Improvement of social life

The General Assembly,

Bearing in mind that the Members of the United Nations have undertaken in the Charter to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,

Recalling the principles proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Declaration on Social Progress and Development,

Mindful of the need to establish a harmonious balance between scientific, technological and material progress and the intellectual, spiritual, cultural and moral advancement of mankind,

Considering that the improvement of social life must be based on respect for and the promotion of all human rights and particularly on the elimination of all forms of discrimination,

Recognizing that social progress and development are founded on respect for the dignity and value of the human person,

Considering that healthy recreational, cultural and sports activities contribute to the achievement of a proper level of physical and mental health,

Considering also that the improvement of social life must take place in a continuous and uninterrupted manner,

Mindful that the existing inequalities and imbalances in the international economic system are widening the gap between developed and developing countries and thereby constitute a major obstacle to the development of the developing countries and adversely affect international relations and the promotion of world peace and security,

Conscious that each country has the sovereign right freely to adopt the economic and social system that it deems the most appropriate and that each Government has a primary role in ensuring the social progress and well-being of its people,

Convinced of the urgent necessity rapidly to eradicate colonialism, neo-colonialism, racism and all forms of racial discrimination, apartheid, foreign aggression, occupation and domination and all forms of inequality, exploitation and subjugation of peoples, which constitute major obstacles to economic and social progress as well as to the promotion of world peace and security,

Recalling its resolutions 40/100 of 13 December 1985 and 41/152 of 4 December 1986,

1.         Acknowledges that the progress achieved in the world social situation is still inadequate despite the efforts made and that efforts should therefore be redoubled;

2.         Notes with great concern the slow progress in the implementation of the Declaration on Social Progress and Development;

3.         Reaffirms that the social aspects and goals of development are an integral part of the overall development process and that it is the sovereign right of each State freely to determine and implement appropriate policies for social development within the framework of its development plans and priorities;

4.         Emphasizes the importance, for the achievement of social progress, of the establishment of the new international economic order;

5.         Calls upon Member States to make all efforts to promote the speedy and complete elimination of such fundamental elements hindering economic and social progress and development as colonialism, neo-colonialism, racism and all forms of racial discrimination, apartheid, foreign aggression, occupation and domination and all forms of inequality and exploitation of peoples, and also to undertake effective measures to lessen international tensions;

6.         Reiterates that it is the right of everyone to enjoy the greatest possible degree of physical and mental health;

7.         Emphasizes that participation in cultural, sports and recreational activities and the use of leisure without discrimination of any kind promotes the improvement of social life;

8.         Requests the Secretary-General to prepare a report on the improvement of social life in the world, taking into account the observations made by Member States in accordance with the present resolution;

9.         Decides to resume consideration of the question of the improvement of social life at its forty-third session.