the Paris Club should promptly implement the agreement of December 1991 to provide debt relief for the poorest heavily indebted countries pursuing structural adjustment; debt relief measures should be kept under review so as to address the continuing difficulties of those countries;

(f) Private funding. Voluntary contributions through non-governmental channels, which have been running at about 10 per cent of ODA, might be increased.

Chapter 36. Promoting Education, Public Awareness and Training, point 36.18

36.18. Countries should strengthen or establish practical training programmes for graduates from vocational schools, high schools and universities, in all countries, to enable them to meet labour market requirements and to achieve sustainable livelihoods. Training and retraining programmes should be established to meet structural adjustments which have an impact on employment and skill qualifications.

Human Rights Review:

Section VII Rights of the Child, point 52

52. In spite of the efforts already made, movement from commitment to action remains crucial for improving the lives of the world's two billion children. Negative effects of poverty and structural adjustment; high infant mortality rates; malnutrition; child trafficking, sexual exploitation and bonded labour; inadequate health services and poor school attendance; persistent discrimination and cultural practices that harm the girl child; insufficient supplies, access to or services for children in war zones; and a lack of recourse for the complaints of children: these are only some of the obstacles to be removed if the human rights of children are to be effectively protected.

International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), Cairo 1994

Chapter 3 : Interrelationships between Population, sustained Economic Growth and Sustainable Development

Section B. Population, sustained economic growth and poverty, point 3.22

3.22. The international community should continue to promote a supportive economic environment, particularly for developing countries and countries with economies in transition in their attempt to eradicate poverty and achieve sustained economic growth in the context of sustainable development. In the context of the relevant international agreements and commitments, efforts should be made to support those countries, in particular the developing countries, by promoting an open, equitable, secure, non-discriminatory and predictable international trading system; promoting foreign direct investment; reducing the debt burden; providing new and additional financial resources from all available funding sources and mechanisms, including multilateral, bilateral and private sources, including on concessional and grant terms according to sound and equitable criteria and indicators; access to technologies; and by ensuring that structural adjustment programmes are so designed and implemented as to be responsive to social and environmental concerns.

Chapter 8: Health, Morbidity and Mortality

section A. Primary health care and the health-care sector, point 8.2

8.2. The increases in life expectancy recorded in most regions of the world reflect significant gains in public health and in access to primary health-care services. Notable achievements include the vaccination of about 80 per cent of the children in the world and the widespread use of low-cost treatments, such as oral rehydration therapy, to ensure that more children survive. Yet these achievements have not been realized in all countries, and preventable or treatable illnesses are still the leading killers of young children. Moreover, large segments of many populations continue to lack access to clean water and sanitation facilities, are forced to live in congested conditions and lack adequate nutrition. Large numbers of people remain at continued risk of infectious, parasitic and water-borne diseases, such as tuberculosis, malaria and schistosomiasis. In addition, the health effects of environmental degradation and exposure to hazardous substances in the workplace are increasingly a cause of concern in many countries. Similarly, the growing consumption of tobacco, alcohol and drugs will precipitate a marked increase in costly chronic diseases among working age and elderly people. The impact of reductions in expenditures for health and other social services which have taken place in many countries as a result of public-sector retrenchment, misallocation of available health resources, structural adjustment and the transition to market economies has pre-empted significant changes in lifestyles, livelihoods and consumption patterns and is also a factor in increasing morbidity and mortality. Although economic reforms are essential to sustained economic growth, it is equally essential that the design and implementation of structural adjustment programmes incorporate the social dimension

Chapter 13 : National Action

Section C. Resource mobilization and allocation, point 13.12

13.12. Domestic resources provide the largest portion of funds for attaining development objectives. Domestic resource mobilization is, thus, one of the highest priority areas for focused attention to ensure the timely actions required to meet the objectives of this Programme of Action. Both the public and the private sectors can potentially contribute to the resources required. Many of the countries seeking to pursue the additional goals and objectives of the Programme of Action, and especially the least developed countries and other poor countries that are undergoing painful structural adjustments, are continuing to experience recessionary trends in their economies. Their domestic resource mobilization efforts to expand and improve their population and development programmes will need to be complemented by a significantly greater provision of financial and technical resources by the international community, as indicated in chapter XIV. In the mobilization of new and additional domestic and donor-source resources, special attention needs to be given to adequate measures to address the basic needs of the most vulnerable groups of the population, particularly in the rural areas, and to ensure their access to social services.

4th World Conference on Women

Chapter 1. Resolution 1. annex II - The Beijing Platform for Action

II. Global Framework

point 13

13. Excessive military expenditures, including global military expenditures and arms trade or trafficking, and investments for arms production and acquisition have reduced the resources available for social development. As a result of the debt burden and other economic difficulties, many developing countries have undertaken structural adjustment policies. Moreover, there are structural adjustment programmes that have been poorly designed and implemented, with resulting detrimental effects on social development. The number of people living in poverty has increased disproportionately in most developing countries, particularly the heavily indebted countries, during the past decade.

