← Votes

A/RES/42/119 GA

Alternative approaches and ways and means within the United Nations System for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

42
Session
129
Yes
1
No
24
Abstentions
Draft symbol A/RES/42/119
Adopted symbol A/RES/42/119
Category SOCIAL CONDITIONS AND EQUITY
Voeten Topics
P5 Positions
Russia United States United Kingdom ~ China France ~
UN Document A/RES/42/119 ↗

Vote Recorded VoteA/42/PV.93 Dec. 7, 1987

— Abstain (24)
✗ No (1)
Absent (5)
✓ Yes (129)
Full text of resolution OCR extract — may contain errors
216 General Assembly-Forty-second Session tional Covenants on Human Rights13 and other interna- tional conventions; 3. Requests the Secretary-General to prepare a report for presentation to the General Assembly at its forty-third session on the advisability of Iaunching, within existing re- sources, a World Public Information Campaign on Hu- man Rights in 1989 and to include in the report an outline of planned activities; 4. Reajfirms the need for materials on human rights to be made available in simplified, attractive and accessible form, in national and local languages, and for effective use to be made of the mass media, in particular radio and television and audio-visual technologies, in order to reach a wider audience, with priority given to children, young people and the disadvantaged, including those in isolated areas; 5. Recognizes the need for the United Nations to har- monize its activities in this field with those of other organi- zations, in particular the International Committee of the Red Cross, with regard to the dissemination of informa- tion and education relating to international humanitarian law; 6. Emphasizes the key role of the United Nations in- formation centres in the public information programme of the Organization in the field of human rights, and urges the Department of Public Information of the Secretariat to give special attention to improving the performance and accountability of the centres; 7. Renews its request to the Secretary-General to estab- lish, within available resources, collections of basic refer- ence works and United Nations materials at each United Nations information centre by the end of 1988, taking into account the Iist of basic human rights materials; 8. Invites ali relevant bodies of the United Nations sys- tem, including the specialized agencies and regional com- missions, as well as Member States and non-governmental organizations, to facilitate the dissemination of United Nations materials on human rights and to improve the co- ordination of their activities in this field; 9. Requests the Secretary-General to finalize the draft teaching booklet on human rights without delay and to draw the attention ofMember States to the booklet, which could serve as a broad and flexible framework within which teaching could be structured and developed in ac- cordance with national circumstances; 10. Urges ali Member States to include in their educa- tion curricula materials relevant to a comprehensive un- derstanding of human rights issues and encourages ali those responsible for training in law and its enforcement, the armed forces, medicine, diplomacy and other relevant fields to include appropriate human rights components in their programmes; l l. Requests the Secretary-General to complete the task of issuing the personalized version of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the six official languages ofthe United Nations in 1988 and to proceed thereafter, in co-operation with regional organizations and Govern- ments, to the production of this document in national and local languages; 12. Further requests the Secretary-General to invite Member States to nominate national focal points which could be supplied with copies of relevant human rights materials and to publish the Iist of such focal points in bis report to the General Assembly at its forty-third session on the implementation of the present resolution; l 3. Renews its request to the Secretary-General to ar- range for the reprinting as soon as practicable ofthe publi- cation entitled Human Rights: A Compilation of Interna- tional Instruments; 134 14. Emphasizes the importance of maintaining ade- quate stocks of basic human rights materials in New York and Geneva, and expresses its concern about the serious limitations placed on the storage capacity of the U nited Nations in New York for such documents; 15. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Commission on Human Rights at its forty-fourth session on the public presentations, in New York and Geneva, on Human Rights Day in 1987, of a selection of audio-visual and other United Nations materials in the field of human rights, including an analysis of comments made during the presentations about the future direction of these pro- grammes; l 6. Further requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its forty-third session a com- prehensive report on the implementation of the present resolution; 17. Decides to continue its consideration of this ques- tion at its forty-third session under the item entitled "Al- ternative approaches and ways and means within the United Nations system for improving the effective enjoy- ment of human rights and fundamental freedoms". 93rd plenary meeting 7 December 198 7 42/119. Alternative approaches and ways and meaos witbin the United Nations system for improving the effective enjoyment of human rigbts and fundamental freedoms The General Assembly, Recalling that in the Charter of the United Nations the peoples of the United Nations declared their determina- tion to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small and to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of ali peoples, Recalling also the purposes and principies of the Charter to achieve international co-operation in solving interna- tional problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character, and in promoting and encourag- ing respect for human rights and for fundamental free- doms for ali without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion, Emphasizing the significance and validity of the Univer- sal Declaration of Human Rights2 and of the Interna- tional Covenants on Human Rights13 in promoting respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, Recallingits resolution 32/130 of 16 December 1977, in which it decided that the approach to future work within the United Nations system with respect to human rights questions should take into account the concepts set forth in that resolution, Recalling a/so its