UN Human Rights Treaties

UNNAITTIEODNS
A
General Assembly
Distr.
GENERAL
A/50/628
24 November 1995
ENGLISH
ORIGINAL: ARABIC
Fiftieth session
Agenda item 105
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING QUESTIONS RELATING TO
THE WORLD SOCIAL SITUATION AND TO YOUTH, AGEING,
DISABLED PERSONS AND THE FAMILY
Report of the Third Committee
Rapporteur: Mr. Ahmed Yousif MOHAMED (Sudan)
I. INTRODUCTION
1. At its 3rd plenary meeting, on 22 September 1995, the General Assembly, on
the recommendation of the General Committee, decided to include in the agenda of
its fiftieth session the item entitled "Social development, including questions
relating to the world social situation and to youth, ageing, disabled persons
and the family" and to allocate it to the Third Committee.
2. The Committee considered the item at its 8th to 12th, 18th, 21st, 25th and
30th meetings, on 12, 13, 16 and 17 October, and on 2, 8, 10 and
16 November 1995. An account of the Committee's discussion of the item is
contained in the relevant summary records (A/C.3/50/SR.8-12, 18, 21, 25 and 30).
3. For its consideration of the item, the Committee had before it the
following documents:
(a) Relevant chapter of the report of the Economic and Social Council for
1995 (A/50/3);
(b) Report of the Secretary-General containing the interim report on the
world social situation (A/50/84-E/1995/12);
(c) Report of the Secretary-General on the conceptual framework of a
programme for the preparation and observance of the International Year of Older
Persons in 1999 (A/50/114);
95-37045 (E) 041295 /...
A/50/628
English
Page 2
(d) Report of the Secretary-General and the Director-General of the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization entitled "Progress
made and problems encountered in the struggle against illiteracy: a mid-decade
review" (A/50/181-E/1995/65);
(e) Report of the Secretary-General on the observance of the International
Year of the Family (A/50/370);
(f) Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the World
Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons (A/50/473);
(g) Note by the Secretary-General on monitoring the implementation of the
Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with
Disabilities (A/50/374);
(h) Report of the World Summit for Social Development, Copenhagen,
6-12 March 1995 (A/CONF.166/9);
(i) Letter dated 28 March 1995 from the Chargé d'affaires a.i. of the
Permanent Mission of Argentina to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-
General transmitting the text of the Declaration of Latin American
Parliamentarians, adopted on the occasion of the World Summit for Social
Development (A/50/156);
(j) Letter dated 25 April 1995 from the Chargé d'affaires a.i. of the
Permanent Mission of Yugoslavia to the United Nations addressed to the
Secretary-General transmitting the text of the conclusions of the meeting of
medical experts and health workers of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, held
in Belgrade on 7 April 1995 (A/50/163);
(k) Letter dated 8 June 1995 from the Permanent Representative of India to
the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General transmitting the text of
the Delhi Declaration, issued at the eighth meeting of the Heads of State or
Government of the member countries of the South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation, held at New Delhi from 2 to 4 May 1995 (A/50/215-S/1995/475);
(l) Letter dated 19 June 1995 from the Permanent Representative of Canada
to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General transmitting the final
documents adopted by the seven major industrialized countries at the Summit held
at Halifax from 15 to 17 June 1995 (A/50/254-S/1995/501);
(m) Letter dated 8 September 1995 from the Permanent Representative of
Ecuador to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General transmitting
the text of the Final Declaration of the Ninth Meeting of Heads of State and
Government of the Rio Group, held in Quito on 4 and 5 September 1995 (A/50/425-
S/1995/787);
(n) Note verbale dated 19 September 1995 from the Permanent Mission of the
Republic of Korea to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General
transmitting the report of the 1995 World Youth Leaders Conference, held at
Seoul from 31 May to 2 June 1995 (A/50/454);
/...
A/50/628
English
Page 3
(o) Note by the Secretariat transmitting to the General Assembly the text
of a draft resolution entitled "International Year of Older Persons: towards a
society for all ages" (A/C.3/50/L.2).
4. At the 3rd meeting, on 9 October 1995, the Under-Secretary-General for
Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development addressed the Committee (see
A/C.3/50/SR.3).
