UN Documentation: Development

In 1990, the UN Development Programme launched the first Human Development Report.

"This Report is about people - and about how development enlarges their choices. It is about more than GNP growth, more than income and wealth and more than producing commodities and accumulating capital. A person's access to income may be one of the choices, but it is not the sum total of human endeavour."

Decades:

• 1990-1999: Third Disarmament Decade: A/RES/43/78 L
• 1990-1999: International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction: A/RES/42/169
• 1990-1999: United Nations Decade of International Law: A/RES/44/23
• 1990-2000: International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism: A/RES/43/47
• 1991-2000: Second Industrial Development Decade for Africa: A/RES/44/237
• 1991-2000: Second Transport and Communications Decade in Africa : A/RES/43/179
• 1991-2000: United Nations Decade Against Drug Abuse: A/RES/S-17/2
• 1991-2000: Fourth United Nations Development Decade: A/RES/45/199
• 1993-2003: Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination: A/RES/48/91 
• 1994-2004: International Decade of the World's Indigenous People: A/RES/48/163
• 1995-2004: Decade for Human Rights Education: A/RES/49/184 
• 1997-2006: Decade for the Eradication of Poverty: A/RES/50/107

1991

• (2nd) Human Development Report 1991: Financing Human Development
• The World's Women, 1970-1990 : trends and statistics (ST/ESA/STAT/SER.K/8)

1992

• Boutros Boutros-Ghali appointed Secretary-General
• International Space Year: A/RES/44/46
• United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (1992)
  • Convened by A/RES/44/228
  • Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 3-14 June 1992
  • A/CONF.151/26/Rev.1 (Vol.I): Resolutions + (Vol. I)/Corr.1 (93.I.8)
  • A/CONF.151/26/Rev.1 (Vol. II): Proceedings
  • A/CONF.151/26/Rev.1 (Vol. III): Statements by Heads of State or Government + (Vol. III)/Corr.1
• Agenda for Peace: Preventive Diplomacy, Peacemaking and Peace-keeping : Report of the Secretary-General (A/47/277-S/24111)
• Enhancing International Cooperation for Development : the Role of the UN System: Report of the Secretary-General (E/1992/82 + Add.1)
• Human Development Report 1992: Global Dimensions of Human Development
• UNCTAD VIII
  • Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, 8-25 Feb. 1992
  • TD/364/Rev.1 (93.II.D.5): Report and annexes

1993

• International Year of the World's Indigenous People: A/RES/45/164, A/RES/47/75
• Human Development Report 1993: People's Participation
• World Conference on Human Rights
  • Vienna, 14-25 June 1993
  • Report: A/CONF.157/24 (Part I)

1994

• International Year of the Family: A/RES/44/82
• International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal: A/RES/48/10
• Agenda for Development : Report of the Secretary-General (A/48/935)
• Human Development Report 1994: New Dimensions of Human Security
• International Conference on Population and Development
  • Known as the 5th World Population Conference
  • Cairo, 5-13 Sept. 1994
  • Report: A/CONF.171/13/Rev.1 (95.XIII.18)
• Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States
  • Convened by A/RES/47/189 and A/RES/48/193
  • Bridgetown, Barbados, 26 Apr.-6 May 1994
  • A/CONF.167/9 (94.I.18) + Corr.1 + Corr.2

1995

• United Nations Year for Tolerance: A/RES/48/126
• World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of Victims of the Second World War: A/RES/49/25
• Human Development Report 1995: Gender and Human Development
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) second assessment report issued
• Our Creative Diversity : Report of the World Commission on Culture and Development
  • Online from UNESDOC
• Fourth World Conference on Women : Action for Equality, Development and Peace
  • Beijing, 4-15 Sept. 1995
  • A/CONF.177/20/Rev.1 (96.IV.13)
• World Summit for Social Development
  • Convened by A/RES/47/92 of 16 Dec. 1992
  • Copenhagen, 6-12 Mar. 1995
  • Report: A/CONF.166/9 (96.IV.8)

1996

• International Year for the Eradication of Poverty: A/RES/48/183
• Human Development Report 1996: Economic Growth and Human Development
• UNCTAD IX
  • Midrand, South Africa, 27 Apr.-11 May 1996
  • TD/378/Rev.1: Report and annexes (97.II.D.4)
• UN Conference on Human Settlements
  • Known as Habitat II
  • Istanbul, Turkey, 3-14 June 1996
  • A/CONF.165/14 (97.IV.6)
• Impact of Armed Conflict on Children: Report of the Expert of the Secretary-General, Graça Machel
  • Known as the Machel Report
  • A/51/306 + Add.1
  • A/RES/51/77: Rights of the Child
    • Establishes the Office of the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict

1997

• Kofi Annan appointed Secretary-General
  • A/51/950 + Add.1-7: Renewing the UN: A Programme for Reform
• A/RES/52/12B: Renewing the United Nations: a programme for reform
  • Establishes:
    • Deputy Secretary-General position
    • UN Development Account
    • UN Development Group
• A/RES/51/240 : An Agenda for Development
• Human Development Report 1997: Human Development to Eradicate Poverty
• 19th special session of the General Assembly 
  • Known as the Earth Summit +5
  • New York, 23-27 June 1997
  • Report of the Ad Hoc Committee of the Whole: A/S-19/29
  • Resolutions and decisions adopted by the General Assembly: A/S-19/33
  • Official records: A/S-19/PV.1-11

1998

• International Year of the Ocean: A/RES/49/131
• Human Development Report 1998: Consumption for Human Development
• UNCTAD Partners for Development Summit 
  • Lyon, France, 9-12 Nov. 1998
  • Report of UNCTAD Secretary-General on the Summit: TD/B/EX(20)/2

1999

• International Year of Older Persons: A/RES/47/5, A/RES/50/141
• Human Development Report 1999: Globalization with a Human Face
• 21st special session of the General Assembly
  • New York, 30 June-2 July 1999
  • Topic: Population and Development
  • A/RES/S-21/2
• 22nd special session of the General Assembly
  • New York, 27-28 Sept. 1999
  • Topic: Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
  • A/S-22/9/Rev.1

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