Questions Relating to Information

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 72 Questions relating to information, published in 1984.

What else is in this group?

77 documents · 1979–2025

Newer documents in this group exist (latest: 2025).

Year	Symbol	Title	Word length	Text similarity
2025	A/RES/80/84 A-B	Questions relating to information resolutions	—	–
2024	A/RES/79/93 A-B	Questions relating to information resolutions	—	–
2023	A/RES/78/80 A-B	Questions relating to information resolutions	—	–
2022	A/RES/77/128 A-B	Questions relating to information resolutions	—	–
2021	A/RES/76/84 A-B	Questions relating to information resolutions	—	–

This group bundles related documents that are not individually ordered.

What’s in this document?

3 operative paragraphs

A

Takes note with satisfaction of the report of the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on the implementation of the lnternational Programme for the Development of Communication and the establishment of a new world information and communication order, and on the impact of current technological developments and practices and their application in the communication and information sector; 25 Under/ines, on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the Declaration on Fundamental Principies conceming the Contribution of the Mass Media to Strengthening Peace and International Understanding, to the Promotion of Human Rights and to Countering Racialism, Apartheid and Incitement to War. 26 the importance of efforts made so far for its implementation;

Again calls upon ali Member States and ali organizations of the United Nations system, intemational, govemmental and non-governmental organizations and professional organizations in the field of communication to exert every effort to make better known through ali means at their disposal the issues underlying the demand for the development of communication capacities in developing countries as a step towards the establishment of a new world infarmation and communication order;

( ·ons1ders that the lnternational Programme far the Development of Communication represents a significant step towards the establishment of a new world information and communication order and welcomes the decisions

adopted by the Intergovernmental Council of the Programme at its fourth session, held at Tashkent, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, from 5 to 12 September 1983: ,,

..,

16 N38/381.

¡q See A/36/116 and, orr. l. annex. 17 See A/38/132-S/15675 and Corr.l and 2. annex. sect. L para. 171.

2il See Ai36!534. annn 11 18 See A/34/542, annex, sect. l. paras. 280-299.

21 Resolution 217 A (III).

22 See United Nations Educational. Scientífic and Cultural Organizatíon. Records ofthe General Conference. Twemi·-first Sesswn. vol. 1, Resolulions. sect. III.

23 lbid., Four/h Extraordinarv Session. vol. 1 and corrigendum. Resolutions, sect. II.

• 24 Resolution 3 3/7 3. 25 A/38i457. anne,. 26 United Nations Educat,onal. Scientilic and Cultural Organization, Record.,· o(the General Con/i!rcm·e. Tw,,ntieth Session. vol. 1, Resoluttons, pp. 100-104 27 See A/381457, annex. scrt I.A.

28 Resolution 2200 A (XXI). anncx.

JO Report o/ thc /11/cmatwnal ( ·on/áenci· 011 thc Questwn ,,¡ l'a/estme. 29 Report o{the lnternational Con/érencc 1n Support o/ 1he Strugg/c o/thc (;c11cva, 29 .-l11g11s1-7 Sc¡>l,'111h,·r /98.i (l lnitcd Nations publication. Sales No.

r: 8.1 1.21 ). chap. l. sccts. \ ami B. Namibian Peop/e for lndependencc. l'am. 25-29 l{)fil 198./ (A/CONF 120• 13). para. 238.

33 A, 38 387 and Add. l Political Committee, 17th meeting, paras. 49-58.

14 ·\ ¡\( •. 198;(•';

and 2).

ommcndat1ons pending 1mplementation should be implemented in full. takrng into account the v1cws expressed by delegations al the 100th plenary meeting of thc thtrty-sn cnth session of thc Assembly on I O December 19X2 The rnandate of the Comrn11tee on Information should be renewed 1 as set forth in (jcneral Assembly rcsolution 34/182 of 18 December 1979 and rcatlírmed 111 Assernhly resolu11ons 35/201 of ló Dccernhcr 1980. 36 149 of 16 Dcccmber 1981 and _,7 '94 of I O Decernber 1982.