5. At the 8th meeting, on 12 October 1995, the Assistant Director of the
Division for Social Policy and Development of the Department for Policy
Coordination and Sustainable Development made an introductory statement (see
A/C.3/50/SR.8).
6. At the 11th meeting, on 16 October 1995, the Administrator of the United
Nations Development Programme addressed the Committee (see A/C.3/50/SR.11).
II. CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSALS
A. Draft resolution A/C.3/50/L.2
7. By its resolution 1995/21 of 24 July 1995, the Economic and Social Council
recommended to the General Assembly the adoption of a draft resolution entitled
"International Year of Older Persons: towards a society for all ages".
8. At its 21st meeting, on 8 November 1995, the Committee had before it the
text of that resolution contained in document A/C.3/50/L.2.
9. At the same meeting, the Committee adopted the draft resolution contained
in document A/C.3/50/L.2 (see para. 25, draft resolution I).
B. Draft resolution A/C.3/50/L.10
10. At the 18th meeting, on 2 November 1995, the representative of Austria, on
behalf of Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium,
Bulgaria, Cameroon, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Liechtenstein, Nigeria, Panama, Pakistan, 1/ Poland, Portugal, Romania, South
Africa, Spain and Turkey, introduced a draft resolution entitled "Follow-up to
the International Year of the Family" (A/C.3/50/L.10). Subsequently, Costa
Rica, Guinea, Madagascar, the Philippines, the Republic of Moldova and Rwanda
joined in sponsoring the draft resolution.
11. In introducing the draft resolution, the representative of Austria orally
revised it as follows:
(a) In operative paragraph 2, the words "by 1996" were replaced by the
words "before the end of 1995";
1/ Subsequently, Pakistan withdrew its sponsorship of the draft
resolution.
/...
A/50/628
English
Page 4
(b) In operative paragraph 5 (b), the word "comprehensive" was inserted
before the word "document".
12. At the 21st meeting, on 8 November 1995, statements were made by the
representatives of Guatemala, Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, the Dominican Republic,
Kuwait, the Philippines, Egypt, the Syrian Arab Republic, Oman, Pakistan,
Morocco, Lebanon, Mauritania, Algeria and Indonesia (see A/C.3/50/SR.21).
13. At the same meeting, the Committee adopted draft resolution A/C.3/50/L.10,
as orally revised (see para. 25, draft resolution II).
14. After the adoption of the draft resolution, statements were made by the
representatives of Peru, Malta, the Sudan, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, the
Islamic Republic of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Costa Rica, Bolivia, El Salvador, Qatar,
the United Arab Emirates, Djibouti and Yemen (see A/C.3/50/SR.21).
15. The observer for the Holy See made a statement.
C. Draft resolution A/C.3/50/L.11
16. At the 18th meeting, on 2 November 1995, the representative of Mongolia, on
behalf of Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bangladesh,
Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, China, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba,
Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Fiji, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, the
Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar,
Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Portugal,
Senegal, Spain, the Sudan, Thailand, Turkey and Viet Nam introduced a draft
resolution entitled "Progress made and problems encountered in the struggle
against illiteracy: a mid-decade review - Cooperation to achieve education for
all" (A/C.3/50/L.11). Subsequently, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, the Islamic
Republic of Iran, Jamaica, Malta, the Niger, the Philippines and the Russian
Federation joined in sponsoring the draft resolution.
17. In introducing the draft resolution, the representative of Mongolia orally
revised it as follows:
In operative paragraph 8, the following words were added at the end of the
paragraph: "taking into account the possible measures, if any, to improve
the reporting procedure".
18. At the 25th meeting, on 10 November 1995, the representative of Mongolia
further orally revised the draft resolution by replacing operative paragraph 6,
which had read:
"6. Calls upon the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization to continue assuming the role of lead organization in
ensuring an effective follow-up to International Literacy Year and the
World Conference on Education for All,"
by the following text:
/...
A/50/628
English
Page 5
"6. Calls upon the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization to continue assuming the role of lead organization in
ensuring an effective follow-up to International Literacy Year and to
pursue, in cooperation with other sponsors of the World Conference on
Education for All, the implementation of the World Declaration on Education
for All,"
19. At the same meeting, the Committee adopted draft resolution A/C.3/50/L.11,
as further orally revised (see para. 25, draft resolution III).
