Forty-ninth session
Agenda item 158
RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions 47/176 of 22 December 1992 and
48/186 of 21 December 1993 on the International Conference on
Population and Development, and 48/162 of 20 December 1993 on
the restructuring and revitalization of the United Nations in
the economic, social and related fields,
Recalling also Economic and Social Council resolutions
1989/91 of 26 July 1989, 1991/93 of 26 July 1991, 1992/37 of 30
July 1992, 1993/4 of 12 February 1993 and 1993/76 of 30 July 1993,
in which the Council decided on the convening, mandate and preparatory
process of the International Conference on Population and Development,
Recalling further Economic and Social Council decision
1994/227 of 14 July 1994, by which the Council approved the provisional
agenda and documentation for the twenty-eighth session of the
Population Commission, including discussion of the implications
of the recommendations of the International Conference on Population
and Development,
Recalling Economic and Social Council resolutions 3 (III)
of 3 October 1946, 150 (VII) of 10 August 1948 and 1985/4 of 28
May 1985 on the mandate of the Population Commission, as well
as 1763 (LIV) of 18 May 1973 and 1986/7 of 21 May 1986 on the
aims and purposes of the United Nations Population Fund,
Having considered the report of the International Conference
on Population and Development, 1/ held at Cairo, from 5 to 13
September 1994,
Reaffirming the importance of the outcome of the World
Population Conference, held at Bucharest in 1974, 2/ and the International
Conference on Population, held at Mexico City in 1984, 3/ and
acknowledging fully the integrated approach taken during the International
Conference on Population and Development, which recognizes the
interrelationship among population, sustained economic growth
and sustainable development,
Recognizing that the implementation of the recommendations
contained in the Programme of Action of the International Conference
on Population and Development 4/ is the sovereign right of every
country, in accordance with its national laws and development
priorities, with full respect for the various religious and ethical
values and cultural backgrounds of its peoples and in conformity
with universally recognized international human rights,
Expressing its belief in the contribution that the outcome
of the International Conference on Population and Development
will make to the forthcoming World Summit for Social Development,
the Fourth World Conference on Women and the second United Nations
Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II), in particular with
regard to the call for a greater investment in people and for
the empowerment of women to ensure their full participation at
all levels in the social, economic and political lives of their
communities,
Expressing its satisfaction at the fact that the International
Conference on Population and Development and its preparatory process
enabled the full and active involvement of States Members of the
United Nations and the specialized agencies, of observers and
various intergovernmental organizations and of representatives
of non-governmental organizations representing all regions of
the world,
Expressing its profound gratitude to the Government and
people of Egypt for the hospitality extended to the participants
at the Conference and for the facilities, staff and services placed
at their disposal,
1. Takes note with satisfaction of the report of the International
Conference on Population and Development; 1/
2. Endorses the Programme of Action of the International
Conference on Population and Development 4/ adopted on 13 September
1994;
3. Acknowledges the contribution made by the Secretary-General
of the United Nations and the Secretary-General of the Conference
to the successful organization of the Conference;
4. Affirms that, in the implementation of the Programme
of Action, Governments should commit themselves at the highest
political level to achieving its goals and objectives, which reflect
a new, integrated approach to population and development, and
take a lead role in coordinating the implementation, monitoring
and evaluation of follow-up actions;
5. Calls upon all Governments, organizations of the United
Nations system and other major groups concerned with population
and development issues, including intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations, parliamentarians and other community leaders, to
give the widest possible dissemination to the Programme of Action
and to seek public support for its goals, objectives and actions;
6. Fully acknowledges that the factors of population, health,
education, poverty, patterns of production and consumption, empowerment
of women and the environment are closely interconnected and should
be considered through an integrated approach, and that the follow-up
to the Conference must reflect this fact;
7. Urges all countries to consider their current spending
priorities with a view to making additional contributions for
the implementation of the Programme of Action, taking into account
the provisions of chapters XIII and XIV thereof and the economic
constraints faced by developing countries, in particular the least
developed among them;
8. Acknowledges the importance of the subregional and regional
activities undertaken during the preparations for the Conference,
including the regional strategies, plans and declarations adopted
as part of that process, and invites the regional commissions,
other regional and subregional organizations and the development
banks to examine the results of the Conference within their respective
mandates, for the follow-up and implementation of the Programme
of Action at the regional level;
9. Emphasizes that international cooperation in the field
