UN Human Rights Treaties

United Nations GENERAL ASSEMBLY THIRTY-FIFTH SESSION Official Records* THIRD COMMITTEE 46th meeting held on Wednesday, 5 November 1980 at 3 P. m. New York SUMMARY RECORD OF THE 46th MEETING Chairman; Mr. GARVALOV (Bulgaria) CONTENTS AGENDA ITEM 69: INTERNATIONAL YOUTH YEAR: PARTICIPATION, DEVELOPMENT, PEACE (continued) AGENDA ITEM 8l: POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES RELATING TO YOUTH (continued) AGENDA ITEM 71: PROBLEMS OF THE ELDERLY AND THE AGED (continued) AGENDA ITEM 73: QUESTION OF A CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD (continued) AGENDA ITEM 79: INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF DISABLED PERSONS (continued) AGENDA ITEM 70: PRESERVATION AND FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF CULTURAL VALUES, INCLUDING THE PROTECTION, RESTITUTION AND RETURN OF CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC PROPERTY (continued) AGENDA ITEM 68: ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE (continued) AGENDA ITEM 72: HUMAN RIGHTS AND SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS (continued) AGENDA ITEM 76: INTERNATIONAL COVENANTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS (continued) (a) REPORT OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE (b) FUTURE MEETINGS OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE (c) STATUS OF THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS, THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS AND THE OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS 80-57296 A/C.3/35/SR.46 English Page 2 CONTENTS (continued) AGENDA ITEM 80: UNITED NATIONS DECADE FOR WOMEN: EQUALITY, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE (continued) (a) WORLD CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED NATIONS DECADE FOR WOMEN (b) VOLUNTARY FUND FOR THE UNITED NATIONS DECADE FOR WOMEN: REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL (c) INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING INSTITUTE FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN: REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL AGENDA ITEM 83: STATUS OF THE CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN: REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL (continued) A/C.3/35/SR.46 English Page 3 The meeting was called to order at 3.10 p.m. AGENDA ITEM 69: INTERNATIONAL YOUTH YEAR: PARTICIPATION, DEVELOPMENT, PEACE (continued) (A/35/361 and Add.1; A/34/855; A/C.3/35/3; A/C.3/35/L.26) AGENDA ITEM 8l: POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES RELATING TO YOUTH (continued) (A/35/503; A/C.3/35/3; A/C.3/35/1-32) AGENDA ITEM 71: PROBLEMS OF THE ELDERLY AND THE AGED (continued) (A/35/130 and Add.1 and Corr.1; A/C.3/35/8; A/C.3/35/L.28) AGENDA ITEM 73: QUESTION OF A CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD (continued) (A/C.3/35/L.14) AGENDA ITEM 79: INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF DISABLED PERSONS (continued) (A/35/271* and Add.1, A/35/291, 444 and Add.1 and 2; A/C.3/35/5; A/C.3/35/L.34) AGENDA ITEM 70: PRESERVATION AND FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF CULTURAL VALUES, INCLUDING THE PROTECTION, RESTITUTION AND RETURN OF CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC PROPERTY (continued) (A/35/349, 419; A/C.3/35/L.22, L.33) AGENDA ITEM 68: ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE (continued) (A/C. 3/35/L.30) AGENDA ITEM 72: HUMAN RIGHTS AND SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS (continued) (A/35/202; A/C.3/35/L.27, L.31) AGENDA ITEM 76: INTERNATIONAL COVENANTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS (continued) (A/35/65, 96, 132, 137, 173, 185, 288, 434 457, 462; A/C.3/35/L.29) (a) REPORT OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE (A/35/40; A/C.3/35/4) (b) FUTURE MEETINGS OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE (A/35A17) (c) STATUS OF THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS, THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS AND THE OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS (A/35/3/Add.24, A/35/195) AGENDA ITEM 80: UNITED NATIONS DECADE FOR WOMEN: EQUALITY, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE (continued) (d) WORLD CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED NATIONS DECADE FOR WOMEN (A/C.3/35/L.17, L.21, L.23/Rev.1, L.25, L.35) (b) VOLUNTARY FUND FOR THE UNITED NATIONS DECADE FOR WOMEN: REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL (A/C.3/35/L.24) (c) INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING INSTITUTE FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN: REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL (A/C.3/35/L.20) A/C.3/35/SR.46 English Page 4 AGENDA ITEM 83: STATUS OF THE CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN: REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL (continued) (A/C.3/35/L.16) 1. Mr. KBAIER (Tunisia) said that his delegation had studied with keen interest the reports submitted by the Secretary-General pursuant to resolution 34/154 on the International Year of Disabled Persons. Ever since independence, his country had endeavoured to promote the welfare of the human person, which it considered to be both the means and the end of any effort to promote development. His Government had taken measures to ensure that the disabled had the same rights and obligations as all other citizens. Twenty-five years previously the Tunisian National Union for the Blind had been set up. Subsequently, an advisory committee to assist the visually impaired had been established to complement that organization, and legislative action had been taken to ensure that such people had access to education, vocational training and employment. The Government had recently introduced a bill to give the visually impaired priority in obtaining Jobs as telephone operators. Likewise, in line with its concern for the disabled, a national festival had recently been held in which hundreds of people with all kinds of disabilities had participated, 2. Special attention should be paid to the disabled in the developing countries, who formed approximately 75 per cent of the world's total disabled. His delegation was pleased to note that the International Conference of the Visually Impaired held in Tunisia in September had adopted recommendations requesting States Members of the United Nations to take legislative measures for the rehabilitation and integration of the disabled in the economic, social and professional spheres. It likewise welcomed the adoption of similar recommendations by the League of Arab litotes. 