RES/17/9 National institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights

GE.11-14485

Human Rights Council Seventeenth session Agenda item 8 Follow-up and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council∗

17/9 National institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights

The Human Rights Council,

Recalling relevant resolutions of the General Assembly, the most recent of which is resolution 64/161 of 18 December 2009, and those of the Commission on Human Rights concerning national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights,

Welcoming the international recognition of the importance of establishing and strengthening independent, pluralistic national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights in accordance with the Principles relating to the Status of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (“the Paris Principles”),1

Reaffirming the important role that such national institutions play and will continue to play in promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, in strengthening participation and the rule of law, and in developing and enhancing public awareness of those rights and fundamental freedoms,

Recalling the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights on 25 June l993, which reaffirmed the important and constructive role played by national human rights institutions, in particular in their advisory capacity to the competent authorities and their role in preventing and remedying human rights violations in disseminating information on human rights and in education in human rights,

Recognizing the important role of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in assisting the development of independent and effective

∗ The resolutions and decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council will be contained in the report of the Council on its seventeenth session (A/HRC/17/2), chap. I.

national human rights institutions, in accordance with the Paris Principles, and recognizing also in this regard the potential for strengthened and complementary cooperation among the Office of the High Commissioner, the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and those national institutions in the promotion and protection of human rights,

Taking note of the most recent reports of the Secretary-General submitted to the Human Rights Council on national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights2 and on the process currently utilized by the International Coordinating Committee to accredit national institutions in compliance with the Paris Principles,3

Welcoming the strengthening in all regions of regional and cross-regional cooperation among national human rights institutions, and between national human rights institutions and other regional human rights forums,

1. Reaffirms the importance of the establishment and strengthening of effective, independent and pluralistic national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights, in accordance with the Paris Principles;

2. Recognizes the role of independent national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights in working together with Governments to ensure full respect for human rights at the national level, including by contributing to follow-up actions, as appropriate, to the recommendations resulting from the international human rights mechanisms;

3. Welcomes the increasingly important role of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights in supporting cooperation between their Governments and the United Nations in the promotion and protection of human rights;

4. Encourages Member States to establish effective, independent and pluralistic national institutions or, where they already exist, to strengthen them for the promotion and protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, as outlined in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, and to do so in accordance with the Paris Principles;

5. Recognizes that, in accordance with the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, it is the right of each State to choose the framework for national institutions that is best suited to its particular needs at the national level in order to promote human rights in accordance with international human rights standards;

6. Welcomes the growing number of Member States establishing or considering the establishment of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights in accordance with the Paris Principles;

7. Encourages national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights established by Member States to continue to play an active role in preventing and combating all violations of human rights as enumerated in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action and relevant international instruments;

8. Recognizes the important role played by national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights in the Human Rights Council, including its universal periodic review mechanism, in both preparation and follow-up, and the special procedures, as well as in the human rights treaty bodies, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 60/251 of 15 March 2006, Human Rights Council resolutions 5/1 and

2 A/HRC/16/76. 3 A/HRC/16/77.

5/2 of 18 June 2007 and Commission on Human Rights resolution 2005/74 of 20 April 2005;

9. Stresses the importance of financial and administrative independence and the stability of national human rights institutions for the promotion and protection of the human rights, and notes with satisfaction the efforts of those Member States that have provided their national institutions with more autonomy and independence, including by giving them an investigative role or enhancing such a role, and encourages other Governments to consider taking similar steps;

10. Commends the high priority given by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to work with national institutions, including through technical cooperation, and encourages the High Commissioner, in view of the expanded activities relating to national institutions, to ensure that appropriate arrangements are made and budgetary resources provided to continue and further extend activities in support of national human rights institutions, including supporting the work of the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and its regional coordinating networks, and invites Governments to contribute additional voluntary funds to that end;

11. Welcomes the strengthening of international cooperation among national institutions, including through the International Coordinating Committee, and encourages the Secretary-General to continue to provide the necessary assistance for holding international, regional and cross-regional meetings and conferences of national institutions, including meetings of the International Coordinating Committee, in cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner;

12. Also welcomes the important role of the International Coordinating Committee, in close cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner, in assessing conformity with the Paris Principles and in assisting Governments and national institutions, when requested, to strengthen national human rights institutions in accordance with the Paris Principles;

13. Encourages national institutions, including Ombudsman institutions, to seek accreditation status through the International Coordinating Committee;

14. Encourages 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 in accordance with the Paris Principles;

15. Encourages all Member States to take appropriate steps to promote the exchange of information and experience concerning the establishment and effective operation of national institutions;

16. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Human Rights Council at its twentieth session on the implementation of the present resolution;

17. Also requests the Secretary-General to report to the Human Rights Council at its twentieth session on the activities of the International Coordinating Committee in accrediting national institutions in compliance with the Paris Principles.

33rd meeting 16 June 2011

[Adopted without a vote.]