The Third Committee of the General Assembly includes in its agenda a multiplicity of questions related to social, humanitarian and human rights issues, highlighting those concerning the advancement of women, the promotion and protection of the rights of the child, rights of persons with disabilities, the rights of indigenous peoples, the elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, crime prevention and criminal justice and the world drug problem, among others.

The Third Committee is also responsible for monitoring the agreed commitments at summits and meetings related to the above mentioned topics, such as the World Summit for Social Development (Copenhagen), the Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing), the Second World Assembly on Aging (Madrid) and the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, as well as the implementation of the World Programme for Youth and the Declaration and Programme of Action of Durban on Elimination of Racism and Racial Discrimination.

The Commission addresses issues of central importance to the international community, as migrants and refugees, the promotion of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights and self-determination.

Annually, the Third Committee adopts more than sixty resolutions, half of which revolve around specific issues related to human rights, including resolutions on the situation regarding human rights in specific countries. The Commission also holds annual interactive dialogues with more than fifty Special Procedure Mandate Holders (Rapporteurs, Independent Experts, Working Group Chairs) appointed by the Human Rights Council.

In regards with the Argentine position on social development, our country has driven this issue at the United Nations even before the creation of the Commission for Social Development (1966) and it has maintained an active role in this field including on issues of youth, aging, families and persons with disabilities, among others.

Regarding human rights, Argentina works together with other actors in the international system in order to promote actions leading to concrete progress in the promotion, protection and full and effective enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms. In this sense, Argentina highlights the universality, interdependence, indivisibility and interrelation of all civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.

Moreover, Argentina promotes international actions to prevent mass atrocities, including genocide. Also, Argentina actively advocates for an end to the death penalty and supports initiatives on the right to truth and the use of forensic genetics research on human rights and international humanitarian law.

With regard to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Argentina is convinced that human rights should guide its implementation, in order to achieve a world where, indeed, "no one is left behind", fighting against all forms of discrimination and violence based on sex, race, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity, advocating freedom and equality for all, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Argentina also chairs the General Assembly Open-ended Working Group on Aging. This working group, which meets once a year, was created by the General Assembly during its 65th session (2011), so that all Member States and civil society could participate in the discussions and negotiations in order to increase the protection of human rights of older persons by examining the existing international legal framework, identifying possible gaps and the best way to address them, including through the study, where appropriate, of the feasibility of new instruments and measures.

In line with the above, Argentina actively participates in the following informal initiatives in the framework of the United Nations: Group of Friends of the Convention against Enforced Disappearances; Informal Network of States Friends of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; Group of Friends of Women, Peace and Security; LGBT Core Group; Group of Friends of the Responsibility to Protect; Group of Friends of Indigenous Peoples; Group of Friends of Older Persons; Group of Friends of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Group of Friends on Women, Children and Health; Group of Friend of Migration and Group of Friends in favor of a Woman Candidate for Secretary General of the United Nations.