3. His delegation was grateful for the offer made by the Government of Argentina to host the international symposium of experts recommended by the Advisory Committee. Everyone should help to ensure that the International Year gave a new impetus to the common struggle that all were bound to wage to prevent disability and to rehabilitate the disabled, 4. Mrs. SUTHERLAND (Canada) said that the Canadian parliament had established a Special Committee on the Disabled and the Handicapped to evaluate the scope and effectiveness of existing Government programmes for such people, the report of which would be completed before the end of the year. In addition, an Organizing Committee for the International Year of Disabled Persons had been formed, to which the Government had made an operational grant of $800,000 and a further grant of $1 million for specific projects. In the project field, a number of rehabilitation methods pioneered in her country were in use by the disabled worldwide, and her Government was continuing to concentrate efforts for the development of technology to assist the disabled. As part of the preparations of non-governmental organizations in her country, the XIVth Congress of Rehabilitation International had been held in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in June 1980. Representatives from some 92 countries had attended, as well as disabled people, who had taken the initial steps to form a World Coalition of People with Disabilities in order to enhance co-operation among them. A/C3/35/SR.46 English Page 5 (Mrs. Sutherland, Canada) 5. Her country was a member of the Advisory Committee for the International Year and had participated in its second meeting held at Vienna in August. With respect to recommendation 1 (II) contained in the Committee's report (A/35/444) on participation of disabled persons, her delegation believed it was essential to bear in mind that the General Assembly wished to hold a year "of" disabled persons rather than a year "for11 disabled persons, in order not to perpetuate outmoded paternalistic concepts. Her Government supported the proposal in recommendation 1 (II) that disabled people should be recruited as staff members of the secretariat of the International Year, but stressed that once the International Year va3 over, the recruitment of the disabled should be incorporated into United Nations policy. In the context of the theme of the Year (full participation and equality), her Government supported resolution 2 (II) in the belief that it was essential that any long-term guideline should take as its premise the full participation of the disabled. 6. In the view of her delegation there had been some confusion in respect of resolution 2 (II). It should be made clear that a major international conference was not under consideration. Her Government had made known its views on the effective use of international conferences in the course of discussions in the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly. The funds involved might be better spent on projects for specific activities at the regional or subregional level. Resolution 2 (II) had been conceived as a means of involving disabled people themselves in a small-scale meeting during the course of the International Year. Her Government believed that it would be more effective to convene a number of small meetings or seminars at the regional level which would facilitate the preparation of an effective long-term plan of action. Lastly, with reference to resolution 10 (II), her delegation had already expressed its reservations about the appointment of special, representatives of the Secretary-General for international years. However, should a special representative be appointed, her delegation would advocate the choice of a disabled candidate or someone whose personal interest and experience were very closely identified with the disabled. 7. Her delegation was concerned that insufficient funds were available for the International Year. Her Government was contributing $100,000 for the purpose, and urged both the secretariat and Governments to ensure that adequate resources were provided. 8. Mr. HLONGWANE (Pan Africanist Congress of Azania) said that the situation of youth in Azania had to be viewed within the context of the apartheid system. As long as black youth in Azania were subjected to humiliations in the political, economic and social fields, the freedom of young people everywhere was diminished. 9. The youth of Azania had struggled for national liberation since the early days of foreign invasion. The formation of the Congress Youth League in 1943 had marked the beginning of the contemporary liberation struggle in Azania. The League had advocated the formulation of a programme of action by the national liberation movement whose objective would be the attainment of national freedom and the establishment of socialism in Azania. The programme had been accepted in 1949 at the annual conference of the African National Congress and its success A/C.3/35/SR.46 English Page 6 (Mr. Hlongwane, PAC) could be seer. in 1952 when thousands of people had run the risk of arrest by their defiance of six specific laws. The Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), formed in April 1959, had adopted the programme of action. The Sharpeville massacre of 1960 had marked the end of non-violent passive resistance and ushered in the era of armed struggle. it had also ushered in a period of intense repression. The first people to be sentenced to life imprisonment had been young men, cost of them teenagers, members of PAC. Between 1963 and 1960 the regime had continued its policy of fragmentation through the establishment of Bantustans, with a view to dividing blacks into ethnic units, thus misleading world opinion into believing that blacks in Azania had political representation and misleading the blacks themselves. By means of arbitrary laws, the regime had created a climate of fear within the black community, which had begun to believe that the only legal political activity was collaboration. Black youth had been instrumental in reviving black political organizations and opposition in the late 1960s and the early 1970s. Many of the leaders who had emerged during that period in the black consciousness movement had been killed, others had been forced to flee the country and others remained in detention. However, they had succeeded in reviving black resistance and in creating a sense of solidarity through various social programmes. The repression that had been intensified by the regime in the early 1970s had not only failed to intimidate the black population but had strengthened its unity. At Soweto young people had again played an important role, as they were to do during subsequent wave3 of repression. 10. Black youth were currently struggling against the Bantu education system in Azania. There were more pupils per class in the classes for blacks than in those for whites and the buildings and equipment for blacks were cheaper: the teachers were less qualified and received less pay, even if their qualifications were the same. Education was free and compulsory for whites but blacks had to pay. As a result of the boycott of the black schools, the regime had closed almost 80 schools in various parts of the country, affecting some 60,000 black students. 