28 July 1989

37th plenary meeting

Development of human resources

The Economic and Social Council,

Reaffirming the crucial role of human resources in the socio-economic development process, and recognizing that the development of human resources is both an essential pre-condition for development and the ultimate aim of development,

Bearing in mind that it is the sovereign right and responsibility of each country to formulate and implement national strategies, policies, plans and programmes for human resources development as part of the overall development process and within the context of its specific national development needs and objectives,

Recognizing that the integrated and concerted strategies, policies, plans and programmes for development in the 1990s should place greater emphasis on human resources development,

Emphasizing that many developing countries are devoting a considerable share of their limited resources to the development of their human resources,

Taking into account the continuing evolution of the concept of human resources development and the consequent variety in the scope and nature of the experience and technical capacity of organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system in contributing to the promotion of human resources development in their respective fields of competence, and convinced of the need for greater effectiveness, clarity and co-ordination in carrying out such activities,

Aware that the development of human resources is a long-term and multidisciplinary process requiring an integrated approach,

Believing that a more common operational definition of human resources development, which reflects the views, priorities and objectives of Member States, would enhance the effectiveness and impact of activities of the United Nations system in this field,

Noting with satisfaction the contribution to the elaboration of the concept of human resources development made by the Khartoum Declaration:

Towards a Human-Focused Approach to Socio-economic Recovery and Development in Africa, the Jakarta Plan of Action on Human Resources Development in the ESCAP Region and the African Alternative Framework to Structural Adjustment Programmes for Socio-economic Recovery and Transformation,

Recalling Economic and Social Council resolution 1987/81 of 8 July 1987 on the development of human resources,

Also recalling decision 88/29 of 1 July 1988 of the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme on its experience in human resources development,

Bearing in mind that human resources development is an important area of activity for organizations of the United Nations system,

1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on human resources development and the activities of the United Nations system in that field;

2. Recognizes the important work already done by relevant organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system, including funding bodies, in the field of human resources development, and invites them to enhance those activities;

3. Notes that the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programmes intends to issue a report entitled Human Development Report, and invites him to continue to prepare the report in close co-operation with the other organizations of the United Nations system concerned;

4. Reaffirms the need for an integrated and multidisciplinary approach to all aspects of human resources development as an important feature of the programmes of work of the relevant mandated organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system that deal with economic and social development;

5. Stresses the continuing need to strengthen and expand the human resource base of developing countries and their capacity to face the challenges of development and accelerated technological change in order to achieve sustained development, and calls upon the international community to support the efforts of developing countries in this area, in accordance with their national priorities and plans;

6. Invites the organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system, including funding bodies, to co-operate effectively with developing countries in support of the development and implementation of their strategies, policies, plans and programmes for human resources development and to promote the effective co-ordination of the activities of the United Nations system in this field;

7. Invites the Ad Hoc Committee of the Whole for the Preparation of the International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade to consider the issue of human resources development in the light of its economic and social impact on the overall process of development;

8. Requests the Secretary-General to enhance the efforts made in the Administrative Committee on Co-ordination to elaborate a more common operational definition of human resources development in order to strengthen the effectiveness of programmes in this field in accordance with specific national development objectives and needs;

9. Also requests the Secretary-General to entrust the Director-General for Development and International Economic Co-operation of the United Nations, within his competence and functions as set out in the annex to General Assembly resolution 32/197 of 20 December 1977, with the responsibility for overall co-ordination of the activities of relevant secretariat units of the organizations of the United Nations system in the field of human resources development;

10. Further requests the Secretary-General to report on the implementation of the present resolution in the context of the reports on operational activities for development and on the world social situation and to include in those reports recommendations for improving operational arrangements and focusing support, especially financial and technical support, for more commonly defined human resources development activities.