The Process Non-Self-Governing Territories United Nations list MAP Territories to which the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples Continues to Apply (as of '01) Declaration on Decolonization Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples Special Committee Meetings at the United Nations Seminars Scholarships Visiting missions Development assistance Regional commissions The challenges ahead More Information Top page Page on Decolonization

Declaration on Decolonization. By 1960, membership of the United Nations had nearly doubled, two thirds of the new Member States being former colonies. There was a growing sense in the General Assembly that the pace of decolonization was too slow, and that in an increasing number of cases the interests of the inhabitants of the colonies were being disregarded by the administering Powers. These developments led the Assembly to adopt, in December 1960, two landmark resolutions. Resolution 1514 (XV) contained the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. While the Charter of the United Nations treated "self-determination" as a "principle", rather than a "right", the Declaration marked a turning point by stating that "all peoples have the right to self-determination". With its adoption, the General Assembly began actively promoting the goal of self-determination in the remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories, rather than simply monitoring the activities of the administering Powers. This change was particularly welcomed by the colonial peoples who were struggling for their independence, especially in those Territories where armed action and repressive measures were being directed against them. Resolution 1514 (XV) also stated that any attempt aimed at the partial or total disruption of the national unity and territorial integrity of a country was incompatible with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. Resolution 1541 (XV), which complemented the Declaration on decolonization, affirmed that there were three ways in which a Non-Self-Governing Territory could attain a full measure of self-government, as envisaged in the Charter. These were: (a) Free association with an independent State as a result of a free and voluntary choice by the people of the Territory expressed through an informed and democratic process; (b) Integration with an independent State on the basis of complete equality between the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territory and those of the independent State; (c) Independence. Whatever option is chosen by the peoples of a Non-Self-Governing Territory, this choice must be the result of the freely expressed wishes of these peoples.