11. The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania hoped that the International Youth Year would highlight the role of youth in the Azania struggle for national liberation, mobilize the youth of the world in support of the Just struggle of the Azania people and raise moral support for the national liberation movement, particularly for youth projects. 12. The primary objective of the liberation struggle waged by PAC was the liberation of the fatherland, which necessitated the overthrow of the system of apartheid. The training of youth and the development of appropriate institutions was imperative. PAC had a Department of Education and Manpower Development that had been co-operating closely with United Nations agencies in manpower training. UNESCO had provided scholarships for the education of Azania students at all levels, from primary school to university, and ILO had a vocational training programme for Azania students who had Joined the liberation movement, under which it was envisaged that some of the students currently receiving vocational training would be sent abroad for further training, so that they could return as instructors to serve the e3ucational institutions being developed by the liberation movement. A/C.3/35/SR.46 English Page 7 (Mr. Hlongwane, PAC) 13. With the support of the Government and people of the United Republic of Tanzania, PAC had established a transit centre in Tanzania, for which UNDP and FAO had provided support. The centre not only provided sanctuary for the victims of fascist repression but also served to provide training in various areas. In addition, PAC was in the process of setting up an institution of higher learning in the Sudan, again with the support of the host Government Ana UNESCO assistance. 14. Mr. SREBREV (Bulgaria) said that the fundamental principles embodied in the 1959 Declaration of the Rights of the Child had reflected for the first time the democratic and progressive nature of the trends and processes in the development of contemporary international relations and international lav in that field. By proclaiming the year 1979 as the International Year of the Child, the United Nations had once again demonstrated its awareness of the overriding importance of the question. It was, however, imperative that the provisions of the 1959 Declaration and the measures flowing from the International Year should be put into daily practice and become binding law and a national and global responsibility. That required decisive action and co-operation on the part of countries, and his country considered the elaboration of a convention on the rights of the child to be an important step in that direction. 15- Bulgaria had played host to one of the outstanding events of the International Year of the Child, namely, the International Children's Assembly "Banner of Peace11, which had become a symbol of friendship and solidarity among children of all continents. The Assembly had sought to focus the attention of the cultural world on the absolute necessity to establish the material, economic, social and cultural conditions for guaranteeing the right of every human being to all-round harmonious development. 16. A. characteristic tendency of recent decades was the growing role, significance and place of culture in the life of modern man. Owing to the growing flow of information, the intellectual capacity of the individual was constantly expanding and science, art and politics had thus become an inseparable element of his life. In socialist Bulgaria the process of democratization and all-round development of culture was constantly being pursued through the widest possible affiliation of people and culture. That led to the stimulation not only of artistic knowledge, skills, interest and experience but also of the continuous development and perfection of the individual's creative abilities, A long-term programme entitled "Harmoniously developed personalities" had been established with the main objective of studying the life, creative career and activities of various world-famous personalities. UNESCO had contributed to the success of the programme. 17. The People's Republic of Bulgaria attached great importance to international co-operation in the preservation and further development of cultural values. Bulgaria’s achievements in discovering and preserving its cultural heritage and its readiness to share it with other countries was well known. At the recent UNESCO General Conference Mrs. Zhivkova, Chairman of the Committee for Culture, had reaffirmed the active participation of Bulgaria in the formation and promotion of world cultural processes and the desire of the Bulgarian people to live in peace and friendship with other nations. A/C.3/35/SR.46 English Page 8 18. Mrs.. ROUNCAVOU (Benin) said that her country welcomed the designation of 1985 as the International Youth Year, as young people made up half its population and that it attached great importance to the role of youth in the struggle for the political and economic liberation of the country and the establishment of a socio-economic system suited to the aspirations of the people. In order for the abilities of young people to be put to use in economic* social and cultural development, they must be educated and trained. Although it3 : .^sources were modest, Benin allocated a significant portion of it3 budget to primary, secondary, higher and technical education and to the necessary activities for the physical, intellectual and moral development of youth. At the international level, her country favored the holding of meetings and seminars to enable youth from all countries to become acquainted and exchange experiences. With regard to preparations for the International Youth Year, it was time to show some concern for oppressed youth in the territories under colonial domination and military occupation and under the yoke of racism and apartheid. The important role played by youth in the 1976 events in Soweto was well known. Her delegation proposed that the programme of activities of the Year should take into account the special situation of such young people. 19. With regard to the International Year of Disabled Persons, her delegation felt that the Year would be a historic event that would give hope and confidence to more than 500 million disabled persons in the world, most of them in developing countries. Given adequate means disabled persons could become integrated into the community and contribute, in equal conditions, to the life and progress of the society in which they lived. That would, require that society become aware of the need to make the social investments required for the social education of disabled persons. The International Year of Disabled Persons should take into account the need to adopt adequate measures aimed at the prevention and speedy diagnosis of disabling illnesses in Africa, such as onchocerciasis, poliomyelitis and leprosy. Thanks to WHO and UNICEF assistance vaccination campaigns against poliomyelitis had been organized periodically in her country, along with a campaign against onchocerciasis in co-operation with neighboring countries. All of that required the transfer of resources from developed countries to the developing countries, so as to reduce poverty, which was one of the main causes of disabilities and which deprived the disabled of the services they needed. 