During the preparations of the World Summit for Social Development (WSSD) in 1995, we hosted two important workshops with the World Health Organization and the UN Food and Agricultural Organization entitled “The Rights to Food and Health as a Basis for Social Development”. The first was held in January 1995, at UN Headquarters, New York, and the second was held in Copenhagen during the WSSD in March 1995.

Our workshops brought together senior representatives of UN agencies and governments and informed the delegates about the priority that needs to be given to the achievement of these rights as a basis for development. This eased the way for the adoption of strengthened references to health which Rights and Humanity secured at WSSD.

Drafting Text on Health in Development
As representatives of WHO at the WSSD Preparatory Committee meetings, Rights and Humanity’s team organised meetings at WHO’s New York Office for governmental representatives of all regional groupings. We proposed strengthened references to health in the draft Declaration and Programme of Action.

The consensus reached by the participants was fed back into each of the regional groups for adoption. This led to greater priority being given to health in development at the Summit itself and in its Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by Heads of State and Government.

The Social Summit was the largest gathering ever of world leaders at that time and its conclusions have been highly significant in shaping global development policy.

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