RESOLUTION A37R054 A/RES/37/54 3 December 1982 World social situation The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 33/48 of 14 December 1978 on world social development, 34/59 of 29 November 1979 on the implementation of the Declaration on Social Progress and Development and 34/152 of 17 December 1979 on the world social situation, Recalling its resolutions 3201 (S-VI) and 3202 (S-VI) of 1 May 1974, containing the Declaration and the Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order, 3281 (XXIX) of 12 December 1974, containing the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States, 3362 (S-VII) of 16 September 1975 on development and international economic co-operation, 35/56 of 5 December 1980, containing the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade, and 36/194 of 17 December 1981 in which it endorsed the Substantial New Programme of Action for the 1980s for the Least Developed Countries, Recalling also its resolution 35/136 of 11 December 1980 on the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women, Recalling further its resolution 36/28 of 13 November 1981 on the International Youth Year: Participation, Development, Peace, Recalling its resolutions 37/52 and 37/53 of 3 December 1982 on the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, Recalling also its resolution 37/51 of 3 December 1982 on the World Assembly on Aging, Recalling further its resolution 32/197 of 20 December 1977, in which it, inter alia, requested the Secretariat to prepare, on a regular basis, global economic and social surveys and projections, Bearing in mind that social progress and development are founded on respect for the dignity and value of the human person, Bearing in mind also that the ultimate aim of development is the constant improvement of the well-being of the entire population on the basis of its full participation in the process of development and a fair distribution of the benefits therefrom, and that the pace of development in the developing countries as a whole should be accelerated substantially in order to enable them to achieve this goal, Mindful that the existing inequities and imbalances in international economic relations 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 inalienable right 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, Reaffirming that economic growth must go hand in hand with qualitative and structural changes, the reduction of social and economic disparities and the adoption of measures to ensure the effective participation of all peoples in the preparation and execution of national policies for economic and social development, Convinced of the necessity rapidly and completely to eliminate colonialism, neo-colonialism, racism, racial discrimination, apartheid, aggression, foreign occupation and alien domination and all other 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, Reaffirming the existence of the undeniable link between peace and development and the imperative need to halt the arms race, thereby releasing valuable additional resources which could be used for the development of the developing countries and could contribute to the well-being and prosperity of all, Re-emphasizing that the primary responsibility for the development of developing countries rests upon themselves, but that, however great their own efforts, these will not enable them to achieve the desired development goals as expeditiously as they must unless just and equitable economic and commercial relations between developed and developing countries are established and, to that end, increasing financial resources and technological know-how are assured, Having considered the 1982 Report on the World Social Situation, 1. ... Continua