The Council recommended that:

The following activities have been undertaken since the 1998 substantive session of the Economic and Social Council:

A.  System-wide coordinated follow-up to and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of action

1.     Its functional commissions, as well as the regional commissions and other organs and bodies, and the specialized agencies, within their respective mandates, take all human rights fully into account in their activities.

1.     The “Vienna+5” report of the Secretary-General to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) (E/1998/60) presented progress made and policy directions being taken to integrate human rights into the activities of the United Nations system. This process is continuing. Human rights are being integrated throughout the system through the adoption of human rights-based methodologies; development of programmes or projects addressing specific human rights issues; integrating human rights components in the programmes and projects of the United Nations system, including operations on the ground; and the presence of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in all structural units of the Secretariat responsible for policy development and coordination. The International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the Joint and Co-sponsored United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the World Food Programme (WFP), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Department of Public Information (DPI) and the Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW), as well as the Commission on the Status of Women and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice provide examples here. Regional economic commissions (the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE)) organized workshops to promote social, economic and cultural rights in 1998. UNDP and OHCHR have developed, in the framework of the 1998 memorandum of understanding between the two institutions and following the UNDP policy paper “Integrating Human Rights and Sustainable Development”, a programme entitled “Human Rights Strengthening (HURIST)” consisting of joint activities in five areas crucial for human rights and sustainable human development. In 1998 the World Bank published “Development and human rights: the role of the World Bank”, a document which reflects the Bank’s human rights policy orientation.

2.     All the components of the United Nations system increase system-wide coordination to promote all human rights, including inter-agency consultations convened by OHCHR at the working level to be continued as a forum for cooperation in the field of human rights.

2.     Human rights activities are subject to system-wide coordination within the overall management system of the Organization. OHCHR’s presence in all Executive Committee’s, the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) system and in the frameworks of the humanitarian sector (in particular the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC)) allow for greater coordination of human rights relevant activities. In addition to the overall coordination framework, progress has also been made at the working level in specific areas referred to in this report. Examples include monthly consultations between UNDP and OHCHR and regular consultations between OHCHR and UNESCO, UNCTAD, UNFPA, UNAIDS, WHO and ILO. Special attention has been placed on integrating human rights components in the coordinated activities of the United Nations at the country level as the most effective way to promote human rights and to coordinate efforts of the Organization. Human rights have been included into the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), which is designed to serve as a process of ongoing United Nations teamwork to respond to the development priorities of specific countries. OHCHR has taken the responsibility for the human rights component of UNDAF.

3.     The Secretary-General continue efforts to recruit staff for OHCHR with a view to securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, on as wide a geographical basis as possible and with consideration of gender balance.

3.     The report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on “Composition of the staff of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights” (E/CN.4/1999/97) stresses that the principles governing the recruitment and employment of staff are derived from Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations. The report contains tables providing comprehensive updated data concerning the staff of OHCHR. The report of the Secretary-General on the composition of the Secretariat, A/53/375, also contains relevant information concerning this issue. Following the resolution of the Commission on Human Rights on “Composition of the staff of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights” (resolution 1999/70), the High Commissioner will submit a report on its implementation to the next session of the Commission on Human Rights.

4.     The system-wide human rights training of United Nations staff be provided.

4.     Human rights training is being provided for an increasing number of United Nations staff members. In cooperation with the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), OHCHR organizes two training programmes per year on peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance and human rights for military and civilian police trainers at the United Nations Staff College in Turin, Italy. The programmes address national trainers of military and police contingents to be deployed to United Nations peacekeeping operations. In addition, OHCHR continues to implement training programmes on human rights for peacekeeping personnel already deployed, as relevant to their mandate and specific functions. A six month training programme for the international police task force of the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH) was completed in December 1998. Training materials for both military and police peacekeeping personnel have been developed by OHCHR. In cooperation with UNDP, OHCHR has also started organizing training and briefings for UNDP staff and resident coordinators. Briefings on the various aspects of the United Nations human rights programme have been organized in Geneva for representatives of UNDP offices in 1998 and 1999. A joint UNDP-OHCHR Workshop on Integrating Human Rights with Sustainable Human Development was held in Abidjan from 10 to 12 May 1999, which provided the opportunity to test training materials jointly developed by the two organizations. Through the OHCHR Regional Office for Southern Africa, workshops for United Nations country teams have also been held.

