National institutions for the protection and promotion of human rights

 

RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
National institutions for the protection and promotion of human rights

  The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 32/123 of 16 December 1977, 33/46 of 14 December 1978, 34/49 of 23 November 1979, 36/134 of 14 December 1981 and 38/123 of 16 December 1983 concerning national institutions for the protection and promotion of human rights, Mindful of the guidelines on the structure and functioning of national and local institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights, endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 33/46, Mindful also of the need to create conditions, at the national, regional and international levels, for the protection and promotion of human rights, Emphasizing the importance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants on Human Rights and other international human rights instruments for promoting respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, Conscious of the significant role which institutions at the national level can play in protecting and promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms and in developing and enhancing public awareness and observance of those rights and freedoms,

1. Takes note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-General;

2. Emphasizes the importance of the integrity and independence of national institutions for the protection and promotion of human rights, in accordance with national legislation;

3. Draws attention to the constructive role that national non-governmental organizations can play in the work of such national institutions;

4. Encourages all Member States to take appropriate steps for the establishment or, where they already exist, the strengthening of national institutions for the protection and promotion of human rights;

5. Invites all Member States to take appropriate steps to disseminate the texts of human rights instruments, including international covenants and conventions, in their respective national or local languages, in order to give the widest possible publicity to these instruments;

6. Recommends that all Member States should consider including in their educational curricula material relevant to a comprehensive understanding of human rights issues;

7. Also recommends that all Member States should take appropriate steps to encourage the exchange of experience in the establishment of national institutions;

8. Requests the Secretary-General, in carrying out public information activities in the field of human rights, to give due attention to the role of national institutions and non-governmental organizations concerned with the protection and promotion of human rights;

9. Requests the Secretary-General to provide all necessary assistance to Member States, upon their request, in the implementation of paragraph

5 above, according high priority to the needs of developing countries;

10. Requests the Secretary-General to continue and, as appropriate, increase assistance in the field of human rights to Governments, at their request, within the framework of the programme of advisory services in the field of human rights;

11. Also requests the Secretary-General, in the light of his reports and of further information received, to prepare and submit to the General Assembly, through the Commission on Human Rights and the Economic and Social Council, a consolidated report, for eventual publication as a United Nations handbook on national institutions for the use of Governments, including information on the various types and models of national and local institutions for the protection and promotion of human rights, taking into account differing social and legal systems;

12. Further requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its fortieth session on the implementation of the present resolution.