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, 38/116 and 38/117 of 16 December 1983, 39/136 and 39/138 of 14 December 1984 and 40/115 and 40/116 of 13 December 1985, 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 note of the approach adopted by the Human Rights Committee at its twenty-eighth session in reviewing its activities, setting priorities and seeking savings that would not affect the Committee's vital work, 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, Welcoming the establishment, pursuant to Economic and Social Council resolution 1985/17 of 28 May 1985, of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to oversee the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Noting with concern the critical situation with regard to delays in the submission of reports due under the International Covenants on Human Rights, Noting that 1986 marks the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,

1. Takes note with appreciation of the report of the Human Rights Committee on its twenty-sixth, twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth sessions, and expresses its satisfaction with the serious and constructive manner in which the Committee is continuing to undertake its functions;

2. Expresses its appreciation to the 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 the 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 the 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. Stresses the importance of avoiding the erosion of human rights by derogation and underlines the necessity of strict observance of the agreed conditions and procedures for derogation;

10. Recommends to States parties that they continually review whether any reservation made in respect of the provisions of the International Covenants on Human Rights should be upheld;

11. Urges States parties to continue to pay active attention to the protection and promotion of civil and political rights, as well as economic, social and cultural rights;

12. Urges States parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the specialized agencies and other relevant United Nations bodies to extend their full support and co-operation to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights;

13. 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;

14. Also requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its forty-second 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;

15. 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, to maintain satisfactory programmes of meetings and to improve the administrative and related arrangements to enable them to carry out effectively their respective functions under the International Covenants on Human Rights;

16. Welcomes the progress already made with a view to the publication of the official public records of the Human Rights Committee in bound volumes and looks forward to further progress in this regard;

17. Encourages all Governments to publish the texts 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 in as many languages as possible and to distribute them and make them known as widely as possible in their territories;

18. 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.