i>RO\tOTION DI· 1111- 1--Sl>\Hl I\HMl'.""1 01 .-\ NI"\\, MORf· JLSI ANI> MURI· HH.l'- rl\ I· ,\",Jl) COMMllMCATION ORDER IJ',, n J\il>I-I) TO WORI D INFORMA"IION •d REN{jflff1' Pl-,\TF AND IJ\iHR"IATIO'-IAI llNDERSTANDIN<t ANll BA"iH> OJ',,

Illi· 1-RH· CIR( l l \rl()r'-,. ,\]\:i) Wl[)tR ,\'\.() Hl·rn:R H-\1 ¡\'1('1-1) DISSf-.Ml1'"ATIO!\ OI· INFURM-\flON

Ali rnuntnes. thc l lntted Nations systern as a whole. and ali others rnnccrned, should collahorate in the establishment of a new world informatton and comrnunicatíon order bascd, 1n/cr aha. on thc free circulation and wider and bctter balanced dissemination of information, guarantceing thc diversíty of sources of inforrnation and free access to information, and. ín particular, thc urgen! nced to change lhe dependen! status of the dcveloping countries in the lield of rnformation and communication as the prinnple uf sovereign equal1ty among natwns cxtends also to this field, and ,ntcnded also to strengthcn peace and mtemational understanding, enablrng ali persons to partinpate dfrctively in political. economic, social and cultural lile, and promoting understanding and friendship among ali na11ons and human right,.

An appeal should he addressed to thc intcrnational media to obtain thctr support for the elforts of the intema11onal community towards global development and. in part1cular, for the elforts of the developing countrics for their uwn economir. sonal and cultural progress.

An appeal should he addrcssed to the whole llnited Nations system to co-operatc in a conccrted manner, through its information services, in promoting the dcvelopment actívities of the llnited Nations, in particular thc improvcment of the rondit1ons of the lives of the people of the devclopmg countne-s.

6 Such appeals should he aimcd al achieving a more comprehensive and realistic image of thl' act1vities and potential of the llnited Nations systcm. in ali its purposes and endeavours. as laid down in the Charter of the llnited Nations.

The nced should he noted for the creation ofa chmatc ofconfidence 111 rclations among Sta tes as a means of casing tension and. in this context. an appeal should be addressed to ali Statcs and mass media to help promote the purposes of strcngthening peace and understanding.

Reatlírming the primary role which the General Assembly is to pla} m claborating. co-ordinatrng and harmonizing Unitcd Nations policies and activ11ies in the lield ofinformation and recognizing thc central and importan! role of the llnited Nations Educational. Scientific and Cultural Organ- 11.ation in the tield of informatíon and communication, the co-operation hetween that organization and the United Nations in promoting the establishment of a new world information and communication order should takc more regular forms. t·specially at the working leve), through which the contribution of the Department of Pubhc Information to the elforts of the l 'nitcd Nations Educat1onal, St·ientifir and Cultural Organization should he maximized.

The Department of Public Informatíon should disseminate as widcly as possible information on thc activities ofthe United Nations Educational. Scientific and ( ·ultural Organization in the establishment of a new world information and communication ordcr and on the work of the Committl'e on lnformation in that tield.

l ll.

The Committee on lnformation, noting the valuable etlort of the l 1n1tcd Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in the promotion of a new world information and communication arder, recommends that the Department of Public Information take steps to avoid an} overlapping of its activities on this subject wilh !hose of the United Nations Educational. Scientific and Cultural Organization. while stressing at thc same time the cver-growing significance of the close working coopcration betwecn the linited Nations and the latter organization. ANNEX 11.

Ali countries, tht· llnited Nations system as a whole. and others rnncemed. should be called upon to givc thc llnited Nations Educational, Recommendations of the Committee on lnformation Scientific and Cultural Organintion adequate support and assistance in lht· 1. The forty-three rccommendations of thc Committee on lnformation ticld of information and communication. The tifth anniversary of lhe Decapprovcd by the General Assembly ín rc,olut10n 37 94 B of 10 Dccember laration on Fundamental Principies concerning thc Contribut10n of the 1982, as well as ali provisions nf the rcsolutínn, are reiterated. Thosr rcc Mass Media to Strengthcning Peace and lnternational Understanding, lo

l5 United Nations, Trcalr Sem·,. ,ni. 7'i, No. 971. JI. 2X7.

the Promotion of Human R1ghts and tu Countenng Racialism. Apartheid and lncitement to War. 26 should be marked b; thc General Assembly.

