RES/24/16 The role of prevention in the promotion and protection of human rights

GE.A/HRC/18/24. 3-17910

Human Rights Council Twenty-fourth 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

24/16.

The role of prevention in the promotion and protection of human rights

The Human Rights Council,

Reaffirming the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the obligations of States thereunder to promote universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Reaffirming also the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, and recalling the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and other human rights instruments, as well as the outcomes of major United Nations conferences and relevant resolutions adopted by the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council,

Recalling the role of the Human Rights Council in the prevention of human rights violations through cooperation and dialogue, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 60/251 of 15 March 2006,

Reaffirming 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,

Expressing concern at continued human rights violations around the world,

Recalling Human Rights Council resolutions 5/1 and 5/2 of 18 June 2007 and 16/21 of 25 March 2011,

Reaffirming Human Rights Council resolutions 14/5 of 17 June 2010 and 18/13 of 29 September 2011,

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

the Council on its twenty-fourth session (A/HRC/24/2), Part One.

1. Affirms the importance of effective preventive measures as a part of overall strategies for the promotion and protection of all human rights;

2. Recognizes that States, including all branches thereof, have the primary responsibility for the promotion and protection of all human rights, including the prevention of human rights violations;

3. Stresses that States should promote supportive and enabling environments for the prevention of human rights violations, including, inter alia, by:

(a) Considering ratifying international human rights conventions and covenants;

(b) Fully implementing international human rights conventions and covenants to which they are party;

(c) Enhancing and developing good governance, democratic systems, the rule of law and accountability;

(d) Adopting policies to ensure the enjoyment of all human rights, including civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights;

(e) Addressing all forms of discrimination, including racial discrimination;

(f) Addressing factors, inter alia, inequality and poverty, that may lead to situations in which human rights violations are committed;

(g) Promoting a free and active civil society;

(h) Promoting freedom of opinion and expression;

(i) Ensuring, where they exist, strong and independent national human rights institutions, in accordance with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles);

(j) Promoting human rights education and training;

(k) Ensuring an independent and functioning judiciary;

(l) Fighting corruption;

4. Welcomes the role of national human rights institutions in contributing to the prevention of human rights violations, and encourages States to strengthen the mandate and capacity of such institutions, where they exist, to enable them to fulfil this role effectively in accordance with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles);

5. Invites national human rights institutions to consider addressing the issue of the role of prevention in the promotion and protection of human rights in the framework of relevant international and regional forums;

6. Acknowledges that the Human Rights Council shall, inter alia, contribute, through dialogue and cooperation, to the prevention of human rights violations and respond promptly to human rights emergencies;

7. Also acknowledges the importance of the universal periodic review as a cooperative mechanism of the Human Rights Council aimed at, inter alia, improvement of human rights situations on the ground and the fulfilment of the State’s human rights

obligations and commitments, based on the principle of promoting the universality, interdependence, indivisibility and interrelatedness of all human rights;

8. Takes note of the report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the Workshop on the Role of Prevention in the

Promotion and Protection of Human Rights,1 and the conclusions and recommendations contained therein;

9. Stresses the need to develop further the concept of prevention of human rights violations and to step up efforts to raise awareness of prevention in the promotion and protection of human rights in order to encourage its reflection in relevant policies and strategies at the national, regional and international levels;

10. Recognizes the need for further research to assist States, at their request, and other stakeholders to understand and mainstream the role of prevention in the promotion and protection of human rights;

11. Encourages the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, on the basis of consultation with States, relevant regional organizations, national human rights institutions and other relevant stakeholders, to inform the Human Rights Council on a regular basis on the practical applications of prevention in the promotion and protection of human rights;

12. Decides to convene, from within the existing resources, at its twenty-seventh session, a panel discussion on the role of prevention in the promotion and protection of human rights;

13. Requests the Office of the High Commissioner to organize the above- mentioned panel discussion in consultation with States, relevant United Nations bodies, funds and programmes, treaty bodies, special procedures and regional human rights mechanisms, as well as with civil society, including non-governmental organizations, and national human rights institutions, with a view to ensuring multi-stakeholder participation in the panel discussion;

14. Also requests the Office of the High Commissioner to prepare a report on the outcome of the panel discussion in the form of a summary, and to present it to the Human Rights Council at its twenty-eighth session;

15. Further requests the Office of the High Commissioner, in consultation with States, national human rights institutions, civil society, relevant intergovernmental bodies and international organizations, and taking into account, inter alia, the outcome of the above-mentioned panel discussion, to draft a study on the prevention of human rights violations and its practical implementation, and to present the study to the Human Rights Council at its thirtieth session;

16. Encourages the Office of the High Commissioner to continue to gather information and research for further preparation of a practical toolkit to support States and other stakeholders in the practical application of prevention in the promotion and protection of human rights;

17. Decides to continue consideration of the matter under the same agenda item, in conformity with its annual programme of work.

35th meeting

27 September 2013

[Adopted without a vote.]