28 May 1987

17th plenary meeting

National experience in achieving far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress

The Economic and Social Council,

Guided by the desire to promote a higher standard of life, full employment and conditions for economic and social progress and development,

Recalling the Declaration on Social Progress and Development, the Declaration and the Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order, the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States and the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade,

Recalling also General Assembly resolutions 3273 (XXIX) of 10 December 1974, 31/38 of 30 November 1976, 36/19 of 9 November 1981, 38/25 of 22 November 1983 and 40/23 of 29 November 1985, in which the Assembly reaffirmed the importance for every State to carry out fundamental social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress and the necessity of studying national experience in this field,

Noting with concern the findings on the economic and social situation in many parts of the world, contained in the report of the Secretary-General entitled "Highlights of the world social situation 1987: recent developments and current issues",

Desirous of securing a speedy and complete removal of major obstacles to the economic and social progress of peoples, as defined in the Declaration on Social Progress and Development,

Noting the proposal of the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to act as host to the interregional seminar on the national experience of developing and developed countries in carrying out far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress called for in paragraph 3 of General Assembly resolution 38/25,

1. Reaffirms that further exchange of national experience in achieving far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress would contribute to the implementation of the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade;

2. Notes that the Secretary-General is making arrangements for holding in 1988 the interregional seminar called for in paragraph 3 of General Assembly resolution 38/25, within the resources allotted to the programme for sectoral and regional advisory services;

3. Invites all States to submit to the Secretary-General national reports on their experience in carrying out far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress;

4. Requests the Secretary-General to prepare, in consultation with all States, a report on national experience in achieving far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress, taking into account the provisions of General Assembly resolutions 36/19, 38/25 and 40/23, and to submit it to the Assembly at its forty-fourth session through the Commission for Social Development and the Economic and Social Council;

5. Requests the Commission for Social Development to consider at its thirty-first session the issue of national experience in achieving far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress.