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Human rights questions
Date of
consideration: 24
October 2005 through
2 November 2005
Third
Committee reports
(59th session):
A/59/503
[ F ]
[ S ]
[ A ]
[ C ]
[ R ]
Human
rights questions
A/59/503/Add.1
[ F ]
[ S ]
[ A ]
[ C ]
[ R ]
Human
rights questions:
implementation
of human rights instruments
A/59/503/Add.2
[ F ]
[ S ]
[ A ]
[ C ]
[ R ]
Human
rights questions:
human
rights questions, including alternative approaches for
improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and
fundamental freedoms
A/59/503/Add.3
[ F ]
[ S ]
[ A ]
[ C ]
[ R ]
Human
rights questions:
human
rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and
representatives
A/59/503/Add.4
[ F ]
[ S ]
[ A ]
[ C ]
[ R ]
Human
rights questions: comprehensive implementation of and
follow-up to the Vienna Declaration and Programme of
Action
A/59/503/Add.5
[ F ]
[ S ]
[ A ]
[ C ]
[ R ]
Human
rights questions: report of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights
Documents:
A/60/40 (Vol.I)
[F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the Human Rights Committee (Suppl. No. 40, Vol. I)
A/60/40 (Vol.II)
[F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the Human Rights Committee (Suppl. No. 40, Vol. II)
A/60/44
[F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the Committee against Torture (Suppl. No. 44)
A/60/129
[F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Letter dated
13 July 2005 from the Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan
to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary General
A/60/336
[F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Letter
dated 6 September 2005 from the Permanent Representative of
the Russian Federation to the United Nations addressed to the
Secretary-General
A/60/392
[F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Note verbale
from Togo
A/60/408
[F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Letter
dated 30
September 2005 from the Permanent Representative of Cuba to
the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General
A/60/440-S/2005/658
[F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
A/60/440/Corr.1-S/2005/658/Corr.1
[A]
only
A/60/440/Corr.2-S/2005/658/Corr.2
[F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Letter
dated 17 October 2005 from the Permanent Representative of Yemen
to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General
(a)
Implementation of human rights instruments
Documents:
A/60/48
[F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant
Workers and Members of Their Families (Suppl. No. 48)
A/60/215 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the Secretary-General on the operations of the United Nations
Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture
A/60/220
[F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the Secretary-General on the status of the Convention against
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment
A/60/273
[F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the Secretary-General on the status of the Voluntary Trust
Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery
A/60/278 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Note by the
Secretary-General on the
effective implementation of
international instruments on human rights, including reporting
obligations under international instruments on human rights
A/60/284
[F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the Secretary-General on the status of the International
Covenants on Human Rights and the Optional Protocols
A/60/316
[F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Note by
the Secretary-General transmitting the interim report of the
Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the
question of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment
A/60/325 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the Secretary-General on human rights and mass exoduses
A/60/351 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
A/60/351(Corr.1) [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Note by
the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on equitable
geographical distribution in the membership of the human
rights treaty bodies
Summary:
Effective
implementation of international instruments on human rights,
including reporting obligations under international
instruments on human rights
At its
thirty-eighth session, in 1983, the General Assembly
considered problems relating to the reporting obligations of
States parties to United Nations conventions on human rights
(resolution 38/117).
The General
Assembly considered the question annually from its
thirty-ninth to fifty-first sessions (resolutions 39/138,
40/117, 41/121, 42/105, 43/135, 44/135, 45/85, 46/111, 47/111,
48/120, 49/178, 50/170 and 51/87) and biennially thereafter
(resolutions 53/138, 55/90 and
57/202). At its fifty-ninth
session, the Assembly took note of the report of the
Secretary-General on the effective implementation of
international instruments on human rights, including reporting
obligations under international instruments on human rights
(decision 59/528).
Status of the Convention
against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment
At its
thirty-ninth session, in 1984, the General Assembly adopted
and opened for signature, ratification and accession the
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment or Punishment (resolution 39/46, annex),
and called upon all Governments to consider signing and
ratifying the Convention as a matter of priority (resolution
39/46). The Convention entered into force on 26 June 1987, on
the thirtieth day after the date of the deposit with the
Secretary-General of the twentieth instrument of ratification
or accession.
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly requested the
Secretary-General to submit to the Assembly at its sixtieth
session a report on the status of the Convention (resolution
59/182).
As at 25 April
2005, 139 States had ratified or acceded to the Convention.
Report of the Committee
against Torture
In accordance
with article 17 of the Convention against Torture and Other
Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the
Committee against Torture is composed of 10 experts. The
members of the Committee are elected for a term of four years
and are eligible for re-election. At present, the Committee is
composed of the following members:
Mr. Guibril
Camara (Senegal),** Mr. Sayed Kassem El Masry (Egypt),* Ms. Felice
Gaer (United States of America),** Mr. Claudio Grossman
(Chile),** Mr. Fernando Mariño Menéndez (Spain),* Mr. Andreas
Mavrommatis (Cyprus),** Mr. Julio Prado Vallejo (Ecuador),**
Mr. Ole Vedel Rasmussen (Denmark),* Mr. Alexander M. Yakovlev
(Russian Federation)* and Mr. Wang Xiexian (China).*
________________________
* Term
of office expires on 31 December 2005.
**
Term of office expires on 31 December 2007.
________________________
The Committee
against Torture held its thirty-third and thirty-fourth
sessions in Geneva from 15 to 26 November 2004 and from
2 to 20 May 2005, respectively. In accordance with article 24
of the Convention, the Committee submits an annual report on
its activities to the States parties and to the General
Assembly.
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly invited all States
parties to the Convention that had not yet done so to consider
making the declarations provided for in articles 21 and 22 of
the Convention and to consider the possibility of withdrawing
their reservations to article 20; urged all States parties to
notify the Secretary-General of their acceptance of the
amendments to articles 17 and 18 of the Convention as soon as
possible; called upon States parties to give early
consideration to signing and ratifying the Optional Protocol
to the Convention, which provided further measures for use in
the fight against and prevention of torture; and decided to
consider at its sixtieth session the reports of the
Secretary-General, including the report on the United Nations
Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture, the report of the
Committee against Torture and the interim report of the
Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on
torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment (resolution
59/182).
Report of the Special
Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly called upon all
Governments to cooperate with and assist the Special
Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on torture and
other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in
the performance of his task, to supply all necessary
information requested by the Special Rapporteur, to respond
appropriately and expeditiously to his urgent appeals and to
give serious consideration to responding favourably to
requests by the Special Rapporteur to visit their countries,
and urged them to enter into a constructive dialogue with the
Special Rapporteur in following up his recommendations; and
decided to consider the interim report of the Special
Rapporteur at its sixtieth session (resolution
59/182).
Status of
the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture
At its
thirty-sixth session, in 1981, the General Assembly
established the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of
Torture and requested the Secretary-General to report to it
annually on the administration of the Fund (resolution
36/151). The Fund receives voluntary contributions for
distribution to non-governmental organizations providing
psychological, medical, social, economic, legal, humanitarian
or other forms of assistance to victims of torture and their
relatives.
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly appealed to all
Governments and organizations to contribute annually to the
Fund, preferably by 1 March before the annual meeting of the
Board of Trustees of the Fund, if possible with a substantial
increase in the level of contributions; requested the
Secretary-General to transmit to all Governments the appeals
of the General Assembly for contributions to the Fund, to
continue to include the Fund on an annual basis among the
programmes for which funds were pledged at the United Nations
Pledging Conference for Development Activities and to assist
the Board of Trustees in its appeal for contributions and in
its efforts to make better known the existence of the Fund;
and requested the Secretary-General to submit to the Assembly
at its sixtieth session a report on the operations of the Fund
(resolution
59/182).
Report of the Human
Rights Committee
At its
twenty-first session, in 1966, the General Assembly adopted
the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and
the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights (resolution 2200 A (XXI)). The Covenant
and the Optional Protocol thereto entered into force on
23 March 1976.
In accordance
with article 28 of the Covenant, the Human Rights Committee is
composed of 18 experts. The members of the Committee are
elected for a term of four years and are eligible for
re-election. At present, the Committee is composed of the
following members:
Mr. Abdelfattah
Amor (Tunisia),* Mr. Nisuke Ando (Japan),* Mr. Prafullachandra
Natwarlal Bhagwati (India),* Mr. Alfredo Castillero Hoyos
(Panama),* Ms. Christine Chanet (France),* Mr. Maurice
Glèlè-Ahanhanzo (Benin),** Mr. Edwin Johnson Lopez
(Ecuador),** Mr. Walter Kälin (Switzerland),* Mr. Ahmed Tawfik
Khalil (Egypt),** Mr. Rajsoomer Lallah (Mauritius),**
Mr. Michael O’Flaherty (Ireland),** Ms. Elisabeth Palm
(Sweden),** Mr. Rafael Rivas Posada (Colombia),** Sir Nigel Rodley
(United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland),**
Mr. Ivan Shearer (Australia),** Mr. Hipólito Solari Yrigoyen
(Argentina),* Ms. Ruth Wedgwood (United States of America)*
and Mr. Roman Wieruszewski (Poland).*
________________________
* Term
of office expires on 31 December 2006.
** Term
of office expires on 31 December 2008.
________________________
As at 19 April
2005, 154 States had ratified or acceded to the Covenant,
104 States had ratified or acceded to the Optional Protocol
and 54 States had ratified or acceded to the Second Optional
Protocol aiming at the abolition of the death penalty.
International Covenants on Human Rights
At its
fifty-eighth session, the General Assembly reaffirmed the
importance of the International Covenants on Human Rights as
major components of international efforts to promote universal
respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental
freedoms; and requested the Secretary-General to submit to the
Assembly at its sixtieth session a report on the status of the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights and the Optional Protocols to the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, including all
reservations and declarations (resolution
58/165).
Report of the Committee
on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and
Members of Their Families
In accordance
with article 72 of the International Convention on the
Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of
Their Families, the Committee is composed of 10 experts. At
present, the Committee is composed of the following members:
Mr. Francisco
Alba (Mexico),** Mr. Francisco Carrión-Mena (Ecuador),**
Ms. Ana Elizabeth Cubias Medina (El Salvador),** Ms. Anamaría
Dieguez (Guatemala),* Mr. Ahmed Hassan El-Borai (Egypt),**
Mr. Abdelhamid El Jamri (Morocco),** Mr. Arthur Shatto
Gakwandi (Uganda),* Mr. Jose Serrano Brillantes
(Philippines),* Mr. Prasad Kariyawasam (Sri Lanka)* and Mr. Asad
Taghizade (Azerbaijan).*
________________________
* Term
of office expires on 31 December 2005.
** Term
of office expires on 31 December 2007.
________________________
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly welcomed the
establishment of the Committee on the Protection of the Rights
of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families; called
upon States parties to the Convention to submit in due time
their first periodic report, as requested in article 73 of the
Convention; and invited States parties to the Convention to
consider making the declarations foreseen in articles 76 and 77 of the Convention (resolution
59/262).
The Committee
held its second session at the United Nations Office at Geneva
from 25 to 29 April 2005.
In accordance
with article 74 of the Convention, the Committee will submit
an annual report on its activities to the General Assembly at
its sixtieth session.
