Quadrennial Report to the UN Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC) 1977-1981

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Quadrennial Report to the UN Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC) 1977-1981

Activities of the Baha'i International Community Related to the Work of the United Nations During the Period October 1977 through September 1981

New York—1 October 1981

In the period under survey -- October 1977 through September 1981 -- the Baha'i­ International Community took part in world conferences and seminars and attended meetings of United Nations bodies concerned with a broad range of issues, including human rights, social development, the status of women, the environment, children, disabled persons, aging, human settlements, narcotic drugs, science and technology, disarmament, crime prevention, population, youth, the law of the sea, and the world food problem. It furnished information, submitted statements, or published brochures on most of these subjects.

Steadily broadening and deepening its relationship with the United Nations, the Baha'i­ International Community worked closely with the Economic and Social Council and its functional commissions and committees, attending all of the substantive sessions of the Council, and sessions of the following subsidiary bodies: the Commission for Social Development, the Commission on Human Rights, the Commission on Human Settlements, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the Commission on the Status of Women, the Committee on Crime Prevention and Control, the Committee on Non-governmental Organizations, the Economic Commission for Latin America, the Population Commission, and the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities (see Annex l). Written statements were presented to the twenty-seventh session of the Commission on the Status of Women and to the sixth special session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs; oral statements were made at the twenty-eighth session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, at the thirty-third and thirty-fourth sessions of the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, and at the thirty-seventh session of the Commission on Human Rights (see Annex ll.)

In addition to the meetings of the bodies named above, the Baha'i­ International Community attended the following world conferences, seminars, and meetings, to which it presented written statements: the tenth special session of the General Assembly (on disarmament), the World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination; the United Nations Conference on Science and Technology for Development, the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women (representatives also attended the regional preparatory meeting in Paris, as well as the meetings in New Delhi, Macuto, and Lusaka -- to which written statements were presented -- and the ESCAP sub-regional follow-up meeting in Suva, at which an oral statement was made), and the Sixth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (as well as preparatory meetings in Manila and San Jos�). Oral statements were made at the International Conference on Primary Health Care, the United Nations Seminar on National and Local Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, and the Seminar on the Relations that Exist Between Human Rights, Peace, and Development.

Other conferences attended were the United Nations Conference on Technical Cooperation Among Developing Countries, the UNICEF Special Meeting on Children in Latin America and the Caribbean, the eleventh special session of the General Assembly (on the new international economic order), the United Nations Conference on New and Renewable Resources, the United Nations Conference on the Least-Developed Countries, and such meetings of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea as were not closed to non-governmental organizations. Also, representatives were present at meetings of other United Nations bodies, among them the advisory or preparatory committees for the International Year for Disabled Persons, the International Youth Year, the World Assembly on Aging, the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women, and the United Nations Conference on Science and Technology for Development, as well as bodies such as the General Assembly, the Human Rights Committee, and the World Food Council (see Annex 1.)

In cooperation with the Department of Public Information, the Baha'i­ International Community continued to encourage its national affiliates to establish and maintain cooperation with the United Nations offices in their country and to promote the observance of United Nations Day and Human Rights Day at the national and local levels. The Baha'i­ International Community was also active among the non-governmental organizations associated with the Department: one of its representatives served as Secretary of the DPI/NGO Executive Committee for 1977-78 and Vice-Chairman for 1978-79, and was co-chairman of the 1979 Annual NGO Conference. Another representative now serves on the Committee as Vice-Chairman.

The Baha'i­ International Community continued to strengthen its cooperation with UNICEF with annual celebrations throughout the world of Universal Children's Day and enthusiastic activities during the International Year of the Child (1979). The Baha'i­ International Community became a member of the Steering Committee of the Non-governmental Organizations Committee on UNICEF in 1977, with one of its representatives serving for two years as Secretary and another serving at present as Chairman. Representatives were also involved in planning and chairing two NGO/UNICEF symposia in 1981, on breast-feeding and on the disabled child, respectively. Cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme was maintained through representatives in Nairobi, who attended the meetings of the UNEP Governing Council and worked closely with the Environment Liaison Centre. Annual reports were submitted to the Division of Human Rights and the Division of Narcotic Drugs, at their request. During the period under survey, four reports on various aspects of the status of women were prepared in reply to questionnaires received from the Branch for the Advancement of Women of the Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs.

