Advisory services in the field of human rights.

1991/50. 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 further 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 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 1990/58 and 1990/59 of 7 March 1990, 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.4/1991/55), Noting with appreciation the enhanced efforts of the Secretary-General to coordinate 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 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.4/1991/55, sect. III),

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 again to provide urgently more human and financial resources for the enlargement of advisory services, particularly from section 24 of the regular budget of the United Nations concerning technical cooperation, 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-seventh 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 efforts of the Secretary-General to ensure close coordination between the activities of the regular programme and those of the voluntary fund and, at the same time, to make a clear distinction between activities under the regular programme of advisory services and technical cooperation projects financed under the voluntary fund;

7. Requests the Secretary-General to intensify further coordination within the United Nations system for providing advisory services and technical assistance in the field of human rights;

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 to further enhance co-ordination and co)operation between them;

9. Requests the Secretary-General to explore yet further the possibilities offered by cooperation between the Centre for Human Rights and specialized bodies of the United Nations system, such as the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Children's Fund, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the International Labour Organisation, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute and the World Health organization, as well as the International Committee of the Red Cross;

10. 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 the 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;

11. 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, the Committee against Torture and the Committee on the Rights of the Child, to make suggestions and proposals for the implementation of advisory services;

12. 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;

13. Requests the Secretary-General to give special attention to such proposals of special rapporteurs and representatives;

14. 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;

15. 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;

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

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