Voluntary Trust Fund on
Contemporary Forms of Slavery
The Voluntary
Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery was established
pursuant to General Assembly resolution
46/122 of 17 December
1991 for the purpose of assisting representatives of
non-governmental organizations from different regions, dealing
with issues of contemporary forms of slavery, to participate
in the deliberations of the Working Group on Contemporary
Forms of Slavery by providing them with financial assistance
and to extend, through established channels of assistance,
humanitarian, legal and financial aid to individuals whose
human rights had been severely violated as a result of
contemporary forms of slavery. The Fund is administered in
accordance with the Financial Regulations of the United
Nations by the Secretary-General, with the advice of a Board
of Trustees, and can receive voluntary contributions from
Governments, non-governmental organizations and other private
or public entities.
Committee on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights
At its
twenty-first session, in 1966, the General Assembly adopted
the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights (resolution 2200 A (XXI)). This Covenant entered into
force on 3 January 1976.
In accordance
with Economic and Social Council resolution 1985/17, the
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights is composed
of 18 experts. The members of the Committee are elected for a
term of four years and are eligible for re-election. At
present, the Committee is composed of the following members:
Mr. Mohamed
Ezzeldin Abdel-Moneim (Egypt),** Mr. Clément Atangana
(Cameroon),* Mrs. Rocío Barahona Riera (Costa Rica),**
Mrs. Virginia Bonoan-Dandan (Philippines),* Mrs. Maria
Virginia Bras Gomes (Portugal),* Mr. Azzouz Kerdoun
(Algeria),* Mr. Yuri Kolosov (Russian Federation),* Mr. Georgio
Malinverni (Switzerland),** Mr. Jaime Marchan Romero
(Ecuador),* Mr. Sergei Martynov (Belarus),** Mr. Ariranga
Govindasamy Pillay (Mauritius),** Mr. Eibe Riedel (Germany),*
Mr. Andrzej Rzeplinski (Poland),** Mr. Walid M. Sa’di
(Jordan),** Mr. Philippe Texier (France),** Mr. Alvaro Tirado
Mejía (Colombia)* and Mr. Shen Yongxiang (China).**
On 25 January
2005 Ms. Chokila Iyer (India) resigned. To fill the vacancy
arising from her resignation, the Economic and Social Council,
on 27 April 2005, at its resumed organizational session,
elected Ms. Arundhati Ghose (India) for a term beginning on
the date of election and expiring on 31 December 2006 (Council
decision 2005/201 C).
________________________
* Term
of office expires on 31 December 2006.
** Term
of office expires on 31 December 2008.
________________________
At its
fifty-eighth session, the General Assembly requested the
Secretary-General to submit to it at its sixtieth session a
report on the status of the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Optional
Protocols to the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights, including all reservations and declarations
(resolution
58/165).
Equitable geographical
distribution in the membership of the human rights treaty
bodies
At its
fifth-ninth session, the General Assembly called upon the
States parties to the United Nations human rights instruments
to include, as an agenda item at their forthcoming meetings, a
debate on ways and means to ensure equitable geographical
distribution in the membership of the human rights treaty
bodies; recommended, when considering the possible
establishment of a quota by region for the election of the
membership of each treaty body, the introduction of flexible
procedures; and requested the United Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights to submit concrete recommendations on the
implementation of the resolution to the Assembly at its
sixtieth session (resolution
59/181).
(b)
Human rights questions, including alternative approaches for
improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and
fundamental freedoms
Documents:
A/C.3/60/3 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Letter dated
25 October 2005 from the Permanent Representative of Belarus to
the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General
A/C.3/60/5 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Letter dated
28 October 2005 from the Permanent Representative of Armenia to
the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General
A/C.3/60/8 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Letter dated
7 November 2005 from the Permanent Representative of the Republic
of Uzbekistan to
the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General
A/C.3/60/9 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Letter dated
8 November 2005 from the Permanent Representative of the Republic
of Uzbekistan to
the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General
A/60/134 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the Secretary-General on strengthening United Nations action
in the field of human rights through the promotion of
international cooperation and the importance of
non-selectivity, impartiality and objectivity
A/60/266 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Note by
the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Ad Hoc
Committee on a Comprehensive and Integral International
Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and
Dignity of Persons with Disabilities on its sixth session
A/60/272 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the Secretary-General on the protection of migrants
A/60/286 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the Secretary-General on the right to development
A/60/299 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the Secretary-General on national institutions for the
promotion and protection of human rights
A/60/301 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
A/60/301/Add.1 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the Secretary-General on globalization and its impact on the
full enjoyment of all human rights
A/60/305 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the Secretary-General on human rights and unilateral coercive
measures
A/60/321 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Note by
the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Special
Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers
A/60/326 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the Secretary-General on the protection of human rights and
fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism
A/60/333 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the Secretary-General on the effective promotion of the
Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or
Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities
A/60/338 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
A/60/338/Corr.1 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Note by
the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the
Representative of the Secretary-General on internally
displaced persons
A/60/339 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
A/60/339/Corr.1 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Note by
the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Special
Representative of the Secretary-General on human rights
defenders
A/60/340 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the Secretary-General on human rights and cultural diversity
A/60/348 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Note by
the Secretary-General transmitting the interim report of the
Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment
of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental
health
A/60/350 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Note by
the Secretary-General transmitting the interim report of the
Special Rapporteur on the right to food
A/60/353 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the Secretary-General on the Subregional Centre for Human
Rights and Democracy in Central Africa
A/60/357 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Note by
the Secretary-General transmitting the interim report of the
Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the
human rights of migrants
A/60/374 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the Secretary-General on the protection of human rights and
fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism
A/60/384 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Note by
the Secretary-General transmitting the interim report of the
independent expert on the effects of economic reform policies
and foreign debt on the full enjoyment of human rights,
particularly economic, social and cultural rights
A/60/392 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Note verbale
dated 27 September 2005 from the Permanent Mission of Togo to
the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General
A/60/399 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Note by
the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Special
Rapporteur on elimination of all forms of religious
intolerance
A/60/431 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the Secretary-General on strengthening the role of the United
Nations in enhancing the effectiveness of the principle of
periodic and genuine elections and the promotion of
democratization
Summary:
Human
rights and cultural diversity
The General
Assembly considered the item at its fifty-fourth to
fifty-seventh sessions (resolutions 54/160, 55/91, 56/156 and
57/204).
At its
fifty-eighth session, the General Assembly requested the
Secretary-General to prepare a report on human rights and
cultural diversity, taking into account the views of Member
States, relevant United Nations agencies and non-governmental
organizations, as well as the considerations in the resolution
regarding the recognition and importance of cultural diversity
among all peoples and nations in the world, and to submit the
report to the Assembly at its sixtieth session (resolution
58/167).
Human
rights and mass exoduses
The General
Assembly, at its fifty-eighth session, requested the
Secretary-General to submit to it at its sixtieth session a
report on the implementation of the resolution as it pertained
to all aspects of human rights and mass exoduses, with
particular emphasis on the efforts of the United Nations
system to enhance the protection of those who become displaced
during mass exoduses, and to facilitate their return and
reintegration, as well as information on efforts to continue
to enhance the capacity of the United Nations to avert new
flows of refugees and other displaced persons and to tackle
the root causes of such flows (resolution
58/169).
The right
of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable
standard of physical and mental health
At its
fifty-eighth session, in 2003, the General Assembly noted the
request of the Commission on Human Rights to the Special
Rapporteur to submit annually a report to the Commission and
an interim report to the General Assembly on the activities
performed under his mandate (resolution
58/173).
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly considered the
report of the Special Rapporteur (A/59/422) and took note of
it and other reports transmitted by the Secretary-General
under item 73 (b) (decision 59/528).
The Commission
on Human Rights discussed the question at its sixty-first
session. It decided to extend, for a period of three years,
the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone
to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of
physical and mental health; and requested the Special
Rapporteur to submit annually a report to the Commission and
an interim report to the General Assembly on the activities
performed under his mandate (Commission resolution 2005/24).
Human
rights and terrorism
The General
Assembly considered this question at its forty-eighth session,
in 1993, and at its forty-ninth, fiftieth, fifty-second,
fifty-fourth, fifty-sixth and fifty-eighth sessions
(resolutions 48/122, 49/185, 50/186, 52/133, 54/164,
56/160
and
58/174).
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly reiterated its
unequivocal condemnation of the acts, methods and practices of
terrorism in all its forms and manifestations as activities
aimed at the destruction of human rights, fundamental freedoms
and democracy; urged the international community to enhance
cooperation at the regional and international levels in the
fight against terrorism; called upon States to take all
necessary and effective measures, in accordance with relevant
provisions of international law, including international human
rights standards, to prevent, combat and eliminate terrorism
in all its forms and manifestations, wherever and by whomever
it was committed, and also called upon States to strengthen,
where appropriate, their legislation to combat terrorism in
all its forms and manifestations; requested the
Secretary-General to continue to seek the views of Member
States on the implications of terrorism in all its forms and
manifestations for the full enjoyment of all human rights and
fundamental freedoms and on the possible establishment of a
voluntary fund for the victims of terrorism, as well as on
ways and means to rehabilitate the victims of terrorism and to
reintegrate them into society, with a view to incorporating
his findings in his report to the General Assembly; and
requested the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights, in the course of the examination of the
question and in the conduct of any study on terrorism that
might be mandated, to adopt a comprehensive approach
(resolution
59/195).
National
institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights
At its
fifty-eighth session, the General Assembly encouraged Member
States to establish and strengthen national institutions for
the promotion and protection of human rights; urged the
Secretary-General to continue to give high priority to
requests from Member States for assistance in the
establishment and strengthening of national human rights
institutions; requested the Secretary-General to continue to
provide, including from the United Nations Voluntary Fund for
Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights, the
necessary assistance for holding international and regional
meetings of national institutions; and requested the
Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its
sixtieth session on the implementation of the resolution
(resolution
58/175).
The Commission
on Human Rights considered this question at its sixty-first
session (Commission resolution 2005/74).
Protection of and assistance to internally displaced persons
At its
fifty-eighth session, the General Assembly urged all
Governments to continue to facilitate the activities of the
Representative of the Secretary-General on internally
displaced persons, in particular Governments with situations
of internal displacement, and to give serious consideration to
inviting the Representative to visit their countries so as to
enable him to study and analyse more fully the issues
involved; and requested the Representative of the
Secretary-General to prepare a report on the implementation of
the resolution for consideration by the Assembly at its
sixtieth session (resolution
58/177).
The Commission
on Human Rights, at its sixtieth session, requested the
Secretary-General, in effectively building upon the work of
his Representative, to establish a mechanism that would
address the complex problem of internal displacement
(Commission resolution 2004/55). Subsequently, in September
2004, the Secretary-General appointed Walter Kälin as his
Representative on the human rights of internally displaced
persons. At its sixty-first session, the Commission requested
the Representative to submit annual reports on his activities
to the Commission and to the General Assembly (Commission
resolution 2005/46).
Strengthening the role of the United Nations in enhancing the
effectiveness of the principle of periodic and genuine
elections and the promotion of democratization
At its
fifty-eighth session, the General Assembly requested the
Secretary-General to provide the Electoral Assistance Division
with adequate human and financial resources to allow it to
carry out its mandate, and to continue to ensure that the
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights was able to respond, within its mandate and in close
coordination with the Division, to the numerous and
increasingly complex and comprehensive requests from Member
States for advisory services; and also requested him to report
to the Assembly at its sixtieth session on the implementation
of the resolution, in particular on the status of requests
from Member States for electoral assistance, and on his
efforts to enhance support by the Organization for the
democratization process in Member States (resolution
58/180).
Effective
promotion of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons
Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic
Minorities
At its
forty-seventh session, in 1992, the General Assembly adopted
the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National
or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities (resolution
47/135).
At its
fifty-eighth session, the General Assembly urged States and
the international community to promote and protect the rights
of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and
linguistic minorities, as set out in the Declaration; called
upon the Secretary-General to make available qualified
expertise on minority issues; called upon the United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights to promote the
implementation of the Declaration; requested the High
Commissioner to continue her efforts to improve the
coordination and cooperation among United Nations programmes
and agencies on activities related to the promotion and
protection of the rights of persons belonging to minorities;
called upon the Working Group on Minorities of the
Subcommission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights
to implement fully its mandate with the involvement of a wide
range of participants; invited the High Commissioner to seek
voluntary contributions to facilitate the effective
participation in the work of the Working Group of
representatives of non-governmental organizations and persons
belonging to minorities; requested the Secretary-General to
report to the Assembly at its sixtieth session on the
implementation of the resolution and to continue to include
examples of good practices in the field of education and of
the effective participation of minorities in decision-making
processes; and decided to continue consideration of the
question at its sixtieth session (resolution
58/182).
The Commission
on Human Rights considered this question at its sixtieth and
sixty-first sessions (resolutions 2004/51 and 2005/79 and
decisions 2004/114 and 2004/115).
Human
rights in the administration of justice
At its
fifty-eighth session, the General Assembly invited the
Commission on Human Rights and the Commission on Crime
Prevention and Criminal Justice, as well as the Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the
crime programme of the United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime, to closely coordinate their activities relating to the
administration of justice; underlined the importance of
rebuilding and strengthening structures for the administration
of justice and respect for the rule of law and human rights in
post-conflict situations; stressed the special need for
national capacity-building in the field of the administration
of justice, in order to establish and maintain stable
societies and the rule of law in post-conflict situations, and
in that context welcomed the role of the Office of the High
Commissioner in supporting the establishment and functioning
of transitional justice mechanisms in post-conflict
situations; and decided to consider the question at its
sixtieth session (resolution
58/183).
Promotion
of peace as a vital requirement for the full enjoyment of all
human rights by all
This question
was considered at the fifty-seventh session of the General
Assembly, in 2002, under the item entitled “Human rights
questions” (resolution
57/216).
At its
fifty-eighth session, the General Assembly declared that the
preservation and promotion of peace constituted a fundamental
obligation of each State; and decided to continue
consideration of the question of the promotion of the right of
peoples to peace at its sixtieth session (resolution
58/192).
Subregional Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Central
Africa
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly welcomed the
activities of the Subregional Centre for Human Rights and
Democracy in Central Africa at Yaoundé; requested the
Secretary-General and the United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights to provide adequate assistance for the proper
functioning of the Centre; and requested the Secretary-General
to submit to the Assembly at its sixtieth session a report on
the implementation of the resolution (resolution
59/183).
Globalization and its impact on the full enjoyment of all
human rights
The General
Assembly has considered this question since its fifty-fourth
session (resolutions 54/165, 55/102, 56/165,
57/205 and
58/193).
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly recognized that,
while globalization, by its impact on, inter alia, the role of
the State, might affect human rights, the promotion and
protection of all human rights was first and foremost the
responsibility of the State; and requested the
Secretary-General to seek further the views of Member States
and relevant agencies of the United Nations system and to
submit a substantive report on the subject to the Assembly at
its sixtieth session (resolution
59/184).
The right
to development
The General
Assembly has considered this question annually since its
forty-first session, in 1986, at which it adopted the
Declaration on the Right to Development (resolutions 41/128,
42/117, 43/127, 44/62, 45/97, 46/123, 47/123, 48/130, 49/183,
50/184, 51/99, 52/136, 53/155, 54/175, 55/108, 56/150,
57/223
and
58/172).
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly endorsed the agreed
conclusions and recommendations adopted by the Working Group
on the Right to Development at its fifth session (see
E/CN.4/2004/23 and Corr.1, sect. III) and requested the
Secretary-General to submit a report to the General Assembly
at its sixtieth session and an interim report to the
Commission on Human Rights at its sixty-first session on the
implementation of the resolution, including efforts undertaken
at the national, regional and international levels in the
promotion and realization of the right to development, and
invited the Chairperson of the Working Group to present a
verbal update to the Assembly at its sixtieth session
(resolution
59/185).
The Commission
on Human Rights considered this question at its sixty-first
session (Commission resolution 2005/4).
Enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human
rights
The General
Assembly has considered this question since its fifty-first
session (resolutions 51/100, 52/134, 53/154, 54/181, 55/109,
56/149,
57/224 and
58/170).
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly called upon Member
States, specialized agencies and intergovernmental
organizations to continue to carry out a constructive dialogue
and consultations for the enhancement of understanding and the
promotion and protection of all human rights and fundamental
freedoms, and encouraged non-governmental organizations to
contribute actively to that endeavour; invited States and
relevant United Nations human rights mechanisms and procedures
to continue to pay attention to the importance of mutual
cooperation, understanding and dialogue in ensuring the
promotion and protection of all human rights; and decided to
continue its consideration of the question at its sixtieth
session (resolution
59/187).
The Commission
on Human Rights considered this question at its sixty-first
session (Commission resolution 2005/54).
Human
rights and unilateral coercive measures
The General
Assembly considered this item at its fifty-first to
fifty-eighth sessions (resolutions 51/103, 52/120, 53/141,
54/172, 55/110, 56/148,
57/222 and
58/171).