As United Nations offices moved to Vienna, the Baha'i­ International Community appointed representatives there, in addition to those already active in New York, Geneva, and Nairobi. It also established, in July 1981, a European branch office, based in Geneva, with a full-time representative for Europe.

During the four years under review, a number of articles pertaining to the various activities mentioned above were prepared by the Baha'i­ International Community for international Baha'i­ publications (see Annex 11.)  Numerous articles also appeared during this period in the bulletins and newsletters of national affiliates.

Respectfully submitted,

Victor de Araujo (signed)
Representative to the United Nations

Annex I to the 1981 Quadrennial Report

Participation in Conferences and Other Meetings Sponsored by the United Nations

I. Sessions of the Economic and Social Council and its subsidiary bodies

Economic and Social Council

1978 -- 63rd session, Geneva and New York
1979 -- 64th session, Geneva and New York
1980 -- 1st and 2nd sessions
1981 -- 1st and 2nd sessions

Commission for Social Development

1979 -- 26th session, New York
1981 -- 27th session, Vienna

Commission on Human Rights

1978 -- 34th session, Geneva
1979 -- 35th session, Geneva
1980 -- 36th session, Geneva
1981 -- 37th session, Geneva

Commission on Human Settlements

1978 -- 1st session, Nairobi
1979 -- 2nd session, Nairobi
1980 -- 3rd session, Mexico City
1981 -- 4th session, Manila

Commission on Narcotic Drugs

1978 -- 5th special session, Geneva
1979 -- 28th session, Geneva
1980 -- 6th special session, Vienna
1981 -- 29th session, Vienna

Commission on the Status of Women

1978 -- 27th session, New York
1980 -- 28th session, Vienna

Committee on Crime Prevention and Control

1978 -- 5th session, Geneva

Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations

1978, New York
1979, New York
1981, New York

Economic Commission for Latin America

1979 -- 18th session, La Paz
1981 -- 19th session, Montevido

Population Commission

1979 -- 20th session, New York
1981 -- 21st session, New York

Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities

1978 -- 31st session, Geneva
1979 -- 32nd session, Geneva
1980 -- 33rd session, Geneva
1981 -- 34th session, Geneva

II. Sessions of Other United Nations Bodies

Advisory Committee for the International Year for Disabled Persons

1981 -- 3rd session, Vienna

Advisory Committee for the International Youth Year

1981 -- 1st session, Vienna

Advisory Committee for the World Assembly on Aging

1981 -- 1st session (March), Vienna
1981 -- 2nd session (August), Vienna

Human Rights Committee

1981 -- 12th session, New York
1981 -- 13th session, Bonn

General Assembly

1977 -- 32nd session
1978 -- 10th special session (disarmament)
1978 -- 33rd session
1979 -- 34th session
1980 -- 11th special session (new international economic order)
1980 -- 35th session
1981 -- 36th session

High-Level Committee on the Review of Technical Cooperation Among Developing Countries

1980, Geneva
1981, New York

Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea

1978 -- 7th session, Geneva and New York
1979 -- 8th session, Geneva and New York
1980 -- 9th session, Geneva and New York
1981 -- 10th session, Geneva and New York

UNICEF Executive Board

1978, New York
1979, Mexico City
1980, New York
1981, New York

UNEP Governing Council

1978 -- 6th session, Nairobi
1979 -- 7th session, Nairobi
1980 -- 8th session, Nairobi
1981 -- 9th session, Nairobi

World Food Council

1978 -- preparatory meeting and 4th administerial session, Mexico City

Preparatory Committee for the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women

1978, Vienna
1979, New York
1980, New York

Preparatory Committee for the United Nations Conference on Science and Technology for Development

1979 -- 3rd and 4th session, Vienna

III. World Conferences and Other International Meetings

  • International Conference on Primary Health Care, Alma Ata (USSR), 6-12 September 1978.
  • Seminar on National and Local Instruments for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, Geneva, 18-29 September 1978.
  • Seminar on the Relations that Exist Between Human Rights, Peace and Development, New York, 3-14 August 1981.
  • Sixth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders:

    Asia and Pacific regional preparatory meeting, Manila, 15-19 May 1978.

    Latin-American regional preparatory meeting, San Jos�, 31 July-4 August 1978.

    Sixth United Nations Congress, Caracas, 25 August-5 September 1980.