20. The delegation of Benin endorsed the Advisory Committee's recommendation in document A/35/444/Add.1 on the continuation of the activities of the International Institute for the Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons in Developing Countries, whereby UNDP and other funding organizations would be urged to give favorable consideration to any request that might be addressed to them for funding the Institute. 21. In regard to the preservation and further development of cultural values, his delegation wished to pay a tribute to the work of UNESCO. The idea of development could not become a reality unless the corresponding social context was taken into account, in particular the cultural values of the society at large. Accordingly, Benin was giving priority to the revaluation of its culture, the rehabilitation of the national languages and the restoration of the national A/C.3/35/SR.46 English Page 9 (Mrs. Houngavou, Benin) heritage. It was to be hoped that the Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its Countries of Origin or it3 Restitution in Case of Illegal Appropriation would receive full co-operation from the countries that held such property and would be able to carry out the task entrusted to it more successfully. The delegation of Benin had therefore decided to co-3ponsor the two resolutions on that topic proposed for the Committee's consideration. 22. Mr. ZAYAS QUIALA (Cuba) recalled that the General Assembly at its thirty-fourth session had adopted resolution 34/l51. co-sponsored by Cuba, in which 1985 had been designated International. Youth Year: Participation, Development, Peace. That initiative was an acknowledgement of the imperative need to harness the energy, enthusiasm and creative ability of youth to the tasks of nation building, the struggle for national independence and self-determination, and against foreign domination and occupation, the economic, social and cultural advancement of peoples, the implementation of the new international economic order, the preservation of world peace and the promotion of international co-operation and understanding. It was necessary to work to root out the causes of the alienation of young people, such as racial and sexual discrimination, unemployment, drug abuse, limitation of their rights and the failure to democratize education. 23. The Cuban delegation considered that Member States should commit themselves to the formulation of specific national policies and programmes to promote the active participation of young people in the development of society, and believed that it would be necessary to consolidate and expand the programmes of the United Nations in support of programmes being carried out in those countries which, seeking to follow an independent path of economic and social development, had to wrestle with the consequences of colonialism, neo-colonialism and under-development. It would also be advisable to improve the machinery of the United Nations so as to make it possible for young people, through their representative organizations, to participate in the study and solution of international and regional problems in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations. 24. It was important that in the action programme for activities up to 1985 arrangement should be made for the participation of youth organizations recognized as having consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, but it would also be necessary to make arrangements for the participation of non-governmental youth and student organizations in the preparations for the Year. 25. All the activities to be undertaken under General Assembly resolution 34/151 should be related to the need to bring about profound changes in order to solve the overwhelming problems currently confronting young people, particularly in the capitalist countries and those subject to colonial or neo-colonial domination. The Cuba delegation believed that the following aspects should be considered: the problems of young people in the colonial countries end those suffering from the effects of neo-colonial and imperialist policy; the problems of youth unemployment and the right to life: discrimination on (rounds of sex and race and the struggle against racism, Zionism and apartheid; the right to education and the A/C.3/35/SR.46 English Page 10 (Mr. Zayas Quiala, Cuba) democratization of education* the campaign for healthy physical and mental development; the participation of youth in the study of solutions for major national problems; the promotion of international co-operation and understanding, and the preservation of world peace and against the armaments race: and the struggle for the implementation of a new international economic order. 26. Similarly, a World Youth Conference could be held in 1985 as part of the International Youth Year: Participation, Development, Peace, under General Assembly resolution 34/151. A declaration could be adopted in that year which would recognize the rights of youth in the present day world. 27 Cuba attached equal importance to the item on the disabled. It commended the proposal to make 1981 the International Year of Disabled Persons and was preparing to carry out activities in accordance with the aims which had led the Libyan delegation to propose that important humanitarian activity. Accordingly, a Cuban National Committee for the International Year of Disabled Persons had been established and a wide-ranging programme 3et up, the aim3 of which would have an important effect on care for the handicapped. 20. With regard to the preservation and further development of cultural values, including the protection, restitution and return of cultural and artistic property, Cuba rated the importance of that topic at it3 Just level, and the Cuban Government was promoting access by all its people to the various manifestations of culture, the work of restoring and preserving the country's cultural heritage, and exchanges with other cultures designed to help the people of Cuba to understand other peoples and cultures, and to strengthen the ties of friendship, sympathy and mutual understanding among peoples. At the meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its Countries of Origin, held in May 1980 in Paris, Cuba had proposed that, together with their artistic and historical property, natural wealth should be returned to those free countries whose territories were illegally occupied, where there were flora and fauna and rare species that formed part of their national identity. 