Analyzing Trends in Development Thinking

UN Copenhagen Declaration
on Social Development

UNDP Human Development

& the Anthropocene
Carl Castro & Nezza Mendoza (SD 301 HW 2)
Outline of Presentation

● Introduction
● What is the UN Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development?
● What is the UNDP Human Development and Anthropocene?
● Influence of the UN Summit and UNDP Report on Development thinking
and directions
● Applicability to any one or several current issues of development
● Conclusion
Evolution of the Concept of Development

● Development has gone through various evolvements through

the history.
● After WWII (1940s), development was mainly defined as
economic development
● Development increased its dimensions of definitions in 1970s
with the notions of basic human needs (BHN) approach, the
New International Economic Order, and alternative
developments.
● In the 1980s, sustainable development became one of the
key points to redefine “development” with the recognition of the
environmental degradations.
● In the 1990s, UNDP proposed human development
conceptually supported by Sen’s capability approach
● Corresponding to these evolvement of the “development”
definitions, the concept of social development became
refined, and its importance was confirmed globally in the Social
Summit of 1995.
Declaration on Social
Development
1995
World Summit for Social Development:
UN Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development
● The ultimate goal of social development is to improve and
enhance the quality of life of all people
● It requires democratic institutions, respect for all human rights
and fundamental freedoms, increased and equal economic
opportunities, the rule of law, the promotion of respect for cultural
diversity and the rights of persons belonging to minorities, and an
active involvement of civil society.
● Empowerment and participation are essential for democracy,
harmony and social development
● Gender equality and equity and the full participation of
women in all economic, social and political activities are
essential.
World Summit for Social Development:
10 Commitments of the Copenhagen Declaration
1.Create an economic, political, social, cultural and legal
environment that will enable people to achieve social development
2.Eradicate absolute poverty by a target date to be set by each
country
3.Support full employment as a basic policy goal
4.Promote social integration based on the enhancement and
protection of all human rights
5.Achieve equality and equity between women and men
World Summit for Social Development:
10 Commitments of the Copenhagen Declaration

6. Attain universal and equitable access to education and primary health

care
7. Accelerate the development of Africa and the least developed countries
8. Ensure that structural adjustment programs include social development
goals
9. Increase resources allocated to social development
10. Strengthen cooperation for social development through the United
Nations.
Human Development and
the Anthropocene
2020
Human Development
Report 2020:
The next frontier
Human Development
and the Anthropocene
Human Development Report 2020: The next frontier
Human Development and the Anthropocene
Part I - Renewing human development for the Anthropocene
Charting human development in the Anthropocene, Unprecedented—the scope, scale and speed
of human pressures on the planet, Empowering people for equity, innovation and stewardship of
nature
Part II - Acting for change
Empowering people, unleashing transformation, Shaping incentives to navigate the future, Building
nature-based human development
Part III - Measuring human development and the Anthropocene
Towards a new generation of human development metrics for the Anthropocene
 Development Thinking and Directions
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
● Africa and least developed countries
- Regional Identification of Development
● Equality (Men and Women)
● People at the Center of Development - LGBT (inclusive opportunities)
● Sustained and inclusive economic growth - People = Environment
● Eradicate Poverty, the goal of full - Planetary - Pressure Adjusted HDI
employment and the fostering of social - Nature-Based Human Development
integration - Uncertainties
● Sustainable Development - Societal-level transformations, mental
● Political, economic, ethical and spiritual vision health impacts, political polarization,
for social development that is based on
but also, crucially, opportunity
human dignity, human rights, equality,
respect, peace, democracy, mutual - transforming social norms, values, and
responsibility and cooperation, and full
government and financial incentive
respect for the various religious and ethical
values and cultural backgrounds of people.
 Development Thinking and Directions

● Use of labels/terminologies (sensitive, less discriminatory)

● Consultation Process (from State leaders - inclusive participation of
sectors)
● Development focus (People vs Environment to People= Environment)
● Development measurement (GDP to HDI-PHDI)
● Problem Setting (Identified to Uncertainties)
Applicability to any one or several current issues of development

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
● Poverty - Climate Change
● Social inclusion - Carbon footprint
● Social Justice - Uncertainties in the Anthropocene:
societal-level transformations, mental
health impacts, political polarization
Conclusion

•Yet over 27 years after the World Summit for Social Development, social
progress is still uneven and characterized by significant gaps.
•For instance, efforts to achieve gender equality, to uphold the promises made at
the World Summit, and to fulfill the 2030 Agenda's overarching commitment to
"leave no one behind" are undermined by the social, economic, political, and
cultural gender inequality that still exists and has even gotten worse in many
countries in recent years.
•With regard to the Human Development Report of 2020, the report lays out a
stark choice for world leaders to take bold steps in reducing the immense pressure
that is being exerted on the environment and the natural world, or the humanity’s
progress will stall.
References
Cobbinah, Patrick & Black, Rosemary & Thwaites, Rik. (2011). Reflections on six decades of the concept of development:
Evaluation and future research. Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa. 13. 134-148.

Stewart, Frances, Gustav Ranis, and Emma Samman, 'The Evolution of Development Thought: From Growth to Human
Development', Advancing Human Development: Theory and Practice (Oxford, 2018; online edn, Oxford Academic, 22 Mar.
2018), https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198794455.003.0001, accessed 20 Sept. 2022.

UN. Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development. World Summit for Social Development: 6-12 March 1995.
A/CONF.166/9. Pdf.

UNDP. (2021). Ch. 1. Charting human development in the Anthropocene. The Next Frontier - Human Development and the
Anthropocene. Human Development Report 2020. NY: UNDP.