D. Draft resolution A/C.3/50/L.12 and Rev.1
20. At the 18th meeting, on 2 November 1995, the representative of the
Philippines, on behalf of Denmark, Morocco, the Philippines and Zaire,
introduced a draft resolution entitled "Towards full integration of persons with
disabilities in society: implementation of the Standard Rules on the
Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities and of the Long-term
Strategy to Implement the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons
to the Year 2000 and Beyond" (A/C.3/50/L.12), which read as follows:
"The General Assembly,
"Recalling its resolution 48/96 of 20 December 1993, by which it
adopted the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons
with Disabilities,
"Recalling also its resolution 37/52 of 3 December 1982, by which it
adopted the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, 2/
"Recalling further all its relevant resolutions, including resolutions
37/53 of 3 December 1982, 46/96 of 16 December 1991, 47/88 of
16 December 1992, 48/95 and 48/99 of 20 December 1993 and 49/153 of
23 December 1994,
"Noting with interest the initiative by non-governmental organizations
in Denmark taken to develop a disability index based on the United Nations
Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with
Disabilities,
"Welcoming the report of the Special Rapporteur responsible for
monitoring the implementation of the Standard Rules and his recommendation
that in the coming two years the focus should be mainly on legislation,
coordination of work, organizations of persons with disabilities,
accessibility, education and employment,
"1. Urges all Governments and organizations to continue to strengthen
their efforts to implement the Standard Rules on the Equalization of
2/ A/37/351/Add.1 and Corr.1, annex, sect. VIII, recommendation 1 (IV).
/...
A/50/628
English
Page 6
Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities by legal, administrative and
all other appropriate measures;
"2. Encourages Member States to make voluntary contributions to
support the important work of the Special Rapporteur;
"3. Calls upon Governments to implement the World Programme of Action
concerning Disabled Persons to the Year 2000 and Beyond by implementation
of the Long-term Strategy;
"4. Requests the Secretary-General to ensure appropriate support for
the effective functioning of the Long-term Strategy to Implement the World
Programme of Action and distribute, inter alia, the Long-term Strategy to
the Member States;
"5. Also requests the Secretary-General and the United Nations
Development Programme, in close cooperation with the Statistical Division
of the Secretariat, to finalize the development of global indicators for
the fulfilment of equal opportunities for persons with disabilities and the
respect of their human rights."
21. At its 30th meeting, on 16 November, the Committee had before it a revised
draft resolution (A/C.3/50/L.12/Rev.1), submitted by Armenia, Burkina Faso,
Cameroon, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Guinea, Kenya, Malta, Monaco, Mongolia,
Morocco, Nigeria, Panama, Philippines, Turkey and Zaire, subsequently joined by
Australia, Canada, Côte d'Ivoire, Finland, Iceland, the Islamic Republic of
Iran, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden and
Tunisia.
22. At the same meeting, the representative of the Philippines orally revised
the revised draft resolution as follows:
(a) In operative paragraph 2, the word "all" before the words "other
measures" was deleted;
(b) In operative paragraph 8, the words "the Department for Policy
Coordination and Sustainable Development" were added after the words "Encourages
the Secretary-General" and the words "to facilitate the collection and
transmission of relevant data to be used" were inserted between the words "to
continue their efforts" and "to finalize".
23. Also at the same meeting, the Committee adopted draft resolution
A/C.3/50/L.12/Rev.1, as orally revised (see para. 25, draft resolution IV).
E. Draft decision
24. At the 30th meeting, on 16 November 1995, on the proposal of the Chairman,
the Committee adopted a draft decision by which the General Assembly would take
note of the reports considered under the item (see para. 26).
/...
