A/RES/64/218 Reaffirming that gender equality is of fundamental importance for achieving sustained economic growth, poverty eradication and sustainable development, in accordance with the relevant General Assembly resolutions and United Nations conferences, and that investing in the development of women and girls has a multiplier effect, in particular on productivity, efficiency and sustained economic growth, in all sectors of the economy, especially in key areas such as agriculture, industry and services, Recognizing that education is the key to promoting the development of human potential, equality and understanding among peoples, as well as to sustaining economic growth and eradicating poverty, and recognizing also that, to achieve those ends, it is essential that quality education be available to all, including indigenous peoples, girls and women, rural inhabitants and persons with disabilities, Stressing that Governments have the primary responsibility for defining and implementing appropriate policies for human resources development and the need for greater support from the international community for the national efforts of developing countries, 1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General; 1 0F 2. Stresses the need for Member States to emphasize and integrate human resources development into national development strategies, including national development policies and strategies to eradicate poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals, in order to ensure that human resources development implications are taken into account by all national development stakeholders; Encourages Member States to adopt and implement comprehensive 3. human resources development strategies premised on national development objectives that ensure a strong link between education, training and employment, help to maintain a productive and competitive workforce and are responsive to the needs of the economy; Stresses that investment in human resources development should be an 4. integral part of national development policies and strategies, and in this regard calls for the adoption of policies to facilitate investment focused on infrastructure and capacity development, including education, health and science and technology, including information and communications technology; Encourages Member States to continue to strengthen social protection 5. systems and to adopt policies that strengthen existing safety nets, protect vulnerable groups and boost domestic consumption and production especially to cushion the effect of the crisis and prevent people from falling into poverty, acknowledges in this regard that many developing countries lack the necessary financial resources and capacity to implement such countercyclical measures, and recognizes the need for continued mobilization of additional domestic and international resources, as appropriate; Emphasizes the need for Member States to adopt cross-sectoral 6. approaches and mechanisms to identify human resources development needs in the medium and long term for all sectors of the economy and to formulate and implement policies and programmes to address those needs; _______________ 1 2 A/64/329.