26 May 1983

Social aspects of rural development

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling the Declaration on Social Progress and Development, contained in General Assembly resolution 2542 (XXIV) of 11 December 1969,

Recalling also the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade, contained in the annex to General Assembly resolution 35/56 of 5 December 1980,

Stressing the need to implement comprehensive rural development programmes to raise the levels of living of the rural populations, particularly in developing countries,

1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the social aspects of rural development;

2. Calls upon Governments to give special attention to the social impact of such important policies as:

(a) Implementation of democratic land reforms;

(b) Promotion of co-operative movements;

(c) Introduction of rural development planning;

(d) Strengthening of the role of qualified national personnel in rural development;

(e) Encouragement of popular participation in the development process in rural areas;

3. Requests the Secretary-General to give special attention in the 1985 report on the world social situation to the social aspects of rural development;

4. Also requests the Secretary-General to prepare a comprehensive analytical study based on the experience of various countries and to submit it to the Economic and Social Council through the Commission for Social Development at its twenty-ninth session;

5. Further requests the Secretary-General to consider holding seminars, within existing resources, on the social aspects of rural development, with special emphasis on developing countries;

6. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Commission for Social Development at its twenty-ninth session on the implementation of the present resolution.