International Covenants on Human Rights.

  The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 33/51 of 14 December 1978, 34/45 of 23 November 1979, 35/132 of 11 December 1980 and 36/58 of 25 November 1981, Having noted the report of the Secretary-General on the status of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Noting with appreciation that, following its appeal, more Member States have acceded to the International Covenants on Human Rights, Bearing in mind the important responsibilities of the Economic and Social Council in relation to the International Covenants on Human Rights, Recognizing the important role of the Human Rights Committee in the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Optional Protocol thereto, Taking into account the useful work of the Sessional Working Group of Governmental Experts on the Implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Taking note of Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/30 of 2 May 1980 on the development of public information activities in the field of human rights and the report of the Secretary-General on publicity for the work of the Human Rights Committee,

1. Notes with appreciation the report of the Human Rights Committee on its fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth sessions, and expresses satisfaction at the serious and constructive manner in which the Committee is continuing to perform its functions;

2. Expresses its appreciation to those States parties to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that have extended their co-operation to the Human Rights Committee in submitting their reports under article 40 of the Covenant and urges States parties that have not yet done so to submit their reports to the Committee as speedily as possible;

3. Urges those States parties to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that have been requested by the Human Rights Committee to provide additional information to comply with that request;

4. Commends those States parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights that have submitted their reports under article 16 of the Covenant and urges States that have not yet done so to submit their reports as soon as possible;

5. Takes note of Economic and Social Council resolution 1982/33 of 6 May 1982 concerning the review of the composition, organization and administrative arrangements of the Sessional Working Group of Governmental Experts on the Implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights;

6. Emphasizes the importance of States parties sending experts to present their reports under the International Covenants on Human Rights;

7. Again invites all States that have not yet done so to become parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as well as to consider acceding to the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;

8. Invites the States parties to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to consider making the declaration provided for in article 41 of the Covenant;

9. Appreciates that the Human Rights Committee continues to strive for uniform standards in the implementation of the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and of the Optional Protocol thereto;

10. Emphasizes the importance of the strictest compliance by States parties with their obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and, where applicable, the Optional Protocol thereto;

11. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to keep the Human Rights Committee informed of the activities of the Commission on Human Rights, the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and also to transmit the annual reports of the Human Rights Committee to those bodies;

12. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its thirty-eighth session a report on the status of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;

13. Takes note with appreciation of the request of the Human Rights Committee that its official records be made available annually in bound volumes - one volume to contain the summary records of public meetings of the Committee and a second volume to contain other public documents of the Committee, including reports of States parties under article 40 of the Covenant - and requests the Secretary- General to consider making, within existing resources, the arrangements which he deems most suitable and economical for publishing those annual volumes;

14. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to take all possible steps to ensure that the Centre for Human Rights of the Secretariat is able effectively to assist the Human Rights Committee and the Economic and Social Council in the implementation of their respective functions under the International Covenants on Human Rights, taking into account General Assembly resolutions 3534 (XXX) of 17 December 1975 and 31/93 of 14 December 1976.