3 December 1982

World social situation

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolutions 33/48 of 14 December 1978 on world social development, 34/59 of 29 November 1979 on the implementation of the Declaration on Social Progress and Development and 34/152 of 17 December 1979 on the world social situation,

Recalling its resolutions 3201 (S-VI) and 3202 (S-VI) of 1 May 1974, containing the Declaration and the Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order, 3281 (XXIX) of 12 December 1974, containing the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States, 3362 (S-VII) of 16 September 1975 on development and international economic co-operation, 35/56 of 5 December 1980, containing the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade, and 36/194 of 17 December 1981 in which it endorsed the Substantial New Programme of Action for the 1980s for the Least Developed Countries,

Recalling also its resolution 35/136 of 11 December 1980 on the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women,

Recalling further its resolution 36/28 of 13 November 1981 on the International Youth Year: Participation, Development, Peace,

Recalling its resolutions 37/52 and 37/53 of 3 December 1982 on the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons,

Recalling also its resolution 37/51 of 3 December 1982 on the World Assembly on Aging,

Recalling further its resolution 32/197 of 20 December 1977, in which it, inter alia, requested the Secretariat to prepare, on a regular basis, global economic and social surveys and projections,

Bearing in mind that social progress and development are founded on respect for the dignity and value of the human person,

Bearing in mind also that the ultimate aim of development is the constant improvement of the well-being of the entire population on the basis of its full participation in the process of development and a fair distribution of the benefits therefrom, and that the pace of development in the developing countries as a whole should be accelerated substantially in order to enable them to achieve this goal,

Mindful that the existing inequities and imbalances in international economic relations are widening the gap between developed and developing countries, and thereby constitute a major obstacle to the development of the developing countries and adversely affect international relations and the promotion of world peace and security,

Conscious that each country has the inalienable right to adopt the economic and social system that it deems the most appropriate and that each Government has a primary role in ensuring the social progress and well-being of its people,

Reaffirming that economic growth must go hand in hand with qualitative and structural changes, the reduction of social and economic disparities and the adoption of measures to ensure the effective participation of all peoples in the preparation and execution of national policies for economic and social development,

Convinced of the necessity rapidly and completely to eliminate colonialism, neo-colonialism, racism, racial discrimination, apartheid, aggression, foreign occupation and alien domination and all other forms of inequality, exploitation and subjugation of peoples which constitute major obstacles to economic and social progress, as well as to the promotion of world peace and security,

Reaffirming the existence of the undeniable link between peace and development and the imperative need to halt the arms race, thereby releasing valuable additional resources which could be used for the development of the developing countries and could contribute to the well-being and prosperity of all,

Re-emphasizing that the primary responsibility for the development of developing countries rests upon themselves, but that, however great their own efforts, these will not enable them to achieve the desired development goals as expeditiously as they must unless just and equitable economic and commercial relations between developed and developing countries are established and, to that end, increasing financial resources and technological know-how are assured,

Having considered the 1982 Report on the World Social Situation,

1. Notes with deep concern that the economic and social situation in the world today is not only disturbing but is deteriorating rapidly;

2. Notes also with great concern the lack of implementation of the Declaration on Social Progress and Development and of the objectives and overall development goals adopted and reaffirmed in the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade;

3. Reaffirms that the social aspects and goals of development are an integral part of the overall development process and that their implementation must take into account national priorities, levels of economic development and cultural tradition and values;

4. Emphasizes again the importance of the establishment of the new international economic order for the achievement of social progress;

5. Reaffirms the urgent need to implement the socio-economic development objectives established by the international community and contained in the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade, inter alia, the elimination of hunger and malnutrition, the achievement of full employment by the year 2000, health for all by the year 2000, appropriate population policies, the reduction of the infant mortality rate, the availability of safe water and adequate sanitary facilities by 1990, the attainment of a life expectancy of 60 years as a minimum by the year 2000, universal primary school enrolment by the year 2000 and the securing of the full participation of women, both as agents and beneficiaries, in all sectors and at all levels of the development process;

6. Reaffirms also the need to implement the socio-economic objectives of the Substantial New Programme of Action for the 1980s for the Least Developed Countries;

7. Calls upon all Member States to promote economic growth and social progress by the formulation and implementation of an interrelated set of policy measures to achieve their goals and objectives, within the framework of national priorities and interests, in the fields of employment, education, health, nutrition, housing facilities, crime prevention, the well-being of children, equal opportunities for the disabled and the aged, full participation of youth in the development process and the full integration and participation of women in development;

8. Calls upon the relevant organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system to mobilize the necessary resources so as to undertake measures aimed at improving social conditions and achieving the main objectives set forth in the Declaration on Social Progress and Development and in the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade;

9. Emphasizes again that rapid socio-economic progress of developing countries requires substantially enhanced multilateral and bilateral financial and technological contributions to national development efforts, rendered within the framework of the development plans of developing countries;

10. Requests the Commission on Social Development at its twenty-eighth session to give high priority to the examination and discussion of the 1982 Report on the World Social Situation and to submit its views and observations to the General Assembly at its thirty-eighth session through the Economic and Social Council;

11. Requests the Secretary-General to transmit the 1982 Report on the World Social Situation to other United Nations bodies concerned with operational activities and to the regional commissions for their consideration;

12. Invites Member States to convey to the Secretary-General their comments on the 1982 Report on the World Social Situation to facilitate the preparation of the 1985 report;

13. Requests the Secretary-General to issue the 1985 report on the world social situation, taking into consideration the provisions of the present resolution and including an analysis of the implementation of the Declaration on Social Progress and Development in the light of the goals and objectives of the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade, and taking into account the comments of delegations on this question made during the thirty-seventh session of the General Assembly and to be expressed during the thirty-eighth session as well as the comments received by the Secretary-General from Member States and the observations made by the Commission for Social Development, through the Economic and Social Council;

14. Also requests the Secretary-General, in preparing the 1985 report on the world social situation, to take into account the recommendations made in section II of General Assembly resolution 34/152 and to report thereon periodically to the Economic and Social Council;

15. Further requests the Secretary-General, when presenting the 1985 report on the world social situation, to submit an analysis of the co-ordination between the United Nations and the specialized agencies in the collection of social statistics and the preparation of reports on social issues;

16. Invites the organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system to co-operate fully with the Secretary-General in the preparation of future reports by making available all relevant information pertaining to their respective areas of competence;

17. Requests the Secretary-General to make the necessary arrangements for the wide dissemination of all future reports;

18. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-eighth session the item entitled "World social situation".