Thc Secretary-Cieneral should be requcsted to prescnt tn the General Assembly at its thirty-cighth session thc rcport of the Round Table on a New World lnfonnation and Communication Order. held at lnnsbruck. Austria, from 14 to 19 Sept,·mber 1983. •16 13.

An appeal should be addressed to the whole Unitcd Nations system and thc developed countries to co-opcratc in a concerted manncr towards strengthening the informallon and communication infrastructurcs of the developing countries in ac<:ordancc with the priori tics attached to such areas by the developing countries. In this regard. full support for the lnternational Programme for Dcvelopmcnt of Communication of the United Nations Educational, Scientitíc and Cultural Organi,ation, which constitutes an importan! step in the devclopmcnt of thcse infrastructures. should be emphasized.

The Department of Public lnformation should further strengthen its co-opcration with the Pool of Non-Ahgned News Agencies. as well as with regional news agencies of developing countries. as this co-operation constitutes a concrete step towards a more JUSI and equitable world tlow of information. thus contributing to the establishment of a new world information and communication order.

The Unitcd Nations system, particularly the United Nations Educational. Scientitíc and Cultural Organization, should aim at the provision of ali possible support and assistance to the developing countries with regard to their interests and needs in the field of mformation and to actions already adopted within the United Nations system. including, in particular:

(a) Assistance to developing countries in traming journalists and technical personnel and in setting up appropnatc cducational institut1ons and research facilities:

(b) The granting of favourablc conditions to provide developing countries with access to such communication technology as is requisite for the establishment of a national information and communication systcm and corresponden! with the speciftc situation uf the country conccrned:

(e) The creation of condit1ons that will graduall~ cnable the devcloping countries to produce the communication technology suited to their national needs. as well as thc necessary programme material, specilically for radio and tclevision broadcasting, by using their own resourccs:

(d ) Assistance in cstablishing telecommunication links at subregional, regional and interregional levels, especially among developing countries. free from any kind of conditions.

Ali the information activities of the Department of Public lnformation should be guided by, and carried out in conformity with. the principies of the Cha11er of the U nitcd Nations and the aspiration for a new world information and communication order, as well as conform to the consensus reached among States in resolutions 4/ 19. 4/21 and 4/22

adopted by thc General Conference of the United Nations Educationai, Scientiftc and Cultural Organization at its twenty-first sess,on. 22 17.

The Secretary-Gcneral should be rcquestcd to ensure that the activities of the Department of Public lnformation. as the focal point of the public information tasks of the United Nations, should be strcngthened,

keeping in view the principies of the Charter of the United Nations and along the lines established in the pertinent resolutions of the General Assembly and the recommendations of thc Committee on lnformation. to ensure a more coherent coverage of, and a better knowledge about, the Unitcd Nations and its work. especially in its priority arcas, such as those statcd in section 111, paragraph 1, of Assembly resolution 351201, including international peace and security, disarmament. peace-keeping and peacemaking operations, decolonization. the promotion of human rights, the struggle against apartheid and racial discrimination. economic, social and development issues, the integration of womcn in the struggle for peace and development, the establishment of the new international economic order and ofa new world information and communication order, the work ofthe United Nations Council for Namibia and programmcs on women and youth.

CONTINUAllON m EXAMINAllON O> lJNIHI> NAIIO~S PUBI.IC INHJRMATION POLICIES AND ACTIVITIFS, I'\/ lHF LIGHT 01- lH!'. !:'.VOi lJTtor-. 01- lr-.TFRNA- TIO!'•,;AI. Rl:'.LATIO'.'-lS, PARTICl IARI Y DLRINC.. 11-H PA'H TWO !)E( <\DFS, A!'ID OF THE IMPERATl\'J-.S OJ- TlH l:SlAHLISHMl:Nl 01· THE NEW INTl-RNATIO!\Al.

ECONOMIC ORDI--R AND OF A NEW "'ORl I> INFORMo\TICJN AND { OM'1L1r-.;l('A~ fll)f',,; ORDER

The Department of Public lnformation should ensure that the daily dispatchcs of the Pool of Non-Aligned Ncws Agencies which it

-17 A/ AC.198/64.

l0_5_

rcceivcs are appropriatel) ut1l11,·d rn Ihe p,·rformance of thc pubhc 111ti>rmation tasks of the llnitcd Nat1ons. (ul Wnh a , iew to further promotion and dn elopment of funct1onal and mutually bcnclicial rn-opcratiun betwccn the Department and the Pool, thc e,isting arrangcmcnts rn the Dcpartment for the rnnduct of this co-opcration should be cstabl1'hcd on a more regular basi,:

(h) In , iew of the successful joint rn, eragc h; thc Pool of importan! conferenccs and othcr evcnts within thc l lnitcd Nations systcm. this practicc should he continued and furthn strcngthrned:

Thc Dcpartment should cons1dn the poss1b1lity of utihting the dis- (<') patches reccived from thc Pool to estabhsh a data base on the mformat,on and rommunicatíon facilities m th1,_· non-aligned countries.

In connection with thc trainmg programme l,lf JOurnahsts and broadcastcrs from developing countrics that the Dcpartment of Puhlic lnformation organizes cvery ycar, thc possibility should be rnnsidered of allocating the last week ofthe programmc for a ,isit by them to one ufthc developing countries for the purpose of acquaint,ng themselves with the ways m which information on thc llnitcd Nations IS reeeived and utili1ed.

!'he Secrctary-(iencral should be rcqucstcd to makc availabk to the Committce un lnformat1on. at ns substantive session in 1984, a rcport on thc outrnmc of the artivities condueted b) the lnternational Telcrnmmumcation llmon with regard to thc World Communications Year.

Thc cxchange of inforrnat1nn bctwecn thc Committec on lnformation and thc Commission on Transnational Corporations rn matters pertainmg to the mandate of thc ( ·omm1tt,·c should he cncouragcd.

Thc Secretary-tieneral should be requested to suhmit to thc General Assembly at its thirty-eighth se~s,on thc final report on thc acquisition of a l lnited Nations commun1rat1ons satellitc. m thc manncr outhned in paragraph 20 of Assembly resolut10n 37 94 B.

The Secretary-General should b,· rcquestcd to implcment fully the requcst. 111 paragraph 14 of General Assembly rcsolution .16: 149 B, that present Lnited Nations short-wavc broadcasts ovcr rented transmitters should be placed on a daily schedule throughout thc ycar. to the extent that thi, can he accomplishcd through more cfkctivc utilirntion of ex1sting resources.

Thc Secrctary-Gencral should be rcqu,·stcd to eontinuc thc cooperation bctwcen the Departnwnt of Pubhc lnformation and thc Un ion of Nat1onal Radio and Telcvision Organi1ations of Africa. as well as w1th radio stations whirh are mcmbcr, of that llnion. in order to broadcast United Nations radio programmcs on those radio stations. and further rcqucsts thc Sccretary-General to co-operate with the national radio broadcasting organizations in Africa for widcr hrnadcasting of llnited Nat1ons radio prograrnmcs.

Thc Secrcta1,-Gencral should he requested to prescnt to the substantive session of the Comm,ttee on lnformation in 1984 a comprehcnsive report on the viability ofa world-w1de llnited Nations short-wavc network. taking into account thc vicws cxpresscd al the fifth substantive scssion of the Committee.

The Secretary-General should be rcquested to implement fully the proposals contained in his repon regardmg programming in the Portugucse language in the .African llnit ofthe Radio Scrvice 37 and to take immcdialt' steps for the strengthcning of programming in the French language.

rhc Secretary-Gcncral shnuld be requestcd to maintain the lunctions of the Middle East 1 Arab1c l lnit as the producer of A rabie television and radio programmes. to strcngthen and expand this unit through the redeployment of existing rcsourrcs to enable it to function in an cffrctiv,· manncr, and to repon to thc Committec on lnformation al its substantive session in 1984 on the meas u res taken in implenientation nf this rcrnmmcndation.

In v1ew of the 1mportancc of l 'rnted Nations broadcasting for thc European rcgion. steps should be taken to maintain and enhancc the functions of the European l lnit in the Radio Scrvicc through redeployment of existing resources.

The inclusion of Bengalt and lndoncsian among the languagcs of the Asían U nit of the Radio Sen·icc for the purpose of undertaking programming al a meaningful le, el, as approvcd in 1982, should be implemented in full and Bahasa Malaysia (Malay) should also be included among the languagcs of thc unl! through rc,kployment of available resources.

Whereas the French Languagc Production Scction of the Press and Publications Division hardly has a,a,lablc the mcans to provide press relcases in sufficient numbers to rneet the necds of the numerous dclegatlon, from ali gcographir area:-. \\'Íshing to use Frem:h as their \\-Orkíng lan-

guage. the Committee on lnformation rcquests that the Secretary-Gcneral should provide that Sectiun with the appropnatc mea ns through bctter and more equitabk use of available resources. The t umm,ttec rccomrncnds to the Departmcnt of Public lnformation that 11 makc apprupriatc use of thc official languages of thc U,·ncral Asscmbly in dornnlt'nts and audio, isual material s. in view of thc nccd to disscminate more hruadly and dkctively information on the activitics of the Unitcd Nat1om lo the greate.,t crossscction of the public, using thc grcatest number of communications mc,ha.

31,

llnited Nat1ons mformation ccnttcs should continue to assist press and mformation media m thcir rcspccti ,e countries. and, 111/er u/Ítl. promote the establishment ol a new world 111format1un and communica\1011 order.

While co-operation bctwcen thc Departmcnt of Public lnformatiun and thc Unitcd Nations Devclopment Prograrnme in the tield should be promotcd to the maximum extent, ti is also importan\ to bear in mind thc intrinsü.: functiuns of UnitnJ Naliun~ mfünnaliun n:ntre~ as <listim:t frum those of Unitcd Nations development activitics. Thc l inited Nations information centres should redouble their efforts to publici,e thc activities and achievements of upcrational activities for dcvelopmcnt. including thosc of the Programme, taking into arcount the priorities dctcrmined by the (icneral Assembly.

In countries whcre the si,c, population. th,· state ofmedta and nongovemmental and othcr orga111zations. or the role being played by thetr Govemments in United Nations affatrs warrant 1t. separate United Nations information centres should be established, as and whcn rcsourccs become available. In other cases, the residen\ representatives or residen! co-ordinators of the Unitcd Nations Dcvelopment Programme may be entrusted with being acting directors of United Nations inforrnation centres. provided that they are periodically briefed and evaluatcd by thc Departmcnt of Public lnformation with rcgard to thetr information tasks and providcd that appropriatc local staffand cquipment can be allocatc·d to them within availablc resources.

The Committce on lnformation, having rnns1dered the rcport of the Secretary-General on thc study on ways and means to enhance the role of the Unitcd Nations information centres within the structure of the Department of Public lnformation 38 rernmmcnds that the clfrctiveness of United Nations information centre, should contmue to he improved:

(a) Through thc continued rcvicw uf thc cxtcnt of dccentralization which can be achieved within the mcrall guidance of the Department of Public Information:

(b) Through better training of centre directors and their personnel:

(e) Through an improved feedback and rcporting system:

(d) Where appropriate, through rcalloca\!on ofarnilablc rcsourrcs for local reproduction and other neccssary expenditures:

(e) Through appointing the best qualified persons \\ith professional expcrience from ali different geographical rcgions to the posts or centre directors, in vicw of the incrcased importancc of thc work of the Unitcd Nations information centres nctwork. taking into account Article 101. paragraph 3, of the Chartcr of the lln1ted Nations:

