International Year of the Child.

  • Author: UN General Assembly (34th sess. : 1979-1980)
  • Document source:
  • Date:
    18 October 1979

34. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED WITHOUT REFERENCE TO A MAIN COMMITTEE
4. International Year of the Child

The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 2626 (XXV) of 24 October 1970, containing the International Development Strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade, 3201 (S-VI) and 3202 (S-VI) of 1 May 1974, containing the Declaration and the Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order, 3281 (XXIX) of 12 December 1974, containing the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States, and 3362 (S-VII) of 16 September 1975 on development and international economic co-operation, Recalling also its resolution 31/169 of 21 December 1976, in which it proclaimed the year 1979 International Year of the Child and laid down the general objectives of the Year, Recalling further its resolution 33/83 of 15 December 1978 and the resolutions referred to therein, and also Economic and Social Council resolution 1979/57 of 3 August 1979, Mindful of the fact that 1979 is also the twentieth anniversary of the adoption by the United Nations of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, contained in General Assembly resolution 1386 (XIV) of 20 November 1959, Mindful also of its resolution 33/166 of 20 December 1978 entitled "Question of a convention on the rights of the child", Aware that adequate maternity care is an important contribution to the creation of a total environment which would ensure equal opportunity at birth to every child for its harmonious development and preparation for life, Mindful of the vital link between programmes benefiting children and the observance of their rights, and the broader and more comprehensive framework of overall economic and social development in conditions of peace, Recognizing in this regard that the observance of the Year has contributed towards the reaffirmation of the goals of a new international economic order, Recognizing also that the situation of children in the developing countries depends on the economic and social development of those countries and consequently on the establishment of a new international economic order, Deeply gratified by the world-wide response of the international community in observing the Year as a first essential step towards achieving the longer-range objectives of the Year, while also highlighting the international co-operative efforts towards the improvement of the well-being of children and the attainment of the harmonious development of their personalities, Bearing in mind the conclusions and recommendations of the International Seminar on Children under Apartheid, held in Paris from 18 to 20 June 1979[1] at the headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, in observance of the Year, Noting that the approach adopted by the United Nations in organizing the Year contributed to its success, Convinced that the fresh and necessary impetus to activities, generated by the Year, should be maintained and that the new perspectives it has created should be followed by appropriate action in the years to come, Having considered the report of the Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund on the International Year of the Child,[2]

1. Expresses its deep satisfaction to all Governments which elaborated national programmes for the implementation of the aims of the International Year of the Child and to those among them which became initiators of major regional and other international events;

2. Expresses also its deep appreciation to the United Nations Children's Fund, the lead agency, and to the Executive Director of the Fund and his Special Representative for the International Year of the Child and her staff, and commends the efforts of other concerned organizations of the United Nations system and the contributions made by non-governmental organizations;

3. Urges Governments to make every effort to consolidate and to build further on the results of the Year in order to achieve lastingly increased benefits for children by such measures, where appropriate, as:

(a) Planning for programmes and services benefiting children, including integrated mother and child health care, in their national planning for social and economic development;

(b) Further identifying, defining and documenting the situation of children;

(c) Setting specific national targets and goals for meeting the needs of children, inter alia, in the fields of health and education and for the development of their intellectual and cultural abilities;

(d) Increasing budgetary provision for programmes benefiting children by reviewing and/or revising present priorities;

4. Recognizes the importance of assisting and protecting the family as a basic unit of society and the natural environment for the development and welfare of all its members, especially the children;

5. Requests Governments and organizations to develop special programmes of assistance to the children oppressed by the inhuman policy of apartheid;

6. Urges Governments and organizations providing assistance to developing countries through the United Nations Children's Fund and other channels to review their policies, in order to give more recognition to programmes benefiting children, and to increase the flow of such assistance;

7. Stresses the importance of following up the experience and activities of the Year through long-term plans and action to improve the situation of children in the world, particularly in the developing countries;

8. Designates the United Nations Children's Fund as the lead agency of the United Nations system responsible for co-ordinating the development aspects of the follow-up activities of the Year, in consultation with the Director-General for Development and International Economic Co-operation, within their respective spheres of competence;

9. Notes that the Executive Board of the United Nations Children's Fund will consider the scope of the Fund's co-operation with countries as a follow-up to the Year;

10. Requests Governments and organs and organizations of the United Nations system to evaluate and follow up the impact of the Year on their activities, and to inform the Secretary-General, who will report thereon to the General Assembly at its thirty-fifth session;

11. Invites non-governmental organizations to continue and expand their programmes related to children in order to maintain the momentum generated by the Year;

12. Requests the Preparatory Committee for the New International Development Strategy, in elaborating its goals and objectives, to take into account the importance of the interests of children and of meeting their needs.

39th plenary meeting
18 October 1979


[1] A/34/512, annex. [2] See A/34/452 and Add.l.
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