Advisory services in the field of human rights.

1989/72. Advisory services in the field of human rights

The Commission on Human Rights, Recalling General Assembly resolution 41/154 of 4 December 1986, in which the Assembly requested the Commission on Human Rights to continue to pay special attention to the most appropriate ways of assisting, at their request, countries of the different regions under the programme of advisory services and to make, where necessary, the relevant recommendations, Recalling also General Assembly resolution 43/90 of 8 December 1988, in which the Assembly invited the Commission on Human Rights to consider a programme of action in the field of human rights, including activities to develop human rights institutions and infrastructures, Recalling further its resolution 1985/26 of 11 March 1985, in which it encouraged the Secretary-General to continue and enhance his efforts under the programme of advisory services in the field of human rights to provide practical assistance to States in the implementation of international conventions on human rights, particularly the International Covenants on Human Rights, and its resolutions 1986/52 of 13 March 1986, 1987/37 and 1987/38 of 10 March 1987 and 1988/53 and 1988/54 of 8 March 1988, Taking note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-General (E/CN.4/1989/42), Noting with appreciation the initiation of three country programmes in 1988, under which the Centre for Human Rights has begun execution of specific technical co-operation projects at the request of the Governments concerned, Noting with appreciation the co-operation programme to assist in strengthening the capabilities of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights recently established by the Organization of African Unity, Noting with appreciation the increase in the number of regional and national training courses and workshops in 1988, which were held in Lomé, Lisbon, Kigali, Milan, Tunis, Guatemala City, Moscow, Manila, Geneva and San Remo, Noting the importance of expert services, fellowships and scholarships, training courses and seminars under the programme of advisory services as forms of practical assistance to States with a view to enabling them to develop the necessary infrastructure to meet international human rights standards, Supporting, therefore, the general thrust of the plan of activities contained in the report of the Secretary-General (E/CN.4/1989/42),

1. Reaffirms that the programme of advisory services in the field of human rights should continue to provide practical assistance in the implementation of international conventions on human rights to those States which indicate a need for such assistance;

2. Requests the Secretary-General to pursue his efforts for a medium-term plan for advisory services and technical assistance in the field of human rights, taking into account the comments and views expressed by Governments at the forty-fifth session of the Commission on Human Rights;

3. Recommends to the Secretary-General that the provision of expert assistance and activities to assist Governments in the development of the necessary infrastructures to meet international human rights standards should continue to increase;

4. Welcomes the new emphasis given by the Centre for Human Rights to advisory services and technical assistance programmes available to Governments as well as the restructuring of the Secretariat in this area aimed at providing continuous impetus and effective management to those activities;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to enable the Centre for Human Rights to co-ordinate, as appropriate, within the United Nations system, the activities for the provision of advisory services and technical assistance in the field of human rights in all their aspects;

6. Notes with appreciation the co-operation between the Centre for Human Rights and the United Nations Development Programme in the execution of a specific country programme;

7. Requests the Secretary-General to explore yet further the possibilities offered by co-operation between the Centre for Human Rights and specialized bodies of the United Nations system, such as the United Nations Development Programme and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the International Committee of the Red Cross, in the development of strategies for the setting up or the strengthening of national infrastructures for the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms and the planning, execution and evaluation of specific projects;

8. Requests the Secretary-General to ensure close co-ordination between the activities of the regular programme of advisory services and those of the Voluntary Fund for Advisory Services and Technical Assistance in the Field of Human Rights;

9. Also requests the Secretary-General to bring the need for further technical assistance in the legal field that has been indicated by a number of States to the attention of the United Nations bodies and agencies that are active in providing assistance in the field of development;

10. Invites competent United Nations bodies, such as the committees set up under the International Covenants on Human Rights, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the Committee against Torture, to make suggestions and proposals for the implementation of advisory services;

11. Requests its special rapporteurs and representatives, as well as the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, to inform Governments, whenever appropriate, of the possibility of availing themselves of the services provided for under the programme of advisory services and to include in their recommendations, whenever appropriate, proposals for specific projects to be realized under the programme of advisory services;

12. Requests the Secretary-General, within the framework of the World Public Information Campaign for Human Rights, to draw the attention of Governments to the availability of advisory services and technical assistance in the field of human rights;

13. Appeals to all Governments to consider making use of the possibility offered by the United Nations of organizing, under the programme of advisory services in the field of human rights, information and/or training courses at the national level for appropriate government personnel on the application of international human rights standards and the experience of relevant international organs;

14. Encourages Governments in need of technical assistance in the field of human rights to avail themselves of the advisory services of experts in the field of human rights, for example, for drafting basic legal texts in conformity with international conventions on human rights;

15. Expresses its appreciation to all Governments and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations which have responded to the Secretary-General's call to provide assistance to States that indicated their need for technical assistance in the field of human rights, and requests the Secretary-General to pursue his efforts to co-ordinate and facilitate the flow of bilateral assistance in such cases;

16. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Commission at its forty-sixth session on the progress made in the implementation of the programme of advisory services in the field of human rights.

55th meeting
8 March 1989
[Adopted without a vote. See chap. XXI.]
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