UNESCO. General Conference; 36th; 36 C/5: volume 1: Draft ...

and regional levels on government investment in social-science capacities, whether in terms of
infrastructure, research networks, ability to participate in international collaboration, and in the policy
development arena. The MOST programme will leverage its constituency to help foster recognition of
the crucial role of the social sciences in enabling governments to meet development goals and address
the complexity of social transformations. The second World Social Science Forum, scheduled for 2012,
will provide a major focus for capacity-building, international cooperation and networking in this
regard. In collaboration with MP II, activities will focus at the systemic level and seek to capitalize
on the strong interest of developing countries and emerging economies in review and strengthening
of their national sciences policies and/or research systems. Particular emphasis will be put on the
development of review methodologies that integrate social science. In Africa, this work will take
forward cooperation with the African Union, mobilizing partnerships including with OECD, other
UN agencies, and universities. Activities will engage with UNDAF processes focused on growth and
innovation at country level. MOST National Liaison Committees will be encouraged to contribute to
advocacy at national level for investment in the social sciences. The implementation of the Strategy on
African Youth 2009-13 will further contribute to this outcome, especially through South/South/North
collaboration in research and production of knowledge on youth.
Expected result 8: Social science capacities strengthened, especially in
developing countries
Performance indicators
▪ Number of national reviews commenced that include reference to the significance of building national
social science capacities
▪ Number of science policies and STI strategies that include the significance of developing social science
capacities
03036 Environmental challenges have too often been framed as costs to be borne and technologies to be
discovered, which neglects the opportunities and co-benefits associated with serious engagement with
their social and human dimensions, as understood through the social and human sciences knowledge
base. Furthermore, environmental challenges are too often addressed sectorally, whereas only an
integrated policy framework, grounded in an interdisciplinary knowledge base, can do justice to their
implications. The contribution of MP III to positive change in this regard will be to encourage more
cross-cutting and comprehensive approaches and new agendas within international policy-making
that recognize the inherent social and human dimensions of GEC, with particular reference to cities
and to environmentally driven migration. Specific attention will be devoted to the gendered aspects of
migration in response to environmental change. In addition to deploying existing intergovernmental
programmes (MOST) and expert advisory bodies (COMEST, in synergy with MLA 1), activities will
mobilize and work through key social science communities and outlets, including with the International
Social Science Council, under its Framework Agreement, in connection in particular with the World
Social Science Forum and the World Social Science Report; with relevant networks such as IHDP;
with national policy-makers; and with United Nations processes including the UN Task Force on
the Social Dimensions of Climate Change, which offers an interagency framework for exchange and
collaboration, and Rio + 20 preparation. Activities will thus further feed into follow-up to the 1995
World Summit for Social Development. This effort will engage with the Intersectoral Platforms on
Climate Change and on SIDS.
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