1994 proclaimed 'Year of the Family'; rededication to social progress asked.

• Position: By General Assembly

Family issues will receive heightened international attention in 1994, proclaimed as "International Year of the Family" by the General Assembly on 8 December (44/82).

The Year will highlight global awareness of family issues and the improvement of national mechanisms directed at tackling serious family-related problems.

Also on 8 December, the Assembly commemorated (44/57) the 20th anniversary of the proclamation in 1969 of the Declaration on Social Progress and Development.

The Assembly asked (44/70) for increased international co-operation to implement the World Programme of Action for the UN Decade of Disabled Persons 1983-1992). Margaret J. Anstee, Director-General of the UN Office at Vienna, warned that by the end of the century, the number of disabled people would have risen to 30 to 40 per cent of the population of some countries.

"One billion elderly are projected for the year 2025, and more than 70 per cent of them will be living in developing countries"' reported Secretary-General Perez de Cuellar (A/44/420). Aging is one priority of the new International Development Strategy for the Fourth UN Development Decade as well as of the UN medium-term plan for 1992-1997. The Assembly also endorsed the outline of a UN programme in the field of aging for 1992 and beyond.

Young people should be an active part of the...