29. The preservation and further development of cultural values, including the protection, restitution and return of cultural and artistic property and the restitution of natural wealth was of special interest to the countries which were members of the Non-Aligned Movement. In that connation, the final declaration of the Sixth Summit Meeting of that Movement, held in Havana in September 1980, contained a passage to the effect that the Conference reiterated its denunciation of the policies of the former metropolises which, despite repeated decisions by such specialized international agencies as UNESCO, continued their systematic looting of works of art and items that were part of the cultural heritage of the countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. 30. Turning to another agenda item, he said that the Cuban delegation, in line with the proposal made by Poland, wished to stress the necessity of completing, as soon as possible, the drafting of a convention on the rights of the child, A/C3/35/SR.46 English Page 11 (Mr. Zayas Quiala, Cuba) an instrument that was particularly pertinent to countries where the exploitation of man by man still subsisted and where hundreds of thousands of children were currently suffering the effects of hunger and malnutrition, were prematurely forced into exhausting work, were never able to study, even in elementary school, were used clandestinely by adults, encouraged to become beggars or thieves, perverted by unjust societies or subjected to almost unbelievable ill-treatment. Although the solution lay in transforming the economic and social conditions that gave rise to the problem, the community must first deal with the most critical aspects through legal measures. 31. Mr. VERKERCKE (Belgium) said that there were some 450 million handicapped persons in the world. Although the main thrust of the International Year of Disabled Persons must be at the national level, one of the fundamental tasks of the United Nations was providing information to facilitate and encourage the action at the national level of Governments and non-governmental organizations. Member States, for their part, must expand their activities, in particular by establishing national committees for the Year where they had not yet done so, and by taking step3 to see that the theme of the International Year: "Full participation and equality", was applied, for which purpose special attention should be paid to the participation of the disabled themselves in the activities for the Year. 32. There were disabled persons everywhere, but there were more of them in the developing countries, where, moreover, the results of their disabilities were often more serious for the disabled. Accordingly, Belgium attached great importance to the symposium of experts on technical assistance and technical cooperation and which Argentina had offered to host, since it believed that it would encourage the production of equipment and the adoption of organizational measures by the developing countries. The secretariat for the Year would have to organize that important symposium and contribute to the formulation of a long-term plan for world action. Both the Executive Secretary for the Year, Mrs. M'Kanza, and her assistants had already done a great deal of work, often in difficult circumstances, and the Belgian delegation considered that the time had come to strengthen the secretariat for the Year. 33. Turning to the item on the restitution and return of cultural property to its country of origin, he said that Belgium understood the desire of other nations, which were often young countries with an old civilization, to have a. representative national patrimony. Belgium and the Republic of Zaire had reached a bilateral agreement on that matter, and Belgium was a member of the Intergovernmental Committee of UNESCO dealing with the return and restitution of cultural property and international co-operation in that field. The Belgian delegation also supported the invitation contained in draft resolution A/C3/35/L.33 to draw up inventories of cultural property. 34. Belgium, which was not yet a party to the International Covenants on Human Rights, expected to be able to ratify both Covenants in the near future, although it must remark that the machinery for the submission and consideration of the national reports submitted under those Covenants, in particular, the method currently used by A/c.3/35/SR.46 English Page 12 (Mr. Verkerche, Belgium) the Economic and Social Committee for the consideration of reports relating to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights was not wholly satisfactory. Belgium would shortly transmit its comments to the Secretary-General on how the machinery could be modified so as to improve the effectiveness, independence and efficiency of the working group responsible for examining the reports and to permit better communication among the States parties to the Covenant. 35. Mr. SEWTICI (World Health Organization) said that a number of WHO programmes were directed towards bettering the health and well-being of youth, and making youth not only beneficiaries of but active contributors to national development. The stress in such programmes was mainly on preventive medicine and health education, since young people could concern themselves with their own health only if they were motivated and psychologically prepared to make a reasoned choice from among the many alternatives for health action, and if they really participated in such action. WHO was carrying out several programmes of research on problems connected with the health needs of adolescents in co-operation with Member States. The World Neath Organization had taken part in the preparatory work for International Youth Year and would contribute fully, within the limits of its programme and budget (which had already been approved) to the preparation and implementation of the programme of international and regional activities to celebrate the Year. Similarly, WHO would co-operate on request with Member States in the preparation of their strategy and the establishment of their national goals and plans in the field. 36. with regard to the problems of the elderly and the aged, the World. Health Assembly, in its resolution WMA/32/25 adopted at its thirty-second session, had responded positively to the decision of the United Nations General Assembly (resolution 33/52) to organize a World Assembly on the Elderly in 1982 The WHA resolution stressed the leadership role of WHO in the health cars of the elderly and expressed the hope that WHO would take a prominent part in organizing the World Assembly. WHO had participated in the preparatory work undertaken within the United Nations system; in addition to the working paper on health policy for the aged which into had been asked to prepare, it would also help to proud.. seven other papers on specific subjects to be submitted during the World Assembly. Those papers would consider the theme of health of the aged as a developmental issue within the framework of the Declaration of Alma Ats and the goal of health for all by the year 2000. In December 1981 there would be a meeting of directors of national institutes of gerontology to study the problems of health care of the elderly. 