A/RES/40/111 GA

VI. Resolutions adopted on the reports of the Third Committee --------·----··-··-·-··-------.:__----=---------------------- 227 forms of religious intolerance" and to consider the report of the Commission on Human Rights under that item. 116th plenary meeting 13 December 1985 40/110. Implications of scientific and technological developments for human rights The General Assembly, Recalling its resolution 33/53 of 14 December 1978, in which it requested the Commission on Human Rights to urge the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimina- tion and Protection of Minorities to undertake, as a matter of priority, a study of the question of the protection of those detained on the grounds of mental ill-health, with a view to formulating guidelines, Recalling also its resolution 39/132 of 14 December 1984, in which it urged the Commission on Human Rights and the Sub-Commission to expedite their consideration of this question, so that the Commission could submit its views and recommendations, including a draft body of guidelines, principles and guarantees, to the General Assembly at its forty-first session, through the Economic and Social Council, Recalling further Economic and Social Council resolu- tion 1984/33 and decision 1984/l 42 of 24 May 1984, Noting with concern that the Commission on Human Rights will not be in a position to submit its views and rec- ommendations to the General Assembly at its forty-first session through the Economic and Social Council because the Sub-Commission has still not concluded its considera- tion of the draft body of guidelines, principles and guaran- tees, Reaffirming its conviction that detention of persons in mental institutions on account of their political views or on other non-medical grounds is a violation of their human rights, Again urges the Commission on Human Rights and, through it, the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Dis- crimination and Protection of Minorities to expedite their consideration of the draft body of guidelines, principles and guarantees, so that the Commission can submit its views and recommendations, including a draft body of guidelines, principles and guarantees, to the General Assembly at its forty-second session, through the Econo- mic and Social Council. 116th plenary meeting 13 December 1985 40/111. Human rights and use of scientific and tech- nological developments The General Assembly, Reaffirming the determination of the peoples of the United Nations to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, to reaffirm faith in the dignity and worth of the human person, to maintain international peace and security and to develop friendly relations among peoples and international co-operation in promoting and encour- aging universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, Recalling the relevant provisions of the Universal Dec- laration of Human Rights,6 the International Covenant on 106 Resolution 2734 (XXV). 107 Resolution 3384 (XXX). 108 Resolution 33/73. Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 7 and the Interna- tional Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,7 Recalling also the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States22 and the Declaration and the Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order,21 Recalling further the Declaration on the Strengthening of International Security, 106 the Declaration on the Use of Scientific and Technological Progress in the Interests of Peace and for the Benefit of Mankind, 107 the Declaration on the Preparation of Societies for Life in Peace, JOB the Declaration on the Prevention of Nuclear Catastrophe109 and the Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace, 110 as well as General Assembly resolutions 36/92 I of 9 Decem- ber 1981, on the non-use of nuclear weapons and preven- tion of nuclear war, and 37/100 C of 13 December 1982 and 38/73 G of IS December 1983, on a convention on the prohibition of the use of nuclear weapons, Bearing in mind that, in its resolution 38/7 5 of 15 December 1983, the General Assembly resolutely, uncon- ditionally and for all time condemned nuclear war as being contrary to human conscience and reason, as the most monstrous crime against peoples and as a violation of the foremost human right - the right to life, Recalling its appeal for the conclusion of an interna- tional convention on the prohibition of the use of nuclear weapons with the participation of all the nuclear-weapon States, Recalling with appreciation Commission on Human Rights resolutions 1982/7 of 19 February 1982, 27 1983/43 of 9 March 198328 and 1984/28 of 12 March 1984, 29 Reaffirming the inherent right to life, Profoundly concerned that international peace and secu- rity continue to be threatened by the arms race in all its ~pects, particularly the nuclear arms race, as well as by , wlations of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations regarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States and the self-determination of peoples, A ware that all the horrors of past wars and all other calamities that have befallen people would pale in compar- ison with what is inherent in the use of nuclear weapons capable of destroying civilization on Earth, Noting the pressing need for urgent measures towards general and complete disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament, for the sake of life on Earth, Bearing in mind that, in accordance with the Interna- tional Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, any propa- ganda for war shall be prohibited by law, Recalling the historic responsibility of the Governments of all countries of the world to remove the threat of war from the lives of people, to preserve civilization and to ensure that everyone enjoys his inherent right to life, Recognizing that the fortieth anniversary of the United Nations - established at the conclusion of the Second World War, which had brought untold sorrow to man- kind - should serve to promote the right to life, Convinced that for no people in the world today is there ' more important question than that of the preservation of peace ana of ensuring the cardinal right of every human being, namely, the right to life, I. Reaffirms that all peoples and all individuals have