Commission on Human Rights resolution 2000/61 Human rights defenders

The Commission on Human Rights,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 53/144 of 9 December 1998 by which the Assembly adopted by consensus the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms,
Reiterating the importance of this Declaration and its promotion and implementation,
Emphasizing the important role that individuals, non-governmental organizations and groups play in the promotion and protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms,
Noting with deep concern that, in many countries, persons and organizations engaged in promoting and defending human rights and fundamental freedoms are often subjected to threats, harassment, insecurity, arbitrary detention and extrajudicial executions,
1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General (E/CN.4/2000/95) on ways for effective promotion and implementation of the Declaration, submitted pursuant to Commission resolution 1999/66 of 28 April 1999;
2. Calls upon all States to promote and give effect to the Declaration;
3. Requests the Secretary-General to appoint, for a period of three years, a special representative who shall report on the situation of human rights defenders in all parts of the world and on possible means to enhance their protection in full compliance with the Declaration; the main activities of the special representative shall be:
(a) To seek, receive, examine and respond to information on the situation and the rights of anyone, acting individually or in association with others, to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms;
(b) To establish cooperation and conduct dialogue with Governments and other interested actors on the promotion and effective implementation of the Declaration;
(c) To recommend effective strategies better to protect human rights defenders and follow up on these recommendations;
4. Urges all Governments to cooperate with and assist the special representative in the performance of his or her tasks and to furnish all information in the fulfilment of his or her mandate upon request;
5. Requests the Secretary-General to provide the special representative with all necessary assistance, in particular the staff and resources deemed necessary to fulfil his or her mandate;
6. Requests the representative of the Secretary-General to submit annual reports on his/her activities to the Commission on Human Rights and to the General Assembly and to make any suggestions and recommendations enabling him or her better to carry out his or her tasks and activities;
7. Decides to consider this question at its fifty-seventh session under the agenda item entitled "Promotion and protection of human rights";
8. Recommends the following draft decision to the Economic and Social Council for adoption:
The Economic and Social Council, taking note of Commission on Human Rights resolution 2000/61 of 26 April 2000, endorses the Commission's decision to request the Secretary-General to appoint, for a period of three years, a special representative who shall report on the situation of human rights defenders in all parts of the world and on possible means to enhance their protection in full compliance with the Declaration; the main activities of the special representative shall be:
(a) To seek, receive, examine and respond to information on the situation and the rights of anyone, acting individually or in association with others, to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms;
(b) To establish cooperation and conduct dialogue with Governments and other interested actors on the promotion and effective implementation of the Declaration;
(c) To recommend effective strategies better to protect human rights
defenders and follow up on these recommendations.

65th meeting
26 April 2000
[Adopted by a roll-call vote of 50 votes to none,
with 3 abstentions. See chap. XVII.]