  • UNICEF Special Meeting on Children in Latin America and the Caribbean, Mexico City, 16-18 May 1979.
  • United Nations Conference on New and Renewable Sources of Energy, Nairobi, 10-21 August 1981.
  • United Nations Conference on Science and Technology for Development, Vienna, 20-31 August 1979.
  • United Nations Conference on Technical Cooperation Among Developing Countries, Buenos Aires, 30 August-12 September 1978.
  • United Nations Conference on the Least-Developed Countries, Paris, 1-14 September 1981.
  • World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women:
    • ECE Regional Preparatory Conference, Paris, 9-12 July 1979.
    • ESCAP Regional Preparatory Conference, New Delhi, 5-9 November 1979.
    • ECLA Regional Preparatory Conference, Macuto (Venezuela), 12-16 November 1979.
    • ECA Regional Preparatory Conference, Lusaka, 3-7 December 1979.
    • World Conference, Copenhagen, 14-30 July 1980.
    • ESCAP Sub-regional Follow-up meeting, Suva, 29 October-3 November 1980.
  • World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, Geneva, 14-25 August 1978.

Annex II to the 1981 Quadrennial Report

Statements, Reports, and Other Documents Prepared During the Period October 1977 Through September 1981

I. Items prepared singly

  1. "A Summary of Baha'i­-UN Activities During 1976 Sponsored by National Affiliates of the Baha'i­ International Community" -- report submitted to the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the Office of Public Information, and the Division of Human Rights, 15 October 1977.
  2. "Environment and Development and Environmental Management" -- report submitted to the United Nations Environment Programme, 17 October 1977.
  3. Written statement to the Commission on the Status of Women, 27th session (E/CN.6/NGO/279, 17 March 1978).
  4. "The Promise of Disarmament and Peace" -- written statement to the General Assembly, 10th special session (devoted to disarmament), 23 May-28 June 1978.
  5. Written statement to the World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (Geneva, 14-25 August 1978).
  6. "An Overview of Baha'i­-UN Activities during 1977 Sponsored by the Baha'i­ International Community and Its National Affiliates" -- report submitted to the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the Office of Public Information, and the Division of Human Rights, 15 August 1978.
  7. "Technical and Operational Aspects of Primary Health Care" -- oral statement made during the International Conference on Primary Health Care (Alma Ata, 6-12 September 1978).
  8. Oral statement to the United Nations Seminar on National and Local Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (Geneva, 18-29 September 1978).
  9. "Views of the Baha'i­ International Community on the Draft Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief" -- statement submitted to the Division of Human Rights, 10 November 1978 (summarized in E/CN.4/1337, 15 December 1978).
  10. "Report of the Baha'i­ International Community on Its Activities in the Prevention of Drug Abuse" -- submitted to the Division of Narcotic Drugs, 10 November 1978 (reported in E/CN.7.633, 24 November 1978).
  11. Oral statement to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, 28th session, 12-23 February 1979.
  12. "Implementation During the Period 1975-1978 of the World Plan of Action Adopted at the World Conference of the International Women's Year" -- reply to a questionnaire from the Branch for the Advancement of Women, 4 April 1979.
  13. "Observations Concerning Ways and Means for the Improvement in the Status and Role of Women in Education and in the Economic and Social Fields" -- reply to a questionnaire from the Branch for the Advancement of Women, 22 June 1979.
  14. "The Impact of the Mass Communication Media on the Changing Roles of Men and Women" -- reply to a questionnaire from a special rapporteur of the Economic and Social Council, 20 July 1979.
  15. "Survey of Activities of National Affiliates of the Baha'i­ International Community, 1978" -- report submitted to the Department of International Economic and Social Affairs, the Department of Public Information, and the Division of Human Rights, 20 August 1979.
  16. "Science and Technology for Human Advancement" -- written statement to the United Nations Conference on Science and Technology for Development (Vienna, 20-31 August 1979), circulated as A/CONF/81/BP/NGO/l9.
  17. Written statement to the ESCAP Regional Preparatory Conference for the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women (New Delhi, 5-9 November 1979).
  18. Written statement to the ECLA Regional Preparatory Conference for the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women (Macuto, Venezuela; 12-16 November 1979).
  19. Written statement to the ECA Regional Preparatory Conference for the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women (Lusaka, 3-7 December 1979).
  20. Statement on the draft Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief -- submitted to the Division of Human Rights, 31 December 1979 (summarized in E/CN.4/NGO/263, 1 February 1980).
  21. "Implementation of the Program for the Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination" -- report submitted to the Division of Human Rights, December 1979.
  22. Written statement to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, 6th special session, 11-20 February 1980 (contained in E/CN.7/647/Add.3).
  23. Written statement to the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women (Copenhagen, 14-30 July 1980), circulated as A/CONF.94/NGO/ll.
  24. "Universal Values for the Advancement of Women" -- brochure prepared for the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women (Copenhagen, 14-30 July 1980).
  25. "Summary Report of Activities During International Year of the Child" -- submitted to UNICEF, the Department of International Economic and Social Affairs, and the Department of Public Information, March 1980, and published as a special issue of Baha'i­ News, July 1980.
  26. "Crime Trends and Crime Prevention Strategies" -- written statement to the Sixth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (Caracas, 25 August-5 September 1980), circulated as A/CONF.87/NGO/BIC (22 August 1980).
  27. Oral statement to the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, 33rd session, 15 September 1980.
  28. Oral statement to the ESCAP Sub-regional Follow-up Meeting for Pacific Women to the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women (Suva, 29 October-3 November 1980) -- also circulated in writing.
  29. "Implementation of the Program for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination" -- oral statement to the Commission on Human Rights, 37th session, 13 February 1981.
  30. "Question of Missing and Disappeared Persons" -- oral statement to the Commission Human Rights, 37th session, 17 February 1981.
  31. "Question of the Violation of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in Any Part of the World" -- oral statement to the Commission on Human Rights, 37th session, 9 March 1981.
  32. Oral statement to the Seminar on the Relations that Exist Between Human Rights, Peace, and Development (New York, 3-14 August 1981).
  33. "Progress Made in Implementing International Strategies Designed to Promote the Advancement of Women" -- reply to a questionnaire from the Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs, 14 August 1981.
  34. "Measures to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination and the Role of the Sub-Commission" -- oral statement to the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, 34th session, 20 August 1981.
  35. "Question of the Violation of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms" -- oral statement to the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, 34th session, 28 August 1981.