37. Until recently., the problems of the elderly and the aged had been thought to be of concern to developed countries alone: but with the rapid changes in the cultural patterns and in the demographic structure of the developing countries, those problems were gradually affecting all regions, and WHO was therefore convening a number of technical meetings in 1981 to discuss particular aspects of the health needs of the elderly in developing countries. 33. WHO's contribution to the preparation of the International Year for Disabled Persons was well reflected in the documents before the Committee, but it might be as well to refer to some of the main guidelines of the organization's policy on A/C.3/35/SR.46 English Page 13 (Mr. Sentici, WO) (Usability prevention and the rehabilitation of disabled persons, such as the promotion of effective measures for the prevention of disability within health programmes at all levels, including primary health care emphasis on those problems of disability that could be solved most efficiently and effectively and in a manner most acceptable to the population; and the inclusion of appropriate disability prevention and rehabilitation methods in the training of all the health workers concerned. The importance of such measures was readily apparent when it was realized that according to estimates, there were 60 million disabled persons in the world who could be helped to lead a better life by an improvement of their functional capacity through educational and vocational measures, or at least through a better understanding of their problems and a wider acceptance of disabled persons by the community. 39. The CHAIRMAN said that the general discussion on" agenda items 69, 8l, 71, 73, 79. 70, 60, 72 and 76 having been concluded, the Committee would take up the draft resolutions submitted under agenda items 30 and 83. 80. Miss SAELZLER (German Democratic Republic) said that her delegation had the honour to submit, on behalf of the delegations of Afghanistan, Angola, Bulgaria, Cane Verde, Congo, Cuba. Czechoslovakia, Democratic Yemen, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Guinea Bissau, Hungary, Iraq, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Libyan Arab .Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Mali, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Syrian Arab Republic, Uganda, Ukrainian SSR, Viet Nam, Zambia, Zimbabwe and her on delegation, draft resolution A/C.3/35/L.17 entitled "Draft declaration on the participation of women in the struggle for the strengthening of international peace and security and against colonialism, racism, racial discrimination, foreign aggression, occupation and all forms of foreign domination". 1*1. The draft resolution she was introducing was based on recognition of the fact that the maintenance of world peace, the cessation of the arms race and the struggle for military detente corresponded most profoundly to the interests of all women and all mcihers- since pence meant happiness for their families. Many speakers at the 1975 world Conference in Mexico City had Notec. that peace was a prerequisite of social progress in general and of the improvement of the status of women in particular. The representatives of Bulgaria, Congo, Gambia, German Democratic Republic, Guinea, India, Mongolia, Sri Lanka and Venezuela had submitted a resolution on women's participation in the strengthening of international peace and security and in the struggle against colonialism, racism, racial discrimination, aggression, foreign occupation and all forms of foreign domination, calling upon Governments; governmental and non-governmental organizations and women's organizations to intensify their efforts for the maintenance of peace; and inviting the Secretary-General to submit a report on the matter to the General Assembly at its next session. In its resolution 32/142 the United Nations General Assembly had reaffirmed the appeal made in Mexico City and, in paragraph 5, requested the Commission on the Status of Women to elaborate a draft declaration on the participation of women in the struggle for the strengthening of peace and to submit it to the world Conference to be held in 1980. The resolution had been adopted by 71 votes in favour, 19 against and 46 abstentions. At its thirty-fourth session, A/C.3/35/SR.41 English Page 14 [Miss Snelzler, German Democratic Republic) the General Assembly hoc1, referred to resolution 32/142 and once again urged the Commission on the Status of Women to consider at its twenty-eighth session the question of elaborating a draft declaration on the full and effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, taking into account the views of Governments thereon and views expressed during the thirty-fourth session of the Assembly. In contrast to the vote at the thirty-second session, only two States, Israel and the United States of America, had voted against the resolution, while 19 States had abstained. 42. On 29 January 1979 the Secretary-General had invited States, specialized agencies and other international organizations in consultative status with ECOSOC to submit amendments and proposals regarding the nature end content of the above-mentioned draft declaration; those views and proposals had been incorporated in the report of the Secretary-General (document E/CN.6/226 of 6 January 1980). On 13 June 1979 the German Democratic Republic had submitted the full text of the draft declaration contained in the above-mentioned report, and the Commission on the Status of Women had transmitted to the General Assembly a text of the draft declaration on which Governments, specialized agencies and other relevant bodies had had an opportunity to comment. Finally, in its resolution 11, the Copenhagen Conference had given a clear mandate to the General Assembly for the elaboration of the draft declaration. 43. The text of draft, resolution A/C.3/35/L.17 was based on the draft declaration contained in document E/CN.6/626, amended to reflect the views and proposals of States, and was co-sponsored by 28 other States. The need to ensure the participation of all women in the struggle for peace had been recognized by an increasing number of countries. Since agreement existed in principle appropriate action should not be delayed, especially in view of recent developments in the world which represented an increasing threat to peace. The main objectives of the declaration were to enable women throughout the world to participate in the struggle for peace, and to eliminate all factors which adversely affected peace. The declaration suggested that part of the resources released as a result of disarmament should be used to cater for the needs of developing countries, in particular, for the protection of mothers and children. It had been calculated that the funds used in one week's arms production would suffice to banish hunger from the world. Underdevelopment, exploitation, backwardness, hunger and disease could be overcome if part of the funds used for armaments were placed at the disposal of the developing countries. 