A/50/628
English
Page 7
III. RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE THIRD COMMITTEE
25. The Third Committee recommends to the General Assembly the adoption of the
following draft resolutions:
DRAFT RESOLUTION I
International Year of Older Persons: towards a
society for all ages
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolution 47/5 of 16 October 1992, by which it decided to
observe the year 1999 as the International Year of Older Persons,
Recalling also Economic and Social Council resolution 1993/22 of
27 July 1993, in which the Council invited Member States to strengthen their
national mechanisms on ageing, inter alia, to enable them to serve as national
focal points for the preparations for and observance of the Year,
Recalling further its resolution 45/106 of 14 December 1990, in which it
recognized the complexity and rapidity of the ageing of the world's population
and the need to have a common basis and frame of reference for the protection
and promotion of the rights of older persons, including the contribution that
older persons could and should make to society,
Bearing in mind its resolution 49/162 of 23 December 1994 on the
integration of older women in development,
1. Takes note of the conceptual framework of a programme for the
preparation and observance of the International Year of Older Persons in 1999,
as contained in the report of the Secretary-General; 3/
2. Invites Member States to adapt the conceptual framework to national
conditions and to consider formulating national programmes for the Year;
3. Also invites the United Nations organizations and bodies concerned to
examine the conceptual framework and identify areas for expanding upon it in
keeping with their mandates;
4. Requests the Secretary-General to monitor activities for the Year and
to make appropriate coordinating arrangements, bearing in mind that the
Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development of the
Secretariat has been designated the United Nations focal point on ageing;
5. Encourages the Secretary-General to allocate sufficient resources for
promoting and coordinating activities for the Year, bearing in mind its
3/ A/50/114.
/...
A/50/628
English
Page 8
resolution 47/5, in which it was decided that observance of the Year would be
supported by the regular programme budget for the biennium 1998-1999;
6. Invites Member States, United Nations organizations and bodies and
non-governmental organizations to assist the global coordinating entity for the
Year;
7. Invites the regional commissions, within the existing mandates, to
bear in mind the goals of the Year in convening regional meetings in 1998 and
1999 at which to mark the Year and formulate action plans on ageing for the
twenty-first century;
8. Encourages relevant United Nations funds and programmes and the
specialized agencies to support local, national and international programmes and
projects for the Year;
9. Encourages the United Nations Development Programme to continue to
ensure that the concerns of older persons are integrated into its development
programmes;
10. Invites the International Research and Training Institute for the
Advancement of Women, the United Nations Research Institute for Social
Development and other relevant research institutes to consider preparing studies
on the four facets of the conceptual framework, namely, the situation of older
persons, lifelong individual development, multigenerational relationships and
the relationship between the ageing of populations and development, and requests
the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women
to continue its research on the situation of older women, including those in the
informal sector;
11. Encourages the Department of Public Information of the Secretariat to
launch, within existing resources, an information campaign for the Year;
12. Invites the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to
continue its work on ageing and the situation of older persons, as described in
its reports; 4/
13. Invites non-governmental organizations to develop programmes and
projects for the Year, particularly at the local level, in cooperation,
inter alia, with local authorities, community leaders, enterprises, the media
and schools;
14. Decides that henceforth the term "older persons" should be substituted
for the term "the elderly", in conformity with the United Nations Principles for
Older Persons, 5/ with the result that the Year and the Day concerned shall be
4/ Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 1994, Supplement
No. 3 (E/1994/23); ibid., 1995, Supplement No. 2 (E/1995/22 and Corr.1).
5/ Resolution 46/91, annex.
/...
A/50/628
English
Page 9
called the International Year of Older Persons and the International Day of
Older Persons, respectively;
15. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at
its fifty-second session on the preparations being made by Member States, United
Nations organizations and bodies and non-governmental organizations for the
observance of the Year.
DRAFT RESOLUTION II
Follow-up to the International Year of the Family
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions 44/82 of 8 December 1989, 45/133 of
14 December 1990, 46/92 of 16 December 1991 and 47/237 of 20 September 1993,
concerning the proclamation, preparations for and observance of the
International Year of the Family,
Taking note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-General on the
observance of the International Year of the Family, 6/
Bearing in mind the results of the International Conference on Population
and Development, 7/ the World Summit for Social Development 8/ and the Fourth
World Conference on Women, 9/ which note that the family is the basic unit of
society and as such should be strengthened, that it is entitled to receive
comprehensive protection and support, that in different cultural, political and
social systems various forms of family exist and that the rights, capabilities
and responsibilities of family members must be respected,
Noting the accomplishments resulting from the observance of the
International Year of the Family, inter alia, the new initiatives and long-term
activities in support of the family all over the world, in particular at the
local and national levels, and the value of international cooperation on family
issues,
1. Invites Governments to continue their action to build family-friendly
societies, inter alia, by promoting the rights of individual family members, in
particular gender equality and child protection and development;
6/ A/50/370.
7/ See Report of the International Conference on Population and
Development, Cairo, 5-13 September 1994 (United Nations publication, Sales
No. 95.XIII.8).
