National experience in promoting the co-operative movement.

31. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE THIRD COMMITTEE*
37. National experience in promoting the co-operative movement

The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 2459 (XXIII) of 20 December 1968 and 3273 (XXIX) of 10 December 1974 and Economic and Social Council resolution 1668 (LII) of 1 June 1972, Recalling the objective expressed in Article 55 of the Charter of the United Nations to promote higher standards of living, full employment and conditions of economic and social progress and development for the purpose of favourably influencing the welfare of peoples as well as the peaceful and friendly relations among nations, Recalling the Declaration and the Programme of Action for the Establishment of a New International Economic Order[1] and the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States,[2] Recognizing that the expansion of the co-operative movement in the promotion of social and economic progress is closely linked to structural and institutional reforms which, inter alia, aim at equitable distribution of income, popular participation in the development process and equality of opportunity to contribute to and benefit from the fruits of development, Underlining the appeal to States contained in article 6 of the Declaration on Social Progress and Development[3] that social progress and development require the participation of all members of society in productive and socially useful labour and the establishment, in conformity with human rights and fundamental freedoms and with the principles of justice and the social function of property, of forms of ownership of land and of the means of production which preclude any kind of exploitation of man, ensure equal rights to property for all and create conditions leading to genuine equality among people, Welcoming the recommendation contained in the Programme of Action[4] adopted by the Tripartite World Conference on Employment, Income Distribution, Social Progress and the International Division of Labour, held at Geneva from 4 to 17 June 1976, that greater importance should be given to the development of cooperatives within the framework of national measures, Taking note of the progress made by the co-operative movement, both in developed and developing countries, and the contribution made by it in promoting collective self-reliance and mutually beneficial interdependence, Recognizing the social and economic benefits accruing from producers', consumers', credit, multipurpose and other kinds of co-operatives to all sections of society and, more particularly, to the middle-income and low-income groups, Stressing the need to assist the rapid development of the multipurpose co-operative movement, particularly in the agricultural and allied rural sectors of economic and social life in the developing countries, Drawing attention to the lasting benefits enjoyed by large sections of society in urban and rural areas in many parts of the world owing to the noteworthy expansion in co-operative housing projects in the last three decades, and the considerable potential for further activity in this field, Bearing in mind the positive experience which many countries have already gained in implementing agrarian reforms and in promoting the co-operative movement and which would be conducive to the establishment of the new international economic order and to the realization of the objectives of the Second United Nations Development Decade,[5]

1. Recognizes the necessity to pay due attention to the international exchange of experience in the growth and further development and diversification of the cooperative movement;

2. Invites Governments and relevant specialized agencies to report to the Secretary-General on their experience in promoting the co-operative movement and in building the necessary socio-economic infrastructure for it;

3. Requests the Secretary-General, in co-operation with Member States, to submit to the General Assembly at its thirty-third session, through the Economic and Social Council, a report on their national experience in promoting the co-operative movement and on the results so far achieved by international co-operation in this field;

4. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-third session the item entitled "National experience in achieving far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress" and to consider under this item the report of the Secretary-General on national experience in promoting the co-operative movement.

83rd plenary meeting
30 November 1976

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[1] Resolutions 3201 (S-VI) and 3202 (S-VI). [2] Resolution 3281 (XXIX). [3] Resolution 2542 (XXIV). [4] See E/5857. [5] See E/5597.