Implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons.

 

RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons

  The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 32/133 of 16 December 1977 and 34/154 of 17 December 1979, by which it appealed to Member States to make generous voluntary contributions to the International Year of Disabled Persons, Recalling also its resolution 36/77 of 8 December 1981, by which it welcomed the contributions made by Governments and private sources to the United Nations Trust Fund for the International Year of Disabled Persons and appealed for further voluntary contributions which would facilitate the follow-up to the Year, Deeply concerned that no less than five hundred million persons are estimated to suffer from disability of one form or another, of whom four hundred million are estimated to be in developing countries, Convinced that the International Year of Disabled Persons gave a genuine and meaningful impetus to activities related to the equalization of opportunities for disabled persons, as well as prevention and rehabilitation at all levels, Noting the emergence of organizations of disabled persons in all parts of the world and their positive influence on the image and condition of persons with a disability, Desirous of ensuring effective follow-up to the International Year of Disabled Persons and aware that, if this is to be achieved, Member States, organs, organizations and agencies of the United Nations system, non-governmental organizations and organizations of disabled persons must therefore be encouraged to continue the activities already undertaken and to initiate new programmes and activities, Stressing that the primary responsibility for promoting effective measures for the prevention of disability, rehabilitation and the realization of the goals of "full participation" of disabled persons in social life and development and of "equality" rests with individual countries and that international action should be directed towards assisting and supporting national efforts in this regard, such as consultative services in designing national plans and programmes in the field of disability prevention, rehabilitation and the equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities, Reiterating its appreciation to the Advisory Committee for the International Year of Disabled Persons for its work, in particular for its contribution to the formulation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, Recalling its resolution 37/52 of 3 December 1982, by which it adopted the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, which, in paragraph 157, states that the Trust Fund established by the General Assembly for the International Year of Disabled Persons should be used to meet requests for assistance from developing countries and organizations of disabled persons and to further the implementation of the World Programme of Action, and, in paragraph 158, indicates that, in general, there is a need to increase the flow of resources to developing countries to implement the objectives of the World Programme of Action, that, therefore, the Secretary-General should explore new ways and means of raising funds and take the necessary follow-up measures for mobilizing resources, and that voluntary contributions from Governments and from private sources should be encouraged, Recalling further its resolution 37/53 of 3 December 1982, by which it proclaimed the period 1983-1992 United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons as a long-term plan of action, on the understanding that no additional resources from the United Nations system would be needed for this purpose, and encouraged Member States to utilize this period as one of the means to implement the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, Concerned that developing countries are experiencing increasing difficulties in mobilizing adequate resources for meeting pressing needs in the field of disability prevention, rehabilitation and equalization of opportunities for the millions of persons with disabilities, in the face of pressing demands from other high-priority sectors concerned with basic needs, Convinced that the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons should give a strong impetus to the implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons and to a broader understanding of its importance, Noting Economic and Social Council resolution 1983/19 of 26 May 1983, in which the Secretary-General was requested to monitor and support the implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons by enlisting extrabudgetary resources, Noting with great appreciation the many generous voluntary contributions and pledges already made by Governments, organizations and individuals, Noting also with appreciation the report of the Secretary-General on the results achieved so far by the United Nations Trust Fund for the International Year of Disabled Persons during the Year and its follow-up activities, Recognizing that the Trust Fund is an important instrument for the implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons,

1. Recognizes the desirability of the continuation of the United Nations Trust Fund for the International Year of Disabled Persons throughout the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons for the benefit of disabled persons, particularly those in developing countries;

2. Decides that the Trust Fund should continue its activities pending a report by the Secretary-General to the General Assembly at its thirty-ninth session, which should include recommendations for the further implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, the funding of such activities by voluntary contributions, the possible terms of reference of a trust fund for the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons, the implementation of the provisions contained in Assembly resolution 36/77 concerning the organization of support services for technical co-operation in favour of disabled persons, as well as the organization of task forces mentioned in Assembly resolution 37/53;

3. Stresses the need for the administration of the Trust Fund to continue to be carried out as an integral part of the substantive responsibilities for disability matters discharged by the Secretariat;

4. Recommends that the resources of the Trust Fund should be geared, within the framework of the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons, towards the implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons and towards helping persons with disabilities to organize themselves, towards assisting in implementing support and consultative services for technical co-operation and inter-organizational task forces, as mentioned in resolutions 36/77 and 37/53, and towards strengthening the activities of the regional commissions in the field of disability prevention and the advancement of persons with disabilities;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to take the necessary steps to strengthen the Trust Fund and, to this effect, to enlist extrabudgetary resources as indicated in paragraph 158 of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons;

6. Appeals to Governments and private sources for continuing generous voluntary contributions to the Trust Fund;

7. Calls upon all Member States, all non-governmental organizations concerned and organizations of disabled persons and calls also upon all organs, organizations and agencies of the United Nations system, through a reallocation of existing resources, to continue to ensure the early implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons;

8. Requests the Secretary-General to include in his reports to the General Assembly on the implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons a section on the activities of the Trust Fund.