The General Assembly,
Reaffirming its resolutions 44/213 of 22 December 1989, 45/191 of 21 December 1990 and 46/143 of 17 December 1991 on developing human resources for development, as well as its resolutions S-18/3 of 1 May 1990 and 45/199 of 21 December 1990,
Recalling its resolutions 40/179 of 17 December 1985 and 44/234 of 22 December 1989,
Reaffirming that people are central to all developmental activities and that human resources development is an essential means of achieving sustainable development goals,
Recognizing that the concept of human resources development specifically refers to the human component of economic, social and development activities,
Emphasizing that human resources development should contribute to total human development and that there is therefore a need to integrate human resources development into comprehensive strategies for human development which are sensitive to gender considerations, taking into account the needs of all people, in particular the needs of women,
Stressing the need for adequate resources to enhance the capacity of Governments of developing countries to promote human resources development in pursuit of their national programmes, plans and strategies for development,
Stressing also that Governments of developing countries have the primary responsibility for defining and implementing appropriate policies for human resources development,
Recognizing that, while stabilization and structural adjustment programmes are intended to promote economic growth and development, elements of such programmes may have a possibly adverse impact on human resources development, and also that there is a need to take action, in the formulation and implementation of these programmes, to mitigate their negative effects,
Stressing that a favourable international economic environment is crucial to enhancing human resources development for the promotion of economic growth and development in developing countries,
Emphasizing the importance of international cooperation in supporting national efforts in human resources development in developing countries and the vital roles of North-South and South-South cooperation in this regard,
Emphasizing also the need for organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system to give priority to human resources development and to approach the relevant activities in a coordinated and integrated manner,
1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General;
2. Emphasizes that, in the development of human resources, an overall, well-conceived and integrated approach which is sensitive to gender considerations should be adopted, incorporating such vital areas as population, health, nutrition, water, sanitation, housing, communications, education and training and science and technology, as well as taking into account the need to create more opportunities for employment, in an environment that guarantees opportunities for political freedom, popular participation, respect for human rights, justice and equity, all of which are essential for enhancing human capacities to meet the challenge of development;
3. Also emphasizes the need to ensure the full mobilization and integration of women in the formulation and implementation of appropriate national policies to promote human resources development;
4. Reaffirms the importance of women and youth in human resources development and, in this context, welcomes the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace, to be held at Beijing from 4 to 15 September 1995, and the proposal noted at the Meeting of the Heads of Government of the Countries of the Commonwealth, held at Limassol, Cyprus, from 21 to 25 October 1993, to convene a global summit on youth at an agreed date;
5. Stresses the importance of international support for national efforts and regional programmes for human resources development in developing countries, particularly in the area of national capacity-building, and the need to increase the flow of resources to developing countries for such activities, through, inter alia, the improvement of the international economic environment;
6. Calls upon the organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system, at the request of developing countries, to take appropriate steps to strengthen the support provided by their operational activities to national and regional action and targets for human resources development, in particular by improving coordination and by developing a multisectoral, integrated approach;
7. Also calls upon the relevant bodies to bear in mind the need to mitigate the possible negative impact and to include appropriate social safety nets in the formulation and implementation of stabilization and structural adjustment programmes in developing countries, taking into account the needs of all people, including the needs of women;
8. Notes the important role that non-governmental organizations can play in human resources development;
9. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to monitor the activities of the United Nations system in human resources development and, in this regard, to submit to the General Assembly at its fiftieth session a report on the implementation of the present resolution, including further action taken to enhance inter-agency coordination within the United Nations system with regard to human resources development, and bearing in mind the definition of human resources development presented in General Assembly resolutions 44/213, 45/191 and 46/143;
10. Invites the United Nations system to assist developing countries, at their request, in developing their capacity to assess, inter alia, through appropriate indicators, progress made in satisfying, in the pursuit of human resources development, the fundamental economic, social and cultural needs of their populations, and requests the Secretary-General to include in the report requested in paragraph 9 above information on the steps taken towards that end;
11. Requests the Secretary-General to take into account the important role of human resources development in the elaboration of an agenda for development;
12. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fiftieth session the item entitled "Human resources development".
86th plenary meeting
21 December 1993
