RES/36/28 Enhancement of technical cooperation and capacity-building in the field of human rights

GE.17-17724(E)



Human Rights Council Thirty-sixth session

11–29 September 2017

Agenda item 10

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council on 29 September 2017

36/28. Enhancement of technical cooperation and capacity-building in

the field of human rights

The Human Rights Council,

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

particularly with regard to achieving international cooperation in promoting and

encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all, without

distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other

opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status,

Reaffirming the obligation of States under the Charter to promote universal respect

for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Recalling all relevant international human rights treaties, including the International

Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social

and Cultural Rights,

Recognizing that the enhancement of international cooperation is essential for the

effective promotion and protection of human rights, which should be based on the

principles of cooperation and genuine dialogue and aimed at strengthening the capacity of

States to prevent human rights violations and to comply with their human rights obligations

for the benefit of all human beings,

Recognizing also the importance of enhancing international support for

implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support

national plans to implement all the Sustainable Development Goals,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 70/1 of 25 September 2015 on the 2030

Agenda for Sustainable Development,

Recalling also that the 2030 Agenda is guided by the purposes and principles of the

Charter, including full respect for international law, and is grounded in the Universal

Declaration of Human Rights and international human rights treaties, that it is informed by

other instruments, such as the Declaration on the Right to Development, and that it is to be

implemented in a manner that is consistent with the rights and obligations of States under

international law,

Recognizing that the implementation of the 2030 Agenda must be consistent with a

State’s obligations under international human rights law,

Bearing in mind the mandate of the Human Rights Council, as stated by the General

Assembly in its resolution 60/251 of 15 March 2006, to promote advisory services,

technical assistance and capacity-building, to be provided in consultation with and with the

consent of the States concerned, and the provisions of Council resolutions 5/1 and 5/2 of 18

June 2007 and 16/21 of 25 March 2011 that aim to enable the Council to fulfil such a

mandate,

Recalling all relevant resolutions of the Human Rights Council on the enhancement

of technical cooperation and capacity-building in the field of human rights,

Noting the important role that technical cooperation and capacity-building can play

in building States’ capacities to implement the Sustainable Development Goals in a way

that is consistent with their respective obligations under international human rights law,

Recognizing the positive role of capacity-building in the field of human rights in

supporting States in their implementation of the 2030 Agenda,

Reiterating that one of the responsibilities of the United Nations High

Commissioner for Human Rights and the Office of the High Commissioner is to provide

advisory services and technical and financial assistance, at the request of the State

concerned, with a view to supporting actions and programmes in the field of human rights,

and to coordinate activities to promote and protect human rights throughout the United

Nations system in accordance with the mandate of the Office,

Acknowledging the role and impact of the activities of the relevant agencies of the

United Nations and international and regional organizations, and the contribution of civil

society organizations, in providing States with technical support and assistance on the basis

of needs and requests of States concerned in the implementation of their human rights

obligations and their voluntary pledges and commitments, as well as accepted universal

periodic review recommendations,

Noting with appreciation the contributions of international human rights bodies and

mechanisms, including international human rights treaty bodies, the Human Rights Council

and its subsidiary bodies, such as the special procedures and the universal periodic review

mechanism, in promoting the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in accordance with

States’ human rights obligations,

Welcoming the efforts of United Nations human rights bodies and mechanisms, the

United Nations development system and relevant United Nations agencies and country

teams to align capacity-building efforts with the needs and national circumstances of States,

including to strengthen policy coherence, where applicable, in the implementation of

States’ respective obligations under international human rights law and in their

implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals,

Appreciating the important role of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Technical

Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights, the Voluntary Trust Fund for Participation in

the Universal Periodic Review, the Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to Support

the Participation of Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in the

Work of the Human Rights Council and the Voluntary Trust Fund for Financial and

Technical Assistance for the Implementation of the Universal Periodic Review in assisting

States and developing their national capacities to promote the effective implementation of

their human rights obligations and accepted universal periodic review recommendations,

which have contributed to tangible improvements in the situation of human rights on the

ground,

Noting with appreciation the contributions of the Board of Trustees of the United

Nations Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights and of the

Voluntary Trust Fund for Financial and Technical Assistance for the Implementation of the

Universal Periodic Review through their annual reports to the Human Rights Council, in

particular on the components of technical cooperation and the identification of good

practices,

1. Emphasizes that the general debate under agenda item 10 is an essential

platform for Members and observers of the Human Rights Council to share their visions

and views to promote more effective technical cooperation and capacity-building in the

field of human rights, and to share concrete experiences, challenges and information on

assistance needed in the implementation of their human rights obligations and voluntary

pledges and commitments, and of accepted universal periodic review recommendations,

and their achievements and good practices in this area, including those that promote

synergy and policy coherence between the promotion and protection of human rights and

the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;