B.    Democracy-development — human rights and the right to development and the role of international cooperation

5.     The relevant components of the United Nations take further steps for the realization of the right to development, including enhanced cooperation and coordination. The Bretton Woods institutions have been invited to take part in this process.

5.     The increasing emphasis being placed on the social dimension of development by the United Nations system, including the World Bank (see also para. 3 above), has resulted in important progress towards an integrated approach to democracy, development, and human rights. Particular attention has been focused on the right to development. The Commission on Human Rights, in its resolution 1998/72, has established a mechanism to monitor the implementation of this right composed of an open-ended working group (to hold its first meeting in the second half of 1999) and an Independent Expert who has already assumed his responsibilities (see E/CN.4/1999/118 which contains the Independent Expert’s provisional work plan). In 1998, ILO adopted the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, based on the concept that “economic growth is essential but not sufficient to ensure equity, social progress and the eradication of poverty, confirming the need for ILO to promote strong social policies, justice and democratic institutions”. The United Nations Development Group (UNDG) Working Group on the right to development, chaired by OHCHR, is elaborating a common UNDG approach for enhancing the human rights dimension of development activities, including determination of goals, benchmarks and terms of accountability. It is also preparing the training module on the right to development for UNDG staff. Several seminars and workshops have been organized in inter-agency and expert frameworks to analyse specific aspects of the implementation of the right to development. Most recently, OHCHR, UNDP and the Government of Norway organized a symposium on human rights and human development (October 1998, Oslo). OHCHR organized a workshop on the implementation of the right to development with the participation of high-level experts from relevant disciplines (May 1999). OHCHR also facilitates cooperation between special procedures established by the Commission on Human Rights in the area of economic, social and cultural rights (meetings in October 1998 in Oslo and in December 1998 in Geneva). OHCHR next plans to organize regional seminars on the right to development in Latin America, Africa and Asia. See also the reports on the right to development of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (E/CN.4/1999/19) and of the Secretary-General (E/CN.4/1999/20); the report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on “Vienna+5” (A/53/372); the resolutions on the right to development adopted by the General Assembly (resolution 53/155) and the Commission on Human Rights (resolution 1999/79) and the Commission resolution on the right to democracy (resolution 1999/57).

6.     The United Nations system increase its efforts to eradicate poverty.

6.     Extreme poverty has been recognized as a serious violation of human rights. Its eradication is a cross-cutting objective within the United Nations. The statement of commitment for action to eradicate poverty, adopted by ACC in May 1998, reaffirmed that poverty eradication is a key international commitment and a central objective of the United Nations system. ACC emphasized that poverty is a denial of choice and opportunities, as well as a violation of human dignity. Programmes specifically oriented for its elimination as well as relevant components of others are being developed by UNDP, the World Bank, UNCTAD and other agencies and programmes. UNICEF has taken specific action to mitigate the effects of extreme poverty on children. The Secretary-General has repeatedly addressed the international community, including the business leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to develop coordinated action against poverty. To make meaningful progress in this regard, comprehensive measures are necessary to move large parts of the world from a state of chronic poverty to sustainable development. Simultaneously, measures must be taken at the national level to improve the situation of the poor parts of the population through equitable use of available budgetary means. The report of the independent expert of the Commission on Human Rights on extreme poverty provides a survey of action taken at the national and international level to eradicate extreme poverty (E/CN.4/1999/48). See also General Assembly resolution 53/146 and Commission on Human Rights resolution 1999/26.

7.     The United Nations system increase coordination and cooperation to promote and protect economic, social and cultural rights.