44. Her delegation, on behalf of the sponsors of the draft resolution, trusted that the significance of the draft declaration would be recognized by States and that it would receive their generous support. 45. Miss RICHTER (Argentina)., introducing draft resolution A/C.3/35/L.20 on behalf of the sponsors, said that paragraphs 1 to 3 referred to the nomination of the Director of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women, the signing of the headquarters agreement and the installation of the Institute in the Dominican Republic respectively. The language used reflected the A/C.3/35/SR.46 English Page 15 (Hiss Richter, Argentina) sense of urgency which the sponsors wished to impart to the preparations for the Institute's move to the Dominican Republic and the effective start of its work. Paragraph 4 recalled the Guidelines governing the Institute's activities. The Multinational Women's Centre for Research and Training of the Inter-American Commission of Women had stated that it would prepare model projects in research and the planning of training courses, information on American women who had been successful in various professional fields and on the status of women in America, and | bibliographies on women's issues. thus contributing to the work which the Santo Domingo Institute would1 be carrying out at the world level. The reference to the Trust Fund which appeared in paragraph 5 of the English version of the draft resolution had been omitted from the Spanish version. Finally, paragraph 6 requested a report; to be submitted at the beginning of 1981, on the initiation of the Institute's activities. 46. Miss WELLS (Australia), introducing draft resolution A/C.3/35/L.21 on behalf of the sponsors, said that the draft resolution was based on the conclusions adopted by consensus at the Copenhagen Conference with regard to the status of women refugees and displaced women, and sought to ensure that further consideration would be given to their problems. Paragraphs 1 to 3 were concerned with the need for better protection of W/omen. Paragraph 4 was concerned with increasing the participation of women in the administration of refugee assistance programmes, while paragraphs 5 end 6 stressed the need for continued study of the situation of women and the need for the collection and analysis of data. Paragraph 7 recommended that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees should ensure that the number of women at all levels on his staff should be increased and that a high-level official be designated as coordinator for women's programmes. 47 She said that, in the fourth line of paragraph 4, the word "first"', which appeared before asylum'1, should be deleted. In the second line of paragraph 5, the words ,:the host ; should be replaced by ; concerned ' and in the fourth line the words within situations that force people to become refugees,: should be deleted. 48, After consultations with the sponsors of document A/C.3/35/L.35, her delegation had accepted their proposed amendments to draft resolution A/C.3/35/L.21, and would submit a revised version in due course. 49- The United Republic of Tanzania and the Sudan had become co-sponsors of draft resolution A/C.3/35/L.21. 50. Mrs. RODRIGUEZ (Venezuela), introducing draft resolution A/C3/35/L.23/Rev.1 on behalf of the State Members of the United Nations which were members of the Croup of 77; said that in preparing the draft resolution, which had been adopted by consensus by the Group, on attempt had been made to stress and reaffirm the objectives of the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women held in Copenhagen. The draft resolution contained a. specific reference to the principles and objectives set forth in the Declaration of Mexico of 1975, which had inspired the objectives adopted at Copenhagen. The recommendations contained in the Programme of Action adopted in Copenhagen made a major contribution to achieving the objectives of the United nations Decade for Women. It was, therefore, essential to support the A/C.3/35/SR.46 English Page 16 (Mrs. Rodriguez, Venezuela) Programme, since its implementation would not only promote equal rights between men and women. the inclusion of women in the development process and the improvement of the level of living of developing countries, but would also allow women in developed countries to participate on an equal basis in decision-malting on political, economic and social matters in their respective countries. 51. The sponsors had also wanted to emphasize the importance of the regional economic commissions devoting attention to the status of women by including in their programmes of work seminars, symposia and meetings which would assist in integrating women in the development process and in achieving the objectives of the Decade. The draft resolution also indicated the need for the Secretary-General to submit to the Economic and Social Council at its first regular session in 1981 proposals for the implementation of the Programme for the Second Half of the Decade for women. It also invited the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its thirty-sixth session a report on the measures taken to implement the resolution and to convene, in 1985, world conference to review and appraise the achievements of the Decade. 52. In paragraph 2 of the Spanish version, the words "Hace suyo" should be replaced by "Endosa" . 53. Mr. GOODIE (Jamaica), introducing draft resolution A/C.3/35/L.24 on behalf of the sponsors, said that the draft resolution was purely procedural. It would have the Assembly note with satisfaction the decisions of the Consultative Committee on the Voluntary Fund for the United Nations Decade for Women; express its appreciation to the relevant organs of the United Nations system for their invaluable assistance to the ongoing work of the Fund; appeal to Member States to consider giving or increasing support to the Fund; and request the Secretary-General to continue to report annually on the management of the Fund and to include it as one of the programmes of the United nations Pledging Conference for Development Activities. 54. India and Sweden had Joined as co-sponsors of the draft resolution, which he hoped would be adopted by consensus. In the fourth line of paragraph 5, the words 'thirty-fourth " should be replaced by "thirty-sixth". 55. Mr. HORDENFELT (Sweden) said that the adoption, at the thirty-fourth session, of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, had marked a milestone in the promotion of equal rights for women. Draft resolution A/C.3/35/L.16 reflected the importance given to the Convention and the hope that it would come into force as soon as possible. The sponsors of the draft resolution hoped that it would be adopted by consensus. 