RES/32/9 Human rights and international solidarity

GE.16-12333(E)



Human Rights Council Thirty-second session

Agenda item 3

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council on 30 June 2016

32/9. Human rights and international solidarity

The Human Rights Council,

Reaffirming all previous resolutions and decisions adopted by the Commission on

Human Rights and the Human Rights Council on the issue of human rights and

international solidarity, including Commission resolution 2005/55 of 20 April 2005 and

Council resolutions 6/3 of 27 September 2007, 7/5 of 27 March 2008, 9/2 of 24 September

2008, 12/9 of 1 October 2009, 15/13 of 30 September 2010, 17/6 of 16 June 2011, 18/5 of

29 September 2011, 21/10 of 27 September 2012, 23/12 of 13 June 2013, 26/6 of 26 June

2014 and 29/3 of 2 July 2015,

Underlining the fact that the processes of promoting and protecting human rights

should be conducted in conformity with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the

United Nations and international law,

Recalling that, at the World Conference on Human Rights, held in June 1993, States

pledged to cooperate with each other in ensuring development and eliminating obstacles to

development, and stressed that the international community should promote effective

international cooperation for the realization of the right to development and the elimination

of obstacles to development,

Reaffirming the fact that article 4 of the Declaration on the Right to Development

states that sustained action is required to promote more rapid development of developing

countries and, as a complement to the efforts of developing countries, effective

international cooperation is essential in order to provide these countries with the

appropriate means and facilities to foster their comprehensive development,

Recognizing that the attention paid to the importance of international solidarity as a

vital component of the efforts of developing countries to realize the right to development of

their peoples and to promote the full enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights by

everyone has been insufficient, and in this context reaffirming the critical relevance of

international solidarity to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable

Development,1

1 General Assembly resolution 70/1.

Reaffirming the fact that the widening gap between economically developed and

developing countries is unsustainable and that it impedes the realization of human rights in

the international community, and makes it all the more imperative for every nation,

according to its capacities, to make the maximum possible effort to close this gap,

Reaffirming also the crucial importance of increasing the resources allocated for

official development assistance, recalling the pledge of industrialized countries to allocate

0.7 per cent of their gross national product for official development assistance, and

recognizing the need for new and additional resources to finance the development

programmes of developing countries,

Affirming the fact that the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and

the realization of the right to development call for a more enlightened approach, mindset

and action based on a sense of community and international solidarity,

Determined to take new steps forward in the commitment of the international

community with a view to achieving substantial progress in human rights endeavours

through an increased and sustained effort of international cooperation and solidarity,

Asserting the necessity of establishing new, equitable and global links of partnership

and intra-generational solidarity for the perpetuation of humankind,

Resolved to strive to ensure that present generations are fully aware of their

responsibilities towards future ones, and that a better world is possible for both present and

future generations,

1. Reaffirms the recognition set forth in the declaration adopted by the Heads of

State and Government at the Millennium Summit of the fundamental value of solidarity to

international relations in the twenty-first century in stating that global challenges must be

managed in a way that distributes costs and burdens fairly, in accordance with the basic

principles of equity and social justice, and that those who suffer or benefit least deserve

help from those who benefit most;

2. Also reaffirms that international solidarity is not limited to international

assistance and cooperation, aid, charity or humanitarian assistance; it is a broader concept

and principle that includes sustainability in international relations, especially international

economic relations, the peaceful coexistence of all members of the international

community, equal partnerships and the equitable sharing of benefits and burdens;

3. Reiterates its determination to contribute to the solution of current world

problems through increased international cooperation, to create conditions that will ensure

that the needs and interests of future generations are not jeopardized by the burden of the

past, and to hand over a better world to future generations;

4. Reaffirms the fact that the promotion of international cooperation is a duty for

States, that it should be implemented without any conditionality and on the basis of mutual

respect, in full compliance with the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United

Nations, in particular respect for the sovereignty of States, and taking into account national

priorities;

5. Recognizes that international solidarity shall be a new foundational principle

underpinning contemporary international law that responds to the need for transformative

change encompassing the objectives of equity, equality in outcome, sustainability, security,

social justice and empowerment and is applicable to all countries, both developing and

developed;

6. Also recognizes that there is an overwhelming manifestation of solidarity by

States, individually and collectively, by civil society, by global social movements and by

countless people of goodwill reaching out to others, and that this solidarity is commonly

practised at the national, regional and international levels;

7. Acknowledges the increased need for States and other actors to come together

and take collective action in solidarity;

8. Welcomes the report of the Independent Expert on human rights and

international solidarity2 and the work conducted by her, including the five regional

consultations on the draft declaration on the right of peoples and individuals to international

solidarity held in 2015 and 2016 as mandated by the Human Rights Council in its

resolution 26/6;

9. Requests all States, United Nations agencies, other relevant international

organizations and non-governmental organizations to mainstream the right of peoples and

individuals to international solidarity into their activities, to cooperate with the Independent

Expert in her mandate, and to supply all necessary information requested by her, and

requests States to give serious consideration to responding favourably to the requests of the

Independent Expert to visit their countries to enable her to fulfil her mandate effectively;

10. Requests the Independent Expert to continue to participate in relevant

international forums and major events with a view to promoting the importance of

international solidarity in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable

Development, especially those goals relating to economic, social and climate issues, and

invites Member States, international organizations, United Nations agencies and other

relevant organizations to facilitate the meaningful participation of the Independent Expert

in these international forums and major events;

11. Also requests the Independent Expert to convene a meeting with experts from

the five geographical regions to assist in finalizing the draft declaration on the right of

peoples and individuals to international solidarity, and requests the Office of the United

Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to assist the Independent Expert in

conducting a legal review of the draft declaration prior to its submission to the Human

Rights Council in 2017;

12. Further requests the Independent Expert to undertake thematic research on

the importance of international solidarity in realizing the human rights of peoples and

individuals, including on impediments to mainstreaming it, to assist States,

intergovernmental organizations and civil society to actively engage in promoting the

important role of international solidarity in the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable

Development Agenda, especially in economic, social and climate issues, while paying

particular attention to Goal 17 and the related indicator;

13. Requests the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner to provide all the

human and financial resources necessary for the effective fulfilment of the mandate of the

Independent Expert;

14. Reiterates its request to the Independent Expert to take into account the

outcomes of all major United Nations and other global summits and ministerial meetings in

the economic, social and climate fields and to continue to seek views and contributions

from Governments, United Nations agencies, other relevant international organizations and

non-governmental organizations in the discharge of her mandate;

15. Requests the Independent Expert to report regularly to the Human Rights

Council and to the General Assembly in accordance with their respective programmes of

work;

2 A/HRC/32/43.

16. Decides to continue its consideration of this matter under the same agenda

item.

42nd meeting

30 June 2016

[Adopted by a recorded vote of 33 to 13, with 1 abstention. The voting was as follows:

In favour:

Algeria, Bangladesh, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Botswana, Burundi,

China, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Ghana,

India, Indonesia, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Mongolia, Morocco,

Namibia, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Qatar, Russian Federation,

Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Togo, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela

(Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam

Against:

Albania, Belgium, France, Georgia, Germany, Latvia, Netherlands, Portugal,

Republic of Korea, Slovenia, Switzerland, the former Yugoslav Republic of

Macedonia, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Abstaining:

Mexico]