General Assembly

Distr. GENERAL  

8 December 1989

ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH

                                                        A/RES/44/82
                                                        78th plenary meeting
                                                        8 December 1989
 
                     International Year of the Family
 
      The General Assembly,
 
      Guided by the resolve of the peoples of the United Nations to promote
 social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom, with a view to
 the creation of conditions of stability and well-being, which are necessary
 for peaceful and friendly relations between nations,
 
      Guided also by the relevant provisions of the Universal Declaration of
 Human Rights,the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
 Rights and the Declaration on Social Progress and Development, according
 to which the widest possible protection and assistance should be accorded to
 the family,
 
      Bearing in mind its resolution 42/49 of 30 November 1987 and Economic and
 Social Council resolutions 1988/46 of 27 May 1988 and 1989/71 of 24 May 1989
 entitled "Achievement of social justice",
 
      Bearing in mind also the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the
 Advancement of Women and recalling that by its resolution 42/125 of
 7 December 1987 it endorsed for action the Guiding Principles for
 Developmental Social Welfare Policies and Programmes in the Near Future,
 which called for social welfare policies to give greater attention to the
 family, 
 
      Recognizing the efforts of Governments at the local, regional and
 national levels in carrying out specific programmes concerning the family, in
 which the United Nations may have an important role to play, and in raising
 awareness, increasing understanding and promoting policies that improve the
 position and well-being of the family,
 
      Recalling its resolutions 42/134 of 7 December 1987 and 43/135 of
 8 December 1988 on the need to enhance international co-operation in the field
 of the protection of and assistance to the family, as well as Economic and
 Social Council resolutions 1983/23 of 26 May 1983 and 1985/29 of 29 May 1985,
 and taking note of Council resolution 1989/54 of 24 May 1989,
 
      Taking into account its decision 35/424 of 5 December 1980 and Economic
 and Social Council resolution 1980/67 of 25 July 1980 concerning guidelines
 for international years and anniversaries,
 
      Taking note with interest and appreciation of the report of the
 Secretary-General prepared in pursuance of its resolution 43/135,
 
      1.   Proclaims 1994 as International Year of the Family;
 
      2.   Decides that the major activities for the observance of the Year
 should be concentrated at the local, regional and national levels and assisted
 by the United Nations and its system of organizations, with a view to creating
 among Governments, policy-makers and the public a greater awareness of the
 family as the natural and fundamental unit of society;
 
      3.   Endorses the main recommendations, objectives and principles for the
 observance of the Year, as contained in the comprehensive outline of a
 possible programme for the Year;
 
      4.   Invites all Governments, specialized agencies, intergovernmental and
 non-governmental organizations concerned, as well as interested national
 organizations, to exert all possible efforts in the preparation for and
 observance of the Year and to co-operate with the Secretary-General in
 achieving the objectives of the Year;
 
      5.   Requests the Secretary-General to prepare, on the basis of his
 report and in consultation with Member States, concerned specialized agencies
 and interested intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, a draft
 programme for the preparation for and observance of the Year and to submit a
 progress report thereon to the General Assembly at its forty-fifth session;
 
      6.   Also requests the Secretary-General to take specific measures,
 through all the communication media at his disposal, to give widespread
 publicity to the activities of the United Nations system in the area of family
 issues and to increase the dissemination of information on this subject;
 
      7.   Designates the Commission for Social Development as the preparatory
 body and the Economic and Social Council as the co-ordinating body for the
 International Year of the Family;
 
      8.   Decides to consider the report of the Secretary-General at its
 forty-fifth session under an item entitled "International Year of the Family".