24 May 1989

15th plenary meeting

The social dimension of the international development strategy for the fourth United Nations development decade

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 43/182 of 20 December 1988 on the preparation of an international development strategy for the fourth United Nations development decade,

Reaffirming the fundamental importance of social goals in the development process,

Recognizing that social and economic policy measures are complementary in the achievement of development objectives,

Recognizing further the importance for all countries of increasing and strengthening national and international, as well as public and private, co-operation in both the social and economic spheres,

Noting that the Ad Hoc Committee of the Whole for the Preparation of the International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade, established by the General Assembly in its resolution 43/182, will submit a progress report to the Assembly at its forty-fourth session, with a view to finalizing the strategy in time for its adoption in 1990,

1. Recommends that the Ad Hoc Committee, in preparing the international development strategy for the fourth United Nations development decade, take into consideration the proposals of the Commission for Social Development contained in the annex to the present resolution;

2. Decides that the Commission for Social Development should consider the implementation of social components of the strategy at its thirty-second session.

Annex PROPOSALS OF THE COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT ON THE SOCIAL DIMENSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR THE FOURTH UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT DECADE

The Commission for Social Development proposes that the international development strategy for the fourth United Nations development decade should:

(a) Emphasize the interaction of social and economic policies, in particular the idea that social policies and programmes should be linked to both short-term and long-term economic development efforts;

(b) Emphasize the need to improve the social situation, in particular of developing countries, highlighting poverty in all its forms as an issue requiring urgent action by all;

(c) Be action-oriented and promote international action to create an appropriate global environment for social development;

(d) Consider the roles of both the public and private sectors;

(e) Support the advancement of women as a global concern;

(f) Promote the social integration of all segments of society and specific population groups;

(g) Propose measures to strengthen the capacity of countries, particularly developing countries, for co-ordinating social policy.