General Assembly

Distr. GENERAL  

16 December 1983

ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH

                                                   A/RES/38/124
                                                   16 December 1983
                                                   Meeting no. 100
 
            Alternative approaches and ways and means within the
            United Nations system for improving the effective
            enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms
 
     The General Assembly,
 
     Recalling that in the Charter of the United Nations the peoples of the
United Nations declared their determination to reaffirm faith in fundamental
human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal
rights of men and women and of nations large and small and to employ
international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social
advancement of all peoples,
 
     Recalling also the purposes and principles of the Charter to achieve
international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic,
social, cultural or humanitarian character, and in promoting and encouraging
respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without
distinction as to race, sex, language or religion,
 
     Reaffirming the continued significance and validity of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights as well as the importance of the International
Covenants on Human Rights in promoting respect for and observance of human
rights and fundamental freedoms,
 
     Recalling its resolution 32/130 of 16 December 1977, in which it decided
that the approach to the future work within the United Nations system with
respect to human rights questions should take into account the concepts set
forth in that resolution,
 
     Recalling also its resolutions 34/46 of 23 November 1979, 35/174 of
15 December 1980, and 36/133 of 14 December 1981,
 
     Recognizing that the human being is the main subject of development and
that everyone has the right to participate in as well as to benefit from the
development process,
 
     Reiterating once again that the establishment of the new international
economic order is an essential element for the effective promotion and the
full enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all,
 
     Reiterating also its profound conviction that equal attention and urgent
consideration should be given to the implementation, protection and promotion
of both civil and political and economic, social and cultural rights,
 
     Reaffirming the importance of furthering the activities of the existing
organs of the United Nations system in the field of human rights in conformity
with the principles of the Charter,
 
     Underlining the need for the creation of conditions at the national and
international levels for the promotion and full protection of the human rights
of individuals and peoples,
 
     Emphasizing that Governments have the duty to ensure respect for all
human rights and fundamental freedoms,
 
     Recognizing that all human rights and fundamental freedoms are
indivisible and interrelated and that the right to development is an
inalienable human right,
 
     Reaffirming that the equality of opportunities for development is a
prerogative both of nations and of individuals within nations,
 
     Emphasizing that international peace and security are essential elements
for the full realization of human rights, including the right to development,
 
     Recognizing that, through disarmament, resources could be released to
contribute in a meaningful way to the development of all States, particularly
the developing countries,
 
     Reiterating that co-operation among all nations on the basis of respect
for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of each State,
including the right of each people to choose freely its own socio-economic and
political system, is essential for the promotion of peace and development,
 
     Convinced that the primary aim of such international co-operation must be
the achievement by each human being of a life of freedom and dignity and
freedom from want,
 
     Reaffirming that nothing in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights may
be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person the right to engage
in any activity or perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the
rights and freedoms set forth therein,
 
     Affirming that the ultimate aim of development is the constant
improvement of the well-being of the entire population on the basis of its
full participation in the process of development and a fair distribution of
the benefits therefrom,
 
     1.   Reiterates its request that the Commission on Human Rights continue
its current work on the overall analysis with a view to further promoting and
improving human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the question of the
Commission's programme and working methods, and on the overall analysis of the
alternative approaches and ways and means for improving the effective
enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, in accordance with the
provisions and concepts of General Assembly resolution 32/130 and other
relevant texts;
 
     2.   Affirms that a primary aim of international co-operation in the
field of human rights is a life of freedom and dignity for all peoples and for
each human being, that all human rights and fundamental freedoms are
indivisible and interrelated and that the promotion and protection of one
category of rights should never exempt or excuse States from the promotion and
protection of the others;
 
     3.   Affirms also its profound conviction that equal attention and urgent
consideration should be given to the implementation, protection and promotion
of both civil and political and economic, social and cultural rights;
 
     4.   Reaffirms that it is of paramount importance for the promotion of
human rights and fundamental freedoms that Member States should undertake
specific obligations through accession to, or ratification of, international
instruments in this field and, consequently, that the standard-setting work
within the United Nations system in the field of human rights and the
universal acceptance and the implementation of the relevant international
instruments should be encouraged;
 
     5.   Reiterates that the international community should accord, or
continue to accord, priority to the search for solutions to mass and flagrant
violations of human rights of the peoples and individuals affected by
situations such as those mentioned in paragraph 1 (e) of its resolution
32/130, paying due attention also to other situations of violations of human
rights;
 
     6.   Reaffirms its responsibility for achieving international
co-operation in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms for all, and that consistent patterns of violations of
human rights, wherever they exist, are of concern to the United Nations;
 
     7.   Expresses concern at the present situation with regard to the
achievement of the objectives and goals for establishing the new international
economic order and its adverse effects on the full realization of human rights
and, in particular, the right to development;
 
     8.   Reaffirms that international peace and security are essential
elements for the full realization of the right to development;
 
     9.   Reaffirms also that the right to development is an inalienable human
right;
 
     10.  Recognizes that all human rights and fundamental freedoms are
indivisible and interrelated;
 
     11.  Considers it necessary that all Member States promote international
co-operation on the basis of respect for the independence, sovereignty and
territorial integrity of each State, including the right of each people to
choose freely its own socio-economic and political system, with a view to
resolving international problems of an economic, social and humanitarian
character;
 
     12.  Expresses concern also at the disparity existing between the
established principles and the actual situation of all human rights and
fundamental freedoms in various parts of the world;
 
     13.  Urges all States to co-operate with the Commission on Human Rights
in the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms;
 
     14.  Reaffirms also that, in order to facilitate the full enjoyment of
all rights and complete personal dignity, it is necessary to promote the
rights to education, work, health and proper nourishment through adoption of
measures at the national level, including those that provide for workers'
participation in management, as well as adoption of measures at the
international level, including the establishment of the new international
economic order;
 
     15.  Requests the Commission on Human Rights to take the necessary
measures to promote the right to development, taking into account the results
achieved by the Working Group of Governmental Experts on the Right to
Development, which is engaged in the study of the scope and contents of the
right to development, and welcomes the decision of the Commission, in its
resolution 1982/17 of 9 March 1982 and reaffirmed in its resolution 1983/15
of 22 February 1983, to the effect that the Working Group should continue
its work with the aim of submitting as soon as possible a draft declaration on
the right to development;
 
     16.  Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-ninth
session the item entitled "Alternative approaches and ways and means within
the United Nations system for improving the effective enjoyment of human
rights and fundamental freedoms".