an inherent right to life and that the safeguarding of this cardinal right is an essential condition for the enjoyment 109 Resolution 361100 110 Resolution 39/ 11 anne, 228 General Assembly-Fortieth Session of the entire range of economic, social and cultural, as well as civil and political, rights; 2. Stresses once again the urgent need for the interna- tional community to make every effort to strengthen peace, remove the growing threat of war, particularly nuclear war, halt the arms race and achieve general and complete disarmament under effective international con- trol and prevent violations of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations regarding the sovereignty and terri- torial integrity of States and the self-determination of peoples, thus contributing to ensuring the right to life; 3. Stresses further the foremost importance of the implementation of practical measures of disarmament for releasing substantial additional resources, which should be utilized for social and economic development, particularly for the benefit of the developing countries; 4. Calls upon all States to do their utmost to assist in ensuring the right to life through the adoption of appropri- ate measures at both the national and the international level; 5. Calls upon all States, appropriate organs of the United Nations, specialized agencies and intergovern- mental and non-governmental organizations concerned to take the necessary measures to ensure that the results of scientific and technological progress are used exclusively in the interests of international peace, for the benefit of man- kind and for promoting and encouraging universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; 6. Again calls upon all States that have not yet done so to take effective measures with a view to prohibiting any propaganda for war, in particular the formulation, pro- pounding and dissemination of propaganda for doctrines and concepts aimed at unleashing nuclear war; 7. Looks forward to further efforts by the Commission on Human Rights with a view to ensuring the inherent right of all peoples and all individuals to life; 8. Decides to consider this question at its forty-first session under the item entitled "Human rights and scien- tific and technological developments". l 16th plenary meeting 13 December 1985 40/112. Human rights and scientific and techno- logical developments The General Assembly, Noting that scientific and technological progress is one of the important factors in the development of human society, Recalling that the year 1985 marks the tenth anniver- sary of the Declaration on the Use of Scientific and Tech- nological Progress in the Interests of Peace and for the Benefit of Mankind, adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 3384 (XXX) of 10 November 1975, Considering that implementation of the Declaration will contribute to the strengthening of international peace and the security of peoples and to their economic and social development, as well as to international co-operation in the field of human rights, Bearing in mind the relevant provisions of the Declara- tion on Social Progress and Development,20 Seriously concerned that the results of scientific and technological progress could be used for the arms race to the detriment of international peace and security and social progress, human rights and fundamental freedoms and the dignity of the human person, 111 A/40/493 and Add. I and .' Convinced that in the era of modern scientific and tech- nological progress the resources of mankind and the activ- ities of scientists should be used for the peaceful economic, social and cultural development of countries and for improvement of the living standards of all people, Recognizing that the establishment of the new mtema- tional economic order calls in particular for an important contribution to be made by science and technology to eco- nomic and social progress, Bearing in mind that the exchange and transfer of scien- tific and technological knowledge is one of the important ways to accelerate the social and economic development of the developing countries, Taking note with satisfaction of the report of the Secre- tary-General on human rights and scientific and techno- logical developments, 111 I. Stresses the importance of the implementation by all States of the provisions and principles contained in the Declaration on the Use of Scientific and Technological Progress in the Interests of Peace and for the Benefit of Mankind in order to promote human rights and funda- mental freedoms; 2. Calls upon all States to make every effort to use the achievements of science and technology in order to pro- mote peaceful social, economic and cultural development and progress; 3. Requests the specialized agencies and other organi- zations of the United Nations system to take into account in their programmes and activities the provisions of the Declaration; 4. Invites those Member States, specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system that have not yet done so to submit their information pursuant to General Assembly resolution 35/130 A of 11 December 1980; 5. Requests the Commission on Human Rights to con- tinue to give special attention, in its consideration of the item entitled "Human rights and scientific and techno- logical developments", to the question of the implementa- tion of the provisions of the Declaration; 6. Invites the Commission on Human Rights to take appropriate measures to assist the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities in preparing the study requested by the Commission in its resolutions 1982/4 of 19 February 198227 and 1984/29 of 12 March 1984;29 7. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its forty-first session the item entitled "Human rights and sci- entific and technological developments". l 16th plenary meeting 13 December 1985 40/113. Question of a convention on the rights of the child The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 33/166 of 20 December 1978, 34/4 of 18 October 1979, 35/131 of 11 December 1980, 36/57 of 25 November 1981, 37/190 of 18 December 1982, 38/114 of 16 December 1983 and 39/135 of 14 December 1 984, Recalling also Commission on Human Rights resolu-

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