General Assembly

Distr. GENERAL  

23 November 1984

ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH

                                                   A/RES/39/25
                                                   23 November 1984
                                                   Meeting no. 71
                          Question of aging
 
     The General Assembly,
 
     Reaffirming its resolution 38/27 of 22 November 1983, in which it called
upon Governments to make efforts to implement the principles and
recommendations contained in the International Plan of Action on Aging in
accordance with their economic, social and cultural systems and social values
and changes, taking into account the circumstances of each country,
 
     Reaffirming its resolution 37/51 of 3 December 1982, in which it
requested the Secretary-General to continue to use the United Nations Trust
Fund for the World Assembly on Aging so as to assist countries, in particular
developing countries and least developed countries, in formulating and
implementing policies and programmes for aging in order to meet the rapidly
increasing needs of older persons,
 
     Recognizing 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, especially at the regional level, in order to ensure the
implementation of the Plan of Action and the systematic and efficient
functioning of the technical advisory and co-ordination services of the United
Nations, 
 
     Recalling recommendation 58 of the recommendations for the further
implementation of the World Population Plan of Action, adopted at the
International Conference on Population, 1984, which urged Governments to make
further efforts to analyse the issue of aging, particularly its implications
for overall development, social services, medical care and other related
fields,
 
     Reconfirming that aging is a population issue which affects development
and is affected by it,
 
     Recognizing the increasing awareness of aging issues in many countries
and of the need to provide national authorities, at their request, with
technical and financial assistance in their efforts to implement policies and
programmes,
 
     Stressing the importance of the activities of the United Nations Trust
Fund for the World Assembly on Aging towards the realization of the goals and
objectives of the Plan of Action,
 
     Acknowledging that aging is an interdisciplinary issue and that the
United Nations and the specialized agencies must ensure a well co-ordinated
international response to this question,
 
     Confident that the first review of the Plan of Action, to be undertaken
by the Commission for Social Development at its twenty-ninth session in 1985,
will be of considerable value in view of further measures with regard to the
question of aging,
 
     Noting with satisfaction that the question of older women will be
considered at the World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of
the United Nations Decade for Women to be held in 1985,
 
     Noting that the Plan of Action recognizes the relationship between aging
and youth, particularly as it relates to intergenerational matters,
 
     Appreciating the role of non-governmental organizations in promoting
international awareness of and action on the issues of aging,
 
     1.   Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the question of
aging;
 
     2.   Calls upon Governments to consider the changing age structure of the
population in their plans for economic and social development;
 
     3.   Invites Governments to retain or establish appropriate mechanisms at
the national level to promote an effective and co-ordinated response to the
implementation of the principles and the recommendations contained in the
International Plan of Action on Aging;
 
     4.   Requests the Secretary-General to continue his efforts for the
implementation of the Plan of Action at the national, regional and
international levels and to continue to promote the United Nations Trust Fund
for the World Assembly on Aging so as to assist countries in formulating and
implementing policies and programmes for aging;
 
     5.   Invites Governments to continue, and increase when possible, their
contributions to the Trust Fund and calls upon Governments that have not yet
done so to consider contributing to the Fund;
 
     6.   Requests the Secretary-General to continue to promote the exchange
of information and experience in order to stimulate progress in the field of
aging, to encourage the adoption of measures to respond to the economic and
social implications of aging and to meet the needs of older persons;
 
     7.   Urges the Secretary-General to include advisory services to
developing countries that request them in technical co-operation programmes,
to the extent feasible under the funding of those programmes;
 
     8.   Also requests the Secretary-General to continue to promote, in
co-operation with the national committees concerned, joint activities in the
field of aging and youth, particularly as they relate to intergenerational
matters, especially during the International Youth Year, to be observed in
1985;
 
     9.   Further requests the Secretary-General to ensure a well co-ordinated
system-wide response in implementing the provisions of the Plan of Action;
 
     10.  Urges the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, in
co-operation with all organizations responsible for international population
assistance, to continue its assistance, within its mandate, in the field of
aging, particularly in developing countries;
 
     11.  Invites the regional commissions and specialized agencies to
continue contributing to the realization of the objectives of the Plan of
Action;
 
     12.  Invites the non-governmental organizations concerned to join in the
co-operative effort to implement the Plan of Action and accomplish its
objectives;
 
     13.  Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at
its fortieth session on the measures taken to implement the present
resolution, taking into consideration the first review of the Plan of Action
to be undertaken by the Commission for Social Development at its twenty-ninth
session in 1985;
 
     14.  Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fortieth session
the item entitled "Question of aging".