26 May 1983

Interregional consultation on developmental social welfare policies and programmes

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling its resolutions 1979/18 of 9 May 1979 and 1981/20 of 6 May 1981 on strengthening developmental social welfare policies and programmes,

Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General on developmental social welfare policies and programmes,

Aware of the serious consequences of the world-wide economic recession for the welfare of peoples in all countries and for the funding and delivery of social services which are even more essential now than in periods of economic growth,

Bearing in mind the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Social Aspects of the Development Activities of the United Nations and of the Second Asian and Pacific Ministerial Conference on Social Welfare and Social Development held at Bangkok in October 1980,

Recognizing the relevance to social development of the principles and objectives of the Arab Charter for Social Work, as formulated by the first Arab Ministerial Conference on Social Welfare, held at Cairo in 1971, the Lagos Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Monrovia Strategy for the Economic Development of Africa, and the regional programme of action for the implementation of the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade adopted by the Economic Commission for Latin America in its resolution 422 (XIX) of 15 May 1981,

1. Reaffirms the essential role of social welfare in overall development and in dealing with pressing contemporary social issues, namely, the social aspects of unemployment, rural-urban imbalances, problems of urbanization and decreasing resources for social needs;

2. Urges the Secretary-General to continue his efforts in the field of developmental social welfare, in full collaboration with the regional commissions, the specialized agencies and non-governmental organizations;

3. Requests the Secretary-General to initiate studies and field-oriented activities, within the limits of available resources, aimed at enhancing welfare services to lessen the problems of poverty and unemployment, at developing rural social welfare for balanced socio-economic growth, and at promoting better integrated, self-reliant and cost-effective patterns of social welfare administration and delivery of services, particularly involving families and local communities and strengthening training and research in social welfare;

4. Further urges the Secretary-General to take steps, within existing budgetary resources, for convening an interregional consultation at an appropriate policy-making level, preferably in 1986, to examine social welfare policies and provisions in relation to present problems and concerns of Governments, and against the background of experience gained since the 1968 International Conference of Ministers Responsible for Social Welfare, with the objective of setting specific goals in the social field for the year 2000;

5. Further requests the Secretary-General to report to the Commission for Social Development at its twenty-ninth session on the progress achieved in the above areas, particularly with regard to the preparations for the interregional consultation.