7.     Agencies and programmes acting in the areas of food, housing, education, health and labour, increasingly base their activities on the relevant human rights standards established by the international community. The integrated approach to social development and human rights adopted by the world conferences and summits provides guidance in this process. Increasing cooperation in this regard can be seen, for instance, in the expert consultation organized by OHCHR and FAO to discuss the core content of the right to food and its implementation (November 1998, Rome). OHCHR also hosted a meeting of the ACC Subcommittee on Nutrition (April 1999, Geneva) and jointly organized a symposium on a human rights approach to food and nutrition policies and programmes. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) organized a round table on intellectual property and indigenous peoples (July 1998, Geneva). UNFPA organized a round table on adolescent sexual and reproductive health (April 1998, New York). OHCHR is carrying out a global technical cooperation programme for the implementation of economic, social and cultural rights, which includes the development of a practitioner’s manual on integrating economic, social and cultural rights into the work of national human rights institutions; a pilot training session on human rights for staff of United Nations development agencies; and a workshop on human rights in development policies with the participation of Government officials, United Nations agency staff and civil society representatives. The agenda of the Commission on Human Rights includes several items which are of direct relevance to these rights (see in particular Commission resolutions 1999/25, 1999/22, 1999/24, 1999/26). At its last session, the Commission decided that the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities should continue to review the establishment of a forum on economic, social and cultural rights (Social Forum) to meet during its annual session (resolution 1999/53). The Commission also decided to continue consideration of a draft optional protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the question of impunity of perpetrators of violations of economic, social and cultural rights (resolution 1999/58), as well as supported measures to enhance the ability of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to fulfil its mandate. The Commission considered the preliminary report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to education (E/CN.4/1999/49).

C.    Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance

8.     Components of the United Nations system strengthen their contribution to the efforts to eradicate racism and racial discrimination, and that the General Assembly declares the year 2001 a year of mobilization against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

8.     Racism and racial discrimination continue to constitute one of the major obstacles to ensuring universal respect for human rights. Efforts to combat these practices should therefore be intensified. They should include universal and unconditional accession to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, awareness-raising activities, adopting laws and policies to prevent and eradicate racial discrimination. Preparations for the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, to be held in 2001, have been launched. An open-ended Working Group of the Commission on Human Rights met during the Commission’s fifty-fifth session in order to review and formulate proposals for consideration by the Commission and for possible forwarding to the Preparatory Committee at its first session. The preparatory process to the World Conference will provide impetus for better coordination of activities within the United Nations system to combat racism and racial discrimination and thus contribute to the implementation of the United Nations Decade against Racism and Intolerance. Updated information on United Nations efforts in this area, including preparations for the World Conference, is contained in the report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights “Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and all forms of discrimination” (E/CN.4/1999/12). See also General Assembly resolution 53/133 and Commission on Human Rights resolution 1997/78.

D.    Equal status and human rights of women

9.     The United Nations system makes special efforts to strengthen expertise concerning the equal status and human rights of women, and that system-wide training in the human rights of women be provided.

9.     Mainstreaming the human rights of women throughout the United Nations system has led to enhanced capacity to deal with related problems and offer relevant assistance to Governments and civil society. In 1997, OHCHR commenced a joint project with the Division for the Advancement of Women to integrate gender into its technical cooperation programme. With the participation of UNIFEM, UNFPA and ILO, guidelines on gender and the human rights of women for use by United Nations staff and consultants have been elaborated. Similar guidelines for evaluating technical cooperation projects are being developed. The rights of women are included by OHCHR as part of training provided in country projects focusing on specific group concerns such as judges, police officers, members of NGOs, Government officials and others. Training courses were also carried out by OHCHR in 1998 in several countries, including Argentina, Bhutan, Cambodia, El Salvador, Namibia, Nepal, Palestine, South Africa and Togo. A workshop on a rights-based approach to women’s empowerment and advancement and gender equality was organized by the Division for the Advancement of Women in Rome in October 1998. In addition, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, OHCHR and the United Nations Staff College project produced a first draft of a training module on gender and peacekeeping. For further details see: the report of the Secretary-General to the Commission on Human Rights at its fifty-fifth session “The question of integrating the human rights of women throughout the United Nations system” (E/CN.4/1999/67); the report of the Secretary-General on the joint work plan prepared by the Division for the Advancement of Women and the OHCHR (E/CN.6/1999/2); and Commission on Human Rights resolution 1999/41.