56. Two zorrections should be made in the draft resolution. In paragraph 1 "81" should be replaced by '79" and in paragraph 2 "eight,: should read ‘’nine’’. 57. Mrs. DOWNING (Secretary of the Committee) announced that the Congo, the Dominican Republic and Mali had Joined the sponsors of draft resolution A/C.3/35/L.17. The Secretariat had taken note of the correction to the Spanish version of draft resolution A/C.3/35/L.20, which had been introduced by Argentina; A/C.3/35/SR.46 English Page 17 (Mrs. Downing) Argentina; Chile, the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua had become co-sponsors of that draft resolution. She had taken note of the revisions to draft resolution A/C.3/35/L.21 announced by Australia, whose sponsors had been Joined by Austria, the Dominican Republic, the Sudan and the United Republic of Tanzania. 53. The Committee had taken note of the Spanish text of draft resolution A/C.3/35/L.23/Rev.1 introduced by Venezuela. Ghana, Guyana, India, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Sweden, the United Republic of Tanzania and the United States had Joined the sponsors of draft resolution A/C.3/35/L.24. 59. As to draft resolution A/C.3/35/L.16, the Secretariat had taken note of the corrections put forward by Sweden. Angola, Belgium,-the Dominican Republic, Italy, Uganda and Viet Nam had become co-sponsors of that draft resolution. CO. Mr. O'DONOVAN (Ireland) said that his delegation stood by what it had said when the draft declaration on the participation of women in the struggle for the strengthening of international peace and security and against colonialism, racism, racial discrimination, foreign aggression, occupation and all forms of foreign domination, contained in document A/C.3/35/L.17, had been introduced. It had as yet received no response from the principal sponsors, despite establishing informal contact with them. 61. The subject of the draft resolution was a serious one, having a bearing on world peace, which was an important matter for all countries, whether they belonged to military alliances or, as in Ireland's case, did not. But the text had its faults, and consultations should be held on the matter. By way of example, he drew attention to the final phrase in article 3-, whose meaning his delegation believed was unclear. The subject was much better reflected in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women that had been adopted the previous year. 62. The title of the draft declaration referred to ‘occupation’’without stipulating what kind was meant; he imagined it must be foreign occupation. The draft declaration should be consistent with other more important documents that had already been approved. In resolution 34/158, the General Assembly had urged the Commission on the Status of Women to consider the matter: not to discuss a text- but to consider the question of elaborating a text. 63. It was the first time that a text on the subject had been circulated at the General Assembly; the Commission on the Status of Women had set up a Working Group, which had discussed a draft declaration submitted by the German Democratic Republic that differed in several respects from that submitted to the Committee. The Working Group had not approved any working text, but had instead recommended a draft resolution that took note of Governments1 views and proposals regarding the over-all problems and referred the matter back to the General Assembly. He did not, therefore, wish to propose that the Commission on the Status of Women should study the item again: it had already had the opportunity to do so. A/C.3/35/SR.46 English Page 18 (Mr. 0'Donovan, Ireland) 64. Clearly, the draft declaration contained in document A/C.3/35/L.17 should be transmitted to Governments for comment, and should then be discussed by the Economic and Social Council before the General Assembly took action on the natter. He proposed the following draft decision: The General Assembly decides: 1. To request the Secretary-General to seek the views of the Governments of Member States on the draft declaration contained in document A/C.3/35/L.17 and to submit his report to the first regular session of the Economic and Social Council in 1981; and 2. To request the Economic and Social Council to consider the text of the draft declaration at its first regular session in 1981 and to submit the revised text to the General Assembly at its thirty-sixth session. 65 Mrs. WARZAZI (Morocco) said that her delegation had never been in favour of the resolutions adopted over the past two or three years concerning the elaboration of the draft declaration contained in draft resolution A/C.3/35/L.17. In view of the enormous problem of disarmament and the maintenance of peace throughout the world., which depended primarily on the two major Powers that found it so difficult to reach agreement on a treaty to limit strategic weapons, she wondered what role women could play. It was probable that they were being used for purely political and propaganda purposes. 66. Her delegation fully supported the Irish representative's view that the draft declaration should not merely be studied in depth by a working group, as had been the case with the other two drafts, but also be minutely scrutinized by a large number of Governments, which would doubtless put forward proposals and amendments on the subject. Her delegation would therefore support any proposal directed towards that end: but it wished to make some amendments to the draft resolution before it was transmitted to Governments. 67. The draft declaration claimed to cover all aspects of world peace and security, but in fact contained some important omissions. Her delegation therefore wished to see the words "apartheid, all forms of racism and racial discrimination, foreign military intervention against sovereign peoples and notions, the growing use of mercenaries" included after the word "colonialism" in the title of the draft declaration, the rest of the title remaining as contained in document A/C.3/35/L.17-The same wording should be added in the fourth preambular paragraph, while the words the effective exercise of, and respect for, the right of all peoples to self-determination" should be added in the fifth preambular paragraph. The sixth preambular paragraph and the operative paragraph should incorporate the change already proposed for the title, as should articles 1 to 4. Moreover, the same changes should be made in the third and fifth subparagraphs in part II of the draft declaration, as well as in the paragraph that node up part III. A/C.3/35/SR.41 English Page 19 (Mrs. Warzazi, Morocco) 60. The CHAIRMAN requested the Moroccan delegation to submit its awendnents in writing, in conformity with the rules of procedure. 69. After a procedural discussion in which Miss SAELZLER (German Democratic Republic), Mrs. SUTHERLAND (Canada), Mr. NUCORLOR (Liberia), end Mr. HAKKI (Oman, took Part, the CHAIRMAN declared the meeting closed. The MEETING rose at 6.15 P.M.