In a meeting held today to observe the twentieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family, representatives of the General Assembly said the role of the family was essential in promoting social stability and economic development and that families should be afforded the same rights, importance, and dignity as individuals.
The General Assembly today, closely following the recommendation of its First Committee (Disarmament and International Security), where delegates had record-breaking participation and, as in past sessions, accorded priority attention to nuclear weapons, adopted 57 resolutions and six decisions, requiring 47 recorded votes in all, including on separate provisions of texts.
Offering a range of solutions for moving the Middle East peace process forward, while regretting the steps backward due to escalation of violence in recent months, the General Assembly adopted six draft resolutions today by recorded vote on the question of Palestine and the situation in the Middle East overall.
This year of solidarity with the Palestinians, in which the international community sought to achieve their right to live as a free people in their homeland, had instead seen the peace process collapse and conditions deteriorate due to Israel’s illegal actions, the General Assembly heard today as it opened an annual two-day debate on the question of Palestine and the situation in the Middle East.
As the General Assembly considered the annual report of the Security Council on its work supporting the peaceful resolution of conflicts, delegations, while acknowledging the progress made by the 15-nation body, also called for continued reforms to its working methods and greater transparency for the Organization’s wider membership as it tackled complex international crises.
Afghanistan, which this year saw the first democratic transfer of power from one president to another, had great potential, through its new unified Government, to serve as a hub for connectivity and trade across Asia and thus enhance the development and prosperity of the entire region, delegates heard today as the General Assembly unanimously adopted a draft resolution on the situation in that country.
The twenty-fifth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child was a moment to assess progress made and the work that remained to be done to help children fully realize their human rights, the General Assembly heard today, as a dozen speakers from United Nations agencies and regional groups took the rostrum, before holding a wide-ranging panel debate.
Recognizing the devastating impact of racism on people of African descent, the General Assembly today adopted, without a vote, a draft resolution on the programme of activities to implement the newly launched International Decade for People of African Descent, thus providing focus and synergy needed to address the matter globally.
As the General Assembly today took up the report of the Human Rights Council, nearly 30 delegations, the majority from developing countries, urged that body to guard against politicization of its work, with many calling for equal weight to be given to the right to development, as well as economic, social and cultural rights.
The General Assembly today adopted by consensus a text on Accelerated Modalities of Action for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), known as the SAMOA Pathway.
