AG/RES. 1424 (XXVI-O/96)

INTER-AMERICAN PROGRAM FOR OVERCOMING POVERTY

(Resolution adopted at the eighth plenary session, held on June 7, 1996)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

HAVING SEEN:

Resolution AG/RES. 1 (XVI-E/92), in which the General Assembly proposed amending the Charter to include the elimination of extreme poverty among the essential purposes of the Organization (Protocol of Washington);

Resolution AG/RES. 1 (XIX-E/93), in which the General Assembly established the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI) to promote cooperation among the American states to further their development and, in particular, to help to eliminate extreme poverty (Protocol of Managua);

Declaration AG/DEC. 1 (XX-E/94), in which the General Assembly adopted the Commitment on a Partnership for Development and Struggle to Overcome Extreme Poverty;

The Declaration of Principles and Plan of Action adopted by the heads of state and of government at the Summit of the Americas, held in Miami in 1994; and

Resolution AG/RES. 1354 (XXV-O/95), in which the General Assembly instructed CEPCIES and CEPCIECC jointly to prepare a program of support for member states struggling to overcome extreme poverty;

CONSIDERING:

That democracy, development, and human rights are interdependent, mutually reinforcing concepts and that development and overcoming poverty are a priority for the promotion of democracy, the protection of human rights, and social welfare; and

That there is an urgent need to develop programs designed to satisfy our peoples' basic needs in terms of nutrition, health, education, housing, and administration of justice, as well as to strengthen the civic and political participation of women and the protection of particularly vulnerable groups; and

BEARING IN MIND:

That the heads of state and of government attending the Summit of the Americas in Miami committed themselves, among other things, to the struggle to overcome extreme poverty and that partnership for development contributes to achieving that objective;

That the OAS has decided to intensify the struggle and cooperative efforts to overcome extreme poverty and thereby help to reduce economic and social inequality within each country and among the nations of the Hemisphere;

That steps must be taken to generate more financial, technical, and human resources from within the Organization and from other international organizations and institutions for national and regional development priorities; and

That the Secretary General presented to the Permanent Council for consideration a working document entitled "Proposal to Create a Specialized Unit for Social Development,"

RESOLVES:

1. To instruct the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI) to pay priority attention to cooperative efforts and projects designed to address poverty and discrimination in the Hemisphere.

2. To empower CIDI, through its Permanent Executive Committee (CEPCIDI), to convene a first High-Level Meeting on Social Development to promote the establishment of the Organization's policies in this area and, in particular, to draw up an Inter-American Program for Overcoming Poverty and Discrimination.

3. To instruct CEPCIDI to attach priority, within the framework of its strategic plan, to programs and projects which simultaneously foster sustainable development and social justice.

4. To instruct CIDI to proceed immediately, through CEPCIDI, to establish a Social Development Committee (CDS), open to participation by all member states and responsible inter alia for:

a. Preparing the High-Level Meeting, including the holding of seminars or other activities it deems appropriate for defining the policies and specific actions to be pursued within the framework of the Organization of American States;

b. Following up on cooperative programs and projects pursued or promoted by the OAS in the area of social development; and

c. Considering topics related to social development and especially to efforts to overcome poverty that are entrusted to it by CIDI or CEPCIDI, such as employment generation; educational, scientific, and technological development; and the promotion of culture.

5. To take note of the Secretary General's proposal to create a Unit for Social Development and Education, designed mainly to endow the OAS with a more relevant role in the struggle to overcome poverty and discrimination within the framework of the mandates it receives in this area from the General Assembly, CIDI, or its subsidiary bodies.

6. To request the Secretary General to submit to CDS, for its consideration, an annual program of activities of the Unit for Social Development and Education and quarterly progress reports in respect of that program.

7. To request the Secretary General also to take the necessary steps to ensure that, under the coordination of the Executive Secretariat of CIDI and with the technical backing of the Unit, proper support is provided for the work of CDS and that the High-Level Meeting is held.

8. To instruct CEPCIDI to report to both CIDI at its second meeting and the General Assembly at its twenty-seventh regular session on the implementation of this resolution.