(/) Through filling existing vacancics al the level of information centre director without further delay, in order to assure the continuation of thc work of the centres under thc ncccssary prolt·,sional guidance of thc Departmcnt uf Public lnformation:

(g) Through enabling the Externa! Relations Div1s1on of the Department of Public lnformation to fullíl its importan! role uf managcmcnt, guidance, supervision and monitoring of United Nations mlormation centres in order to ensure that the universal character of the United Nations and the manifold mandate of the Dcpartment be duly rcllcctcd in the work of the information centres:

(h) Through strengthcning thc capacity uf and improving the scrviccs rendercd by the centres within the ,·xisting resources ofthe Department of Public lnformation, so that the centres can play their indispensable role or fostering an inform~d public opinion abuut the l lnitcd Nations throughout the world.

The Departmcnt of Public lnformation should focus on. and givc wider coverage to, economic. social and devclopment activities throughout the United Nations system, with the aim uf achieving a more comprchensive image of the activities and potenttal of thc Unitcd Nations system.

taking into account thc priorities set by the General Assembly. The Unitcd Nations information centres, among others, should play an importan! role in this regard. The Department of Public lnformation should encourage the organization ofround-tablc discussiuns betwecn chicf editors for press. radio and television serviccs of different countries.

38 A/AC 198/61. 39 Al AC 198/óO.

Thc Department uf Public lnformation should promote an ,nformed understanding of the work of the Unl\cd Nations in the arca dcltncated in General Asscmbl) rcsolutions 34 1 146 of 17 Dccembcr 1979. .16: 109 of lll lkccmbcr 1981 and 37/108 of 16 December 1982.

37 ·1 he lommtttcc ,m lnformation tah·s note w1th apprenat1on ofthe rc·port of the Scrrctar, .,jcneral on the study on ways and mcans to cnhance thc role of thr Unitcd Nations information emires within tht· structure uf thc Dcpartment uf Public lnformation. •18 Thc Secretary- ( iennal should bl' requcstcd to submit to the Committee at its substantive scss1un in 1984 a detailcd rcport containing concrete proposals m rl'spect of th,· suggestiuns prescntcd in paragraphs 44 to 46 of the repon.

.18.

The Sccrctary-C,cneral should be requested to ensure that United Nations information centres oricnt their activities to disseminatc informa- \!on on questions accordtng to the mandatcs and priorities of the Depart- 111cnt of Puhlic lnformation ,·stahlishcd b) thc (il'nl'ral Assembly.

.19.

Urgl'nt steps shuuld he taken to ensure that thc Unttcd Nations lnformation Scrv1ce at Vienna g1ve. as a mattcr of priority, adcquate service in the German language in order to actas mformation centre for Austna and thc Federal Rrpublic of German). Such steps. whirh are to be takcn w1thm cxisting resourccs, may involve redcployment of posts, mdud1ng those originally assigncd to the United Nations Industrial Developmcnl Organization-Un,tcd Nattons lnformation Scrvicc. The Committcc should be informed about the implemcntation of this recommendation at its substantive scssiun m 1984.

Taking into account the requcst of thc Govemment of Nicaragua lor the opening of a Untted Nations informat1on centre at Managua, thc Sccrctary-General should be rcquestcd to take the appropnate stcps for thc prompt establishment of thc crntre, through thc rcdcployment of cxisting rcsourrcs.

l'he Untted Nat1ons information centres should be requcstcd to intenstfy direct and syskmatic communication cxchangc with local mformation and cducational n>mmunities in a mutually beneficia! way. espcrially lll arcas of particular intercst to host countrics.

4}.

A detailed and v.dl documented factual surnmary account of the coveragc by widely representa ti ve world media of developments affecting the Palestinian pcople from June to Deccmb,·r 1982, should he prepared. withm existing rcsource,. and be submitted to the General Asscmbly at its th1rty-eighth session.

4J. The Committee on lnformation, taking note with appreciation of t he rcprn1s of the Sccrctary-General on the devclopmcnt or systematic cvaluation procedures for the activities ofthc Department of Public lnforrnation 39 and on the in-depth evaluation ofthe work ofthe Department of Public lnformation. 40 encouragcs thc Secretary-General to continue his cílórts to develop a system for monitoring and evaluating the elfectivt·ness uf the activities of the Department, particularly in the pnority a reas determmed by the General Assembly. This systematic evaluation process shuuld be pursued and a progress report should be submitted to thc Commi ttce at its substantive session in 1984. The Committee looks forward to rcce,ving in due coursc the progress report on the implemcntation of dcc,- sions takcn on the basis or thc Secretary-General's rcport 40 which is to be prc,cnted to thc Committee for Programme and Co-ordination at its twcnty-sixth session.

Future rcports uf the Department of Public lnformat1on to the Committee on Information and to the General Assembly. in particular on ncw programmcs or 011 the e.xpansion of existing programmcs, should ,·ontam:

[<1)

More adequatc mformation on thc output of the Department in respcct of each topic included in 1ts work programme. which forms the bas1s of its programme hudgct:

(/•)

Thc costs of the activitics undertaken in respect of each topic:

(e) More adequatc mformation on targct audiences, end-use of the Department's products and an analysis of fced-back data ren·ived by the Dcpartment:

(d ) The Departmcnt's naluation of thc dfect1veness of its ditferent programmes and act1vit1cs:

(e) A statcment detallmg the prionty lcvel which the Sccretary-Ueneral has attached to curren\ or future activities of the Department, in documcnts dealing with such art1vt1ics.

The Committec on lnformation notes the steps takcn by the Dcpartment of Public lnformation in redressing the imbalance in the staff ofthat Department, partirnlarly III thc Radin and Visual Services Division. The Departmcnt should cuntinuc to intensify 1ts elforts to that end, and, until equitable geograph!L'al distribution is ach1cved. thc Secreta1,-Gencral

40 bAl ·.51, 198317.

should take urgen! steps 10 increase the representat,on of undcrrepresented groups of countrics. in accordance wilh A nicle I O 1. paragraph

ofthe Charler ofthe United Nations and General Assemhly rcsolutions

143. 35/201, 36/149 and 37/94 B; in lhis regard. the Sccretary-(jeneral is requested to submit a repon to the Commillee on lnforma1i11n at its substantive session in 1984.

Member States should be called upon to make voluntary contrihutions to the Unitcd Nations Trust Fund for Economic and Social lnfónnation.

The General Assemhly should takc note of the repon of the Sccrctary-General on various aspects of the regionalization of the Radio and Visual Services Division of the Dcpartmcnt of Public Informat,on 41 and examine it in the light of its resolutions 35/201 and .16· 149 B.

The World Disarmament Campaign should givc full considcrallon to the role ofthe mass media as the most effective way lo promotc in world public opinion a climate of understanding, confidcnce and co-operation conducive to peace and disarmament, thc cnhancement of human rights and development. Within the context of the World Disarmament Campaign and Disarmament Wcck, the Dcpartment of Public Information should fulfil the role assigned to it by the General Asscmhly hy utili1ing its expertise and resourees in public information lo ensure maximum effcctiveness.

The quality, usefulness and coverage of lhe daily prcss rdeases and the weekly news summary issued by thc Dcpartment of Public lnformation in ali working languages should be further enhanced and improvcd in vic" of the importan! public information tasks which thcy can pcrform. The Department should continue to co-operate closely wi1h and provide assistance to !he United Nations Correspondents Associalion. Scrv1ces provided at the Press Section ofthe Departmcnt of Public lnformalion hooth for 1he media and delegations should be improved.

The Committee recommends. in v,ew of the 11nportancc of graph1c presentation for a variety of public information ac1ivi1ics. including posters, exhibits and publications, that thc Secretar)-{icncral should consider redeploying a post of graphic designer from the Dcpartmenl of ( ontérenn· Services to thc Departmenl of Puhlic lnforma1ion.

The role of the Departmcnl of Public lnformation. as dctincd h) the General Assembly in severa! relevan! resolutions. as the focal point for the formulation and implementation of information activilies of thc United Nations should be re-emphasi,ed. and lhe Sccrctary-{ieneral should be rcquested to study !he full implications ofthis mallcr and suhmil a repon to the Committee on lnformation al its substantive ~ession in 1984.

