Report of the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities on its 35th session.

1983/22. Report of the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities on its thirty-fifth session[1]55

The Commission on Human Rights, Taking note of the report of the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities on its thirty-fifth session[2]56 Recognizing the important contribution which the Sub-Commission makes to the promotion and protection of human rights, in part through the high quality of many of its studies and reports, as well as the valuable assistance which the Sub-Commission provides to the Commission, Recalling its resolution 1982/23 of 10 March 1982 concerning the report of the Sub-Commission on its thirty-fourth session, Recalling again the terms of reference of the Sub-Commission as defined by the Commission at its fifth session as well as in its resolutions 8 (XXIII) of 16 March 1967 and 17 (XXXVII) of 10 March 1981 and in the relevant resolutions of the Economic and Social Council and of the General Assembly, Noting the efforts made by the Sub-Commission to take into account a number of the recommendations and requests made to it by the Commission at its thirty-seventh and thirty-eighth sessions, Recalling further that members of the Sub-Commission are experts elected in their individual capacity, Aware of the variety of suggestions and comments which were made by members of the Sub-Commission in the course of the general discussion during its thirty-fifth session concerning its activities, Bearing in mind the already heavy workload of the Sub-Commission and the desirability of some rationalization of its work, taking into account the existing terms of reference of the Sub-Commission, Believing that it is helpful and appropriate for the Commission to give guidance to the Sub-Commission, in order to ensure complementarity between its activities and those of the Commission,

1. Calls upon the Sub-Commission in the fulfilment of its functions and duties to be guided by the resolutions referred to in the preambular paragraphs of the present resolution;

2. Draws the attention of the Sub-Commission to the comments and suggestions made during the consideration of the Sub-Commission's report at the present session of the Commission and requests the Sub-Commission to take them into account;

3. Believes that it is inappropriate for the Sub-Commission to take decisions affecting its status, role and competence;

4. Invites the Sub-Commission to consider and make recommendations to the Commission as to how its work might best be harmonized with that of the Commission, within the existing terms of reference of the Sub-Commission, to ensure complementarity and co-ordination between the activities of both bodies as well as the undertaking of tasks by the Sub-Commission which its particular status as a body of individuals elected in an independent and expert capacity best suits it to carry out;

5. Further invites the Sub-Commission particularly:

(a) To examine ways to implement all the requirements contained in Commission resolution 8 (XXIII);

(b) To examine at its thirty-sixth session possibilities for rationalizing its methods of work, which might include the adoption of a five-year programme of work such as that which expired in 1980;

(c) To place due emphasis, at an early stage, on the preparation of studies requested of it by the Commission and by the Economic and Social Council in setting its priorities in its programme of work, and to ensure that such studies are as far as possible completed on time;

(d) To seek the widest possible measure of agreement when adopting decisions;

6. Urges the Sub-Commission to ensure that special rapporteurs appointed to prepare studies or reports limit the body of such studies or reports to 32 printed single-spaced pages unless, in view of the subject-matter or for other exceptional reasons, more extensive treatment is considered necessary;

7. Invites the Sub-Commission to be present, through its Chairman or another member it may designate, at the consideration of its report during the fortieth session of the Commission.

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[1]55 Adopted at the 48th meeting, on 4 March 1983, without a vote. See chap. XVIII. [2]56 E/CN.4/1985/4.