of population and development is essential for the implementation
of the recommendations adopted at the Conference, and in this
context calls upon the international community to provide, both
bilaterally and multilaterally, adequate and substantial support
and assistance for population and development activities, including
through the United Nations Population Fund and other organs and
organizations of the United Nations system and the specialized
agencies that will be involved in the implementation, at all levels,
of the Programme of Action;
10. Calls upon the organs and organizations of the United
Nations system and the specialized agencies to undertake the actions
required to give full and effective support to the implementation
of the Programme of Action;
11. Emphasizes the need to maintain and enhance effective
partnership with non-governmental groups and organizations so
as to ensure their continued contributions and cooperation within
all aspects of population and development, and urges all countries
to establish appropriate national follow-up mechanisms, in partnership
with non-governmental organizations, community groups and representatives
of the media and the academic community, and to seek the support
of parliamentarians, so as to ensure the full implementation of
the Programme of Action;
12. Recognizes the importance of South-South cooperation
in the implementation of the Programme of Action;
13. Also recognizes that the effective implementation of
the Programme of Action will require an increased commitment of
financial resources, both domestically and externally, and in
this context calls upon the developed countries to complement
the national financial efforts of developing countries on population
and development and intensify their efforts to transfer new and
additional resources to the developing countries, in accordance
with the relevant provisions of the Programme of Action, in order
to ensure that population and development objectives and goals
are met;
14. Acknowledges that countries with economies in transition
should receive temporary assistance for population and development
activities in view of the difficult economic and social problems
faced by these countries at present, and therefore suggests that
the specialized agencies and all related organizations of the
United Nations system should adjust, on this basis, their programmes
and activities in line with the Programme of Action and take appropriate
measures to ensure its full and effective implementation;
15. Emphasizes the importance of the early identification
and allocation of financial resources by all members of the international
community, including regional financial institutions, to enable
them to fulfil their commitments with regard to the implementation
of the Programme of Action;
16. Requests the Secretary-General to consult with the
various bodies of the United Nations system, as well as with international
financial institutions and various bilateral aid organizations
and agencies, with a view to promoting an exchange of information
among them on the requirements for international assistance, reviewing
on a regular basis the specific needs of countries in the field
of population and development and maximizing the availability
of resources and their most effective utilization;
17. Invites the Secretary-General to ensure that adequate
resources are provided for the Conference follow-up activities
to be carried out by the Secretariat during 1995;
18. Requests the Secretary-General to prepare periodic
reports for the substantive sessions of the Economic and Social
Council on the flow of financial resources for assisting in the
implementation of the Programme of Action and to promote the exchange
of information on the requirements for international assistance
among the members of the donor community;
19. Urges the international community to promote a supportive
international economic environment by adopting favourable macroeconomic
policies for promoting sustained economic growth and sustainable
development;
20. Stresses the importance of continued and enhanced cooperation
and coordination by all relevant organs, organizations and programmes
of the United Nations system and the specialized agencies in the
implementation of the Programme of Action;
21. Emphasizes the need for follow-up activities relating
to the Conference and the Programme of Action so as to utilize,
to the fullest extent possible, existing capacity within the United
Nations system in the area of population and development, including
the Population Commission, the Population Division of the Department
for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis of the
Secretariat and the United Nations Population Fund, as well as
other organizations, programmes and funds of the United Nations
and the specialized agencies whose support and commitment are
required for the successful implementation of the full range of
activities outlined in the Programme of Action;
22. Requests the specialized agencies and all related organizations
of the United Nations system to review and, where necessary, adjust
their programmes and activities in line with the Programme of
Action and take appropriate measures to ensure its full and effective
implementation, taking into account the specific needs of developing
countries, and invites them to report to the Economic and Social
Council at its substantive session of 1995 for coordination purposes
and to the General Assembly at its fiftieth session for policy
implications;
23. Decides that the General Assembly, through its role
in policy formulation, the Economic and Social Council, through
its role in overall guidance and coordination, in accordance with
Assembly resolution 48/162, and a revitalized Population Commission
shall constitute a three-tiered intergovernmental mechanism that
