United Nations Documents

A/RES/46/95
World Social Situation
74th Plenary Meeting
16 December 1991

Web Posted on: November 24, 1997

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolutions 1392 (XIV) of 20 November 1959, 2542 (XXIV) of 11 December 1969, 40/98 and 40/100 of 13 December 1985, 42/49 of 30 November 1987, 43/113 of 8 December 1988, 44/56 of 8 December 1989 and 45/87 of 14 December 1990,

Recalling also Economic and Social Council resolutions 1987/39, 1987/40, 1987/46 and 1987/52 of 28 May 1987, 1989/72 of 24 May 1989 and 1990/28 of 24 May 1990, and taking note of Council resolution 1991/4 of 30 May 1991,

Having considered the interim report of the Secretary-General,

Bearing in mind the objective of improving the well-being of the world's population on the basis of the full and equal participation of all members of society in the process of development and the fair distribution to them of the benefits therefrom,

Conscious that each country has the sovereign right freely to adopt the economic and social system that it deems the most appropriate and that each Government has the primary responsibility of ensuring the social progress and well-being of the people,

Deeply concerned about the continued worsening of the economic and social situation in many developing countries, particularly in 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 in their main social and economic indicators,

Bearing in mind that certain developing countries have achieved some economic and social progress,

Convinced that the pace of development in the developing countries should be accelerated substantially in order to enable them to achieve their social objectives, especially in meeting the basic needs for food, housing, education, employment and health care and to struggle against scourges which endanger the health and well-being of their population,

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,

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

1. Takes note of the interim report of the Secretary-General;
2. Notes with concern that the interim report of the Secretary-

General 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;

3. Notes the increasing awareness of the importance of formulating policy measures at all levels based on the interrelationship between economic growth and social progress in the achievement of overall development;

4. Notes with deep concern that despite efforts made at national levels, the economic and social situation in many developing countries, in particular in the least developed countries, continues to deteriorate;

5. Notes also with deep concern the substantial weakening of the overall position of the majority of developing countries in international trade and finance, which has been made worse by a downward trend in commodity prices, a serious deterioration in the terms of trade, the net transfer of resources from developing countries, protectionism and the serious debt burden, combined with high real interest rates;

6. Calls upon the international community to accord particular attention to the deteriorating economic and social situation in the developing countries, particularly in the least developed countries, and to ensure that emerging tendencies in global international relations do not impact negatively on the plight of those countries;

7. Calls upon all Member States to promote economic development and social progress by pursuing an interrelated set of policy measures to achieve the goals and objectives established within the framework of national plans and priorities for employment, education, health, nutrition, housing facilities, crime prevention, the well-being of children, equal opportunities for the disabled and the ageing, full participation of youth in the development process and full integration and participation of women in development;

8. Reaffirms the commitments and policies for international

development cooperation as set out in the Declaration on International Economic Cooperation, in particular the Revitalization of Economic Growth and Development of the Developing Countries, adopted by the General Assembly at its eighteenth special session;

9. Reaffirms the validity of the principles and objectives of the Declaration on Social Progress and Development as well as the Guiding Principles for Developmental Social Welfare Policies and Programmes in the Near Future and calls for their effective implementation as a means of attaining a more equitable world social situation;

10. Endorses the request of the Economic and Social Council, in paragraph 4 of its resolution 1991/4, that the Secretary-General should reorient the draft framework for the 1993 report on the world social situation so that it would be in consonance with the requests set forth in paragraph 4 of Council resolution 1989/72;

11. 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;

12. 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;

13. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General entitled "Work being done within the United Nations system on improving quantitative and qualitative indicators on social conditions and standards of living";

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

15. Decides to consider the issue of the world social situation under the item entitled "Social development" at its forty-seventh session.