The UN and Social Development
The UN is mostly known for security stuff. Wars. Peacekeeping. Big political crises. But there’s a whole other side of the UN that most people never hear about. The part that works on social issues. Education. Health. Aging populations. Disability rights. Housing. Gender equality. This is the world that Thelma Kay spent her career in.
This is part of my retelling of “50 Years of Singapore and the United Nations” (Tommy Koh, Li Lin Chang, Joanna Koh, 2015, ISBN: 978-9814713030).
Chapter 42 is written by Thelma Kay, who was Director of the Social Development Division at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP). She also later served as Senior Advisor on Ageing Issues at Singapore’s Ministry of Social and Family Development. Her chapter connects two stories: how the UN approaches social development, and how Singapore’s own social policies have evolved alongside (and sometimes ahead of) the UN’s guidance.
The UN’s Social Development Framework
Most people know the UN was created to prevent wars. But the UN Charter also established the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) as one of its six main organs. ECOSOC covers a huge range of social issues. Under it sit the Commission on Population and Development, the Commission for Social Development, and the Commission on the Status of Women.
Beyond these commissions, there are specialized agencies that work on social issues. UN-HABITAT deals with human settlements. UN Women handles gender equality. The ILO covers labor issues. UNESCO does education, science, and culture. WHO handles health. And the regional commissions like UNESCAP cover economic and social issues in their part of the world.
In 1995, the UN held the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen. The summit produced a Programme of Action with 10 commitments focused on poverty eradication, full employment, and social integration. Twenty years later, Thelma notes that this vision of social development is still relevant, even as the world has changed.
The key idea behind the UN’s approach is that social development is not just a safety net for when economic policies fail. Social and economic policies should work together. Progress isn’t just about GDP numbers.
Singapore and Education
Singapore’s education story is well known. A small country that built a high-performing school system and respected universities in just a few decades. Singapore’s direct relationship with the UN on education goes through UNESCO.
There’s an interesting side note here. Singapore withdrew from UNESCO in 1985. During Thelma’s time on the Governing Board of the UNESCO International Institute for Education Planning in Paris, senior UNESCO officials would regularly bring up the possibility of Singapore coming back. She was pleased when Singapore finally rejoined in 2007. A Singapore National Commission for UNESCO was then established, with subcommittees on education, science, culture, and information.
Healthcare That Works
Singapore’s healthcare system is considered world-class in both quality and affordability. Thelma notes that the country works closely with WHO, especially on strengthening healthcare systems, promoting universal health coverage, and fighting non-communicable diseases.
She also worked with WHO’s Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities. Key ideas from this network were incorporated into Singapore’s City for All Ages initiative. When she attended the 2007 World Health Assembly in Geneva, she met the late Dr. Balaji Sadasivan, who was then Chairman of the WHO Executive Board. Having a Singaporean in that position was a point of pride.
Social Security: Singapore’s Four Pillars
Singapore’s social security system rests on four pillars: home ownership, the Central Provident Fund (CPF), healthcare assurance, and workfare. These have evolved over time to meet changing needs, especially those of an aging population.
Thelma connects this to the International Labour Organization (ILO), where Singapore served on the Governing Body from 2002 to 2011. The ILO advocates for basic income security and access to essential social services for all. Singapore’s programs like Medishield Life, CPF Life, Silver Support, the Pioneer Generation Package, and Comcare have strengthened social protection for lower-income groups and the elderly. Thelma notes these policies are to some extent in line with ILO Recommendation 202 on a Social Protection Floor.
Singapore also works with UN-HABITAT on urbanization and housing. The Centre for Liveable Cities has joint activities with the agency.
Rights-Based Approaches
The UN pushes for inclusion and social justice through global commitments and binding agreements. Singapore has signed up for several important ones.
Singapore is a state party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In 1995, it acceded to CEDAW (the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women). Since then, Singapore has submitted four comprehensive periodic reports to the review committee. Thelma notes that her UN colleagues who reviewed CEDAW reports were very impressed by Singapore’s detailed and inclusive preparation process. Implementation of CEDAW in Singapore involved cooperation among many entities, including an Inter-Ministry Committee, the Singapore National Committee for UN Women, and various NGOs.
In 2013, Singapore acceded to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability. The Enabling Masterplan laid the foundation for implementing the Convention’s goals. Thelma shares a specific memory of a meeting in Sanya, China on accessible tourism, where Judy Wee from Singapore’s Disabled People’s Association represented the country. When Judy, who uses a wheelchair, later visited Bangkok for a meeting, Thelma arranged for her to advise the UN Conference Centre’s building management on how to make the facility more barrier-free.
Social Development in Disasters
Social development at the UN also means making sure the social dimension is considered during crises. Shortly after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, Thelma was on a UN mission to Aceh. She found that sanitary conditions in the temporary housing were very poor and dangerous, especially for women and girls. She flagged this to the relevant UN officials for action. She notes she was glad that Singapore later became actively involved in global efforts to improve sanitation in the developing world.
How Singapore’s Social Philosophy Has Changed
Thelma makes an interesting observation about how Singapore’s approach to social issues has shifted over 50 years. It started with a philosophy of individual responsibility, self-help, and family taking care of family. Then it moved to a “many helping hands” approach involving community organizations. And more recently, it has shifted toward greater collective responsibility and social solidarity, with more inclusion.
What Comes Next
Looking ahead, Thelma sees changing economic and demographic trends that will require an expanded social security system. Economic restructuring. Population aging. Longer lives. Rising inequality and migration will be fault lines to watch. There will be tough questions about how much to spend on social programs while keeping government budgets sustainable. And citizens will want more voice in these decisions.
These same issues will show up in the UN’s post-2015 agendas and the Sustainable Development Goals. Singapore’s multi-pillared system has strengths, Thelma says, but it will need to keep adapting to meet new challenges.
About the Author
Thelma Kay is the former Chief of the Social Development Division at UNESCAP and former Senior Advisor on Ageing Issues at Singapore’s Ministry of Social and Family Development. She was educated at the National University of Singapore and the London School of Economics. Before joining the UN, she was a faculty member in the Department of Sociology at the National University of Singapore. At UNESCAP, she directed work on population, aging, migration, social protection, disability, and gender equality. She served on the board of the UNESCO International Institute of Education Planning and was a council member of the United Nations International Institute for Ageing. She continues to advise governments and international organizations on social development issues.
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