The operations of the Non-Govcrnrnental Liaison Scrvices (Geneva and New York), as inter-agency projects rcaching specific \argel audiences in the industrialized countries on international dcvelopment issues, should be continued on a stable finanóal basis through United Nations participation in these services. Thc Commillee further recommends that the Secretary-General should he rcquested to urge ali lhe spccialized agencies to make long-term contributions to thc financing of these services, thereby stressing their inter-agency charactcr.

The Department of Public Information and thc llnited Nations Development Programme. as importan! clements of l lnitcd Nations intormation and development activities, should be requested to co-operatc more closely with each other. both at Headquarters and in thc field. in order to concentrale their resources. avoid duplicalion and effectively foster the proccss of development.

The Joint United Nations lnformation Commillce. as the essential instrument for inter-agency co-ordination and co-operation in the field of public information, should be enhanced and given more rcsponsibility, thus improving its co-ordination and cost-benefil efficiency of the public information activities of the cntire United Nations systcm.

The Joinl United Nations Information Commillee should continue to strengthcn its activities in the fields of dcvelopmcnt education and development-support communications.

The recommendations contained in the repon of the Joint Unitcd Nations Information Committee on public perceptions of the United Nations system 42 should be implemented. An appcal should be addrcsscd to Governments and !he mass media to transm,t accuratc informa110n on major activities ofthe United Nations. espccially thosc· listcd in ,\rt1ck I or the Charter of the U nitcd Nations.

41 AJ AC.198/62. 42 See A/ AC.198/68. 43 Resolution 33173. I_V_._Resolutions adopted on the reports of the Spedal Political Comm_it_t_ee _____________ 1_0_7

Thc Joint llnited Nations lnformation Committee should continue to rcport on its programmes and artivitics to thc Committer on lnformation for guidancc and support.

Since /Jel'clop111cnt Forum ,s the only intcr-agency publication of 1he llnited Nations systcm which cnnccntrates on developmcnl issues, the Secrctary-Gcneral should contmuc. 111 accordancc with pcrtinent resolutions of lhe (ieneral Assemhly. to support its puhlication from the regular hudget whiil' intensifying his l'lforts to securc a sound and mdependent linanc1al hasis for ns continucd publication. Ali lhc spccialized agennes and other organi,ations of the 1 'nited Nations system should be urge'<! lo contrihute to thc financing of this system-widc puhlication. therehy recogni,ing 1ts intcr-agency character 59.

Having takcn note of thc repon on !he reloca1ion of Del'c/o¡,111ent For,1111. the Commillec on Information recommends that !he Secretary- (ieneral should be requcsted to cnsure lhat /)ere/o¡,ment Forum will retain its editorial policy of intellectual independcnce. thus enabling this publication to continue to serve as a "orld-widc forum in which di verse opinions on issues relatcd to econom1c and social developmenl ran he freely cxprcssed.

Thc Sccretary-Gcneral should he requcsted to submit a report to lhc Commillcc on lnformation on the curren! status of financia! arrangemcnts for the puhhcation or thl' 11 orld NCJnpapl'I" Su¡,¡,lement projecl.

61 In v1ew ofthe fact thal. as is pointed out in the report ofthe Secretary-General on thc in-depth cvaluation of !he work of !he Dcpartment of Puhlic lnformation. 40 lhe production of the UN Chronic/e is administrativdy separate from its dis1ribu11on and sales. thus adding to the problem of its wider and more effective dissemination. it is recommended that !he Sccretary-(ieneral should cons1der transfcrring the sales activity ofthc UN < 'hron,c/e to thc Departmcnl of Puhlic Information.

fhc importancc of !he Dcclaration on the Preparation of Societies for l.ifi: 111 Pean· 43 should he notcd and Member Statcs called upon to impkment 1t.

44 O/fuwl Records o/ the (icn,rnl lssemhlr. Fhim·-c1ghth Sess1on, S11pp/e- 1111·111 \·,, 1 / (A 18 • 13 and Con 1)

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