will play the primary role in the follow-up to the implementation
of the Programme of Action, keeping in mind the need to develop
a common framework for a coherent follow-up to United Nations
summits and conferences, and to this end:
(a) The General Assembly, being the highest intergovernmental mechanism for the formulation and appraisal of policy on matters relating to the follow-up to the International Conference on Population and Development, will organize a regular review of the implementation of the Programme of Action;
(b) The Economic and Social Council, in assisting the General Assembly, will promote an integrated approach, provide system-wide coordination and guidance in the monitoring of the implementation of the Programme of Action and make recommendations thereon;
(c) The revitalized Population Commission, as a functional commission assisting the Economic and Social Council, will monitor, review and assess the implementation of the Programme of Action at the national, regional and international levels and advise the Council thereon;
24. Also decides that, to emphasize the new and comprehensive
approach to population and development embodied in the Programme
of Action, the revitalized Population Commission shall be renamed
the Commission on Population and Development;
25. Further decides that the Commission on Population and
Development shall meet on an annual basis, beginning in 1996;
26. Recommends that the Economic and Social Council review,
at its substantive session of 1995, the Commission's terms of
reference and mandate so as to bring them fully into line with
the provisions of paragraph 23 (c) above;
27. Also recommends that the Economic and Social Council,
pursuant to the decisions made on the terms of reference and enhanced
mandate of the revitalized Commission, should consider at its
substantive session of 1995 the composition of the Commission,
in order to ensure that the Commission fully fulfils its functions
as provided in paragraph 23, taking into account the integrated
multidisciplinary and comprehensive approach of the Programme
of Action as well as the membership of the other functional commissions
of the Council;
28. Requests the Economic and Social Council, at its substantive
session of 1995, to consider:
(a) The establishment of a separate executive board of the United Nations Population Fund;
(b) The submission of recommendations to the Secretary-General concerning secretariat support and coordination arrangements for the United Nations system;
(c) The submission of recommendations to the Secretary-General regarding the establishment of an appropriate inter-agency coordination, collaboration and harmonization mechanism for the implementation of the Programme of Action;
29. Also requests the Economic and Social Council, at
its substantive session of 1995, to review the reporting procedures
within the United Nations system regarding population and development
issues, including a quinquennial review and appraisal of the progress
made in achieving the goals and objectives of the Programme of
Action, in order to ensure full support for its implementation,
bearing in mind the reporting procedures for all United Nations
conferences in the economic and social field;
30. Requests the Secretary-General, in consultation with
States, to prepare a report on institutional follow-up issues
and reporting procedures in the United Nations system, to be submitted
to the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session
of 1995;
31. Requests the Economic and Social Council:
(a) To discuss the relevant matters concerning the implementation of population and development programmes, as well as matters concerning harmonization, cooperation and collaboration within the United Nations system regarding the implementation of the Programme of Action;
(b) To discuss the reports submitted by the different bodies and organs on various matters related to the Programme of Action;
32. Invites the governing body of the United Nations
Population Fund to oversee, on a regular basis, the response of
the Fund to the needs of countries regarding activities to strengthen
national population and development programmes, including the
specific requests from developing countries for assistance in
the preparation of national reports, within its area of competence,
and to report to the Economic and Social Council on this matter;
33. Calls upon the programmes of the United Nations system
and the regional commissions and funds to provide their full and
active support to the implementation of the Programme of Action,
particularly at the field level, through the United Nations resident
coordinator system, and invites the relevant specialized agencies
to do the same;
34. Requests the Commission on Population and Development,
at its twenty-eighth session, to review, within its area of competence,
the Programme of Action and its implications and to transmit its
views to the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session
of 1995;
35. Requests the Secretary-General to report, through the
Economic and Social Council, to the General Assembly at its fiftieth
session on the implementation of the present resolution;
36. Decides to include in the agenda of its forthcoming
sessions, within existing clusters, an item entitled "Implementation
of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on
Population and Development".
92nd plenary meeting
19 December 1994
1/ A/CONF.171/13 and Add.1. 95-76603
2/ See Report of the United Nations World Population Conference,
Bucharest, 19-30 August 1974 (United Nations publication, Sales
No. E.75.XIII.3).
3/ See Report of the International Conference on Population, 1984,
Mexico City, 6-14 August 1984 (United Nations publication, Sales
No. E.84.XIII.8 and corrigenda).
4/ A/CONF.171/13, chap. I, resolution 1, annex. .