Troika (Cyprus-Singapore-United Arab Emirates)
Fourth Session of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development
New York, 17-19 June 2013
Statement delivered by DPR of the Republic of Cyprus
On Behalf of Cyprus-Singapore-UAE
18 June, 2013
EMPLOYMENT AND DECENT WORK FOR ALL, SOCIAL PROTECTION, YOUTH, EDUCATION AND CULTURE
Mr. co-chairs, I deliver this statement on behalf of Cyprus-Singapore-UAE.
Full and productive employment and decent work for all, social integration and social protection are
prerequisites for eradicating poverty and hunger. It is of particular concern, therefore, the continuing
high levels of unemployment, both in developing and developed countries, particularly among young
people. The lack of jobs is even bigger especially for the youth, in post-conflict or conflict affected
countries where targeted measures are required to alleviate the problem.
The TST issues brief indicates that based on today's trends, by 2030 some 470 million new jobs will be
needed. It requires a major effort to ensure that these jobs are decent, quality jobs, which contribute to
inclusive growth and sustainable development. Our group believes that it is high time for full
employment and decent work for all, to get a prominent place in the new development agenda to
galvanize greater world attention and mobilization of efforts and resources. Any goals, targets and
indicators should be developed with different national circumstances and priorities in mind, for
example, the special needs of women, youth and the vulnerable segments of the population.
Ensuring employment and decent work for all entails a holistic approach. It must be combined with
improvements in wages, working conditions, employment standards and practices, social protection and
education and training. Thus cross-sectoral efforts must be made. Governments need to work closely
with the business sector and academic institutions to explore growth potentials and innovative, new
economic opportunities, such as on green economy/green growth and economic diversification, though
practice sharing and international cooperation
Mr. Co-chairs, social protection is vital in tackling inequalities and in ensuring that no one is excluded. It
helps fostering growth, resilience, social justice, and cohesion. As 80 % of the world's population today
have no access to social protection we think universal access to social protection systems including by
establishing nationally determined social protection floors is critical, though it should not discourage the
incentive to work. Social protection including targeted safety net programs help the poorest and most
vulnerable people stay out of extreme poverty. In this context ILO recommendation 202 on national
floors for social protection provides us guidance in that direction. Achievement of the objective of
universal access to social protection contributes to the achievement of many other goals like poverty
reduction, health improvement and access to education. Therefore, we should bear in mind of its crosscutting
nature as we proceed with the goal setting.
On education, there is a growing concern that despite the remarkable progress in the achievement of
MDGs 2 and 3, progress is uneven between and within regions and countries while it has not been fast
enough to meet the goals by 2015. In the Post-2015 dialogue new needs have been identified like the
need to address quality of education, in particular, foundational literacy and numeracy, in addition to
quantity of education. It should also be acknowledged that education plays a positive contribution to the
achievement of other development goals such as poverty eradication and improved food security. With
regard to next steps we would like to make the following points:
First we must build and maintain pressure to achieve existing goals including those in the Dakar
Framework for Action.
Second the Post-2015 development agenda must be guided by a broader vision on education. Early
childhood care and education, youth and adult literacy, vocational skills development and concern for
the improvement of the quality and relevance of basic learning, are aspects that need to be captured in
the new education agenda. The new education goals and targets must ensure equitable access to, and
completion of early childhood, primary, lower and upper secondary education and recognize the
importance of post-secondary education. This would enable multiple pathways for individuals to pursue
their education in their own way.
Third inequalities must be effectively addressed so that the right to education irrespective of gender,
disability, ethnic or social origin is fully achieved.
Fourth for the education global agenda to be achieved political will and commitment to ensure
sufficient funding and resources to implement it, are required.
Mr. Co-chairs,
Culture is a powerful driver for development impacting on all 3 dimensions of sustainable development.
It is a cross-cutting issue and should be integrated in policies at all levels. The important contribution of
cultural sector to economic development and poverty eradication is well documented and
acknowledged by all.
In this light we would like to draw attention to sustainable tourism in particular ecotourism and cultural
tourism, their activities of which are very important for revenue generation. Ecotourism in the context
of sustainable tourism promotes, conserves and protects the environment, respects biodiversity,
ecosystems and cultural diversity and improves the welfare and livelihoods of local communities. In Rio
we have decided that in the Post-2015 development agenda there must be an enhanced support for
sustainable tourism activities and our group reiterates its support in that position.
