New international humanitarian order
- Author: UN General Assembly
- Document source:
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Date:
7 December 1987
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions 36/136 of 14 December 1981, 37/201 of 18 December 1982, 38/125 of 16 December 1983 and 40/126 of 13 December 1985,
Recalling further the reports of the Secretary-General,
Bearing in mind the comments communicated by Governments to the Secretary-General regarding a new international humanitarian order,
Recognizing the urgent need further to improve and strengthen the international framework relating to humanitarian issues while taking fully into account existing instruments and mechanisms,
Noting with concern that emergencies and disasters, mostly man-made, have increased in frequency in recent years, posing a growing challenge to mechanisms of international responses to them,
Aware that institutional arrangements and actions by governmental and non-governmental bodies require further strengthening, as well as adjustment to new realities, in order to respond more effectively and speedily to contemporary humanitarian problems,
Noting the efforts of the Independent Commission on International Humanitarian Issues to promote public awareness of humanitarian issues, analyse relatively neglected aspects and identify alternative approaches for resolving humanitarian problems,
Noting further the establishment, outside the United Nations, of an Independent Bureau for Humanitarian Issues to disseminate and follow up the work of the Independent Commission,
Taking note of the report of the Independent Commission, as well as the sectoral reports on specific humanitarian issues,
1. Expresses its appreciation to the co-chairmen and members of the Independent Commission on International Humanitarian Issues for their humanitarian endeavours;
2. Draws the attention of Governments and intergovernmental organizations, including those functioning at the regional level, to the report of the Independent Commission;
3. Requests the Independent Commission to transmit its report to Member States and to the executive heads of specialized agencies and programmes of the United Nations system in order to enable them to consider its analyses and conclusions;
4. Invites all non-governmental organizations concerned with the humanitarian issues examined by the Independent Commission to bear in mind the recommendations and suggestions made in its report in the context of their policies and actions in the field;
5. Invites Governments to make available to the Secretary-General, on a voluntary basis, information and expertise on humanitarian issues of concern to them, in order to identify opportunities for future action and to strengthen international co-operation in the humanitarian field;
6. Requests the Secretary-General to remain in contact with Governments, relevant specialized agencies and programmes of the United Nations system, non-governmental organizations concerned and the Independent Bureau for Humanitarian Issues and to report to the General Assembly at its forty-third session, on the basis of information made available to him, on the progress made in the humanitarian field;
7. Decides to review at its forty-third session the question of a new international humanitarian order.
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