Assembly calls for intensified cooperation among states to combat drug abuse.

The General Assembly on 21 December acted on issues of drug control, social development and crime prevention, on the recommendation of its Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural).

Under a seven-part resolution (50/148) on international action to combat drug abuse and illicit production and trafficking, the Assembly called upon States to intensify actions to promote effective cooperation in efforts to combat drug abuse and illicit trafficking, and urged them to ratify or accede to and implement the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs as amended by the 1972 Protocol, the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and the 1988 UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. States were also called upon to adopt adequate national laws and regulations to strengthen national judicial systems and to carry out effective drug control activities, in cooperation with other States in accordance with those international instruments.

It was acknowledged that there were links between the illicit production of, demand for and traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and the economic and social conditions in the affected countries. The international community was called upon to provide increased economic and technical support to Governments that requested it for programmes of alternative and sustainable development "that have as their objectives the reduction and elimination of illicit drug production and take fully into account the cultural traditions of peoples".

States were called upon to increase efforts to reduce and eliminate illegal crops from which narcotics were obtained, as well as to prevent and reduce the demand for and the consumption of illicit drugs, and to implement the mandates and recommendations of the 1994 Global Programme of Action, with a view to translating it into practical action for drug abuse control at the national, regional and international levels.

The Commission on Narcotic Drugs was asked to discuss fully at its thirty-ninth session the proposal to hold a second international conference on drug abuse and illicit trafficking to review progress made by Governments and the UN system in combating drug abuse and illicit trafficking, and to present its conclusions and suggestions to the Assembly's 1996 session. Governments were urged to provide the fullest possible financial and political support to the UN International Drug Control Programme.

1999: International Year of Older Persons 

The Assembly invited (50/141) Member States to adapt the conceptual framework of a programme for the preparation and observance of the International Year of Older Persons in 1999 to national conditions, and to consider formulating national programmes for the Year. It also invited UN organizations and bodies concerned to identify areas for expanding upon the conceptual framework, which has four facets--the situation of older persons, lifelong individual development, multigenerational relationships, and the relationship between the ageing of populations and development.

Family-friendly societies

By resolution 50/142 on follow-up to the International Year of the Family, observed in 1994, the Assembly invited Governments to continue to build family-friendly societies by, among other things, promoting the rights of individual family members, in particular gender equality and child protection and development. Governments were urged to ratify and accede to and ensure implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, so that universal ratification could be achieved by the year 2000, and to take urgent measure to achieve universal ratification of or accession to the Convention on the Rights of the Child before the end of 1995.

Literacy

The Assembly appealed anew (50/143) to Governments and economic and financial organizations to lend greater financial and material support to efforts to increase literacy and achieve education for all. The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization was called upon to continue assuming the role of lead organization in ensuring an effective follow-up to the International Literacy Year, which was observed in 1990, and to pursue the implementation of the World Declaration on Education for All.

The disabled

Governments were called upon (50/144), when implementing the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, to take into account the elements suggested in the Long-term Strategy to Implement the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons to the Year 2000 and Beyond. They were also urged to continue to strengthen their efforts to implement the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities by appropriate legal, administrative and other measures.

Crime

In the first of three texts on crime prevention and criminal justice issues, the Assembly endorsed (50/145) the resolutions adopted by the Ninth Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, held at Cairo from 29 April to 8 May 1995. Governments were invited to be guided by the resolutions and recommendations of the Congress in formulating legislation and policy directives and to make efforts to implement them.

The Assembly stressed (50/146) the importance of continuing to improve the operational activities of the UN crime prevention and criminal justice programme, particularly in developing countries and those in transition. States and funding agencies were called upon to make significant financial contributions for operational activities.

The Assembly appealed (50/147) to Governments and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to provide financial and technical support to the UN African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders. The Secretary-General was asked to ensure that the Institute was provided with adequate funds, within the overall appropriation of the programme budget and from extra-budgetary resources, and the Administrator of the UN Development Programme was asked to continue providing appropriate funds for the strengthening of the Institute and the implementation of its programme of work, taking into account the difficult economic and financial situation faced by many African countries.