Yearbook of the United Nations, 2002. Part 3, Economic and social questions. Chapter 9, Social policy, crime prevention and human resources development

Abstract

In 2002,the United Nations continued to promote the advancement of social, cultural and human resources development, and to strengthen its crime prevention and criminal justice programme. In July, work began on the drafting of a comprehensive international convention on the protection and promotion of the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities. The Economic and Social Council renewed until 2004 the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on disability of the Commission for Social Development, following a review of his report on the implementation of the 1993 Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities. The Commission, in February, having considered as its priority theme the integration of social and economic policy, adopted agreed conclusions, which were reviewed by the Council's high-level segment and the Preparatory Committee for the World Summit on Sustainable Development. The General Assembly considered followup to the 1995 World Summit for Social Development and to its twenty-fourth (2000) special session, and preparations for observance of the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family in 2004. In December, the Assembly devoted a plenary meeting to mark the end of the United Nations Year for Cultural Heritage, observed in 2002 to raise awareness of the importance of protecting the world cultural heritage. To enhance respect for cultural diversity, the Assembly addressed culture and development, the Olympic Truce, and observance of a Year of Kyrgyz Statehood in 2003. During the year, progress was made in negotiations on a UN convention against corruption, and the Assembly decided to convene a high-level political conference to sign the new convention by the end of 2003. The Assembly invited Governments to use the plans of action for implementing the 2000 Vienna Declaration on Crime and Justice: Meeting the Challenges of the Twenty-first Century as a guide in formulating legislation, policies and programmes in crime prevention and criminal justice. In December, the Assembly considered follow-up to the plans of action. It also took action on the implementation of the 2000 United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its two supplementary protocols, preparations for the Eleventh United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (2005), and the prevention of computer-related crimes. The Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice discussed strengthening international cooperation to combat terrorism and made recommendations for enhancing the activities of the Centre for International Crime Prevention on countering terrorism. The Council accepted the Commission's new Guidelines for the Prevention of Crime, noted a set of basic principles drafted by the Commission on the use of restorative justice, and addressed ways of combating kidnapping and of dealing with the problems of missing children and sexual abuse or exploitation of children. In continuing efforts to achieve the goal of education for all, the Assembly, in December, welcomed a plan of action submitted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization for successful implementation of the United Nations Literacy Decade (2003-2012).