Further promotion and encouragement of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the question of the programme and methods of work of the Commission [on Human Rights] : alternative approaches and ways and means within the United Nations System for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

1983/51. Further promotion and encouragement of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the question of the programme and methods of work of the Commission; alternative approaches and ways and means within the United Nations system for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms[1]116

The Commission on Human Rights, Recalling all relevant General Assembly resolutions, Bearing in mind the co-ordination function assigned to the Commission by the Economic and Social Council in its resolution 1979/36 of 10 May 1979, Recalling also its resolution 1982/40 of 11 March 1982, in which it decided to continue at its thirty-ninth session its ongoing work on the over-all analysis with a view to further promotion and encouragement of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the question of programmes and methods of work of the Commission and alternative approaches and ways and means within the United Nations system for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, Noting the contribution that this ongoing work may make to the efforts within the United Nations system for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, Attaching importance to improving the functioning of the existing organs within the United Nations system dealing with the promotion and protection of human rights; Confirming the desirability that major decisions concerning the concepts, organization and operation of the United Nations system for the promotion of human rights should be adopted on the basis of the widest possible agreement which takes account of different views expressed by Member States, in order thereby to enhance their effectiveness, Conscious of the need to review periodically the programme and activities of the Commission on Human Rights and other bodies dealing with human rights within the United Nations system with a view to improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

1. Notes with appreciation that the report of the open-ended working group[2]117 established during its thirty-ninth session contains a number of ideas which merit consideration by the Commission;

2. Notes also that differing views were expressed inter alia on the questions of the intersessional role of the Bureau, emergency sessions of the Commission, the creation of a post of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the possible review of the Commission's terms of reference, the long-term programme of work of the Commission, and the usefulness of the working group;

3. Decides, in the context of Economic and Social Council decision 1982/156, to renew its recommendation to the Economic and Social Council to consider, in the light of the increasing frequency of the discussions in the Commission, the proposals made and the varying views expressed at the thirty-ninth session of the Commission, the possibility of rescheduling the annual session of the Commission with a view to enabling the Commission to meet later in the year and providing inter alia for a longer interval between the annual session of the General Assembly and the following session of the Commission on Human Rights;

4. Considers, on the basis of the experience at this session, that time-limits for statements have a useful role to play in facilitating the conduct and completion of the work of the Commission;

5. Decides to continue at its fortieth session its ongoing work on the over-all analysis with a view to further promotion and encouragement of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the question of programmes and methods of work of the Commission and alternative approaches and ways and means within the United Nations system for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms;

6. Decides to establish at its fortieth session an open-ended working group to continue the analysis referred to above and to make concrete recommendations to the Commission on Human Rights;

7. Decides to consider at its fortieth session the amount of time to be allotted to the working group, giving priority in this respect to those issues which appear to offer the best prospects of early agreement;

8. Decides also to review at its fortieth session, taking into account the work done by the working group, the continuation of the work of the group;

9. Requests the Secretary-General to bring the present resolution and the relevant chapter of the report on its thirty-ninth session to the attention of the General Assembly, through the Economic and Social Council.

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[1]116 Adopted at the 56th meeting, on 10 March 1983, without a vote. See chap. IX. [2]117 E/CN.4/1983/64.