RES/26/18 The right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health: sport and healthy lifestyles as contributing factors

GE.General Assembly resolution 66/2, annex. 4-08300 (E)

*1408300*

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

26/18 The right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health: sport and healthy lifestyles as contributing factors

The Human Rights Council,

Reaffirming the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and recalling the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,

Recalling the resolutions adopted by the General Assembly on the issue of sport, in particular its resolution 67/17 of 28 November 2012, entitled “Sport as a means to promote education, health, development and peace”,

Recalling also Human Rights Council resolution 24/6 of 26 September 2013, and all previous resolutions and decisions on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health adopted by the Council, the General Assembly and the Commission on Human Rights,

Recalling further previous Human Rights Council resolutions on the issue of sport and human rights, in particular resolutions 13/27 of 26 March 2010, 18/23 of 30 September 2011 and 24/1 of 26 September 2013,

Noting with concern that, for millions of people throughout the world, the full enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health remains a distant goal,

Concerned that the increasing incidence of non-communicable diseases constitutes a heavy burden on society, with serious social and economic consequences, which represent a leading threat to human health and development,

Recognizing the urgent need for further measures at the global, regional and national levels to prevent and control non-communicable diseases, particularly by addressing their common risk factors, namely tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, in order to achieve progressively the full realization of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health,

Recognizing also the need for States, in cooperation with international organizations and civil society, including non-governmental organizations and the private sector, to create favourable conditions at the national, regional and international levels to ensure the full and effective enjoyment of the right of everyone to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health,

Recognizing further the primary role and responsibility of States, in the context of the promotion and protection of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, in responding to the challenge of non- communicable diseases and the essential need for the efforts and engagement of all sectors of society to generate effective responses for the prevention and control of non- communicable diseases,

Recognizing the important role of the international community and international cooperation in assisting Member States, particularly developing countries, in complementing national efforts to generate an effective response to non-communicable diseases, in the context of the promotion and protection of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health,

Recognizing also the potential of sport as a universal language that contributes to educating people on the values of respect, diversity, tolerance and fairness and as a means to combat all forms of discrimination and promote social inclusion for all,

Recognizing further that sport and major sporting events, such as the International Federation of Association Football World Cup and the Olympic and the Paralympic Games, can be used to promote human rights and strengthen universal respect for them, thus contributing to their full realization,

Welcoming the hosting of more recent Olympic and the Paralympic Games in the cities of Beijing, London, Sochi, Rio de Janeiro, PyeongChang and Tokyo in 2008, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020 respectively, and the International Federation of Association Football World Cup in South Africa, Brazil, the Russian Federation and Qatar, in 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022 respectively, and stressing the opportunity to make use of these important events to promote human rights,

Recognizing the potential of sport in contributing to fostering development and peace, and, in particular, to promote health and prevent diseases,

Acknowledging the importance of sport and physical activity in combating non- communicable diseases, as reflected in the 2011 political declaration of the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases ,1

1. Takes note with appreciation of the work of the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health;

2. Acknowledges with appreciation the report of the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental

health on the subject of unhealthy food and diet-related non-communicable diseases,A/HRC/26/31. while recognizing that other risk factors of non-communicable diseases should also be addressed, and invites States to give due consideration to the recommendations of the Special Rapporteur;

3. Calls upon States to promote physical activity and sport among all segments of their population as contributing factors to the promotion and protection of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health;

4. Also calls upon States to use sport and major sporting events as an opportunity to promote human rights and strengthen universal respect for them, thus contributing to their full realization;

5. Encourages the international community to support efforts, particularly in developing countries, through international cooperation, including North-South, as well as South-South, and trilateral cooperation, to promote sport as a tool to enhance well-being and healthy lifestyles for all, without discrimination, recognizing the links between health, sport, peace and development;

6. Calls upon the international community to continue to assist developing countries in promoting the full realization of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, including through financial and technical support and training of personnel, while recognizing that the primary responsibility for promoting and protecting all human rights rests with States;

7. Requests the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health to prepare, in consultation with Member States, United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, international and regional organizations and civil society, including non-governmental organizations, and relevant stakeholders a study on the theme “Sport and healthy lifestyles as contributing factors to the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health”, and to present it to the Human Rights Council at its thirty- second session.

38th meeting 26 June 2014

[Adopted without a vote.]