RES/16/5 Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders

GE.11-12506

Human Rights Council Sixteenth session Agenda item 3 Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council*

16/5 Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders

The Human Rights Council,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 53/144 of 9 December 1998, by which the Assembly adopted by consensus 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 annexed to that resolution, and reiterating the importance of the Declaration and its promotion and implementation,

Recalling also the continued validity and application of all the provisions of the above-mentioned Declaration,

Recalling further all previous resolutions on this subject, in particular Commission on Human Rights resolution 2005/67 of 20 April 2005, Human Rights Council resolutions 7/8 of 27 March 2008 and 13/13 of 25 March 2010, and General Assembly resolution 64/163 of 18 December 2009,

Recalling Human Rights Council resolutions 5/1, on institution-building of the Council, and 5/2, on the code of conduct for special procedures mandate holders of the Council, of 18 June 2007, and stressing that the mandate holder shall discharge his/her duties in accordance with those resolutions and the annexes thereto,

Emphasizing the important role that individuals and civil society institutions, including non-governmental organizations, groups and national human rights institutions, play in the promotion and protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all,

* The resolutions and decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council will be contained in the report of

the Council on its sixteenth session (A/HRC/16/2), chap. I.

1. Takes note with appreciation of the work conducted by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders;

2. Decides to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur for a period of three years, and requests the Special Rapporteur:

(a) To promote the effective and comprehensive implementation of 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 through cooperation and constructive dialogue and engagement with Governments, relevant stakeholders and other interested actors;

(b) To study, in a comprehensive manner, trends, developments and challenges in relation to the exercise of the right of anyone, acting individually or in association with others, to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms;

(c) To recommend concrete and effective strategies to better protect human rights defenders through the adoption of a universal approach, and to follow up on these recommendations;

(d) To seek, receive, examine and respond to information on the situation and the rights of anyone, acting individually or in association with others, to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms;

(e) To integrate a gender perspective throughout the work of his/her mandate, paying particular attention to the situation of women human rights defenders;

(f) To work in close coordination with other relevant United Nations bodies, offices, departments and specialized agencies, both at Headquarters and at the country level, and in particular with other special procedures of the Council;

(g) To report regularly to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly;

3. Urges all Governments to cooperate with and assist the Special Rapporteur in the performance of his/her tasks, to provide all information and to respond to the communications transmitted to them by the Special Rapporteur without undue delay;

4. Calls upon Governments to give serious consideration to responding favourably to the requests of the Special Rapporteur to visit their countries, and urges them to enter into a constructive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur with respect to the follow- up to and implementation of his/her recommendations so as to enable him/her to fulfil his/her mandate even more effectively;

5. Requests the Secretary-General and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide the Special Rapporteur with all the assistance necessary for the effective fulfilment of his/her mandate;

6. Decides to continue consideration of this issue in accordance with its annual programme of work.

45th meeting 24 March 2011

[Adopted without a vote.]