21 May 1986

16th plenary meeting

Improvement of the work of the Commission for Social Development

The Economic and Social Council,

Noting the Declaration on Social Progress and Development, based on the Charter of the United Nations and solemnly proclaimed on 11 December 1969,

Reaffirming the lasting validity and importance of the principles and objectives set forth in the Declaration,

Bearing in mind General Assembly resolutions 2543 (XXIV) of 11 December 1969 and 34/59 of 29 November 1979 on the implementation of the Declaration, in which all Governments and appropriate organizations of the United Nations system were urged, in their policies, plans, programmes and implementation machinery, to continuously take into consideration the principles, objectives, means and methods of the Declaration on Social Progress and Development, and to take due account of its provisions in their bilateral and multilateral relations in the field of development,

Recalling its resolutions 10 (II) of 21 June 1946 on the Temporary Social Commission, 830 J (XXXII) of 20 August 1961 on the strengthening of the work of the United Nations in the social field and 1139 (XLI) of 29 July 1966, in which it adopted the present mandate and present designation of the Commission for Social Development,

Taking into account its resolution 1985/36 of 29 May 1985 on the progress of work of the Commission for Social Development,

Noting that the Commission is experiencing difficulties in giving proper attention to all items of its agenda owing, especially, to lack of time,

Taking note of General Assembly resolution 40/98 of 13 December 1985 on improvement of the role of the United Nations in the field of social development, in which the Assembly invited the Economic and Social Council to consider, at its first regular session of 1986, existing ways and means of improving the work of the Commission,

Taking into account the deliberations of the Economic and Social Council at its first regular session of 1985 and at its present session on the work of the Commission for Social Development,

Mindful of the need to find appropriate measures, including measures relating to the frequency and duration of meetings, to enable the commissions of the Council to discharge properly their important functions,

1. Reaffirms the important role of the Commission for Social Development within the United Nations system in the field of social development;

2. Requests the Commission to give more attention in its deliberations to the principles, objectives, means and methods of the Declaration on Social Progress and Development;

3. Requests the Commission for Social Development to consider, at its thirtieth session, specific proposals concerning ways and means of improving its work;

4. Requests the Secretary-General to prepare, on the basis of the discussion at the first regular session of 1986 of the Council and the conclusions of the Commission, a report on measures to strengthen the Commission for Social Development in the discharge of its functions, to be submitted for consideration to the Economic and Social Council at its first regular session of 1987.