UNITED NATIONS A General AssemblyDistr~ GE:NE:RAL A/40/244 IlOctober E:NGLISH ORIGINAL:1985 ARABIC/CHINESE/ENGLISH/ FRENCH/RUSSIAN/SPANISH Fortieth session REQUEST FORTHEINCLUSION OFANADDITIONAL ITE:MINTHEAGENDA OFTHEFORTIETH SESSION DRAFTDECLARATION ONSOCIAL ANDLEGALPRINCIPLES RELATING TOTHE PROTECTION ANDWELFARE OFCHILDREN, WITHSPE:CIAL RE:FERENCE TO FOSTER PLACEMENT ANDADOPTION, NATIONALLY ANDINTERNATIONALLY LetterdatedlaOctober 1985tromthePermanent Representatives oftheNetherlands, thePhilippines, Sweden andVenezuela te theUnited Nations addressed tatheSecretary-General Uponinstructions tromourGovernments, wehavethehonour tapropose the inclusion ofanitemofanimportant andurgent character entitled "Draft Oeclaration onSocial andLegalPrinciples relating tatheProtection andWelfare ofChildren, withSpecial Reference taFoster Placement andAdoption, Nationally andInternationally". ThedraftDeclaration wassubmittea bytheEconomie andSocial Council tathe General Assembly byitsresolution 1979/28. Theitemwasallocated totheThird Committee attheAssembly's thirty-tifth andthirty-sixth sessions, butthat Committee didnothavetimetaconsider it~Atthethirty-seventh, thirty-eighth andthirty-ninth sessions, theitem·wasallecated tetheSixthCommittee, which considered itbriefly during eachsession. Inthecourse oftheyears agreat numberofcornrnents on thedraftDeclaration havebeenreceived fromMember States~ Byitsresolution 39/89of13December 1984theGeneral Assemb1y appealed to Member States representing different legalsystems taundertake consultations on thedraftDeclaration withaviewtafinding outtheextent tawhichtheycould jointhecomman endeavour ofcompleting thework thereon~ Ontheinitiative oftheNetherlands, consultations wereheldinNewYorkfrom 16to27September 1985. Theresults oftheconsultations arecontained lnthe report annexed tothisletter. 85-28056 1729s(E) /...A/40/244 English Page2 Onthebasisoftheseresults ourGoveroments feelthattherei5agood prospect forconsensus onthedraftDeclaration andthattheGeneral Assembly might wishtoconsider thedraftDeclaration andhopefully toconclude theworkonit during thisanniversary session, oratthelatest duringitsforty-first session. Wesuggest thattheitembeallocated tothesixthCommittee andrequest that thisletter anditsannex beregarded asanexplanatory memorandum, asrequired undercule20,andthatthisletter becirculated, together withtheannexed report, asanotficial document oftheGeneral Assembly. (Signedj M.VANDERSTOEL Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipoten tiary Permanent Representative of theNetherlands (Signed) A.FERM Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentia [y Permanent Representative ofSweden(Signedj L.MORENO-SALCEDO Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Representative ofthe Philippines (Signedj J.F.SUCRE-FIGARELLA Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentia ry Permanent Representative ofVenezuela 1...A/40/244 English Page3 ANNEl: Report bytheChairman oftheConsultations ontheDraftDeclaration on Social 8t1dLegalPrincip1..relating tatheProtection andWe1fare of Childret1, vithSpecial Reference ta,FosterPlacement andAdoption, National1y 8t1dIntematiot1811y. he1dpursuant taGeneral Assemb1y reso1ution 39/89 ~16-Z7September 1985.NewYor~) IN'rRODUC'1'ION 1.ay~e801ution 39/89of13oe<:ember 1.984,tileGeneral Asse=bly awaaledto ~ember &~tesrepresenting different leqalsystems toundertake consultations onthedraftDeclaration onSocialandLeqal ~rincip1es relating tothe ~rotectiJn andWelfare ofChildren, withSpecial Reference toFoster ~lacement andAdoption, Nationally andInternationally, annexed toGeneral Assembly reso1utiun 36/167, withaviewtofinding outtheextenttowhichtheywould
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a proposal for a United Nations General Assembly session to discuss and adopt a declaration on social and legal principles related to the protection and welfare of children, with a focus on foster placement and adoption. The proposal is made by the permanent representatives of several countries, and the text discusses the consultations that have been held on the draft declaration. The topic of children's welfare and protection is a social and humanitarian issue, and the text does not mention economic or environmental aspects.

**Category**
Humanitarian aid and relief, Education