30 May 1991

12th plenary meeting

World social situation

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling General Assembly resolutions 2542 (XXIV) of 11 December 1969, 40/100 of 13 December 1985 and 45/87 of 14 December 1990 and Economic and Social Council resolutions 1987/52 of 28 May 1987, 1989/72 of 24 May 1989 and 1990/28 of 24 May 1990,

Recalling also General Assembly resolution 44/56 of 8 December 1989, in which the Assembly requested the Secretary-General to submit an interim report to it in 1991, through the Commission for Social Development and the Council,

Bearing in mind the primary importance of a well-balanced report on the world social situation for increasing international awareness of the efforts being made towards achieving the goals of social progress and better standards of living, established in the Charter of the United Nations, as well as of the obstacles to further progress,

Deeply concerned by the continued worsening of the economic situation in many developing countries, particularly the least developed countries, as evidenced by the significant decline in living conditions, the persistence and increase of widespread poverty in a large number of those countries and the decline of their main social and economic indicators,

Bearing in mind that certain developing countries have been able to achieve some economic and social progress,

Desirous that the pace of development in the developing countries be accelerated substantially in order to enable those countries to achieve their social objectives, especially those of meeting the basic need for food, housing, education, employment and health care and winning the struggle against the scourges that endanger the health and well-being of their populations,

Recognizing that progress in the social and economic fields constitutes an essential priority for national policies, the United Nations and the international community, as well as a prerequisite for international development and peace,

Believing that there is a need for greater effort by the United Nations system to study and disseminate accurate and balanced data and material on the existing world social situation, particularly with regard to emerging trends and institutional structures that have an impact on social development,

Having considered the interim report of the Secretary-General on the world social situation,

Mindful of the need to reflect objectively on the sensitivity and importance of the social problems of developing countries,

1. Notes with concern that the interim report of the Secretary-General on the world social situation did not adequately focus on the continuing deterioration of the economic and social situation in many developing countries, in particular the least developed among them, which is the prevailing problem in many of those countries;

2. Also notes with concern that the interim report did not sufficiently take into account the concerns and guidelines specified in paragraph 4 of Council resolution 1989/72;

3. Reaffirms the request set forth in paragraph 4 of Council resolution 1989/72 that, in preparing the next report on the world social situation, the Secretary-General give high priority to an analysis of the main indicators of social progress and standards of living and make a comprehensive analysis of the main causes and circumstances that explain negative trends in those indicators, and reaffirms also that chapters devoted to the study of specific social problems must be related to global economic and social situations, taking into account both national and international conditions;

4. Requests the Secretary-General to reorient the draft framework for the 1993 report on the world social situation so that the draft framework is in consonance with the requests set forth in paragraph 4 of Council resolution 1989/72, and to submit it to the Council for consideration at its regular session of 1992;

5. Also requests the Secretary-General, in preparing the 1993 report, to take into account the intrinsic relationship between economic growth and social development and to analyse in depth the economic problems of the developing countries and the impact of those problems on the world social situation;

6. Recommends that the draft of the 1993 report be reviewed by the Administrative Committee on Coordination to ensure that an integrated interdisciplinary focus is given and to provide a source of information for the report;

7. Invites all appropriate organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system to cooperate fully with the Secretary-General in the preparation of the 1993 report by making available all relevant information pertaining to their respective areas of competence.