24 May 1989

15th plenary meeting

Youth in the contemporary world

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling its resolutions 1985/23 of 29 May 1985 and 1987/45 of 28 May 1987,

Recalling also General Assembly resolutions 40/14 of 18 November 1985 entitled "International Youth Year: Participation, Development, Peace", by which the Assembly requested the Commission for Social Development to examine, on a regular basis, specific youth issues, and 43/94 of 8 December 1988, by which the Assembly called upon all States, all United Nations bodies, in particular the Economic and Social Council through its Commission for Social Development, the specialized agencies and the intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations concerned, in particular youth organizations, to continue to exert all possible efforts for the implementation of guidelines for further planning and suitable follow-up in the field of youth, in accordance with their experience, conditions and priorities,

Recognizing the necessity of adopting effective measures, particularly in the field of teaching, education, culture and information, in order to strengthen the efforts for the promotion of understanding, mutual respect and friendship between nations and, primarily, between young people, for the creation of an international climate free from mistrust and discord,

Convinced that it is necessary to ensure full enjoyment by youth of all the rights stipulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the General Assembly in resolution 217 A (III) of 10 December 1948, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, adopted by the Assembly in resolution 2200 A (XXI) of 16 December 1966,

1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the guidelines for further planning and suitable follow-up in the field of youth;

2. Recognizes that the guidelines provide a constructive framework for a long-term strategy in the field of youth;

3. Expresses its concern that the lack of financial and human resources has hindered the effective implementation of the guidelines within the Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs of the United Nations Office at Vienna and, especially, in developing countries;

4. Calls upon all States, all governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and the United Nations system, in particular the Economic and Social Council through its Commission for Social Development, to continue to give appropriate attention to proper follow-up and implementation of the guidelines;

5. Urges the Secretary-General to strengthen the efforts aimed at proposing and monitoring action-oriented programmes to promote the implementation process of the guidelines, inter alia, focusing on the promotion of regional and international co-operation;

6. Invites Governments and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to contribute generously, according to their ability, to the United Nations Youth Fund, taking into account the specific recommendations included in the guidelines;

7. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the Commission for Social Development at its thirty-second session a report on the implementation of the guidelines for further planning and suitable follow-up in the field of youth;

8. Requests the Commission for Social Development at its thirty-third session to prepare a draft programme of action to mark the tenth anniversary of the International Youth Year: Participation, Development, Peace, for implementation at the international level, and to identify future strategies in the field of youth, and requests the Secretary-General to report thereon to the General Assembly at its forty-eighth session.