Advisory services in the field of human rights.

1990/58. Advisory services in the field of human rights

The Commission on Human Rights, Recalling General Assembly resolution 926 (X) of 14 December 1955, by which the Assembly established the United Nations programme of advisory services in the field of human rights, Recalling also 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, 1988/53 and 1988/54 of 8 March 1988 and 1989/71 and 1989/72 of 8 March 1989, Mindful of the provisions of General Assembly resolution 926 (X) that advisory services shall be rendered by the Secretary-General solely at the request of Governments, Taking note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-General (E/CN.4/1990/43); Noting with appreciation the enhanced efforts of the Secretary-General to co-ordinate system-wide advisory services and technical assistance in the field of human rights and the foundation of a flexible inter-agency mechanism for human rights activities, Noting with appreciation the organization of an international seminar on cultural dialogue between the countries of origin and the host countries of migrant workers, held in Athens from 18 to 26 September 1989, and of a national training course on international human rights standards, held in Moscow from 27 November to 1 December 1989, 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.4/1990/43, sect. IV),

1. Welcomes the increasing number of requests from Governments for support and technical assistance in the field of human rights;

2. 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;

3. Requests the Secretary-General to provide urgently more human and financial resources for the enlargement of advisory services, particularly from section 24 of the programme budget concerning technical co-operation, in order to meet the increased demand on this important instrument intended to invigorate the human rights spirit in the world;

4. Also 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-sixth session of the Commission on Human Rights;

5. 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;

6. Welcomes the setting-up of an advisory group in the Centre for Human Rights to assist the Under-Secretary-General for Human Rights in the identification and evaluation of projects, and requests the Secretary-General to further restructure the secretariat in this area aiming at even more effective management of these activities;

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

8. Notes with appreciation the co-operation between the Centre for Human Rights and the United Nations Development Programme and encourages the leadership of both organizations further to enhance co-ordination and co-operation between them;

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

10. Also 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;

11. Further 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 specialized agencies that are active in providing assistance in the field of development with a view to promoting human rights in the development strategies and policies of the United Nations;

12. 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;

13. 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;

14. Also requests the Secretary-General to give special attention to such proposals of special rapporteurs and representatives;

15. 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;

16. 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;

17. 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;

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

53rd meeting
7 March 1990
[Adopted without a vote. See chap. XXII.]