8/ A/CONF.166/9.
9/ A/CONF.177/20.
/...
A/50/628
English
Page 10
2. Urges Governments to ratify and accede to and to ensure implementation
of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women 10/ so that universal ratification can be achieved by the year 2000 and to
take urgent measures to achieve universal ratification of or accession to the
Convention on the Rights of the Child 11/ before the end of 1995, and urges
those who have not yet done so to become party to the Convention in order to
achieve universal implementation by the year 2000;
3. Welcomes the proposals, contained in the report of the Secretary-
General, 6/ on the follow-up to the International Year of the Family;
4. Invites the Commission for Social Development to consider how best to
integrate the follow-up to the International Year of the Family into its work
programme as laid out in Economic and Social Council resolution 1995/60 of
28 July 1995, taking into account the integrated follow-up of major United
Nations conferences, to form part of a holistic approach to development and
social progress;
5. Requests the Secretary-General:
(a) To submit proposals to the Commission for Social Development assisting
its work;
(b) To prepare a comprehensive document containing the family-related
provisions from the outcome of the World Summit for Children, 12/ the United
Nations Conference on Environment and Development, 13/ the World Conference on
Human Rights, 14/ the International Conference on Population and Development, 7/
the World Summit for Social Development, 8/ the Fourth World Conference on
Women, 9/ and the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II),
to be submitted to the Commission for Social Development at its thirty-fifth
session;
(c) To report to the General Assembly at its fifty-second session, through
the Commission for Social Development and the Economic and Social Council, on
the progress made on the follow-up to the International Year of the Family,
taking into account the promotion of integrated reporting;
10/ Resolution 34/180, annex.
11/ Resolution 44/25, annex.
12/ A/45/625, annex.
13/ See Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992 (A/CONF.151/26/Rev.1 (Vol. I and
Vol. I/Corr.1, Vol. II, Vol. III and Vol. III/Corr.1)) (United Nations
publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigenda).
14/ A/CONF.157/24.
/...
A/50/628
English
Page 11
(d) To continue the operation of the Voluntary Fund for the International
Year of the Family, to be renamed the United Nations Trust Fund on Family
Activities, to provide financial assistance for activities specific to the
family and projects of direct benefit to it, with special focus on least
developed and developing countries, giving particular attention to
non-traditional resources;
6. Calls upon Governments, as well as organizations, individuals and the
private sector, to contribute generously to the United Nations Trust Fund on
Family Activities.
DRAFT RESOLUTION III
Progress made and problems encountered in the struggle
against illiteracy: a mid-decade review
Cooperation to achieve education for all
The General Assembly,
Recalling that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 15/ and the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 16/ recognized as
inalienable the right of every individual to education,
Recalling also its resolutions 42/104 of 7 December 1987, by which it
proclaimed 1990 as International Literacy Year, and 44/127 of 15 December 1989
and 46/93 of 16 December 1991, in which it called for continuing international
efforts to promote literacy,
Recalling further its resolution 45/126 of 14 December 1990, in which it
called for strengthening efforts towards the elimination of illiteracy of women
of all ages,
Mindful of the fact that the eradication of illiteracy is one of the
paramount objectives of the International Development Strategy for the Fourth
United Nations Development Decade, 17/
Convinced that literacy, especially functional literacy, and adequate
education, represents an indispensable element for the development and
harnessing of science, technology and human resources for economic and social
progress,
15/ Resolution 217 A (III).
16/ Resolution 2200 A (XXI).
17/ Resolution 45/199, annex.
/...
