The Positions for the United Nations Development Programme

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

I. Preserving Economic Development in times of Internal Conflict

The development and sustainability of economic growth, during times of peace and conflict, is one of the core missions of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Venezuela). Since the beginning of 2015, our government, under the leadership of President Nicolás Maduro, has been successful in establishing social investment policies aimed towards eradicating poverty and sustaining productive economic growth, despite adverse economic effects stemming from low oil prices and imperialist rhetoric. Our delegation looks forward to having a comprehensive discussion that works towards holistic solutions on this topic. Domestically, our government has implemented policies and practices that have worked towards increasing national income while improving the lives of our citizens. In line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we have successfully implemented Socialist Mission Bases, which are logistical and operative centers that aim to eradicate the last remaining areas of extreme poverty within our nation by offering healthcare, nutritional meals, education, and social services for members of these communities. Since the end of 2015, we have successfully constructed 1,000 of these centers which have had a tremendous impact on the levels of poverty in our nation, as detailed by the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development National Review of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. We believe that by providing the basic necessities for our citizens, effectively raising them out of poverty, they will then in turn positively contribute to our national economy. Regionally, our government has worked cooperatively with our South American neighbors in ensuring that our region remains an economic powerhouse. We have been proactive in this effort by creating the Union of South American States (UNASUR) with the goal of increasing integration across cultural, economic, social and political areas. Through this, our government has been successful in establishing productive dialogue between South American Member States. We have also been steadfast in our support for the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of America (ALBA), which has established a mutually beneficial trade agreement for its members. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has utilized this regional platform to provide subsidized oil to our neighbors, thereby increasing their access to oil and reducing public expenditures. This effort allows our region to decrease their reliance on foreign investment while also increasing their own investments into economic development and infrastructure projects. Internationally, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has faced many challenges in our efforts to work proactively and cooperatively with developing Member States, specifically those battered by conflict and injustice. We view these challenges as the sole result of imperialist rhetoric, which seeks to undermine the efforts of our nation by decreasing foreign investment into our efforts. In spite of this adversity, our government has had the honor of hosting 61 Member States at the II Africa-South America Summit, which culminated in the creation of the Declaration of Nueva Esparta after comprehensive discussions between Member States on the economic impacts of internal crisis. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela remains committed to fostering the changes and dialogue that are necessary to establish lasting south-south international financial institutions that are able to support those Member States suffering from conflict. Therefore, we recommend the creation of such mechanisms in a way that includes balanced participation from all entities involved in dialogue or decision making processes. Similarly, we desire to limit the economic effects of crisis’ from affecting developing Member States by implementing specific and targeted financial safeguard mechanisms. The government of Venezuela recognizes that these institutions and mechanism may take time to implement and therefore we call for the strengthening of regional and international systems that promote increased dialogue and information exchange between members. Therefore, we urge this committee to work cooperatively in its effort to protect economic development during crises through productive and comprehensive dialogue.

II. Promoting Gender Equality to Enhance Economic Development

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela recognizes the importance of gender equality in enhancing economic and sustainable development for all nations. The Bolivarian revolution has always had the objective of empowering both men and women in its journey towards economic, social and political prosperity for the ultimate benefit of its citizens. Our delegation looks forward to discussing this very serious topic with all Member States. Domestically, since the arrival of the Bolivarian revolution and the creation of the Ministry of People’s Power for Women and Gender Equality (MinMujer) and the Bank for the Development of Women (BanMujer), the country’s two foremost institutions of women empowerment, our government has installed and promoted programs for social development known as Missions, whose primary goal has been the reduction of gender inequality as well as the integration of women into the national production machine by utilizing measures such as socioproductive financing, entrepreneurship and managerial education, and advancement for the creation of goods and services in the ambit of tourism, pharmaceutical, agri-food, among others. Programs such as The Mission Madres Del Barrio and Soy Mujer have benefited over 35,000 women and financed more than 14,221 socioproductive projects. Similarly, the inclusion of women in the national political scene of Venezuela remains an example of our country’s commitment and continued support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 5, 10 and 15. As of 2018, out of the five existing public powers in Venezuela, four are headed by women: The Citizen, The Legislative, The Judicial and The Electoral. Regionally, Venezuela has been characterized as a leader in promoting an environment of regional unity through its membership within various intergovernmental entities of cooperation such as Petrocaribe, Union of South American States (UNASUR), and the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) with the implementation of a variety of bilateral and multilateral agreements as well as supportive frameworks which promote employment and professional development for men and women. A prime example of this cooperation and commitment has existed between the Venezuelan government and our sister nation Cuba; In exchange for an affordable supply of oil, they have provided approximately 30,000 to 50,000 technical personnel to Venezuela, including physicians and academic instructors (i.e sports coaches, art educators, teachers) who offer social services, often in poverty-stricken regions, to allow further assistance for people living in those areas to receive medical and professional care which will translate to a productive inclusion into society. Additionally, under the programme Convenio de Atención a Pacientes, implemented in 2000, Cuba and Venezuela would cover the costs of transportation and facilities to both Cuban and Venezuelan citizens requiring specialized care and treatment. Similar agreements have been arranged with countries such as Ecuador, Bolivia, Haiti and many others, through which the sharing of information and resources has resulted in the productive improvement of men and women to promote sustainable economic development. Internationally, the Venezuelan government has faced many challenges by the hand of imperialistic entities who have sought to undermine our country’s work and sovereignty through policies of sabotage to forward their own agenda. In face of such challenges, our country remains unwavering in its commitment to achieve the goal of gender equality, and has shown its continued support to international bodies such as The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean by following the guidelines and recommendations of these honorable bodies and extrapolating programs such as the Quito Consensus (ASC/1) to the national and regional level. To further improve and promote gender equality to enhance economic development in the domestic, international and global context, Venezuela recommends, first, to promote family-friendly policies and working conditions as to enable fathers and mothers to balance their working hours and their family responsibilities and facilitate women to participate more in private and public sector employment. Second, we believe it is important to increase the presence of women in decision-making positions to allow for equal gender representation. Lastly, we propose reducing the gender gap in entrepreneurship activity through social programs and incentives to allow for an increased productivity, economic development and life-style improvement for all citizens.