26 May 1983

Adverse effects of the arms race on social progress and development

The Economic and Social Council,

Having considered the 1982 Report on the World Social Situation, as well as the report of the Secretary-General on some social trends in developing countries and the influence of current economic conditions,

Recalling the Declaration on Social Progress and Development, contained in General Assembly resolution 2542 (XXIV) of 11 December 1969, which draws attention to the need to achieve general and complete disarmament and to channel the progressively released resources to be used for economic and social progress for the welfare of people everywhere and, in particular, for the benefit of developing countries,

Recalling also the provision of the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade concerning the need to achieve concrete progress towards the goals of general and complete disarmament,

Referring to General Assembly resolutions 32/75 of 12 December 1977, 35/141 of 12 December 1980 and 37/70 of 9 December 1982 on the economic and social consequences of the armaments race and its extremely harmful effects on world peace and security,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 37/189 of 18 December 1982 on human rights and scientific and technological developments, in which the Assembly expressed the firm conviction that all peoples and all individuals have an inherent right to life and that the safeguarding of this foremost right is an essential condition for the enjoyment of the entire range of economic, social and cultural, as well as civil and political, rights,

Recalling also Council resolution 1981/19 of 6 May 1981, in which it requested the Secretary-General to pay full attention in his reports on the world social situation to emerging social issues of international concern in connection with the changes in the world situation, giving special attention to the relationship between disarmament and development,

Deeply concerned that the arms race, particularly in nuclear armaments, and military expenditures continue to increase at an alarming speed, constituting a grave danger to world peace and security,

Recalling further the conclusions of the Final Documents of the tenth and twelfth special sessions of the General Assembly, devoted to disarmament, to the effect that the vastly increased military budgets have also contributed to current economic problems in certain States and that existing and planned military programmes constitute a colossal waste of precious resources which might otherwise be used to elevate living standards of all peoples and solve the problems confronting developing countries in achieving economic and social development,

Noting with concern the worsening of social conditions in many countries of the world, a situation which represents a threat to the attainment of the goals and tasks of the Declaration on Social Progress and Development and of the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade,

1. Requests the Secretary-General to submit, every three years, through the Commission for Social Development and in the framework of his report on the world social situation, a section on the adverse effects of the arms race on social progress and development in the world;

2. Further requests the Secretary-General to pay full attention in his reports on the world social situation to a redistribution of resources released as a result of implementation of disarmament measures for the purpose of economic and social development of all countries, including developing countries, and to contribute to the bridging of the economic gap between developed and developing countries;

3. Calls upon States, when preparing their national programmes of social and economic development, to take measures for reallocating the resources which are being spent for military purposes, in the interest of ensuring social progress;

4. Requests the Commission for Social Development, at its thirtieth session, to consider the question of the adverse effects of the arms race on social progress.