10.   System-wide cooperation to address violations of human rights of women be enhanced.

10.   Violence against women is an issue which is addressed by different units within the United Nations. The report submitted to the fifty-fifth session of the Commission on Human Rights by the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences (E/CN.4/1999/68; see also E/CN.4/1998/54) brings a thorough global analysis of violence against women in the family, including an addendum on policies and practices that impact on women’s reproductive rights and contribute to, cause or constitute violence against women. It is to be stressed that thematic and country special rapporteurs of the Commission on Human Rights have paid particular attention to violence against women, benefitting from information materials developed by UNIFEM and training provided by UNIFEM to OHCHR staff working with special procedures (see E/CN.4/1999/67). OHCHR has been actively involved in the issue of trafficking in persons with a special focus on trafficking in women and children. The Office is also following recent developments of regional and international legal mechanisms — specifically the draft South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) treaty on trafficking in women and children and its two Protocols (on trafficking and illegal migration, respectively), which are being developed within the framework of the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. UNFPA has been actively involved in the inter-agency campaigns against violence against women carried out during 1998 in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.

11.   The General Assembly and the Commission on Human Rights integrate a gender perspective in new or renewing mandates in the field of human rights.

11.   The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has jointly organized, with the Division for the Advancement of Women and UNIFEM, a workshop on gender integration into the human rights system for special rapporteurs and chairs of treaty bodies. In almost all the mandates of the special rapporteurs and independent experts, reference has been made to the integration of gender (see Commission on Human Rights resolutions in 1998 and 1999). During the fifty-fifth session of the Commission on Human Rights, OHCHR organized a panel on gender and the human rights of women, which included the participation of the High Commissioner, the chair of the Commission on Human Rights, the chair of the Commission on the Status of Women, the vice-chair of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Gender Issues and the Advancement of Women. The main focus of the discussion was the strengthening of cooperation between the Commissions, United Nations agencies and programmes, the special mechanisms and treaty bodies to ensure due consideration given to the integration of gender.

12.   The human rights treaty bodies further integrate the gender dimension in their activities, as well as strengthen coordination with the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

12.   The report of the Secretary-General analysing the measures that have been taken by the treaty bodies in order to integrate a gender perspective in their work (HRI/NC/1998/6) was considered by the chairpersons of treaty bodies at their tenth meeting. The report notes, inter alia, that attention to the situation of women in the framework of guarantees of equal enjoyment of rights and of non-discrimination is being broadly achieved, and that there is growing attention to situations that are specific to women. The report also provides detailed information on steps taken by five human rights treaty based bodies to increase attention to the status and the human rights of women. The report also reviews interaction between the treaty bodies and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. A workshop to examine ways to coordinate action to promote the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, as well as consultation on violence in the family was held in October 1998.

E.     Those requiring special protection

13.   Components of the United Nations system develop greater international cooperation and further coordinated efforts and involvement in the protection of the rights of the child.

13.   The implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child continues to promote greater cooperation and coordination of efforts as United Nations agencies and bodies increase their involvement in the protection of the rights of the child. It is expected that the 1999 session of the International Labour Conference will adopt a new convention against the worst forms of child labour, supported by the ILO’s International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour. The special dialogue on the rights of the child and the risks of marginalization, held on 14 April 1999 during the fifty-fifth session of the Commission on Human Rights, gathered high-level representatives of ILO, UNICEF, WHO, the Swedish Save the Children Fund, as well as the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights. UNAIDS worked closely with OHCHR and other agencies to organize the thematic discussion day on child rights and AIDS, held by the Committee on the Rights of the Child during its ninetieth session in October 1998. Heads of key United Nations agencies and bodies will again come together for a special meeting to be organized at the initiative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in September 1999, during the twenty-second session of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Convention. Many meetings have been organized by agencies and programmes to deal with specific issues concerning the implementation of the Convention, for example child rights and violence against children (UNICEF — October 1998), child protection (WHO — November 1998), pornography on the Internet (UNESCO — January 1999). Cooperation between OHCHR and UNICEF continues to provide a great degree of support to the activities of the Committee on the Rights of the Child. At the national level, increased collaboration in the design and implementation of technical assistance projects is enhancing support to States Parties in the preparation of reports to the Committee and in following up on the recommendations formulated by the Committee. In its resolution 1999/80, the Commission on Human Rights welcomed the positive results of the cooperation between the Committee and UNICEF, as well as other relevant actors, and encouraged UNICEF to develop further the rights-based approach it has adopted. With 191 States Parties, the Convention has achieved almost universal ratification. OHCHR and UNICEF collaborate to promote, as called for by Commission on Human Rights resolution 1998/80, acceptance of the amendment to article 43, paragraph 2, of the Convention adopted by States Parties, which will allow for the necessary expansion of the membership of the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

