RES/26/11 Protection of the family

GE.14-08678 (E)

*1408678*

Human Rights Council Twenty-sixth 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

26/11 Protection of the family

The Human Rights Council,

Reaffirming the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, Guided by 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, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and other relevant human rights instruments,

Recalling General Assembly resolutions 44/82 of 8 December 1989, 47/237 of 20 September 1993, 50/142 of 21 December 1995, 52/81 of 12 December 1997, 54/124 of 17 December 1999, 56/113 of 19 December 2001, 57/164 of 18 December 2002, 58/15 of 3 December 2003, 59/111 of 6 December 2004, 59/147 of 20 December 2004, 60/133 of 16 December 2005, 62/129 of 18 December 2007, 64/133 of 18 December 2009, 66/126 of 19 December 2011, 67/142 of 20 December 2012 and 68/136 of 18 December 2013, concerning the proclamation of, preparations for and observance of the International Year of the Family and its tenth and twentieth anniversaries,

Recognizing that the preparations for and observance of the twentieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family provide a useful opportunity to draw further attention to the objectives of the International Year for increasing cooperation at all levels on family issues and for undertaking concerted actions to strengthen family-centred policies and programmes as part of an integrated, comprehensive approach to human rights and development,

Reaffirming that States have the primary responsibility to promote and protect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all human beings, including women, children and older persons,

Recognizing that the family has the primary responsibility for the nurturing and protection of children and that children, for the full and harmonious development of their

personality, should grow up in a family environment and in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding,

Convinced that the family, as the fundamental group of society and the natural environment for the growth and well-being of all its members, and particularly children, should be afforded the necessary protection and assistance so that it can fully assume its responsibilities within the community,

Reaffirming that the family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State,

1. Decides to convene, at its twenty-seventh session, a panel discussion on the protection of the family and its members to address the implementation of States’ obligations under relevant provisions of international human rights law and to discuss challenges and best practices in this regard;

2. Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to liaise with States and all stakeholders, including the relevant United Nations bodies, agencies, and programmes, the treaty bodies, the special procedures of the Human Rights Council, national human rights institutions and civil society, with a view to ensuring their participation in the panel discussion;

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

4. Decides to remain seized of the matter.

38th meeting 26 June 2014

[Adopted by a recorded vote of 26 to 14, with 6 abstentions. The voting was as follows: In favour:

Algeria, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, China, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Maldives, Morocco, Namibia, Pakistan, Philippines, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam

Against: Austria, Chile, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Montenegro, Republic of Korea, Romania, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America

Abstaining: Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia]