RES/28/28 Contribution of the Human Rights Council to the special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem of 2016

GE.15-07076 (E)



Human Rights Council Twenty-eighth session

Agenda item 8

Follow-up to and implementation of the Vienna Declaration

and Programme of Action

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council

28/28. Contribution of the Human Rights Council to the special

session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem of 2016

The Human Rights Council,

Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,

Reaffirming the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and recalling the

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International

Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action

and other relevant international human rights instruments,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 60/251 of 15 March 2006, as well as Human

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

decision 5/101 of 18 June 2007,

Recalling in particular that the Human Rights Council has the mandate to, inter alia,

promote universal respect for the protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms

for all, without discrimination of any kind and in a fair and equal manner, to serve as a

forum for dialogue on thematic issues on all human rights, and to promote the effective

coordination and mainstreaming of human rights within the United Nations system,

Reaffirming the universality, interdependence, indivisibility and interrelatedness of

human rights as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and consequently

elaborated in other human rights instruments,

Recalling the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, as amended by the

1972 Protocol, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 and the United Nations

Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988,

Emphasizing the importance of both the universality of the three above-mentioned

international drug-control conventions and their implementation, noting that they concern

the health and welfare of humankind, and noting the need to promote adequate availability

of internationally controlled narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for medical and

scientific purposes, in accordance with national legislation, while preventing their

diversion, abuse and trafficking, in order to realize the aims of the said international drug

control conventions,

Recalling the Political Declaration adopted by the General Assembly at its twentieth

special session, the Declaration on the Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction, the

Action Plan on International Cooperation on the Eradication of Illicit Drug Crops and on

Alternative Development, the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Declaration on the

Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction, the United Nations Guiding Principles on

Alternative Development, the Political Declaration and Plan of Action on International

Cooperation towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug

Problem and the Joint Ministerial Statement of the 2014 high-level review by the

Commission on Narcotics Drugs of the Implementation by Member States of the said

Political Declaration and Plan of Action,

Underlining that the world drug problem remains a common and shared

responsibility that should be addressed in a multilateral setting through effective and

increased international cooperation and demands an evidenced-based, integrated,

multidisciplinary, mutually reinforcing, balanced and comprehensive approach to supply

and demand reduction strategies, and reaffirming its unwavering commitment to ensuring

that all aspects of demand reduction, supply reduction and international cooperation are

addressed in full conformity with the purposes and principles of the Charter, international

law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and, in particular with full respect for

the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, the principle of non-intervention in the

internal affairs of States, all human rights, fundamental freedoms, non-discrimination, the

inherent dignity of all individuals and the principles of equal rights and mutual respect

among States,

Recognizing that the world drug problem undermines sustainable development,

political stability and democratic institutions, including efforts to eradicate poverty, and

threatens national security and the rule of law, and that drug trafficking and abuse pose a

major threat to the health, dignity and hopes of millions of people and their families and

lead to the loss of human lives,

Noting the developments at the national, subregional, regional and global level and

the cooperation undertaken by regional organizations and cross-regional activities in

addressing the world drug problem,

Recalling in particular General Assembly resolution 67/193 of 20 December 2012

on international cooperation against the world drug problem, in which the Assembly

decided to convene, early in 2016, a special session of the Assembly on the world drug

problem to review the progress made in the implementation of the Political Declaration and

Plan of Action, including an assessment of the achievements and challenges in countering

the world drug problem within the framework of the three international drug control

conventions and other relevant United Nations instruments by, inter alia, addressing all the

consequences of the world drug problem, including in the heath, social, human rights,

economic, justice and security fields,

Recalling all relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Economic and

Social Council concerning the world drug problem, particularly Assembly resolution

69/200 of 18 December 2014 and Council resolution 2014/24 of 16 July 2014, both entitled

“Special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem to be held in 2016“,

Recalling also Commission on Narcotic Drugs resolutions 57/5, on the special

session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem to be held in 2016, and 51/12,

on strengthening cooperation between the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and

other United Nations entities for the promotion of human rights in the implementation of

the international drug control treaties,

Recognizing the principal role of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and its

subsidiary bodies, together with the International Narcotic Control Board, as the United

Nations organs with prime responsibility for drug control matters, as well as the role of the

World Health Organization and of the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime as the

leading entity in the United Nations system for countering the world drug problem, and

recalling that the General Assembly decided that the Commission should lead the

preparatory process for the special session in 2016 by addressing all organizational and

substantive matters in an open-ended manner, and in this regard invited the President of the

Assembly to support, guide and stay involved in the process,

Stressing that the General Assembly decided, as recommended by the Commission

on Narcotic Drugs, that the special session would have an inclusive preparatory process that

includes extensive substantive consultations, allowing organs, entities and specialized

agencies of the United Nations system, relevant international and regional organizations,

civil society and other relevant stakeholders to fully contribute to the process in accordance

with the relevant rules of procedure and established practice,

1. Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to

prepare a study, in consultation with States, United Nations agencies and other relevant

stakeholders, to be presented to the Human Rights Council at its thirtieth session, on the

impact of the world drug problem on the enjoyment of human rights, and recommendations

on respect for and the protection and promotion of human rights in the context of the world

drug problem, with particular consideration for the needs of persons affected and persons in

vulnerable situations;

2. Decides to convene a panel discussion at its thirtieth session on the impact of

the world drug problem on the enjoyment of human rights, informed by the findings

contained in the study prepared by the High Commissioner, to have a constructive and

inclusive dialogue on this issue with relevant stakeholders, including specialized United

Nations agencies and civil society and with the participation of the Commission on

Narcotic Drugs, and requests the Office of the High Commissioner to prepare a report on

the panel discussion in the form of a summary;

3. Invites the High Commissioner to submit to the Commission on Narcotic

Drugs, through the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime,

the contribution of the Human Rights Council to the special session of the General

Assembly on the world drug problem to be held in 2016;

4. Invites the General Assembly to take into account the contribution of the

Human Rights Council during its special session on the world drug problem in 2016 and of

the Commission on Narcotic Drugs during the preparatory process, in accordance with

relevant rules of procedure and established practices.

58th meeting

27 March 2015

[Adopted without a vote.]