14.   Components of the United Nations system facilitate the negotiating process of the draft United Nations declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples.

14.   The adoption of a United Nations declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples is identified as a major objective by the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action and the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People (1995–2004). Four sessions of the open-ended working group of the Commission on Human Rights to elaborate a draft declaration have now been held and two articles of the draft have been adopted at the first reading (see E/CN.4/1999/82, the report of the most recent session). At its fifty-fifth session, the Commission on Human Rights recommended that the open-ended working group meet for eight days prior to its next session.

15.   United Nations agencies, funds and programmes support the activities of the Decade of the World’s Indigenous People.

15.   The goal of the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People is to strengthen international cooperation for the solution of problems faced by indigenous people in areas such as human rights, the environment, development, education and health under the theme “Indigenous people: partnership in action”. As the International Decade (1995–2004) will reach its mid-point at the end of 1999, the Commission on Human Rights, in its resolution 1999/51, requested the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in her capacity as coordinator of the International Decade, to submit a mid-term report reviewing implementation of the programme of activities and recommendations to the General Assembly at its fifty-fourth session as well as a preliminary report to the ECOSOC at its present session (document forthcoming). See also recent reports on the Decade to the General Assembly and the Commission, A/53/310 and E/CN.4/1999/81, respectively. The proposal to consider the establishment of a permanent forum for indigenous people was made in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action and by the General Assembly in its resolutions relating to the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People (see, for example, resolution 50/157). Two workshops on the permanent forum have been organized in Copenhagen and Santiago. In February 1999, an open-ended working group of the Commission on Human Rights met to consider the question (see E/CN.4/1999/83). The Commission recommended, at its fifty-fifth session, that the open-ended working group meet for eight working days prior to its fifty-sixth session with a view to completing its task (Commission resolution 1999/52).

16.   Rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities will be promoted by the international community.

16.   Although progress in protecting the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities can be noted, the existing needs in this regard require reinforced action. The human rights treaty-based bodies are increasingly addressing minority issues and requesting disaggregated data on the respect of the rights of persons belonging to minorities. Some special rapporteurs are drawing attention to violations of minority rights in their reports, and the Special Rapporteur on religious intolerance was mandated specifically by the Commission on Human Rights at its fifty-fifth session to address the issue of religious minorities. The Working Group on Minorities of the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, whose mandate has been extended on a perennial basis, is playing an increasingly larger role in this field. This Working Group has become a forum for inter-agency cooperation and for the integration of issues relating to minority protection in the policies and activities of the United Nations system. For further information see the report of the Secretary-General to the Commission on Human Rights (E/CN.4/1999/113) and the report of the Working Group at its fourth session (E/CN.4/Sub.2/1998/18).

17.   Technical assistance be provided for the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of HIV/AIDS and inter-agency cooperation and coordination to that end be strengthened.

