United Nations Documents

DINF Web Posted on: December 19, 1997

A/RES/37/53

3 December 1982

Implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolutions 31/123 of 16 December 1976, by which it proclaimed the year 1981 International Year of Disabled Persons, 32/133 of 16 December 1977, by which it established the Advisory Committee for the International Year of Disabled Persons, 33/170 of 20 December 1978, 34/158 of 17 December 1979, in which it, inter alia, decided to expand the theme of the International Year of Disabled Persons to "Full participation and equality", 35/133 of 13 December 1980, 36/77 of 8 December 1981 and 37/52 of 3 December 1982, in which it adopted the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons,

Recognizing that the International Year of Disabled Persons contributed to the acceptance by the community of the right of disabled persons to participate fully in the social life and development of their societies and to enjoy living conditions equal to those of their fellow citizens,

Convinced that the International Year of Disabled Persons gave a genuine and meaningful impetus to activities related to equalization of opportunities for disabled persons, as well as prevention and rehabilitation at all levels,

Expressing its appreciation to the Advisory Committee for the International Year of Disabled Persons for its work, in particular for its contribution to the formulation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons,

Expressing its satisfaction with the efforts of Member States during the International Year of Disabled Persons to improve the conditions and well-being of disabled persons and their willingness to involve disabled persons and their organizations in all matters of concern to them,

Also expressing its satisfaction with the initiatives taken by the specialized agencies and other organs and organizations of the United Nations system, non-governmental organizations and, in particular, organizations of disabled persons,

Encouraged by the emergence of organizations of disabled persons in all parts of the world and their positive influence on the image and condition of persons with a disability,

Having considered with appreciation the Vienna Affirmative Action Plan adopted by the World Symposium of Experts on Technical Co-operation among Developing Countries and Technical Assistance in Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation, which emphasized that, in developing countries, efforts to prevent disabilities should be intensified and standards of rehabilitation for disabled persons should be as high as possible,

Noting in particular the results of the meetings organized for the International Year of Disabled Persons by the regional commissions, which stressed the need for more efficient technical co-operation at the regional and subregional levels in the training of rehabilitation personnel, the production of prosthetic appliances and aids using locally available resources and also stressed the need for an interregional exchange of experience in the elaboration of national programmes for the development of such services,

Stressing that the primary responsibility for promoting effective measures for prevention of disability, rehabilitation and the realization of the goals of full participation and equality of disabled persons rests with the individual countries and that in this regard international co-operation is highly desirable and should be directed to assisting and supporting national efforts,

Believing that, in addition to national programmes, an effective implementation of the World Programme of Action would be assisted by activities at the international level by the organs, organizations and agencies of the United Nations system, the non-governmental organizations and the organizations of disabled persons,

Recognizing that such activities will be difficult to finance at the present time and that every effort must be made to reallocate existing budgets within the United Nations system,

1. Requests the Secretary-General to assist in the early implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons by ensuring its wide distribution and promotion;
2. Requests Member States to develop plans related to the equalization of opportunities for disabled persons, as well as to prevention and rehabilitation, and thereby ensure early implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons;
3. Requests all organs, organizations and agencies of the United Nations system to formulate and undertake measures within their sphere of competence, through a reallocation of existing resources, to ensure early implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons and requests, in particular, the regional commissions to implement suitable programmes, on the understanding that effective consultation and co-ordination between the various bodies is essential;
4. Requests the Secretary-General to establish interorganizational task forces as recommended by the Advisory Committee for the International Year of Disabled Persons at its third and fourth sessions in order to implement support services, as embodied in paragraph 17 of General Assembly resolution 36/77, within the existing arrangements for interagency co-ordination in order to support national and regional activities in the developing regions in the fields of prevention, rehabilitation and equalization of opportunities;
5. Encourages the Secretary-General to find the means to provide the Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs of the Secretariat with the necessary resources to enable it to ensure follow-up to the International Year of Disabled Persons and to facilitate the implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons;
6. Requests the Secretary-General to continue the consultative services to Member States concerning the design of national programmes for the prevention of disability, rehabilitation and equalization of opportunities for disabled persons and to develop a practical check list dealing with the equalization of opportunities for disabled persons which could be used by consultants in discussion with Governments of Member States, and to compile and distribute information on available technical and financial resources to assist developing countries in the prevention of disability, rehabilitation and equalization of opportunities;
7. Further requests the Secretary-General to continue to give appropriate priority to activities within the programmes for disabled persons with regard to organizations of disabled persons;
8. Again urges all organs, organizations and agencies of the United Nations system to undertake new measures or expedite those already under way to improve employment opportunities for disabled persons within these bodies at all levels and to improve access to their buildings and facilities and to their information sources, and requests the Secretary-General to submit a report on these measures to the General Assembly at its thirty-ninth session;
9. Requests the Secretary-General, in consultation with Governments, to examine the need and possibility of continuing the Trust Fund for the International Year of Disabled Persons for the purpose of assisting Governments, at their request, in the implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons and to submit a report thereon to the General Assembly at its thirty-eighth session;
10. Requests all Governments in a position to do so, the United Nations Development Programme and all relevant United Nations organs, organizations and agencies to assist Governments of developing countries, at their request, in the formulation of national policies and programmes for disabled persons;
11. Proclaims the period 1983-1992 United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons as a long-term plan of action, on the understanding that no additional resources from the United Nations system will be needed for this purpose, and encourages Member States to utilize this period as one of the means to implement the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons;
12. Encourages Governments to proclaim national days for the disabled;
13. Urges international organizations and funding bodies to give higher priority to human resources development, in particular to training activities in the fields of prevention and rehabilitation and to enhance the equalization of opportunities and the participation of disabled persons;
14. Requests the organizations of the United Nations system to recognize the needs of disabled persons in their activities relating to the International Youth Year and in international and regional congresses and meetings that they sponsor;
15. Requests the World Health Organization, in the light of the experience of the International Year of Disabled Persons, to review its definitions of impairment, disability and handicap in consultation with organizations of disabled persons and other appropriate bodies;
16. Requests the Secretary-General to explore the possibility of convening in 1987 a meeting of experts, consisting largely of disabled persons, to prepare a report that would enable the Secretary-General to help the General Assembly at its forty-second session to evaluate the implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons as provided for in paragraph 3 of resolution 37/52;
17. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its thirty-ninth session on the implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons.