General Assembly

Distr. GENERAL  

15 December 1989

ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH

                                                       A/RES/44/167
                                                       82nd plenary meeting
                                                       15 December 1989
 
        Enlargement of the Commission on Human Rights and the further
        promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms
 
     The General Assembly,
 
     Recalling Economic and Social Council resolutions 845 (XXXII) of
3 August 1961, 1147 (XLI) of 4 August 1966 and 1979/36 of 10 May 1979,
 
     Appreciating the contribution made by the Commission on Human Rights to
the cause of human rights and recognizing the need to reinforce the
Commission,
 
     Reaffirming that the Commission on Human Rights shall be guided by the
standards in the field of human rights laid down in the various international
instruments in that field,
 
     Emphasizing the importance of further improving the effective functioning
of the Commission on Human Rights and the participation therein by Member
States at a high level,
 
     Taking note of the relevant section of the final documents of the Ninth
Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries adopted at
Belgrade on 7 September 1989, in which it is recognized that, in order to
strengthen the role and efficiency of the United Nations and to reinforce
United Nations mechanisms so as to allow for efficient co-ordination of the
Organization's activities, there is an urgent need, inter alia, for an overall
review of the current distribution of membership in the various United Nations
bodies and commissions, with a view to achieving a more equitable geographical
distribution,
 
     1.   Decides to recommend that the Economic and Social Council take the
necessary steps, at its first regular session of 1990, to expand the
membership of the Commission on Human Rights, on the basis of the principle of
equitable geographical distribution, for the further promotion of human rights
and fundamental freedoms;
 
     2.   Calls upon the Economic and Social Council to conclude deliberations
on this question with urgency;
 
     3.   Requests the Commission on Human Rights to examine ways and means of
making its work more effective and to submit its recommendations thereon to
the Economic and Social Council.