17.   Technical cooperation in the context of HIV/AIDS and human rights has included various activities of UNAIDS, including dissemination of the International Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights (together with OHCHR); briefing session for Governments and NGOs during the fifty-fourth session of the Commission on Human Rights (jointly with OHCHR), preparation of the “Handbook for legislators on HIV/AIDS and human rights” and training programmes in several countries. UNDP and the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention offer assistance in reform of criminal laws and correctional systems in the context of HIV/AIDS. UNDP also assists in capacity-building with regard to HIV/AIDS and human rights. Inter-agency cooperation and coordination is ongoing under the leadership of UNAIDS. Together with UNFPA and UNIFEM, it is spearheading a regional study on gender and HIV/AIDS. An agreement has been signed between OHCHR and UNAIDS with respect to the establishment of a joint post in order to strengthen the human rights-based response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the respective activities. Additional information is contained in the report of the Secretary-General submitted to the Commission on Human Rights (E/CN.4/1999/76).

F.     Technical cooperation, human rights education and information

18.   United Nations bodies and all specialized agencies active in the field of technical cooperation closely cooperate and coordinate so as to enhance their respective programmes and to promote all human rights.

18.   During 1998–1999, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in cooperation with agencies and programmes, has carried out a system-wide analysis of technical cooperation in the field of human rights and related areas offered by the United Nations system at the request of countries. The analysis indicates that an increasing number of agencies and programmes offer human rights-related assistance, including in the areas of sustainable development, good governance, the rule of law, human resources, protection of vulnerable groups, sexual and reproductive health, conflict prevention/resolution and confidence-building measures. Agencies and programmes share the conviction that technical cooperation in the field of human rights requires close system-wide cooperation, exchange of information and expertise and more systematic coordination to fully utilize the existing potential. Cooperation and coordination should be strengthened both at the headquarters and country levels. The follow-up to the analysis, which will include measures related to enhanced coordination, quality and normative consistency, as well as methodological soundness, should contribute to a more adequate response to the needs of States. To that end, several steps are planned, including regional workshops. There are already important instances of inter-agency cooperation in providing technical assistance. A particular example is provided by the joint UNDP/OHCHR project “Human Rights Strengthening — HURIST”, which covers a broad range of substantive areas. OHCHR also cooperates with other agencies and programmes in providing training to United Nations staff in the field and at headquarters level (see para. 4 above). Assistance (micro-grants) to human rights initiatives undertaken at the grass-roots level is provided in the framework of the ACT (Assisting Communities Together) Project initiated by the High Commissioner on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in cooperation with UNDP. See also the report of the Secretary-General “Advisory services and technical cooperation in the field of human rights” (E/CN.4/1999/99) and Commission on Human Rights resolution 1999/72.

19.   Special emphasis be given to assistance in the strengthening and building of institutions relating to human rights, the strengthening of a pluralistic society and the protection of groups that have been rendered vulnerable.

19.   The OHCHR technical cooperation programme, as well as technical cooperation programmes in human rights-related areas offered by other components of the United Nations system are responding to this recommendation. Through its technical cooperation programme, OHCHR assists requesting countries in areas such as constitutional and legislative reform, development of national plans of action for human rights, electoral assistance, support to national human rights institutions established in keeping with the Paris Principles, the administration of justice, military, parliaments, treaty reporting, human rights education, information and documentation, strengthening of NGOs, and the promotion of economic, social and cultural rights and rights of women. For further details see the aforementioned report of the Secretary-General (E/CN.4/1999/99) and reports of relevant agencies and programmes.

20.   Human rights officers be assigned to regional United Nations offices to assist in technical assistance activities.

20.   The High Commissioner for Human Rights is developing a strategy to strengthen regional/subregional cooperation among international and local actors to better respond to country needs in the context of technical assistance and advisory services. Such a regional strategy should be based on participation of United Nations agencies and programmes and involve the UNDAF. OHCHR has developed two pilot initiatives with regard to the regional strategy. The regional workshops for Asia and the Pacific, the seventh and eighth of which took place in Tehran (September 1998) and New Delhi (February 1999), respectively, have developed a comprehensive regional programme of technical assistance and cooperation. The High Commissioner has also appointed a representative to the Asia and Pacific region, as well as established a subregional office in Pretoria for the countries of the Southern African Development Community.

21.   Renewed efforts be made to implement the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (1995–2004) and the World Public Information Campaign on Human Rights.

