Regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 32/127 of 16 December 1977 and all its subsequent resolutions concerning regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights, in particular resolutions 41/153 and 41/154 of 4 December 1986,

Recalling that, in its resolution 41/154, the General Assembly invited the Secretary-General to submit to the Assembly at its forty-third session a report on the state of regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights, and to include therein the results of action taken in pursuance of that resolution,

Recalling Commission on Human Rights resolution 1987/37 of 10 March 1987 and taking note of Commission resolution 1988/54 of 8 March 1988 concerning advisory services in the field of human rights,

Recalling also Commission on Human Rights resolution 1987/41 of 10 March 1987 and taking note of Commission resolution 1988/73 of 10 March 1988 concerning regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights in the Asian-Pacific region,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights,

Noting with satisfaction the progress achieved so far in the promotion and protection of human rights at the regional level under the auspices of the United Nations, the specialized agencies and the regional intergovernmental organizations,

Reaffirming that regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights may make a major contribution to the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms and that the exchange of information and experience in this field among the regions, within the United Nations system, may be improved,

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

2.         Notes with interest that various contacts between regional bodies and commissions and the United Nations have continued to be pursued and strengthened through advisory services and technical assistance activities, particularly those relating to the organization of regional and subregional training courses in the field of human rights;

3.         Requests the Secretary-General to continue to consider the possibility of encouraging these developments;

4.         Invites States in areas where regional arrangements in the field of human rights do not yet exist to consider concluding agreements with a view to the establishment within their respective regions of suitable regional machinery for the promotion and protection of human rights;

5.         Welcomes the fact that subprogramme 5 of the medium-term plan of activities concerning advisory services and technical assistance activities in the field of human rights, to which the Secretary-General refers in his report, provides for the establishment of regional arrangements where they are still lacking;

6.         Notes the announcement by the Secretary-General in his report that, for the advancement of the above-mentioned objective, it is useful to hold seminars in the regions concerned which will draw upon the knowledge and experience of the United Nations development agencies in those regions, as well as upon the experience gained through established arrangements in other regions;

7.         Endorses the appeal made to all Governments, in Commission on Human Rights resolution 1988/54, to consider making use of the possibility offered by the United Nations of organizing, under the programme of advisory services in the field of human rights, information and/or training courses at the national level for appropriate government personnel on the application of international human rights standards and the experience of relevant international bodies;

8.         Requests the Commission on Human Rights to continue to pay special attention to the most appropriate ways of assisting, at their request, countries of the different regions under the programme of advisory services and to make, where necessary, the relevant recommendations;

9.         Invites the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its forty-fifth session a report on the state of regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights and to include therein the results of action taken in pursuance of the present resolution;

10.       Decides to consider this question further at its forty-fifth session.