Commission on Human Rights resolution 2000/80 Advisory services and technical cooperation in the field of human rights

The Commission on Human Rights,

Recalling:

(a) That one of the principal purposes of the United Nations is to achieve international cooperation in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms,

(b) General Assembly resolution 92 (X) of 14 December 1955, in which the Assembly established the United Nations programme of advisory services in the field of human rights, and Economic and Social Council decision 1987/147 of 29 May 1987, pursuant to which the Secretary-General established the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights, as well as Commission resolutions 1998/57 of 17 April 1998 and 1999/73 of 28 April 1999,

Recalling also that the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights in June 1993 (A/CONF.157/23), inter alia:

(a) Calls upon the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to assume a larger role in the promotion of human rights through cooperation with Member States and by an enhanced programme of advisory services in the field of human rights,

(b) Recommends increased coordination in support of human rights and fundamental freedoms within the United Nations system, and urges all United Nations organs, bodies and the specialized agencies whose activities deal with human rights to cooperate to this end in order to strengthen, rationalize and streamline their activities, taking into account the need to avoid unnecessary duplication,

(c) Recommends that a comprehensive programme be established within the United Nations in order to help States in the task of building and strengthening adequate national structures which have a direct impact on the promotion and protection of human rights, democracy and the rule of law,

Mindful that the mandate of the High Commissioner for Human Rights includes responsibilities, inter alia, for:

(a) Provision of advisory services and technical and financial assistance at the request of States,

(b) Enhancing international cooperation for the promotion and protection of all human rights,

(c) Coordination of human rights promotion and protection activities throughout the United Nations system,

(d) Coordination of relevant United Nations education and public information programmes in the field of human rights,

Reaffirming that developing and strengthening national capacities and institutions for the promotion of human rights is an important area for international cooperation,

Acknowledging the importance of further strengthening the provision of advisory services and technical cooperation by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights,

1. Notes with appreciation the report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on advisory services and technical cooperation in the field of human rights (E/CN.4/2000/105) as well as the launching of the High Commissioner's first annual appeal;

2. Declares that advisory services and technical cooperation, when requested by Governments for the purpose of developing and strengthening national capacities in the field of human rights, constitute one of the most efficient and effective means of promoting and protecting all human rights, democracy and the rule of law;

3. Welcomes, therefore, the increasing number of requests for advisory services and technical cooperation in the field of human rights as an expression of the growing commitment of States to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms, and encourages all States to consider making use of advisory services and technical cooperation in order to achieve the full enjoyment of all human rights;

4. Calls for a substantial increase in available financial resources, including from voluntary contributions, for advisory services and technical cooperation, which should be managed in a more efficient and coordinated way;

5. Expresses its appreciation for the contributions made to the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights, welcomes in particular the increasing contributions made by developing countries and invites more Governments and non-governmental organizations to consider contributing;

6. Invites all Governments considering making voluntary contributions to the Office of the High Commissioner to consider providing unearmarked contributions to the extent possible;

7. Encourages efforts to integrate in a comprehensive manner into technical cooperation programmes economic, social and cultural rights, as well as a clear gender perspective;

8. Reaffirms that United Nations field activities in the area of human rights should, when requested, be complemented by advisory services and technical cooperation projects aimed at producing lasting results through the enhancement of national capacities and the promotion of national institutions;

9. Stresses that, when assisting States in promoting and protecting all human rights and strengthening the rule of law and democracy, priority should be given to technical cooperation programmes designed to address their specific requirements;

10. Affirms that, in order to secure the sustainability of advisory services and technical cooperation projects, these should incorporate qualified national human rights expertise to the extent possible, and further develop and strengthen such expertise; 11. Encourages the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue its current practice of making the best use of available human rights expertise relevant to, and, as appropriate, from, the regions where technical cooperation activities are undertaken;

12. Recognizes the usefulness of advisory services and technical cooperation for all countries, and calls upon the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue to develop its potential for the promotion and protection of all human rights through advisory services and technical cooperation projects and to accord these activities the highest priority;

13. Notes the interdependence between social and economic development, poverty eradication and the promotion and realization of all human rights, and in this regard welcomes the lead role of the High Commissioner in inter-agency coordination in the field of human rights;

14. Encourages Governments, relevant United Nations treaty bodies, special rapporteurs and representatives, as well as working groups, to consult each other in order to elaborate proposals for specific projects to be realized under the programme of advisory services and technical cooperation in the field of human rights with a view to contributing to practical and tangible change in the human rights situation;

15. Requests the Secretary-General:

(a) To continue, in accordance with Part II, paragraph 16, of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action and in cooperation with the Board of Trustees of the Voluntary Fund, to ensure efficient management of the Voluntary Fund, strict and transparent project-management rules and periodic evaluations of the programme and projects and to arrange for the holding of information meetings open to all Member States and organizations directly involved in the programme of advisory services and technical cooperation; (b) To continue to provide the necessary administrative assistance for the Board of Trustees, to arrange meetings of the Board and to ensure that its conclusions are reflected in the annual report to the Commission on Human Rights on technical cooperation in the field of human rights;

(c) To submit a further analytical report to the Commission at its fifty-eighth session on the progress and concrete achievements made, as well as obstacles encountered in the implementation of the programme of advisory services and technical cooperation in the field of human rights and on the operation and administration of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights;

16. Decides to continue consideration of this subject at its fifty-eighth session.

67th meeting
26 April 2000
[Adopted without a vote.]