International Covenants on Human Rights

 

RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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, 36/58 of 25 November 1981, 37/191 of 18 December 1982 and 38/116 and 38/117 of 16 December 1983, Taking note of 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, 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, Bearing in mind the important responsibilities of the Economic and Social Council in relation to the International Covenants on Human Rights,

1. Takes note with appreciation of the report of the Human Rights Committee on its twentieth, twenty-first and twenty-second sessions, and expresses its satisfaction with 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 submitted their reports to the Human Rights Committee under article 40 of the Covenant and urges States parties that have not yet done so to submit their reports 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. Notes with satisfaction that the majority of States parties to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and an increasing number of States parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, have been represented by experts for the presentation of their reports, thereby assisting the Human Rights Committee and the Economic and Social Council in their work, and hopes that all States parties to both Covenants will arrange such representation in future;

6. Again urges 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;

7. 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;

8. Emphasizes the importance of the strictest compliance by States parties with their obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and, where applicable, the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;

9. Requests the Secretary-General to keep the Human Rights Committee informed of the relevant activities of the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, 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;

10. Looks forward to the report of the Secretary-General, to be submitted to the Economic and Social Council at its first regular session of 1985, on 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 and other bodies established in accordance with existing international instruments in the field of human rights in order to facilitate the review which the Council will undertake in accordance with its resolution 1982/33 of 6 May 1982;

11. Welcomes the decision by the Economic and Social Council in its resolution 1984/9 of 24 May 1984 to conduct the review at an early stage of its first regular session of 1985 to allow enough time for a full discussion of this important matter;

12. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its fortieth 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. Again urges the Secretary-General, taking into account the suggestions of the Human Rights Committee, to take determined steps within existing resources to give more publicity to the work of the Committee and, similarly, to the work of the Economic and Social Council and its Sessional Working Group and to improve administrative and related arrangements to enable them to carry out their respective functions effectively under the International Covenants on Human Rights;

14. Urges the Secretary-General to continue to expedite the publication of the official public records of the Human Rights Committee in bound volumes, as indicated in General Assembly resolution 37/191, starting with its first session;

15. Requests the Secretary-General to ensure that the Centre for Human Rights of the Secretariat effectively assists the Human Rights Committee and the Economic and Social Council in the implementation of their respective functions under the International Covenants on Human Rights.