| United Nations | A/RES/37/51 |
General Assembly
Distr. GENERAL
3 December 1982
ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH
A/RES/37/51
3 December 1982
Question of aging
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolution 33/52 of 14 December 1978, in which it
decided to convene a World Assembly on Aging to call world-wide attention
to the serious problems besetting a growing portion of the population of
the world and to provide a forum to launch an international programme of
action aimed at guaranteeing economic and social security to older
persons, as well as opportunities for them to contribute to national
development,
Recognizing that increasing longevity is a biological achievement
and a sign of progress, and that the aged are an asset and not a
liability to society because of the invaluable contribution they can give
by virtue of their accumulated wealth of knowledge and experience,
Bearing in mind that countries gathered in the World Assembly on
Aging reaffirmed their belief that the fundamental and invaluable rights
enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights apply fully
and undiminishedly to the aging, and recognize that the quality of life
is no less important than longevity, and that the aging should therefore,
as far as possible, be enabled to enjoy in their own families and
communities a life of fulfilment, health, security and contentment,
appreciated as an integral part of society,
Convinced that the Vienna International Plan of Action on Aging
adopted by the World Assembly on Aging, must lead to developing and
applying, at the international, regional and national levels, policies
designed to enhance the lives of the aging as individuals and to
mitigate, by appropriate measures, any negative effects resulting from
the impact of the aging of populations on development,
Recognizing that the Plan of Action should be considered an integral
component of the major international, regional and national strategies
and programmes formulated in response to important world problems and
needs,
Recalling its resolutions 35/129 of 11 December 1980, in which it
established a trust fund for preparatory and follow-up activities of the
World Assembly on Aging, and 36/20 of 9 November 1981, in which it
requested the Secretary-General to use the Trust Fund to encourage
further interest in the field of aging among developing countries,
particularly the least developed among them, within the context of the
conclusions and recommendations of the World Assembly on Aging,
Acknowledging the role played by the United Nations and the
specialized agencies through their efforts in the field of aging and the
need to strengthen this role in order to make the implementation of the
recommendations of the Plan of Action effective,
Emphasizing the importance of the Vienna International Plan of
Action on Aging and stressing the spirit of co-operation that prevailed
during the World Assembly on Aging,
Expressing appreciation to the Government of Austria for hosting the
World Assembly on Aging,
Having considered the report of the World Assembly on Aging, held at
Vienna from 26 July to 6 August 1982,
1. Takes note of the report of the World Assembly on Aging;
2. Endorses the Vienna International Plan of Action on Aging
contained in the report and adopted by consensus at the World Assembly on
Aging;
3. Affirms that aging should be considered in the context of
economic, social and cultural development, as well as in the context of
international strategies and plans;
4. Calls upon Governments to make continuous efforts to implement
the principles and recommendations contained in the Plan of Action as
adopted by the World Assembly on Aging in accordance with their national
structures, needs and objectives;
5. Requests the Secretary-General to take the necessary steps to
ensure that sufficient resources within reasonable limits are made
available for the effective implementation of, and follow-up action to,
the Plan of Action as well as to maintain the momentum generated by the
World Assembly on Aging; in doing so, the Secretary-General should make
every effort to reallocate existing global resources;
6. Also requests the Secretary-General to take such steps as may
be appropriate for the necessary strengthening of activities in the field
of aging at the central and regional levels of the United Nations as set
forth in the Plan of Action;
7. Further requests the Secretary-General to strengthen the
international network of existing information, research and training
centres in the field of aging in order to encourage and facilitate the
exchange of knowledge, skills and experiences, as well as technical
co-operation among countries within various regions;
8. Urges the Secretary-General to implement the recommendations
concerning international co-operation with respect to aging, as well as
the assessment, review and appraisal of the implementation of the Plan of
Action, using the Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs
of the Secretariat as the focal point;
9. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to use the Trust
Fund to meet the rapidly increasing needs of the aging in the developing
countries, in particular in the least developed ones;
10. Also requests the Secretary-General to use the Trust Fund to
encourage greater interest among developing countries in matters related
to aging and to assist Member States, at their request, in formulating
and implementing policies and programmes for the elderly; further
requests the Secretary-General to use the Trust Fund for technical
co-operation and research related to the aging of populations and for
promoting co-operation among developing countries in the exchange of
relevant information and technology;
11. Appeals to Member States to make voluntary contributions to the
Trust Fund;
12. Urges the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, in
co-operation with all organizations responsible for international
population assistance, to strengthen its assistance, within its mandate,
in the field of aging, particularly in developing countries;
13. Requests the Economic and Social Council, through the
Commission for Social Development, to review the implementation of the
Plan of Action every four years, beginning in 1985, and to transmit its
findings to the General Assembly;
14. Invites the specialized agencies concerned to co-operate with
the Secretary-General in the implementation of the Plan of Action within
their fields of competence;
15. Invites also the intergovernmental organizations and
non-governmental organizations concerned to continue to give attention to
major issues related to aging and to co-ordinate their work with the
United Nations, particularly in view of the need for well co-ordinated
activities for the implementation of the Plan of Action;
16. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General
Assembly at its thirty-eighth session on the progress achieved in
implementing and following up the Plan of Action and to include in his
report an account of project activities financed by the Trust Fund;
17. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its
thirty-eighth session a single item entitled "Question of aging" to
replace the items "Question of the elderly and the aged" and "World
Assembly on Aging".