New York, 17-19 June 2013
Statement delivered by DPR of the Republic of Cyprus
On Behalf of Cyprus-Singapore-UAE
18 June, 2013
EMPLOYMENT AND DECENT WORK FOR ALL, SOCIAL PROTECTION, YOUTH, EDUCATION AND CULTURE
Mr. co-chairs, I deliver this statement on behalf of Cyprus-Singapore-UAE.
Full and productive employment and decent work for all, social integration and social protection are
prerequisites for eradicating poverty and hunger. It is of particular concern, therefore, the continuing
high levels of unemployment, both in developing and developed countries, particularly among young
people. The lack of jobs is even bigger especially for the youth, in post-conflict or conflict affected
countries where targeted measures are required to alleviate the problem.
The TST issues brief indicates that based on today's trends, by 2030 some 470 million new jobs will be
needed. It requires a major effort to ensure that these jobs are decent, quality jobs, which contribute to
inclusive growth and sustainable development. Our group believes that it is high time for full
employment and decent work for all, to get a prominent place in the new development agenda to
galvanize greater world attention and mobilization of efforts and resources. Any goals, targets and
indicators should be developed with different national circumstances and priorities in mind, for
example, the special needs of women, youth and the vulnerable segments of the population.
Ensuring employment and decent work for all entails a holistic approach. It must be combined with
improvements in wages, working conditions, employment standards and practices, social protection and
education and training. Thus cross-sectoral efforts must be made. Governments need to work closely
with the business sector and academic institutions to explore growth potentials and innovative, new
economic opportunities, such as on green economy/green growth and economic diversification, though
practice sharing and international cooperation
Mr. Co-chairs, social protection is vital in tackling inequalities and in ensuring that no one is excluded. It
helps fostering growth, resilience, social justice, and cohesion. As 80 % of the world's population today
have no access to social protection we think universal access to social protection systems including by
establishing nationally determined social protection floors is critical, though it should not discourage the
incentive to work. Social protection including targeted safety net programs help the poorest and most
vulnerable people stay out of extreme poverty. In this context ILO recommendation 202 on national
floors for social protection provides us guidance in that direction. Achievement of the objective of
universal access to social protection contributes to the achievement of many other goals like poverty
reduction, health improvement and access to education. Therefore, we should bear in mind of its crosscutting
nature as we proceed with the goal setting.
On education, there is a growing concern that despite the remarkable progress in the achievement of
MDGs 2 and 3, progress is uneven between and within regions and countries while it has not been fast
enough to meet the goals by 2015. In the Post-2015 dialogue new needs have been identified like the
need to address quality of education, in particular, foundational literacy and numeracy, in addition to
quantity of education. It should also be acknowledged that education plays a positive contribution to the
achievement of other development goals such as poverty eradication and improved food security. With
regard to next steps we would like to make the following points:
First we must build and maintain pressure to achieve existing goals including those in the Dakar
Framework for Action.
Second the Post-2015 development agenda must be guided by a broader vision on education. Early
childhood care and education, youth and adult literacy, vocational skills development and concern for
the improvement of the quality and relevance of basic learning, are aspects that need to be captured in
the new education agenda. The new education goals and targets must ensure equitable access to, and
completion of early childhood, primary, lower and upper secondary education and recognize the
importance of post-secondary education. This would enable multiple pathways for individuals to pursue
their education in their own way.
Third inequalities must be effectively addressed so that the right to education irrespective of gender,
disability, ethnic or social origin is fully achieved.
Fourth for the education global agenda to be achieved political will and commitment to ensure
sufficient funding and resources to implement it, are required.
Mr. Co-chairs,
Culture is a powerful driver for development impacting on all 3 dimensions of sustainable development.
It is a cross-cutting issue and should be integrated in policies at all levels. The important contribution of
cultural sector to economic development and poverty eradication is well documented and
acknowledged by all.
In this light we would like to draw attention to sustainable tourism in particular ecotourism and cultural
tourism, their activities of which are very important for revenue generation. Ecotourism in the context
of sustainable tourism promotes, conserves and protects the environment, respects biodiversity,
ecosystems and cultural diversity and improves the welfare and livelihoods of local communities. In Rio
we have decided that in the Post-2015 development agenda there must be an enhanced support for
sustainable tourism activities and our group reiterates its support in that position.