IV. Strategic Objectives and Actions

A. Women and poverty

point 47

47. More than 1 billion people in the world today, the great majority of whom are women, live in unacceptable conditions of poverty, mostly in the developing countries. Poverty has various causes, including structural ones. Poverty is a complex, multidimensional problem, with origins in both the national and international domains. The globalization of the world's economy and the deepening interdependence among nations present challenges and opportunities for sustained economic growth and development, as well as risks and uncertainties for the future of the world economy. The uncertain global economic climate has been accompanied by economic restructuring as well as, in a certain number of countries, persistent, unmanageable levels of external debt and structural adjustment programmes. In addition, all types of conflict, displacement of people and environmental degradation have undermined the capacity of Governments to meet the basic needs of their populations. Transformations in the world economy are profoundly changing the parameters of social development in all countries. One significant trend has been the increased poverty of women, the extent of which varies from region to region. The gender disparities in economic power-sharing are also an important contributing factor to the poverty of women. Migration and consequent changes in family structures have placed additional burdens on women, especially those who provide for several dependants. Macroeconomic policies need rethinking and reformulation to address such trends. These policies focus almost exclusively on the formal sector. They also tend to impede the initiatives of women and fail to consider the differential impact on women and men. The application of gender analysis to a wide range of policies and programmes is therefore critical to poverty reduction strategies. In order to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development, women and men must participate fully and equally in the formulation of macroeconomic and social policies and strategies for the eradication of poverty. The eradication of poverty cannot be accomplished through anti-poverty programmes alone but will require democratic participation and changes in economic structures in order to ensure access for all women to resources, opportunities and public services. Poverty has various manifestations, including lack of income and productive resources sufficient to ensure a sustainable livelihood; hunger and malnutrition; ill health; limited or lack of access to education and other basic services; increasing morbidity and mortality from illness; homelessness and inadequate housing; unsafe environments; and social discrimination and exclusion. It is also characterized by lack of participation in decision-making and in civil, social and cultural life. It occurs in all countries - as mass poverty in many developing countries and as pockets of poverty amidst wealth in developed countries. Poverty may be caused by an economic recession that results in loss of livelihood or by disaster or conflict. There is also the poverty of low-wage workers and the utter destitution of people who fall outside family support systems, social institutions and safety nets.

IV. Strategic Objectives and Actions

C. Women and Health, point 91

91. In many countries, especially developing countries, in particular the least developed countries, a decrease in public health spending and, in some cases, structural adjustment, contribute to the deterioration of public health systems. In addition, privatization of health-care systems without appropriate guarantees of universal access to affordable health care further reduces health-care availability. This situation not only directly affects the health of girls and women, but also places disproportionate responsibilities on women, whose multiple roles, including their roles within the family and the community, are often not acknowledged; hence they do not receive the necessary social, psychological and economic support.

Strategic objective A.1 point 58 (b), 59 (e, f)

58 (b) Analyse, from a gender perspective, policies and programmes - including those related to macroeconomic stability, structural adjustment, external debt problems, taxation, investments, employment, markets and all relevant sectors of the economy - with respect to their impact on poverty, on inequality and particularly on women; assess their impact on family well-being and conditions and adjust them, as appropriate, to promote more equitable distribution of productive assets, wealth, opportunities, income and services;

59(e) Ensure that structural adjustment programmes are designed to minimize their negative effects on vulnerable and disadvantaged groups and communities and to assure their positive effects on such groups and communities by preventing their marginalization in economic and social activities and devising measures to ensure that they gain access to and control over economic resources and economic and social activities; take actions to reduce inequality and economic disparity;

(f) Review the impact of structural adjustment programmes on social development by means of gender-sensitive social impact assessments and other relevant methods, in order to develop policies to reduce their negative effects and improve their positive impact, ensuring that women do not bear a disproportionate burden of transition costs; complement adjustment lending with enhanced, targeted social development lending;

Strategic objective A.4 point 67 (a)

67. By Governments, intergovernmental organizations, academic and research institutions and the private sector:

(a) Develop conceptual and practical methodologies for incorporating gender perspectives into all aspects of economic policy-making, including structural adjustment planning and programmes

Section F. Women and the Economy, point 151

151. In many regions, women's participation in remunerated work in the formal and non-formal labour market has increased significantly and has changed during the past decade. While women continue to work in agriculture and fisheries, they have also become increasingly involved in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and, in some cases, have become more dominant in the expanding informal sector. Due to, inter alia, difficult economic situations and a lack of bargaining power resulting from gender inequality, many women have been forced to accept low pay and poor working conditions and thus have often become preferred workers. On the other hand, women have entered the workforce increasingly by choice when they have become aware of and demanded their rights. Some have succeeded in entering and advancing in the workplace and improving their pay and working conditions. However, women have been particularly affected by the economic situation and restructuring processes, which have changed the nature of employment and, in some cases, have led to a loss of jobs, even for professional and skilled women. In addition, many women have entered the informal sector owing to the lack of other opportunities. Women's participation and gender concerns are still largely absent from and should be integrated in the policy formulation process of the multilateral institutions that define the terms and, in cooperation with Governments, set the goals of structural adjustment programmes, loans andgrants.

