9 November 1981

49th plenary meeting

National experience in achieving far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress

The General Assembly, Guided by the desire to promote a higher standard of life, full employment and conditions for economic and social progress and development,

Bearing in mind the Declaration on Social Progress and Development,

Mindful of the provisions of the Declaration and the Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order as well as the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States, Noting Economic and Social Council resolutions 1581 A (L) of 21 May 1971, 1667 (LII) of 1 June 1972 and 1746 (LIV) of 16 May 1973 concerning the importance of fundamental structural socio-economic changes for the strengthening of national independence and the achievement of the ultimate goals of social progress,

Recalling its resolutions 3273 (XXIX) of 10 December 1974 and 31/38 of 30 November 1976, in which it reaffirmed the importance for every State to exercise its inalienable right to carry out fundamental social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress and the necessity of studying national experience in this field,

Desirous of securing a speedy and complete removal of all obstacles to the economic and social progress of peoples, especially colonialism, racism, racial discrimination, apartheid, military, political and economic intervention and pressures, foreign aggression and occupation or alien domination as well as all forms of inequality and exploitation of peoples,

Convinced that peaceful coexistence and co-operation among States as well as measures in the field of disarmament create favourable international conditions for the socio-economic development of all countries, in particular developing ones,

Desirous of contributing to the implementation of the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade,

1. Reaffirms the sovereign and inalienable right of every State to choose its economic and social system in accordance with the will of its people, without outside interference in whatever form it takes;

2. Considers that the exchange of national experience in achieving far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress would contribute to the implementation of the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade;

3. Invites Member States to give special attention in their national development plans and programmes to the social aspects of development with a view to increasing the well-being of the population on the basis of its full participation in the process of development and a fair distribution of the benefits therefrom;

4. Requests the Secretary-General to make arrangements for holding, within the programme of advisory services, regular interregional and regional seminars to study the national experience of developing and developed countries in carrying out far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to prepare, in consultation with Member States, a report on national experience in achieving far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress and for safeguarding national independence within the context of the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade, taking into account social aspects of development and the role of existing concepts and practices in the development process, and to submit it to the General Assembly at its thirty-eighth session through the Commission for Social Development and the Economic and Social Council;

6. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-eighth session the item entitled "National experience in achieving far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress" and to consider under this item the above-mentioned report of the Secretary-General.