E/CN.4/1999/48
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88.
Since universal primary education is central in the fight against
poverty, the World Social Summit set a target of universal access to basic
education and completion of primary education by at least 80 per cent of
primary school-age children by the year 2000. Enrolment in secondary
education still remains unsatisfactory despite progress. Developing
countries as a whole increased gross enrolment ratios from 42 per cent in 1990
to 46 per cent in 1993. In comparison, there is 95 per cent enrolment in the
industrialized countries and in countries with economies in transition.
89.
As regards the gender gap, in a majority of countries the illiteracy
rate among women is significantly higher than for men. According to the World
Education Report 1995 published by the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization, in 65 countries the gap between the male and female
adult literacy rates is estimated to be higher than 10 per cent; in another
40 countries, it is estimated to be higher than 20 per cent. Adult illiteracy
is still increasing in sub-Saharan Africa, Arab States and southern Asia, with
women forming a substantial majority in each case.
90.
UNDAF income and employment indicators are focused on how they affect
people’s well-being in terms of income levels, employment and poverty: GNP
per capita and average annual growth rate for the last 10-year period (in
constant US dollars); percentage of population below the poverty line by sex
(and for those younger than 18 years old), calculated according to monetary
value of the minimum food basket and food expenditures as a percentage of
total expenditures; percentage of labour force engaged in agriculture,
industry and services by sex and by status (employer, self-employer, employee
and unpaid family worker); and percentage of children aged 10-14 who are
working.
91.
The World Social Summit set the goal of achieving food security for all.
In the developing world, the absolute number and the proportion of
undernourished people fell between 1990 and 1992, but in 30 countries the
percentage increased. All in all, about 840 million people in the developing
world were undernourished in the early 1990s. The situation was worse in
sub-Saharan Africa, where the number of undernourished people doubled,
affecting 43 per cent of the total population in 1990-1992. The World Food
Summit in 1996 adopted as a target the reduction in the number of
undernourished people to half the 1996 level by 2015. A mid-term review is to
be held to ascertain whether it is possible to achieve that target by 2010.
92.
UNDAF Habitat (housing conditions and people’s access to supportive
infrastructure) indicators shall include: percentage of population with
access to adequate sanitation, safe drinking water and electricity; and number
of people per room (excluding bathroom).
93.
UNDAF environmental indicators shall include as: arable land
per capita; percentage change in total square kilometres of forest land in the
last 10 years; and percentage of the population that relies on traditional
fuels for energy use.
94.
Human security and social justice shall be checked against indicators
showing whether social conditions provide personal security, such as freedom
from violence and equitable opportunities for human development. Indicators
shall refer to: number of victims of violence per 1,000 people by sex and