Strategic objective F.4, point 175 (b)

175. By Governments:

(b) Integrate a gender perspective into all economic restructuring and structural adjustment policies and design programmes for women who are affected by economic restructuring, including structural adjustment programmes, and for women who work in the informal sector;

Strategic objective F.5, point 178 (e)

178. By Governments, employers, employees, trade unions and women's organizations:

(e) Develop and promote employment programmes and services for women entering and/or re-entering the labour market, especially poor urban, rural and young women, the self-employed and those negatively affected by structural adjustment;

Habitat II Conference, Istanbul 1996

Habitat Agenda

Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements

Chapter III. Commitments

B. Sustainable human settlements, point 43 (w)

43. We further commit ourselves to the objectives of:

w) Developing and evaluating policies and programmes to reduce the undesired adverse effects and improve the positive impact of structural adjustment and economic transition on sustainable human settlements development, especially on those belonging to vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, and women, inter alia, through reviewing the impact of structural adjustment on social development by means of gender-sensitive social impact assessments and other relevant methods;

E. International Cooperation and coordination

Chapter IV: Global Plan of Action

C. Sustainable human settlements development in an urbanizing world.

9. Improving Urban Economies, point 162

162. To alleviate the adverse impacts of measures for structural and economic transition, Governments at the appropriate levels, including, where appropriate, local authorities, should:

(a) Promote an integrated approach by addressing the social, economic and environmental consequences of reforms on the development needs of human settlements;

(b) Promote the integrated functioning of housing markets so as to avoid segregation of the social housing sector;

(c) Implement appropriate basic social programmes and adequate resource allocation, in particular those measures affecting people living in poverty, people with disabilities, other vulnerable segments of society, micro-enterprises and other small businesses;

(d) Review the impact of structural adjustment on social development by paying particular attention to gender-sensitive assessments;

(e) Design policies to promote more equitable and enhanced access to income and resources;

(f) Support, as appropriate, public and private enterprises in their efforts to adapt to the changing requirements of technological and human resources development.

E. International Cooperation and coordination

3. Financial resources and economic instruments, point 204 (d).

204. The full and effective implementation of the Habitat Agenda, in particular in all developing countries, especially those in Africa and the least developed countries, will require the mobilization of additional financial resources from various sources at the national and international levels and more effective development cooperation in order to promote assistance for shelter and human settlements activities. This will require, inter alia:

(d) Striving to ensure that structural adjustment programmes are consistent with the economic and social conditions, concerns, objectives and needs of each country, including the need for adequate shelter for all and sustainable human settlements development, and protect basic social programmes and expenditures, in particular those benefiting people living in poverty, women and vulnerable groups, from budget reductions; and also striving to ensure that corresponding investment programmes take account of human settlements development priorities, including local, urban and rural priorities;

F. Implementation and follow-up of the Habitat Agenda

Part 3. Implementation at the international level, point 236

236. International financial institutions should contribute to the mobilization of resources for the implementation of the Habitat Agenda. To this end, the relevant institutions are invited to take the following measures:

(a) The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the regional and subregional development banks and funds and all other international finance organizations should be invited to integrate adequate shelter for all and sustainable human settlements development goals in their policies, programmes and operations, for example by giving higher priority to those goals, where applicable, in their lending programmes;

(b) The Bretton Woods institutions and other organizations and bodies of the United Nations system should be invited to work together with concerned countries, particularly developing countries, to improve policy dialogues and develop new initiatives to ensure that structural adjustment programmes promote adequate shelter for all and sustainable human settlements development, giving particular attention to people living in poverty and other vulnerable groups;

(c) The United Nations system, including the Bretton Woods institutions and other United Nations specialized agencies, should be invited to expand and improve their cooperation in the field of adequate shelter for all and sustainable human settlements development to ensure that efforts are complementary and, where possible, should combine resources in joint initiatives for adequate shelter for all and sustainable human settlements development built around the objectives of Habitat II.

UN Commissions

Commission on the Status of Women1992

Resolution 36/5. Women and development

point 10,81

10. Calls upon donor Governments and international financial institutions to provide adequate and timely support for the efforts of the developing countries, particularly the least developed countries, in reducing the negative effects of the external debt burden, structural adjustment policies and adverse terms of trade, with a view to integrating women in mainstream development;

81. Many representatives identified a number of continuing major obstacles to the effective contribution of women to development. In addition to the problems of the lack of peace and of structural adjustment, the burden of debt, the continuous deterioration of commodity prices, and protectionist measures that had resulted in diminishing the availability of national and international resources for the advancement of women, the current fundamental changes in a number of societies had to be added. The feminization of poverty was an issue of growing concern. In rural areas, it was due to the lack of access to land and credit, and in urban areas to sex segregation in the labour market or to uncontrolled migration. Those questions were aggravated by health problems and insufficient education, including the effects of the AIDS epidemic.