National institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights.

1991/27. National institutions for the promotion and Protection of human rights

The Commission on Human Rights, Recalling its relevant resolutions and those of the General Assembly, notably General Assembly resolution 44/64 of 8 December 1989 and its resolution 1990/73 of 7 March 1990, Stressing the importance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants on Human Rights and other international instruments for promoting respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms, Affirming that priority should be accorded to the development of appropriate arrangements at the national level to ensure the effective implementation of international human rights standards, Convinced of the important role that can be played by institutions at the national level in promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms and in developing and enhancing public awareness of those rights and freedoms, Recognizing that the United Nations has played and should continue to play a catalytic role in assisting the development of national institutions, Mindful in this regard of the guidelines on the structure and functioning of national and local institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights, endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 33/46 of 14 December 1978, Welcoming the holding from 7 to 11 May 1990 in Manila of an Asian-Pacific regional workshop under the auspices of the United Nations which considered, inter alia, the experience of different regions and countries in the establishment of regional or national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights, Noting with appreciation the active and constructive participation of representatives of a number of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights in international seminars and workshops organized or sponsored by the United Nations and its Member States,

1. Takes note with satisfaction of the updated report of the Secretary-General on national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights prepared in accordance with General Assembly resolution 44/64 (E/CN.4/1991/23 and Add.1) and encourages States to study its contents;

2. Reaffirms the importance of developing, in accordance with national legislation, effective national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights and of maintaining their independence and integrity;

3. Takes note of the progress made in this area in the past few years and of the increased number and effectiveness of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights in all parts of the world as well as of the efforts of the Centre for Human Rights to increase cooperation with regional and national institutions;

4. Encourages initiatives on the part of Governments and regional, international, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations intended to strengthen existing national institutions and to establish such institutions where they do not exist;

5. Requests the Centre for Human Rights to continue its efforts in order to enhance cooperation between the United Nations and regional and national institutions, particularly in the fields of advisory services and technical assistance and of information and education, not least within the framework of the World Public Information Campaign for Human Rights which the General Assembly decided to launch by its resolution 43/128 of 8 December 1988;

6. Encourages all Member States to take appropriate steps to promote the exchange of information and experience concerning the establishment and operation of such national institutions;

7. Affirms the role of national institutions as agencies for the dissemination of human rights materials and other public information activities under the auspices of the United Nations;

8. Recognizes the constructive role that non-governmental organizations can play in relation to national institutions;

9. Welcomes the decision of the Secretary-General to convene a workshop in 1991, as requested in Commission resolution 1990/73 ;

10. Requests the Secretary-General to publicize the proceedings of that meeting and to make use of their results in the finalization of the manual on national institutions under preparation by the Centre for Human Rights;

11. Decides to continue its consideration of this question at its forty-eighth session under the agenda item "Further promotion and encouragement of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the question of the programme and methods of work of the Commission".

52nd meeting
5 March 1991
[Adopted without a vote. See chap. XI.]