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly urged all States to
refrain from adopting or implementing any unilateral measures
not in accordance with international law and the Charter of
the United Nations, in particular those of a coercive nature
with all their extraterritorial effects, which created
obstacles to trade relations among States, thus impeding the
full realization of the rights set forth in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and other international human
rights instruments, in particular the right of individuals and
peoples to development; requested the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights to give priority to the
resolution in her annual report to the General Assembly; and
requested the Secretary-General to continue to collect the
views and information of Member States on the implications and
negative effects of unilateral coercive measures on their
populations and to submit an analytical report thereon to the
Assembly at its sixtieth session, highlighting the practical
and preventive measures in that respect (resolution
59/188).
Strengthening United Nations action in the field of human
rights through the promotion of international cooperation and
the importance of non-selectivity, impartiality and
objectivity
The General
Assembly has considered this question since its forty-fifth
session (resolutions 45/163, 46/129, 47/131, 48/125, 49/181,
50/174, 51/105, 52/131, 53/149, 54/174, 55/104, 56/153,
57/203
and
58/168).
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly requested the
Secretary-General to invite Member States and
intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to
present further practical proposals and ideas that would
contribute to the strengthening of United Nations action in
the field of human rights through the promotion of
international cooperation based on the principles of
non-selectivity, impartiality and objectivity, and to submit a
comprehensive report on the question to the Assembly at its
sixtieth session (resolution
59/190).
Protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while
countering terrorism
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly reaffirmed that
States must ensure that any measure taken to combat terrorism
complied with their obligations under international law;
requested the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights to continue: (a) to examine the question of the
protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while
countering terrorism, (b) to make general recommendations
concerning the obligation of States to promote and protect
human rights and fundamental freedoms while taking actions to
counter terrorism, and (c) to provide assistance and advice to
States, upon their request, on the protection of human rights
and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, as well
as to relevant United Nations bodies; and requested the
Secretary-General to submit a report on the implementation of
the resolution to the Commission on Human Rights at its
sixty-first session and to the Assembly at its sixtieth
session (resolution
59/191).
The Commission
on Human Rights considered this question at its sixty-first
session. It decided to appoint for a period of three years, a
special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human
rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism;
requested the Special Rapporteur to report regularly to the
Commission on Human Rights and to the General Assembly; and
requested the High Commissioner to report regularly on the
implementation of the resolution to the Commission and to the
Assembly (Commission resolution 2005/80).
Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals,
Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect
Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
At its
fifty-third session, in 1998, the General Assembly adopted the
Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals,
Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect
Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
(resolution
53/144).
At its
fifty-sixth session, the Commission on Human Rights requested
the Secretary-General to appoint a Special Representative on
the situation of human rights defenders for a three-year
period and called for the Special Representative to report
annually to the Commission on Human Rights and to the General
Assembly (Commission resolution 2000/61). At its fifty-ninth
session, the Commission renewed the mandate of the Special
Representative for a further three years (Commission
resolution 2003/64). At its sixtieth and sixty-first sessions,
the Commission requested the Special Representative to
continue to report to the General Assembly on her activities
(Commission resolutions 2004/68 and 2005/67).
The General
Assembly considered the item at its fifty-fourth to
fifty-eighth sessions (resolutions 54/170, 55/98, 56/163,
57/209 and
58/178).
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly called upon States
to promote and give full effect to the Declaration; called
upon States to take all necessary measures to ensure the
protection of human rights defenders, at both the local and
the national levels; also called upon States to ensure,
protect and respect the freedom of expression and association
of human rights defenders and, where registration was
required, to facilitate registration, including through the
establishment of effective and transparent criteria and
non-discriminatory procedures under domestic law; urged States
to ensure that any measures to combat terrorism and preserve
national security complied with their obligations under
international law and did not hinder the work and safety of
human rights defenders; emphasized the importance of combating
impunity for threats, attacks and acts of intimidation against
human rights defenders; urged States to ensure that complaints
from human rights defenders were investigated and addressed in
a transparent, independent and accountable manner; requested
the Special Representative to continue to report on her
activities to the General Assembly and to the Commission on
Human Rights in accordance with her mandate; and decided to
consider the question at its sixtieth session (resolution
59/192).
Protection of migrants
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly welcomed the
increasing number of signatures and ratifications or
accessions to the International Convention on the Protection
of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their
Families, and called upon States that had not done so to
consider urgently signing and ratifying or acceding to the
Convention; also welcomed the entry into force of the United
Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, the
Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in
Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the
United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized
Crime, and the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by
Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the United Nations Convention
against Transnational Organized Crime, and called upon States
that had not done so to consider urgently signing and
ratifying or acceding to them; requested the Secretary-General
to submit to the Assembly at its sixtieth session a report on
the implementation of the resolution, and requested the
Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the
human rights of migrants to submit to the Assembly at the same
session an interim report on the fulfilment of her mandate;
and decided to examine the question further at its sixtieth
session under the sub-item (resolution
59/194).
At its
sixty-first session, the Commission on Human Rights requested
the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants to
report to the General Assembly at its sixtieth session and to
the Commission at its sixty-second session and to include on
her annual reports a chapter on the impact of the legislation
and the measures adopted by some States that restricted the
human rights and fundamental freedoms of migrants (Commission
resolution 2005/47).
Ad Hoc
Committee on a Comprehensive and Integral International
Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and
Dignity of Persons with Disabilities
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly decided that the Ad
Hoc Committee should hold two sessions in 2005, of 10 working
days each, to be held, respectively, from 24 January to 4 February and in July/August; and requested the
Secretary-General to transmit a comprehensive report of the Ad
Hoc Committee and to report on the implementation of
paragraphs 6, 7, 8 and 11 of the resolution to the Assembly at
its sixtieth session (resolution
59/198).
Elimination of all forms of religious intolerance
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly recognized with deep
concern the overall rise in instances of intolerance and
violence directed against members of many religious
communities in various parts of the world; urged States to
ensure that religious places, sites and shrines were fully
respected and protected; decided to consider the question at
its sixtieth session; and requested the Special Rapporteur of
the Commission on Human Rights on freedom of religion or
belief to submit an interim report to the Assembly on the
question (resolution
59/199).
