Indivisibility and interdependence of economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

 

Indivisibility and interdependence of economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights

  The General Assembly, Mindful of the obligations of States under the Charter of the United Nations to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom and universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion, Reaffirming the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Declaration on Social Progress and Development, Recalling that in the preambles to the International Covenants on Human Rights it is recognized that the ideal of free human beings enjoying freedom from fear and want can only be achieved if conditions are created whereby everyone may enjoy his economic, social and cultural rights as well as his civil and political rights, Bearing in mind that 1986 marks the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the International Covenants on Human Rights, Recalling its resolution 40/114 of 13 December 1985, Reaffirming the provisions of its resolution 32/130 of 16 December 1977 that all human rights and fundamental freedoms are indivisible and interdependent and that the promotion and protection of one category of rights can never exempt or excuse States from the promotion and protection of the other rights, Convinced that equal attention and urgent consideration should be given to the implementation, promotion and protection of both civil and political rights and economic, social and cultural rights, Desirous of removing all obstacles to the full realization of human rights, in particular colonialism, neo-colonialism, racism, racial discrimination in all its forms, apartheid, foreign intervention, occupation, aggression, discrimination and domination, Recognizing the fundamental rights of every people to exercise full sovereignty over its natural wealth and resources, Reaffirming that there is a close relationship between disarmament and development, that progress in the field of disarmament would considerably promote progress in the field of development and that resources released through disarmament measures should be devoted to the economic and social development and well-being of all peoples, in particular those of the developing countries, Recognizing that the realization of the right to development could help to promote the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights, Recalling Commission on Human Rights resolutions 1985/42 of 14 March 1985 and 1986/15 of 10 March 1986, in which the Commission stated that the implementation, promotion and protection of economic, social and cultural rights have not received sufficient attention within the framework of the United Nations system, Requesting the Secretary-General to enhance his efforts under the programme of advisory services to States in the implementation, promotion and protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms set forth in the International Covenants on Human Rights and other United Nations instruments in the field of human rights,

1. Appeals to all States to pursue policies directed towards the implementation, promotion and protection of economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights;

2. Calls upon all States to co-operate in creating national and international conditions conducive to the enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms;

3. Requests the Commission on Human Rights to continue its consideration of the realization of economic, social and cultural rights and to submit to the General Assembly at its forty-second session, through the Economic and Social Council, its views and recommendations on these human rights;

4. Welcomes the establishment by the Economic and Social Council of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which will be entrusted from 1987 on with the important task of overseeing the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights;

5. Urges the Secretary-General to take determined steps, within existing resources, to give publicity to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and to ensure that it receives full administrative support in order to enable it to discharge its functions effectively;

6. Affirms the importance and relevance, to programmes and activities being undertaken throughout the United Nations system, of reports submitted by States parties to the International Covenants on Human Rights to the Human Rights Committee and the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights;

7. Decides to discuss at its forty-second session, under the item entitled "International Covenants on Human Rights", the question of the indivisibility and interdependence of economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights.