UN Human Rights Treaties

UNITED NATIONS
A
General Assembly
Distr.
GENERAL
A/RES/48/97
11 March 1994
Forty-eighth session
Agenda item 109
RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
[on the report of the Third Committee (A/48/627)]
48/97. International Day of Disabled Persons
The General Assembly,
Recalling all its relevant resolutions, including resolutions 37/52 of 3
December 1982, by which it adopted the World Programme of Action concerning
Disabled Persons, 1/ and 37/53 of 3 December 1982, in which, inter alia, it
proclaimed the period 1983-1992 the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons
as a long-term plan of action,
Recalling also its request to the Secretary-General, made in its
resolution 45/91 of 14 December 1990, to shift the focus of the United Nations
programme on disabled persons from awareness-raising to action, with the aim
of achieving a society for all by the year 2010,
Recalling further its resolution 47/3 of 14 October 1992 proclaiming 3
December as the International Day of Disabled Persons,
Noting that, despite an appreciable increase in activities designed to
enhance public awareness of the needs and circumstances of people with
disabilities and of related issues, there continues to be a need for sustained
efforts to overcome physical and social barriers to the full equality and
participation of disabled persons,
Aware of the need for more vigorous and broader action and measures at
all levels to fulfil the objectives of the Decade and the World Programme of
Action,
__________
1/ A/37/351/Add.1 and Corr.1, annex, sect. VIII, recommendation 1
(IV).
/...
A/RES/48/97
Page 2
Bearing in mind that the purpose of the World Programme of Action is to
promote effective measures for the prevention of disability, for
rehabilitation and the realization of the goals of full participation of
disabled persons in social life and development and of equality, which means
opportunities equal to those of the entire population and an equal share in
the improvement in living conditions resulting from social and economic
development,
1. Takes note with satisfaction of the number of Member States that
celebrated the first International Day of Disabled Persons on 3 December 1992;
2. Appeals to all Governments to observe the International Day of
Disabled Persons, using this opportunity to take the lead in awakening the
consciousness of populations regarding the gains to be derived by individuals
and society from the integration of disabled persons into every area of
social, economic and political life;
3. Reiterates the need to involve disabled persons and their
organizations in decisions on all matters of concern to them, including the
celebration of the International Day of Disabled Persons;
4. Invites Member States to consider a way of linking, each year, the
observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons with important United
Nations events such as the World Conference on Human Rights, held at Vienna
from 14 to 25 June 1993, the International Year of the Family, to be observed
in 1994, the International Conference on Population and Development, to be
held at Cairo from 5 to 13 September 1994, the World Summit for Social
Development, to be held at Copenhagen on 11 and 12 March 1995, and the Fourth
World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace, to be
held at Beijing from 4 to 15 September 1995;
5. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Commission for
Social Development at its thirty-fourth session on measures taken by Member
States to observe the International Day of Disabled Persons.
85th plenary meeting
20 December 1993