The Commission
on Human Rights considered this question at its sixty-first
session (Commission resolution 2005/40).
Question
of enforced or involuntary disappearances
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly urged all
Governments to take appropriate legislative or other steps to
prevent and suppress the practice of enforced disappearances,
in keeping with the Declaration on the Protection of All
Persons from Enforced Disappearance, and to take action to
that end at the national and regional levels and in
cooperation with the United Nations, including through the
provision of technical assistance; and decided to consider the
question of enforced disappearances, in particular the
implementation of the Declaration, at its sixtieth session
(resolution
59/200).
The right
to food
The General
Assembly considered this question at its fifty-sixth to
fifty-eighth sessions (resolutions 56/155,
57/226 and
58/186).
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly requested the
Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the
right to food to submit a comprehensive report to the
Commission at its sixty-first session (E/CN.4/2005/47 and
Add.1 and 2) and an interim report to the Assembly at its
sixtieth session on the implementation of the resolution
(resolution
59/202).
The Commission
on Human Rights considered the question at its sixty-first
session (Commission resolution 2005/18).
(c)
Human rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and
representatives
Documents:
A/C.3/60/2 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Letter
dated 24 October 2005 from the Permanent Representative of
Myanmar to the United Nations addressed to the
Secretary-General
A/C.3/60/6 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Letter
dated 2 November 2005 from the Permanent Representative of
Myanmar to the United Nations addressed to the
Secretary-General
A/C.3/60/7 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Letter
dated 2 November 2005 from the Permanent Representative of
Israel to the United Nations addressed to the
Secretary-General
A/C.3/60/10 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Letter dated
10 November 2005 from the Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to
the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General
A/60/221 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Note by
the Secretary-General transmitting the interim report of the
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar
A/60/271 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Note by
the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Special
Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation
of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied by
Israel since 1967
A/60/306 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Note by
the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Special
Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation
of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
A/60/324 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on
addressing the issue of Palestinian pregnant women giving
birth at Israeli checkpoints owing to denial of access by
Israel to hospitals, with a view to ending this inhuman
Israeli practice
A/60/349 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the
assistance to Sierra Leone in the field of human rights
A/60/354
[F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Note by
the Secretary-General transmitting the interim report of the
independent expert on technical cooperation and advisory
services in Burundi
A/60/356 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Note by
the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Special
Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation
of human rights in the Sudan
A/60/359 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the
human rights situation and the activities of the Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, including
technical cooperation in Nepal
A/60/367 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights in
Turkmenistan
A/60/370 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Note by
the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Special
Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the promotion
and protection of freedoms while countering terrorism
A/60/395 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the independent expert on the situation of human rights in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo
A/60/422 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
A/60/422(Corr.1) [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights in
Myanmar
Summary:
Situation
of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran
At its
fortieth session, in 1984, the Commission on Human Rights
requested the Chairman to appoint a Special Representative of
the Commission whose mandate would be to establish contacts
with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, to make a
thorough study of the human rights situation in that country
and to submit conclusions and appropriate suggestions to the
Commission at its forty-first session (Commission resolution
1984/54). The mandate of the Special Representative has been
renewed annually since then.
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly called upon the
Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to: abide by its
obligations freely undertaken under the International
Covenants on Human Rights and other international human rights
instruments; implement the recommendations of the Working
Group of the Commission on Human Rights on Arbitrary
Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and
protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
and the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights
on freedom of religion or belief; cooperate with United
Nations mechanisms; implement fully the ban on torture,
announced in April 2004 by the head of the judiciary, and the
related parliamentary legislation of May 2004; expedite
judicial reform; appoint an impartial prosecutor; eliminate
all forms of discrimination based on religious grounds or
against persons belonging to minorities; end all forms of
punishment that were cruel, inhuman or degrading; abolish the
punishment of execution by stoning; comply with its
obligations under article 37 of the Convention on the Rights
of the Child and article 6 of the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights not to impose the sentence of death
for offences committed by persons below 18 years of age; and
vigorously pursue penitentiary reform; encouraged the thematic
mechanisms of the Commission on Human Rights to visit the
Islamic Republic of Iran, and encouraged the Government of the
Islamic Republic of Iran to cooperate with those special
mechanisms and to respond fully to their subsequent
recommendations; and decided to continue its examination of
the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran
at its sixtieth session (resolution
59/205).
Situation
of human rights in Turkmenistan
At its
fifty-ninth session, in 2004, the General Assembly called upon
the Government of Turkmenistan to ensure full respect for all
human rights and fundamental freedoms and to implement fully
the measures set out in Commission on Human Rights resolutions
2003/11 and 2004/12; to work closely with the Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights with regard
to the areas of concern and to cooperate fully with all the
mechanisms of the Commission on Human Rights and all the
relevant United Nations treaty bodies; to implement fully the
recommendations outlined in the report of the Rapporteur of
the Moscow Mechanism of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe and to work constructively with the
various institutions of the Organization; to release
immediately and unconditionally all prisoners of conscience;
to give real substance to the May 2004 offer of the Government
of Turkmenistan for interested representatives of the
international community to visit Turkmen prisons by providing
appropriate independent bodies, including the International
Committee of the Red Cross, with full access to all places of
detention in accordance with the usual modalities for those
organizations and ensuring that lawyers and relatives had full
and repeated access to all those in detention; to ensure that
the forthcoming parliamentary elections would be held
consistent with the commitments of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe and other international
standards for democratic elections; and to remove the
remaining restrictions on the activities of public
associations, including non-governmental organizations, and to
enable those organizations, in particular human rights
organizations, and other civil society actors to carry out
their activities without hindrance, building upon the
amendment of 2 November 2004 to the Criminal Code of
Turkmenistan abolishing criminal penalties for unregistered
activities of public associations; and requested the
Secretary-General to submit a report on the implementation of
the resolution to the Assembly at its sixtieth session
(resolution
59/206).
