RES/21/3 Promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms through a better understanding of traditional values of humankind: best practices

GE.See A/HRC/AC/9/6. 2-17396

Human Rights Council Twenty-first 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 

21/3.

Promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms through a better

understanding of traditional values of humankind: best practices

The Human Rights Council,

Guided by the purposes and principles set forth in the Charter of the United Nations,

Reaffirming the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and that everyone is entitled

to the rights and freedoms set forth therein, without distinction of any kind, such as race,

colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property,

birth or other status,

Reiterating the call of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to promote

respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms by teaching and education, and to

secure their universal and effective recognition and observance by progressive measures,

national and international,

Guided by the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, which reaffirms, inter

alia, the solemn commitment of all States to fulfil their obligations to promote universal

respect for, and observance and protection of, all human rights and fundamental freedoms

for all in accordance with the Charter, other instruments relating to human rights, and

international law, and that the universal nature of these rights and freedoms is beyond

question,

Reiterating that all human rights are universal, indivisible, interrelated,

interdependent and mutually reinforcing, and that all human rights must be treated in a fair

and equal manner, on the same footing and with the same emphasis and that, while the

significance of national and regional particularities and various historical, cultural and

religious backgrounds must be borne in mind, all States, regardless of their political,

 The resolutions and decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council will be contained in

the report of the Council on its twenty-first session (A/HRC/21/2), chap. I.

United Nations A/HRC/RES/21/3

General Assembly

economic and cultural systems, have the duty to promote and protect all human rights and

fundamental freedoms,

Reaffirming that all cultures and civilizations in their traditions, customs, religions

and beliefs share a common set of values that belong to humankind in its entirety, and that

those values have made an important contribution to the development of human rights

norms and standards,

Stressing that traditions shall not be invoked to justify practices contrary to human

dignity and violating international human rights law,

Recalling its previous resolutions on the issue, in particular resolutions 12/21 of 2

October 2009 and 16/3 of 24 March 2011,

Noting the ongoing work of the Advisory Committee, in accordance with Human

Rights Council resolution 16/3, on the preparation of a study on how a better understanding

and appreciation of traditional values of dignity, freedom and responsibility can contribute

to the promotion and protection of human rights,

1. Reaffirms that a better understanding and appreciation of traditional values

shared by all humanity and embodied in universal human rights instruments contribute to

promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms worldwide;

2. Recalls the important role of family, community, society and educational

institutions in upholding and transmitting these values, which contributes to promoting

respect for human rights and increasing their acceptance at the grass roots, and calls upon

all States to strengthen this role through appropriate positive measures;

3. Stresses that human rights derive from the dignity and worth inherent in the

human person;

4. Notes that traditional values, especially those shared by all humanity, can be

practically applied in the promotion and protection of human rights and upholding human

dignity, in particular in the process of human rights education;

5. Takes note of recommendation 9/4 of the Advisory Committee1 on the

progress of work on a study on how a better understanding and appreciation of traditional

values of dignity, freedom and responsibility can contribute to the promotion and protection

of human rights, and decides to accord it additional time to finalize the study;

6. Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human

Rights to collect information from States Members of the United Nations and other relevant

stakeholders on best practices in the application of traditional values while promoting and

protecting human rights and upholding human dignity, and to submit a summary thereon to

the Human Rights Council before its twenty-fourth session;

7. Decides to remain seized of the matter.

36th meeting

27 September 2012

[Adopted by a recorded vote of 25 to 15, with 7 abstentions. The voting was as follows:

In favour:

Angola, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, China, Congo, Cuba,

Djibouti, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Libya,

Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Philippines, Qatar, Russian Federation,

Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Thailand, Uganda

Against:

Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy,

Mauritius, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Switzerland,

United States of America

Abstaining:

Benin, Chile, Guatemala, Nigeria, Peru, Republic of Moldova, Uruguay]