social development is concerned with the population as a whole and it is, therefore, inclusive or universalistic in scope. As was noted earlier, social development differs from philanthropy and the social treatment approaches in that it does not focus primarily on needy individuals Instead, the proponents of social development advocate the adoption of a macro-focus which directs attention to communities, regions and societies. While social development is particularly con- cerned with those who are neglected by economic growth or excluded from development (such as the inner city poor, impoverished rural dwellers, ethnic minorities and women), its concern for these groups takes place within a wider universalistic context of interventions that promote the welfare of all. Another aspect of social development's uni- versalism is its spatial focus. Within the context of its universalism social development seeks to promote social welfare within specific spa- tial settings such as inner city areas, rural communities, cities, regions or countries