II. Statements Made Jointly with Other Non-Governmental Organizations

  1. "Preparations for the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women" -- submitted to the Commission on the Status of Women, 27th session (E/CN.6/NGO/276, 15 March 1978).
  2. "Draft Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief" -- submitted to the Commission on Human Rights, 35th session (E/CN.4/NGO/228, 29 December 1978)
  3. "Childhood disability: Its Prevention and Rehabilitation" -- submitted to the UNICEF Executive Board, 1980 session (E/ICEF/NGO/l99, 15 May 1980).
  4. Joint Statement to the Human Rights Commission, 36th session, regarding the draft Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion and Belief -- signed 10 February 1981.
  5. Joint statement to the President of the thirty-sixth session of the General Assembly on the draft Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief -- signed 27 July 1981.

III. Articles prepared for Baha'i­ publications

  1. Baha'i­ News:
    • March 1979 -- "Raising the Flag of International Peace: Baha'i­s and the United Nations"; also included: statement to the World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, statement to the 10th special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament (see above).
    • September 1979 -- ''Drug Abuse: The Baha'i­ International Community Joins Forces with United Nations Agencies to Battle Onerous Problem"; includes oral statement to Commission on Narcotic Drugs, 28th session, 2nd report to Division of Narcotic Drugs of 10 November 1978 (see above).
    • October 1979 -- "Baha'i­s Sponsor Panel Discussion on Science, Technology for Development."
    • March 1980 -- "UN Luncheon: Baha'i­ International Community Hosts IYC-related Event."
    • July 1980 -- Special issue reporting on Baha'i­ International Community activities during International Year of the Child (see above).
    • August 1980 -- "United Nations: Baha'i­ International Community Explores 'Right to Development' at UN Luncheon."
    • April 1981 -- "Women: Principle of Equality of Sexes is Practiced in Baha'i­ Communities All Over the World."
  2. Baha'i­ World (Haifa: Baha'i­ World Centre, 1978), Vol. XVI (1973-1976) -- "The Baha'i­ International Community and the United Nations, 1973-1976."
  3. La Pensée Baha'i­e, September 1980 -- "Participation de la Communauté internationale Baha'i­e à la Conférence mondiale de la Decénnie des Nations Unies pour la femme" [Participation of the Baha'i­ International Community in the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women].