Situation
of human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
At its
fiftieth session, in 1994, the Commission on Human Rights
invited its Chairman to appoint a Special Rapporteur mandated
to establish direct contact with the authorities and the
people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to gather
information on the situation of human rights there, including
information supplied by non-governmental organizations
(Commission resolution 1994/87). The mandate of the Special
Rapporteur has been renewed annually since then.
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly called upon the
Government of National Unity and Transition to take specific
measures: to achieve the objectives of the transitional period
as laid down in the Global and All-Inclusive Agreement, in
particular the holding of free and transparent elections at
all levels; to strengthen the transitional institutions, in
particular to set up effectively the Independent Electoral
Commission, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the
Human Rights Monitoring Centre, and to re-establish stability
and the rule of law over the entire territory; to comply fully
with its obligations under international human rights
instruments; to put an end to impunity and to ensure that
those responsible for human rights violations and grave
breaches of international humanitarian law were brought to
justice, and to carry out urgently a comprehensive reform of
the judicial system; to put an end to the use of the death
penalty in a manner contrary to its obligations assumed under
the relevant provisions of the International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights and other human rights instruments, while
recalling its commitment to progressively abolish the death
penalty and not to impose it on juvenile offenders; to
continue to cooperate with the International Criminal Court
and with the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda; to
prevent the use of the media to incite hatred or tensions
among communities; to continue its programme to demobilize,
disarm and reintegrate former combatants; and to put an end to
the illegal exploitation of the natural resources of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo; decided to continue to
examine the situation of human rights in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, and requested the independent expert on
the situation of human rights in the Democratic Republic of
the Congo to report to the Assembly at its sixtieth session
(resolution
59/207).
At its
sixty-first session, the Commission on Human Rights decided to
extend the mandate of the independent expert on the situation
of human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for
one year; and requested the independent expert to submit a
progress report to the General Assembly at its sixtieth
session, and to report to the Commission at its sixty-second
session (Commission resolution 2005/85).
Situation
of human rights in Myanmar
At its
forty-eighth session, in 1992, the Commission on Human Rights
decided to nominate a special rapporteur to establish direct
contacts with the Government and the people of Myanmar,
including political leaders deprived of their liberty, their
families and lawyers, with a view to examining the situation
of human rights in Myanmar and following any progress made
towards the transfer of power to a civilian government and the
drafting of a new constitution, the lifting of restrictions on
personal freedoms and the restoration of human rights in
Myanmar (Commission resolution 1992/58). The mandate of the
Special Rapporteur has been renewed annually since then.
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly called upon the
Government of Myanmar to cooperate fully with the Special
Envoy of the Secretary-General for Myanmar and the Special
Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation
of human rights in Myanmar in order to help to bring Myanmar
towards a transition to civilian rule and to ensure that they
were both granted without further delay full, free and
unimpeded access to Myanmar and that no person cooperating
with the Special Envoy, the Special Rapporteur or any
international organization was subjected to any form of
intimidation, harassment or punishment; requested the
Secretary-General to continue to provide his good offices and
to pursue his discussions on the situation of human rights and
the restoration of democracy with the Government and people of
Myanmar, including all relevant parties to the national
reconciliation process in Myanmar, to give all necessary
assistance to enable his Special Envoy and the Special
Rapporteur to discharge their mandate fully and effectively,
and to report to the Assembly at its sixtieth session and to
the Commission on Human Rights at its sixty-first session on
the progress made in the implementation of the resolution; and
decided to continue the consideration of the question at its
sixtieth session (resolution
59/263).
At its
sixty-first session, the Commission on Human Rights requested
the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in
Myanmar to submit an interim report to the General Assembly at
its sixtieth session and to report to the Commission at its
sixty-second session and to integrate a gender perspective
throughout his work (Commission resolution 2005/10).
(d)
Comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Vienna
Declaration and Programme of Action
Summary:
At its
forty-eighth session, in 1993, the General Assembly endorsed
the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted by the
World Conference on Human Rights, and requested the
Secretary-General to report annually to the Assembly on the
measures taken and the progress achieved in the implementation
of the recommendations of the Conference (resolution
48/121).
The General
Assembly also considered the question at its forty-ninth to
fifty-eighth sessions (resolutions 49/208, 50/201, 51/118,
52/148 and
53/166 and decisions 54/435, 55/422, 56/403, 57/535
and 58/540).
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly took note of the
report of the Third Committee (A/59/503/Add.4) (decision
59/529).
(e)
Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights
Documents:
A/60/36 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (Suppl.
No. 36)
A/60/343 [F]
[S]
[A]
[C]
[R]
Report of
the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the
human rights situation in Afghanistan and on technical
assistance in the field of human rights
Summary:
At its
forty-eighth session, in 1993, the General Assembly decided to
create the post of the United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights and requested the High Commissioner to report
annually to the Commission on Human Rights and, through the
Economic and Social Council, to the Assembly (resolution
48/141).
At its
fiftieth session, the General Assembly decided to include in
the provisional agenda of its fifty-first and subsequent
sessions a sub-item entitled “Report of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights” under the item entitled
“Human rights questions” (decision 50/464).
At its resumed
fifty-eighth session, the General Assembly, on 25 February
2004, approved the appointment by the Secretary-General of Ms. Louise Arbour (Canada) as United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights for a term of office of four years (decision
58/417). In a note dated 13 May 2004, the Secretary-General
informed the Assembly that Ms. Arbour’s term of office would
be from 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2008 (A/58/718/Add.1).
At its
fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly took note of the
report of the Third Committee (A/59/503/Add.5) (decision
59/530).
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