The General Assembly,
 
      Recalling that in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights the inalienable
right of every individual to education is recognized,
 
      Recalling also its resolutions 42/104 of 7 December 1987, by which it
proclaimed 1990 as International Literacy Year, and 44/127 of 15 December 1989
and 46/93 of 16 December 1991, in which it called for continuing international
efforts to promote literacy,
 
      Recalling further its resolution 45/126 of 14 December 1990, in which it
called for strengthening efforts towards the elimination of illiteracy of
women of all ages,
 
      Mindful of the fact that the eradication of illiteracy is one of the
paramount objectives of the International Development Strategy for the Fourth
United Nations Development Decade,
 
      Convinced that literacy, especially functional literacy and adequate
education, represents an indispensable element for the development and
harnessing of science, technology and human resources for economic and social
progress,
 
      Confident that the International Literacy Year and the World Conference
on Education for All, held at Jomtien, Thailand, in 1990, resulted in
increased awareness and support for literacy efforts and became a
turning-point in the struggle for a literate world,
 
      Underlining the importance of maintaining the momentum generated by the
Year and the spirit of partnership forged at the Jomtien Conference,
 
      Welcoming the setting up of the International Consultative Forum on
Education for All entrusted with the task of monitoring the progress towards
education for all and promoting consultation and cooperation at the global
level,
 
      Recognizing that, despite the significant advances registered in the
growth of literacy rates in many parts of the world, major problems still
persist which require greater mobilization of efforts at both national and
international levels to achieve the goal of education for all,
 
      Stressing the importance of the effective implementation of the World
Declaration on Education for All, and the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization Plan of Action for the Eradication of
Illiteracy by the Year 2000, as well as the relevant commitments and
recommendations to promote literacy contained, inter alia, in the Plan of
Action for Implementing the World Declaration on the Survival, Protection and
Development of Children in the 1990s of the World Summit for Children, the
Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and
Development, the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and the
Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development, the Beijing
Declaration and the Platform for Action of the Fourth World Conference on
Women and the Delhi Declaration of the Education for All Summit of Nine
High-Population Developing Countries,
 
      1.    Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General entitled
"Progress made and problems encountered in the struggle against illiteracy:  a
mid-decade review";
 
      2.    Notes with appreciation the close collaboration and commendable
work being pursued as a follow-up to the International Literacy Year and the
World Conference on Education for All by the specialized agencies and other
organizations of the United Nations system, including the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the United Nations
Children's Fund and the United Nations Development Programme;
 
      3.    Commends those Governments which have launched national literacy
programmes and attained notable progress in meeting the objectives of the
International Literacy Year and those set forth in the World Declaration on
Education for All;
 
      4.    Invites Member States, specialized agencies and other
organizations of the United Nations system and relevant intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations to further intensify their efforts to
effectively implement the World Declaration on Education for All, the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Plan of Action for
the Eradication of Illiteracy by the Year 2000, as well as the relevant
commitments and recommendations to promote literacy contained, inter alia, in
the Plan of Action for Implementing the World Declaration on the Survival,
Protection and Development of Children in the 1990s of the World Summit for
Children, the Programme of Action of the International Conference on
Population and Development, the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development
and the Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development, the
Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action of the Fourth World Conference
on Women, and the Delhi Declaration of the Education for All Summit of Nine
High-Population Developing Countries, with a view to better coordinating their
activities and increasing their contribution to development;
 
      5.    Appeals anew to Governments and economic and financial
organizations and institutions, both national and international, to lend
greater financial and material support to the efforts to increase literacy and
achieve education for all;
 
      6.    Calls upon the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization to continue assuming the role of lead organization in ensuring an
effective follow-up to the International Literacy Year and to pursue, in
cooperation with other sponsors of the World Conference on Education for All,
the implementation of the World Declaration on Education for All;
 
      7.    Notes with satisfaction the firm commitment and active involvement
of many non-governmental organizations, the mass media and the private sector
in support of and in the follow-up to the International Literacy Year;
 
      8.    Requests the Secretary-General, in cooperation with the Director-
General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization, to submit to the General Assembly, at its fifty-second session,
in 1997, through the Economic and Social Council, a progress report on the
implementation process of the education for all objectives, including the
recommendations of the International Consultative Forum on Education for All,
taking into account the possible measures, if any, to improve the reporting
procedure;
 
      9.    Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-second
session the question of cooperation to achieve education for all under the
item on social development.