resolutions 34/46 of 23 November 1979, 35/174 of 15 December 1980, 36/133 of 14 Decem- ber 1981, 38/124 of 16 December 1983, 39/145 of 14 December 1984, 40/ 124 of 13 December 1985 and 41/ 131 and 41/133 of 4 December 1986, 134 United Nations publication, Sales No. E.83.XIV. l. V l. Resolutions adopted on the reports of tite Tltird Committee 217 Taking into account Commission on Human Rights resolution 1985/43 of 14 March 1985,60 Emphasizing that the right to development is an inalien- able human right and that equality of development oppor- tunities is a prerogative hoth of nations and of individuals within nations, Recognizing that the human being is the main subject of development and that everyone has the right to participate in, as well as to benefit from, the devclopment process, Reiterating once again that the establishment of the new international economic order is an essential element for the effective promotion and ful] enjoymenl of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, Reiterating also its profound convict1on that ali human rights and fundamental freedoms are indivisible and inter- dependent and that equal attention and urgen! considera- tion should be given to the implementation, promotion and protection of civil and political rights and of eco- nomic, social and cultural rights, Emphasizing the need for the creation, at the national and international levels, of conditions for the promotion and full protection of the human right, of individuals and peoples, Recognizing that international peace and security are es- sential elements for the full realization of human rights, including the right to developmenl, Considering that the rcsources that would be released by disarmament could contribute significantly to the develop- ment of all States, in particular to that of the developing countries, Recognizing that co-operation among ali nations on the basis of respect for the independence, sovereignty and ter- ritorial integrity of each State, including the right of every people to choose freely its own socio-economic and politi- cal system and to exercise ful) sovereignty over its wealth and natural resources, subject to the principies referred to in article 1, paragraph 2, and article 25 of the Interna- tional Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 13 is essential for the promotion of peace and devel- opment, Convinced that the primary aim of such international co- operation must be the achievement by ali human beings of a life of freedom and dignity and frcedom from want, Concerned, however, about thc llccurrence of violations of human rights in the world, Reaffirming that nothing in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights or in the International Covenants on Human Rights may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person t he right to engage in any activity or perform any act aimcd at dest rnying any of thc rights and freedoms proclaimcd therein, Affirming that the ultimate aim of devclopment i;. the steady improvement ofthe well-heing ofthe ent1re popula tion, on the basis of its full part!l'ipati,m 111 the process of development anda fair distributinn nf the henefih there from, Considering that the cfforts of thc developing countrie;. for their own development should be ,upported hy an in- creased flow of resources and by t he acloption of appropri- ate and substantive measures for creating an externa) env1- ronment conducive to ~uch devdopment, Taking into account the Political Declaratio11 adopted by the Eighth Conferencc of Heads of State or Govern- ment of Non-Aligned Countrie\, helcl at Harare from 1 to 6 September 1986, 1 -' 5 11S A/41/697-S/18.,9;', :rnnn 1 Emphasizing the special importance of the purposes and principies proclaimed in its Declaration on the Right to Development, 129 Taking into account Commission on Human Rights resolutions 1987/19 and 1987/23 of 10 March 1987,"26 Reajjirming the importance of furthering the activities of the nrgans of the United Nations in the field of human right;, in conformity with the principies of the Charter, Emphasizing that Governments have the duty to ensure respect for ali human rights and fundamental freedoms, l. Rellerates its request that the Commission on Hu- man Rights continue its current work on overall analysis with a view to further promoting and strengthening hu- man rights and fundamental freedoms, including the ques- tion of t he programme and working methods of the Com- mission, and on the overall analysis of the alternative approaches and ways and means for improving the effec- tive cnjoyment of human rights and fundamental free- doms, in accordance with the provisions and concepts of General Assembly resolution 32/130 and other relevant texts: 2. Afjirms that a primary aim of international co- operation in the field of human rights is a life of freedom, dignity and peace for ali peoples and for every human be- ing, that all human rights and fundamental freedoms are indivisihle and interrelated and that the promotion and protection of one category of rights should never exempt or excuse States from promoting and protecting the oth- ers: l. 4,ljirms its profound conviction that equal attention and urgen! consideration should be given to the im- plementation, promotion and protection of civil and political rights and of economic, social and cultural rights; 4. Reafjirms that it is of paramount importance for the promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms that Member States should assume specific obligations by acceding to or ratifying international instruments in this field, and, consequently, that the work within the United Nation, ;.ystem of setting standards in the field of human rights and universal acceptance and implementation ofthe relevant international instruments should be encouraged; :'i. Reiterutes once again that the international com- mu111ty should accord, or continue to accord, priority to thc search for solutions to mass and flagrant violations of human rights of peoples and individuals affected by situa- tiom, such as those mentioned in paragraph 1 (e) of Gen- eral A..,sembly resolution 32/130, paying due attention also to other situations of violations of human rights; 6. Reaffirms its responsibility for achieving interna- tional co-operation in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for ali, and cxpre;.;.es its concern at serious violations ofhuman rights, in particular mass and flagrant violations of these rights, wherever they occur; 7 1~·xpresses concern at the present situation as regards the achievement of the objectives and goals for the estab- lishment of the new international economic order, and at its ad verse effects on the full realization of human rights, in particular the right to development; X. Reaffirms that the right to development is an inali- enahlc human right; q Reaffirms a/so that international peace and security are e<;s,:nt ial dements for achieving full realization of the ngh1 ¡,, devclopment; 1 O. Recognizes that all human rights and fundamental freedom~ are indivisible and interdependent; 218 General Assembly-Forty-second Session 11. Considers that ali Member Sta tes must promote in- ternational co-operation on the basis of respect for the in- dependence, sovercignty and territorial integrity of each State, including the right of cvery people to choose freely its own socio-economic and political system and to exer- cise full sovercignty over its wealth and natural resources, subject to the principies referred to in article 1, para- graph 2, and article 25 of thc Intcrnational Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, with a view to solv- ing international economic, social and humanitarian prob- lems; 12. Expresses concern at the disparity existing between established norms and principies and the actual situation of ali human rights and fundamental freedoms in the world; 13. Urges ali States to co-operate with the Commission on Human Rights in thc promotion and protection of hu- man rights and fundamental freedoms: 14. Reiterates the need to create, at the national and international levels, conditions for the full promotion and protection of the human rights of individuals and peoples: 15. Reaffirms once again that, in order to facilitate the full enjoyment of ali human rights without diminishing personal dignity, it is necessary to promote the rights to education, work, health and proper nourishment through the adoption of measures at the national leve!, including those that provide for the participation ofworkers in man- agement, as well as the adoption of measures at the inter- national level. including the establishment of the new in- ternational economic ordcr; 16. Decides that the approach to future work within the United Nations system on human rights matters should also take into account the content of the Declara- tion on the Right to Development ancl the need for the im- plementation thereof: 17. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its forty-third session the item entitled "Alternative ap- proaches and ways and means within the United Nations system for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms" 93rd plenary meeting 7 Deccmber 1987 42/120. New international humanitarian order The General Assembly, Recal/ing its rcsolutions 36/ 136 of 14 December 1981, 37/201 of 18 Decembcr 1982, 38/125 of 16 Decemhcr 1983 and 40/126 of 1.1 Dccemher 1985, Recalling further thc rcports of the Secretary- General, 136 Bearing in mind the comments communicated by Gov- ernments to the Secretary-General regarding a new inter- national humanitarian order. Recognizing the urgent need further to improve and strengthen the international framcwork relating to humanitarian issues while taking fully into account exist- ing instruments and mechanisms, Noting with concern that emergencies and disaster<;, mostly man-madc, havc mcreased in frequency in recent years, posing a growing challcnge to mcchanisms of inter- national responses to t hem .. 116 A/_17/145 A/1X/450. A 14() 14X ,rnd ,\t!d I and 2 ami •\/41 i.P::' Aware that institutional arrangements and actions hy governmental and non-governmental bodies require fur- ther strengthening, as well as adjustment to new realities. in order to respond more effectively and speedily to con- temporary humanitarian problems, Noting the efforts ofthe Independent Commission on In- ternational Humanitarian Issues to promote public aware- ness of humanitarian issues, analyse relatively neglected aspects and identify alternative approaches for resolving humanitarian problems, Notingfurtherthe establishment, outside the United Na- tions, of an Independent Bureau for Humanitarian Issues to disseminate and follow up the work of the Independent Commission, Taking note of the report of the Independent Commis- sion, as well as the sectoral reports on specific humanitarian issues, J _ Expresses its appreciation to the co-chairmen and members of the lndependent Commission on Interna- tional Humanitarian Issues for their humanitarian en- deavours; 2_ Draws the attention of Governments and intergov- ernmental organizations, including those functioning at the r_egional level, to the report of the Independent Com- m1ss1011; 3. Requests the Independent Commission to transmit its report to Member States and to the executive heads of specialized agencies and programmes of the United Na- tions system in order to enable them to consider its ana- lyses and conclusions: 4. Invites ali non-governmental organizations con- cerned with the humanitarian issues examined by the In- dependent Commission to bear in mind the recommenda- tions and suggestions made in its report in the context of their policies and actions in the field; S. Invites Governments to make available to the Secre- tary-General, on a voluntary basis, information and exper- tise on humanitarian issues of concern to them, in order to identify opportunities for future action and to strengthen international co-operation in the humanitarian field; 6. Requests the Secretary-General to remain in contact with Governments, relevant specialized agencies and programmes of the United Nations system, 11011- governmental organizations concerned and the lndepen- dent Bureau for Humanitarian Issues and to report to the General Assembly at its forty-third session, on the basis of information made available to him, on the progress made in the humanitarian field; 7. Decides to review at its forty-third session the ques- tion of a new international humanitarian order. 93rd plenary meeting 7 December 1987 42/121. International co-operation in the humanitarian field The General Assembly, Noting that one of the purposes of the United Nations, set forth in its Charter, is to achieve international co operation in solving international problems or a humanitarian character, Guidcd, in particular, by the determination expressed in thc Charter, tl, reaffirm faith in the dignity and worth of thc human per-,on.
Cite this page

UN Project. “A/RES/42/119.” UN Project, https://un-project.org/votes/resolution/A-RES-42-119/. Accessed .