A/50/628
English
Page 12
Confident that the International Literacy Year and the World Conference on
Education for All, held at Jomtien, Thailand, in 1990, 18/ resulted in increased
awareness and support for literacy efforts and became a turning-point in the
struggle for a literate world,
Underlining the importance of maintaining the momentum generated by the
Year and the spirit of partnership forged at the Jomtien Conference,
Welcoming the setting up of the International Consultative Forum on
Education for All entrusted with the task of monitoring the progress towards
education for all and promoting consultation and cooperation at the global
level,
Recognizing that despite the significant advances registered in the growth
of literacy rates in many parts of the world major problems still persist which
require greater mobilization of efforts at both national and international
levels to achieve the goal of education for all,
Stressing the importance of the effective implementation of the World
Declaration on Education for All, 19/ and the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization Plan of Action for the Eradication of
Illiteracy by the Year 2000 20/ as well as the relevant commitments and
recommendations to promote literacy contained, inter alia, in the Plan of Action
for Implementing the World Declaration on the Survival, Protection and
Development of Children in the 1990s, 21/ the Programme of Action of the
International Conference on Population and Development, 22/ the Copenhagen
Declaration and Programme of Action on Social Development, 23/ the Beijing
Declaration and Platform for Action on the advancement of women 24/ and the
18/ See Final Report of the World Conference on Education for All:
Meeting Basic Learning Needs, Jomtien, Thailand, 5-9 March 1990, Inter-Agency
Commission (UNDP, UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank) for the World Conference on
Education for All, New York, 1990.
19/ Ibid., appendix 1.
20/ See United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization,
Records of the General Conference, Twenty-fifth Session, vol. I, Resolutions,
p. 71.
21/ See A/45/625.
22/ Report of the International Conference on Population and Development,
Cairo, 5-13 September 1994 (United Nations publication, Sales No. 95.XIII.8),
chap. I, resolution 1, annex.
23/ A/CONF.166/9, chap. I, resolution 1, annexes.
24/ A/CONF.177/20, chap. I, resolution 1, annexes.
/...
A/50/628
English
Page 13
Delhi Declaration of the Education for All Summit of the Nine High-Population
Countries, 25/
1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General entitled "Progress
made and problems encountered in the struggle against illiteracy: a mid-decade
review"; 26/
2. Notes with appreciation the close collaboration and commendable work
being pursued as a follow-up to the International Literacy Year and the World
Conference on Education for All by the specialized agencies and other
organizations of the United Nations system, including the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the United Nations Children's
Fund and the United Nations Development Programme;
3. Commends those Governments which have launched national literacy
programmes and attained notable progress in meeting the objectives of the
International Literacy Year and those set forth in the World Declaration on
Education for All;
4. Invites Member States, specialized agencies and other organizations of
the United Nations system and relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations to further intensify their efforts to effectively implement the
World Declaration on Education for All, 19/ the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization Plan of Action for the Eradication of
Illiteracy by the Year 2000, 20/ as well as the relevant commitments and
recommendations to promote literacy contained, inter alia, in the Plan of Action
for Implementing the World Declaration on the Survival, Protection and
Development of Children in the 1990s, 21/ the Programme of Action of the
International Conference on Population and Development, 22/ the Copenhagen
Declaration and Programme of Action on Social Development, 23/ the Beijing
Declaration and Platform for Action on the advancement of women, 24/ and the
Delhi Declaration of the Education for All Summit of the Nine High-Population
Countries, 25/ with a view to better coordinating their activities and
increasing their contribution to development;
5. Appeals anew to Governments and economic and financial organizations
and institutions, both national and international, to lend greater financial and
material support to the efforts to increase literacy and achieve education for
all;
6. Calls upon the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization to continue assuming the role of lead organization in ensuring an
effective follow-up to the International Literacy Year and to pursue, in
cooperation with other sponsors of the World Conference on Education for All,
the implementation of the World Declaration on Education for All;
25/ A/CONF.166/PC.20/Add.13, annex II.
26/ A/50/181-E/1995/65.
/...
A/50/628
English
Page 14
7. Notes with satisfaction the firm commitment and active involvement of
many non-governmental organizations, the mass media and the private sector in
support of and follow-up to the International Literacy Year;
8. Requests the Secretary-General, in cooperation with the Director-
General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization,
to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-second session, in 1997, through
the Economic and Social Council, a progress report on the implementation process
of the education for all objectives, including the recommendations of the
International Consultative Forum on Education for All, taking into account the
possible measures, if any, to improve the reporting procedure;
9. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-second
session the question of cooperation towards education for all under the item on
social development.
