RES/18/18 Enhancement of technical cooperation and capacity-building in the field of human rights

GE.11-16727

Human Rights Council Eighteenth session

Agenda item 10 Technical assistance and capacity-building

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council*

18/18 Enhancement of technical cooperation and capacity-building in the field of human rights

The Human Rights Council,

Guided by the purposes and principles of the United Nations, particularly with regard to achieving international cooperation in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion,

Reaffirming the obligation of States under the Charter of the United Nations to promote universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Recognizing that the enhancement of international cooperation is essential for the effective promotion and protection of human rights,

Emphasizing that the promotion and protection of human rights should be based on the principles of cooperation and genuine dialogue and aimed at strengthening the capacity of States to comply with their human rights obligations for the benefit of all human beings,

Recalling the mandate of the Human Rights Council to promote advisory services, technical assistance and capacity-building, to be provided in consultation with and with the consent of States concerned, and provisions in Council resolutions 5/1 and 5/2 of 18 June 2007 and 16/21 of 25 March 2011, which aim to enable the Council to fulfil such a mandate,

Reaffirming the resolutions of the Commission on Human Rights that provided the foundation for advisory services and technical cooperation in the field of human rights, in particular resolutions 1993/87 of 10 March 1993 and 2004/81 of 21 April 2004,

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

the Council on its eighteenth session (A/HRC/18/2), chap. I.

Acknowledging one of the responsibilities of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and his/her Office in providing advisory services and technical and financial assistance, at the request of the State concerned, with a view to supporting actions and programmes in the field of human rights,

Acknowledging also the role and potential impact of the activities of the relevant agencies of the United Nations and international and regional organizations, as well as the contribution of civil society organizations in providing States with technical support and assistance on the basis of needs and requests of the States concerned in the implementation of their human rights obligations and their voluntary pledges and commitments, including accepted universal periodic review recommendations,

Reaffirming the important and constructive role played by existing national human rights institutions in the promotion and protection of human rights, in particular in their advisory capacity to the competent authorities,

1. Reaffirms that States have the primary responsibility for the promotion and protection of all human rights;

2. Emphasizes the need to promote a cooperative and constructive approach for the promotion and protection of human rights, as well as to enhance the role of the Human Rights Council in promoting advisory services, technical assistance and capacity-building, particularly through discussions held under agenda item 10;

3. Decides to hold, within the framework of agenda item 10, an annual thematic discussion to promote the sharing of experiences and best practices and technical cooperation in the promotion and protection of human rights;

4. Also decides that the theme and work format of the discussion shall be approved by the Human Rights Council on an annual basis, in line with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and 16/21, and that the first discussion to be held at the nineteenth session of the Council shall be based on the theme “Sharing of best practices and promoting technical cooperation: paving the way towards the second cycle of the universal periodic review”;

5. Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to liaise with States, relevant United Nations bodies and agencies, relevant special procedures and other stakeholders, including, where applicable, those involved in technical cooperation projects that demonstrate best practices, constructive engagement and positive impact on the ground, with a view to ensuring their participation in the discussion;

6. Takes note of the information on technical assistance and capacity-building provided in the annual report of the Office of the High Commissioner, and encourages the Office to make available to the public, through its reports and website, on the basis of the request for technical cooperation and capacity building submitted by the State concerned, information on:

(a) Technical assistance and capacity-building provided by the Office and other relevant United Nations agencies to States in the implementation of their human rights obligations and voluntary pledges and commitments, including their accepted universal periodic review recommendations;

(b) The ongoing needs of States, with the consent of the State concerned, for technical assistance from the Office and other relevant United Nations agencies;

(c) Areas of technical assistance where more resources are needed;

7. Invites the High Commissioner to make an annual presentation, under agenda item 10, on the overview of and successes, best practices and challenges in technical

assistance and capacity-building efforts, particularly those provided by the Office of the High Commissioner and relevant United Nations agencies, starting from the twentieth session of the Council;

8. Invites the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights to present a comprehensive report on the Board’s work to the Human Rights Council on an annual basis, starting from the twentieth session of the Council, and encourages the chairpersons of the boards of trustees of other funds administered by the Office of the High Commissioner to support activities in the area of technical assistance and capacity-building to make a presentation at the same session;

9. Encourages Members and observers of the Human Rights Council to use, where relevant, the general debate under agenda item 10 as a platform to share experiences, challenges and information on assistance needed in the implementation of their human rights obligations and voluntary pledges and commitments, including accepted universal periodic review recommendations, as well as their achievements and good practices in the area of technical cooperation in the field of human rights, particularly in response to the information on technical assistance and capacity-building provided for under paragraphs 7 and 8 above;

10. Emphasizes that the discussion to promote technical cooperation and capacity-building in the Human Rights Council should be based on consultations with and the consent of the States concerned, and should take into account their needs and aim to make a concrete impact on the ground, while the provision of technical assistance shall be provided upon the request of States concerned;

11. Encourages States in need of assistance to consider requesting technical assistance from the Office of High Commissioner and the United Nations representation at the national and regional levels in the implementation of their human rights obligations and voluntary pledges and commitments, including accepted universal periodic review recommendations, and strongly encourages the Office of the High Commissioner and respective United Nations representations to respond favourably to such requests;

12. Stresses the importance of enhancing coordination between the Office of the High Commissioner and other United Nations agencies in their technical cooperation and capacity-building efforts, and encourages the sharing of information on a regular basis among the Office, other relevant United Nations agencies and the States concerned on technical assistance and capacity-building efforts undertaken at the national level;

13. Encourages special procedures mandate holders, in their interaction with States, to share information of their knowledge relating to best practices and the possibility of technical assistance and capacity-building in the promotion and protection of human rights within their respective mandates;

14. Calls for enhanced voluntary contributions for the relevant United Nations funds to support technical assistance and capacity-building, including the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights, the Voluntary Fund for Participation in Universal Periodic Review Mechanism and the Voluntary Fund for Financial and Technical Assistance for the Implementation of the Universal Periodic Review, and encourages States to make contribution to these funds, especially those who have not yet done so.

36th meeting

29 September 2011

[Adopted without a vote.]