21.   Human rights education and public information continue to constitute major areas of cooperation within the United Nations system. In particular, significant additional efforts have been made in these fields on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. For instance, in September 1998, a letter signed jointly by the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Director-General of UNESCO was sent to all Heads of Governments, encouraging them to develop national plans of action for human rights education and forwarding to them relevant guidelines prepared by OHCHR in cooperation with UNESCO. The Department of Public Information carried out a human rights information campaign throughout 1998, both at the headquarters and national levels, which included publication of information kits, booklets, posters, video and audio materials; organization of exhibitions; organization of awareness-raising meetings; and Internet-based projects focusing on human rights. The United Nations Information Centres and the United Nations Information Services in different countries developed numerous innovative projects which gave human rights issues a high profile in local media and communities. On 10 December 1998, OHCHR launched its new Web site section comprising more than 250 national and local language versions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This major project has been the result of a global cooperative effort on the part of many components of the United Nations system, including OHCHR, UNESCO, the Department of Public Information (including the United Nations Information Centres and the United Nations Information Services), UNDP and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). More information on these and other related activities can be found in the reports of the Secretary-General to the Commission on Human Rights on the implementation of the Plan of Action of the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (1995–2004) (E/CN.4/1999/87) and on the development of public information activities in the field of human rights, including the World Public Information Campaign on Human Rights (E/CN.4/1999/86).

G.    Implementation

22.   Components of the United Nations system should provide assistance to Governments in the process of ratifying human rights treaties.

22.   The number of ratifications of the six core treaties rose by nearly 30 per cent from 1993 to 1998. More still needs to be done. In the framework of the fiftieth anniversary, the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner carried out a campaign to increase the ratification of human rights treaties, addressing Heads of State and Governments. On 10 December 1998, the High Commissioner for Human Rights appealed for appealed for universal ratification of the basic human rights treaties during the coming five years. OHCHR offers technical assistance to countries to facilitate the ratification process and comply with reporting obligations under the human rights treaties. The OHCHR/UNDP project “HURIST” contains a “window” of activities specifically devoted to the promotion of ratification at the regional, subregional or national levels. OHCHR and UNDP also assist the UNDP resident representatives in promoting the ratification of human rights treaties, by providing training and necessary materials. An ILO campaign in favour of seven fundamental ILO human rights conventions has contributed to nearly 130 ratifications since its beginning in May 1995.

23.   The specialized agencies and United Nations bodies, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the chairpersons of the human rights treaty bodies intensify their cooperation.

23.   The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights continues to promote cooperation between the United Nations organs, bodies and specialized agencies, and the chairpersons of the human rights treaty bodies. While the treaty bodies can benefit from information and views in better understanding problems encountered by reporting countries, their expertise can play an important role in guiding agencies and programmes in their efforts to better adjust their activities to the needs of Member States. Although further efforts must be made to fully utilize the potential of such cooperation, progress has been achieved in the exchange of information materials and consultations concerning matters of mutual interest, as is the case with e.g. UNDP, UNICEF, UNAIDS, UNESCO, UNFPA and ILO. The annual meetings of chairpersons of treaty bodies serve also as a forum where ideas and concerns are shared among treaty bodies and other parts of the United Nations system, including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the specialized agencies, the Commission on Human Rights and the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities. 1999 is the first year this meeting coincided with the annual meeting of special procedures of the Commission on Human Rights, enabling greater formal and informal interaction between the two groups of experts.

24.   Relevant components of the United Nations system to assist Member States in adoption and implementation of national plans of action in the field of human rights.

24.   The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action called upon States to consider the desirability of developing national plans of action for the promotion and protection of human rights. To date, 12 countries have developed such plans (Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Indonesia, Latvia, Malawi, Mexico, the Philippines, South Africa, Venezuela and Yemen). To further this process, OHCHR provides technical assistance and advisory services to individual States in the preparation and implementation of national action plans. The OHCHR/UNDP “HURIST” project also incorporates a special component relating to the provision of such assistance, which focuses on strengthening the interactions and interrelationship between all sectors of society in the formulation and implementation of such plans. OHCHR is assisting a workshop on the development of national action plans for human rights in the Asia-Pacific region (Commission on Human Rights resolution 1999/69).