30 July 1992

41st plenary meeting

World social situation

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling its resolutions 1989/72 of 24 May 1989 and 1991/4 of 30 May 1991 and General Assembly resolution 46/95 of 16 December 1991,

Acknowledging the relationship between development, including social development, and the enjoyment by everyone of economic, social and cultural rights, as well as civil and political rights, and recognizing the importance of creating the conditions whereby everyone may enjoy these rights, as set out in the International Covenants on Human Rights,

Noting that in paragraph 4 of its resolution 1991/4 the Secretary-General was requested to reorient the draft framework for the 1993 report on the world social situation so that it was in consonance with the requests set forth in paragraph 4 of its resolution 1989/72, and to submit it to the Council for consideration at its substantive session of 1992,

Bearing in mind the 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 about 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,

Having considered the draft framework for the 1993 report on the world social situation, contained in the report of the Secretary-General,

1. Notes that in the preparation of the draft framework for the 1993 report on the world social situation efforts have been made to reorient it in accordance with the requests of the Council and the General Assembly;

2. 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 should 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;

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

4. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its forty-eighth session, through the Economic and Social Council, the 1993 report on the world social situation.