DRAFT RESOLUTION IV
Towards full integration of persons with disabilities in society:
implementation of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of
Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities and of the Long-term
Strategy to Implement the World Programme of Action concerning
Disabled Persons to the Year 2000 and Beyond
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolution 48/96 of 20 December 1993, by which it adopted the
Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with
Disabilities,
Recalling also its resolution 37/52 of 3 December 1982, by which it adopted
the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, 27/
Recalling further all its relevant resolutions, including resolutions 37/53
of 3 December 1982, 46/96 of 16 December 1991, 47/88 of 16 December 1992, 48/95
and 48/99 of 20 December 1993 and 49/153 of 23 December 1994,
Noting resolution 34/2 of 20 April 1995 of the Commission for Social
Development, 28/ wherein it is stated, inter alia, that the Rules are to be
monitored within the framework of the sessions of the Commission, and that the
purpose of such monitoring is to further their effective implementation,
Noting with interest the initiative taken by non-governmental organizations
to develop a disability index based on the Standard Rules on the Equalization of
Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, as well as other activities related
27/ A/37/351/Add.1 and Corr.1, annex, sect. VIII, recommendation 1 (IV).
28/ See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 1995,
Supplement No. 4 (E/1995/24), chap. I, sect. E.
/...
A/50/628
English
Page 15
to the Standard Rules, and activities in support of the World Programme of
Action,
Welcoming the report of the Special Rapporteur of the Commission for Social
Development on monitoring the implementation of the Standard Rules and his
recommendation that in the coming two years the focus should be mainly on
legislation, coordination of work, organizations of persons with disabilities,
accessibility, education and employment, 29/
Welcoming the unreserved reaffirmation in the Vienna Declaration and
Programme of Action, adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights on
25 June 1993, 30/ of all the human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons
with disabilities, and the recognition in the Programme of Action of the
International Conference on Population and Development 31/ and the Programme of
Action of the World Summit for Social Development, 32/ of a pressing need, among
others, for the realization of the goals of full participation in society and
the equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities, as well as the
recognition by the Fourth World Conference on Women, held at Beijing from 4 to
15 September 1995, 33/ of the special needs of women with disabilities,
1. Recalls the recognition by the World Summit for Social Development of
the need to promote the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for
Persons with Disabilities;
2. Urges all Governments and organizations to continue to strengthen
their efforts to implement the Standard Rules by appropriate legal,
administrative and other measures, taking into account the integrated social
development strategy set out in the Programme of Action of the World Summit for
Social Development; 32/
3. Encourages Governments of Member States to respond to the
questionnaire sent by the Special Rapporteur of the Commission for Social
Development;
29/ See A/50/374, annex.
30/ Report of the World Conference on Human Rights, Vienna,
14-25 June 1993 (A/CONF.157/24 (Part I)), chap. III.
31/ Report of the International Conference on Population and Development,
Cairo, 5-13 September 1994 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.95.XIII.8),
chap. I, resolution 1, annex.
32/ See Report of the World Summit for Social Development, Copenhagen,
6-12 March 1995 (A/CONF.166/9), chap. I, resolution 1, annex II.
33/ See Report of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing,
4-15 September 1995 (A/CONF.177/20).
/...
A/50/628
English
Page 16
4. Encourages Member States to make voluntary contributions to the
Disability Fund to support initiatives on disability, including the important
work of the Special Rapporteur;
5. Calls upon Governments, when implementing the World Programme of
Action concerning Disabled Persons, 27/ to take into account the elements
suggested in the Long-term Strategy to Implement the World Programme of Action
concerning Disabled Persons to the Year 2000 and Beyond; 34/
6. Requests the Secretary-General to ensure appropriate support for the
effective functioning of the Long-term Strategy;
7. Encourages the use of communications networks for the dissemination to
civil society of the Standard Rules, the World Programme of Action and the Longterm
Strategy;
8. Encourages the Secretary-General, the Department for Policy
Coordination and Sustainable Development and the United Nations organizations
concerned, particularly the United Nations Development Programme, to continue
their efforts to facilitate the collection and transmission of relevant data to
be used to finalize, in consultation with Member States, the development of
global disability indicators, and requests the Secretary-General to submit a
report on this question to the General Assembly at its fifty-second session.
26. The Third Committee also recommends to the General Assembly the adoption of
the following draft decision:
Reports considered by the General Assembly in connection
with the question of social development, including
questions relating to the world social situation and to
youth, ageing, disabled persons and the family
The General Assembly takes note of the following reports:
(a) Report of the Secretary-General containing the interim report on the
world social situation; 35/
(b) Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the World
Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons. 36/
-----
34/ A/49/435, annex.
35/ A/50/84-E/1995/12.
36/ A/50/473.