A/RES/68/133 Cooperatives in social development 1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General; 1 2. Notes with appreciation the celebration of the International Year of Cooperatives, in 2012; 3. Encourages all Member States, as well as the United Nations and all other relevant stakeholders, to share best practices identified through activities implemented during the International Year of Cooperatives and to continue these activities, as appropriate; Takes note of the draft plan of action on cooperatives for 2012 and 4. beyond, based on the outcome document of the expert group meeting held in Ulaanbaatar in 2011 for the promotion of cooperatives for sustainable socioeconomic development, so as to promote focused and effective follow-up to the activities of the Year, within existing resources; Draws the attention of Governments to the recommendations contained 5. in the report of the Secretary-General to focus support on cooperatives as sustainable and successful business enterprises that contribute directly to employment generation, poverty and hunger eradication, and social protection, across a variety of economic sectors in urban and rural areas, to review the prevailing policies, laws and regulations affecting cooperatives and to identify strategies for legislative frameworks in support of cooperative growth; Invites Governments and international organizations, in partnership with 6. cooperatives and cooperative organizations, to strengthen and build the capacity of all forms of cooperatives, especially those run by the poor, young people, women, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, so that they can empower people to transform their lives and communities positively and build inclusive societies; Encourages Governments to promote access to information and 7. communication technologies as a vital channel for collaboration and the expansion of cooperatives, especially in rural areas; Also encourages Governments to intensify and expand the availability 8. and accessibility of research on the operations and contribution of cooperatives and to establish methodologies for the collection and dissemination of comparable global data on and the best practices of cooperative enterprises, in collaboration with all stakeholders, and to raise public awareness of the nature of cooperatives, their strengths, their values and principles and their contributions to sustainable development; Invites Governments, relevant international organizations, the specialized 9. agencies and local, national and international cooperative organizations to continue to observe the International Day of Cooperatives annually, on the first Saturday of July, as proclaimed by the General Assembly in its resolution 47/90; 10. Invites Governments, in collaboration with the cooperative movement, to develop programmes aimed at enhancing the capacity-building of cooperatives, including by strengthening the organizational, management and financial skills of their members, while respecting the principles of gender equality and the empowerment of women, and to introduce and support programmes to improve the access of cooperatives to new technologies; _______________ 1 2/3 A/68/168.