We are witnessing in countries throughout the world the expansion of prosperity for some, unfortunately accompanied by an expansion of unspeakable poverty for others. This glaring contradiction is unacceptable and needs to be corrected through urgent actions.

Globalization, which is a consequence of increased human mobility, enhanced communications, greatly increased trade and capital flows, and technological developments, opens new opportunities for sustained economic growth and development of the world economy, particularly in developing countries.. At the same time, the rapid processes of change and adjustment have been accompanied by intensified poverty, unemployment and social disintegration. Threats to human well-being, such as environmental risks, have also been globalized. Furthermore, the global transformations of the world economy are profoundly changing the parameters of social development in all countries. The challenge is how to manage these processes and threats so as to enhance their benefits and mitigate their negative effects upon people.

More than one billion people in the world live in abject poverty, most of whom go hungry every day. A large proportion, the majority of whom are women, have very limited access to income, resources, education, health care or nutrition, particularly in Africa and the least developed countries;
The major cause of the continued deterioration of the global environment is the unsustainable pattern of consumption and production, particularly in industrialized countries, which is a matter of grave concern, aggravating poverty and imbalances.

Over 120 million people world wide are officially unemployed and many more are underemployed. Too many young people, including those with formal education, have little hope of finding productive work;
More women than men live in absolute poverty and the imbalance continues to grow, with serious consequences for women and their children. Women carry a disproportionate share of the problems of coping with poverty, social disintegration, unemployment, environmental degradation and the effects of war.

Our challenge is to establish a framework for social development to guide us now and in the future, to build a culture of cooperation and partnership, and to respond to the immediate needs of those who are most affected by human distress. We are determined to meet this challenge and promote social development throughout the world. (World Summit on Social Development)

NGO Committee on Financing for Development

Mission
The NGO Committee on FfD supports the goals of the Monterrey( Concensus, the Interantional Conference on Financing for Development held in Monterrey, Mexico in 2002. to “eradicate poverty, achieve sustained economic growth, and promote sustainable development as we advance to a fully inclusive and equitable global economic system.”

The NGO FfD committee aims to confront the challenges of “financing for development” by staying engaged as advocates for the Monterrey consensus leading actions: mobilizing domestic financial resources for development, mobilizing international resources for development, international trade, financial cooperation, external debt, Official Development Assistance (ODA) and addressing systemic issues.

Activities

• Monthly meetings
• Regular briefings from FfD Bureau members
• Participation in FfD related meetings with World Bank, International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organization
• Collaboration with the global network of FfD organizations
• Written and oral statements submitted to ECOSOC on FfD related issues

NGO Committee on Social Development

Mission
Every person, every people, every nation has a part to play in building a peaceful, prosperous global family. Members of the NGO Committee on Social Development are dedicated to promoting people-centered development though the United Nations.

Activities
• Impact policy formation within UN ECOSOC bodies based on principles of the 1995 Copenhagen World summit for Social Development.
• Support the goals of the 1995 world Summit
• Participate in committee meetings
• Receive mailings and related information
• Voice concern through written and verbal statement
• Actively engage and work with the Division of Social Policy and UN Missions.