UN Documentation: Development

According to the Declaration of Mexico on the Equality of Women and their Contribution to Development and Peace, 1975 (E/CONF.66/34, para.16):

"The ultimate end of development is to achieve a better quality of life for all, which means not only the development of economic and other material resources but also the physical, moral, intellectual and cultural growth of the human person."

During this period, major conferences on racism, women, law of the sea, water and the environment, among others, expanded the conversation within the UN on development.

Decades: 

• 1970-1979: [First] Disarmament Decade: A/RES/2602 (XXIV)
• 1971-1980: Second United Nations Development Decade: A/RES/2626 (XXV)
• 1973-1982: [First] Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination: A/RES/3057 (XXVIII)
• 1976-1985: United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace: A/RES/3520 (XXX)
• 1978-1988: Transport and Communications Decade for Africa: A/RES/32/160

1971

• International Year for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination: A/RES/2544 (XXIV)
• A/RES/2626 (XXV) : International Development Strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade
  • Proclaims 1971-1980 the Second UN Development Decade
• Development and Environment: Report of a Panel of Experts convened by the Secretary-General of the UN Conference on the Human Environment
  • Founex, Switzerland, 4-12 June 1971
  • Called the Founex Report
  • Reproduced as Annex I to A/CONF.48/10

1972

• Kurt Waldheim appointed Secretary-General
• Conference on the Human Environment
  • Stockholm, 5-16 June 1972
  • Report: A/CONF.48/14/Rev.1 + Corr.1 (73.II.A.14)
• UNCTAD III
  • Santiago, 13 Apr.-21 May 1972
  • TD/180: Report and Annexes (73.II.D.4)
  • Vol. Ia, pt. 1: Summaries of Statements by Heads of Delegations (73.II.D.Mim.1, pt. 1)
  • Vol. Ia, pt. 2: Summary Records of Plenary Meetings (73.II.D.Mim.1, pt. 2)
  • Vol. II: Merchandise Trade (73.II.D.5)
  • Vol. III: Financing and Invisibles (73.II.D.6)

1973

• Third Conference on the Law of the Sea
  • New York, Caracas & Geneva, 1973-1982
  • A/CONF.62/121
• Economic Commission for Western Asia (ECWA) established by E/RES/1818 (LV) of 9 Aug. 1973
• Membership of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) increases from 27 to 54, in accordance with A/RES/2847(XXVI)

1974

• World Population Year: A/RES/2683 (XXV)
• World Population Conference (3rd)
  •  Bucharest, 19-30 Aug. 1974
  • E/CONF.60/19 (75.XIII.3)
• 6th special session of the General Assembly
  • 9 April - 2 May 1974
  • Convened by Algeria, A/9541
  • Topic: Raw materials and development
  • Resolutions: A/9559
  • Declaration on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order, A/RES/3201 (S-VI)
    • Procedural history
• World Food Conference
  • 5-16 November 1974, Rome
  • Report of the Conference E/CONF.65/20 (75.II.A.3)
• A/RES/3281 (XXIX) : Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States
  • ​Procedural history
• UNCTAD IV
  • Nairobi, 5-31 May 1976
  • TD/218  (Vol. I): Report and Annexes + Corr.1 (76.II.D.10)
  • TD/218 (Vol. II): Summaries of Statements by Heads of Delegation and Summary Records of Plenary Meetings
  • TD/218 (Vol. III): Basic Documents

1975

• International Women's Year: A/RES/3010 (XXVII)
• World Conference of the International Women's Year
  • 1st World Conference on Women
  • 19 June-2 July 1975, Mexico City 
  • E/CONF.66/34 (76.IV.1)
• A New United Nations Structure for Global Economic Co-operation: Report of the Group of Experts on the Structure of the United Nations System
  • Known as the Gardner Report
  • E/AC.62/9
• 7th special session of the General Assembly 
  • 1 - 16 September 1975
  • Convened by A/RES/3172 (XXVIII)
  • Topic: Development and international economic cooperation
  • Resolutions: A/10301
  • Ad Hoc Committee on the Restructuring of the Economic and Social Sectors established by A/RES/3362 (S-VII)

1976

• Conference on Human Settlements
  • Vancouver, Canada, 31 May-11 June 1976
  • A/CONF.70/15 (76.IV.7) + Corr.1
• Tripartite World Conference on Employment, Income Distribution and Social Progress and the International Division of Labour
  • Known as the ILO World Employment Conference
  • Geneva, 4-17 June 1976
  • Summary in Activities of the ILO, 1976
  • Employment, Growth and Basic Needs : a One-World Problem : Report of the Director-General of the International Labour Office (online from Labordoc)

1977

• A/RES/32/197: Restructuring of the economic and social sectors of the United Nations System
• United Nations Water Conference
  • Mar del Plata, Argentina, 14-25 Mar. 1977
  • E/CONF.70/29 + Corr.1-2 (77.II.A.12)

1978

• International Anti-Apartheid Year (year beginning on 21 March 1978): A/RES/32/105 B
• World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (1st)
  • Geneva, 14-25 August 1978
  • A/CONF.92/40 (79.XIV.2)
• Conference on Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries
  • Buenos Aires, 30 Aug. - 12 Sept. 1978
  • A/CONF.79/13/Rev.1 + Corr.1 (78.II.A.11)
• International Conference on Primary Health Care
  • Alma-Ata, 6-12 Sept. 1978
  • Report : Online from WHO

1979

• International Year of the Child: A/RES/31/169
• North-South: A Programme for Survival
  • Known as the Brandt Report
  • UN Library Call number: 330.2 I38 (missing as of Jan. 2018)
• World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development
  • FAO
  • Rome, 12-20 July 1979
  • Report: WCARRD/REP, transmitted by A/34/485
• Conference on Science and Technology for Development
  • Vienna, 20-31 August 1979
  • Report: A/CONF.81/16 + Corr.1 + Corr.2 (79.I.21)
• Conference on Desertification
  • ​Nairobi, 29 Aug. - 9 Sept. 1979
  • Report: A/CONF.74/36
• UNCTAD V
  • Manila, 7 May-3 June 1979
  • TD/269 Vol. I: Report and Annexes (79.II.D.14)
  • TD/269 Vol. II: Statements by Heads of Delegation (79.II.D.15)
  • TD/269 Vol. III: Basic Documents (79.II.D.16)

1980

• World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women : Equality, Development and Peace
  • 2nd World Conference on Women
  • Copenhagen, 14-30 July 1980
  • Report: A/CONF.94/35
• 11th special session of the General Assembly
  • 25 August - 15 September 1980
  • Convened by A/RES/32/174
  • Topic: New international economic order 
  • Resolutions and decisions : A/S-11/3

These websites gather comprehensive historic information on a particular aspect of the UN and supplement this guide.