2. Reiterates that technical cooperation and capacity-building in the field of

human rights continue to be based on consultations with and the consent of the States

concerned, and should take into account their needs, and the fact that all human rights are

universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated and aim to make a concrete impact on

the ground;

3. Underscores the need to strengthen international, regional and bilateral

cooperation and dialogue in the promotion and protection of human rights;

4. Acknowledges that the promotion and protection of human rights and the

2030 Agenda are complementary and mutually reinforcing;

5. Reaffirms that technical cooperation should remain an inclusive exercise that

engages and involves all national stakeholders, including government agencies, national

human rights institutions and civil society;

6. Also reaffirms the ongoing need for enhanced voluntary contributions to the

relevant United Nations funds to support technical assistance and capacity-building,

particularly the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation in the Field of

Human Rights, the Voluntary Trust Fund for Participation in the Universal Periodic

Review, the Voluntary Trust Fund for Financial and Technical Assistance for the

Implementation of the Universal Periodic Review and the Voluntary Technical Assistance

Trust Fund to Support the Participation of Least Developed Countries and Small Island

Developing States in the Work of the Human Rights Council, and encourages States to

continue to make contributions to these funds, especially those who have not yet done so;

7. Invites the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to make his

next annual oral presentation, under agenda item 10, on the overview of and successes, best

practices and challenges in technical assistance and capacity-building efforts, particularly

those provided by the Office of the High Commissioner and relevant United Nations

agencies, to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-seventh session, and subsequently on an

annual basis at the March session of the Council, and encourages the High Commissioner to

highlight the contribution of human rights technical cooperation and capacity-building to

the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals;

8. Invites the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Voluntary

Fund for Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights to present the next

comprehensive report on the Board’s work to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-

seventh session, and subsequently on an annual basis at the March session of the Council,

and encourages the chairs of the boards of trustees of other funds administered by the

Office of the High Commissioner to support activities in the area of technical assistance

and capacity-building to make a presentation at the same session;

9. Welcomes the panel discussion held pursuant to Human Rights Council

resolution 33/28 under agenda item 10 at the thirty-fifth session of the Council on the theme

“A decade of technical cooperation and capacity-building in the Human Rights Council:

challenges and the way forward”, at which participants stressed the need to reinvigorate the

debates and actions under agenda item 10 and to make them more responsive to the needs

of States, in accordance with its original intent and the principles of the Council, underlines

the role that technical cooperation and capacity-building can play in preventing human

rights violations and in enhancing the credibility and effectiveness of the Council, while

underscoring also the importance of further strengthening policy coherence across the

United Nations system in the delivery of technical assistance pertaining to human rights and

the Sustainable Development Goals, with a view to maximizing its impact on the ground;

10. Decides, in accordance with paragraphs 3 and 4 of its resolution 18/18 of 29

September 2011, that the theme for the annual thematic panel discussion under agenda item

10 to be held during its thirty-eighth session will be “Human rights and the Sustainable

Development Goals: enhancing human rights technical cooperation and capacity-building

to contribute to the effective and inclusive implementation of the 2030 Agenda for

Sustainable Development”;

11. Requests the Office of the High Commissioner to prepare a report on how

United Nations human rights bodies and mechanisms, including the Human Rights Council,

the universal periodic review, the special procedures and the treaty bodies, and United

Nations country teams and agencies can, through effective, coherent and coordinated

technical assistance and capacity-building in the promotion and protection of human rights

support States in the realization of the 2030 Agenda, including, inter alia, by highlighting

practical steps and concrete examples that seek to promote policy synergy and coherence,

use of technology and innovation, and the strengthening of the capacity of national

statistical offices and data systems related to human rights where applicable, as well as

ways to enhance national implementation, reporting and follow-up, taking into account the

different constraints and needs of States, and to submit the report to the Council at its thirty-

eighth session to serve as a basis for the thematic panel discussion;

12. Also requests the Office of the High Commissioner to consult with States, the

United Nations development system, relevant United Nations bodies, agencies and country

teams, relevant special procedures and other stakeholders, including, where applicable,

those involved in technical cooperation projects that demonstrate best practices,

constructive engagement and positive impact on the ground with a view to ensuring their

participation in the thematic panel discussion;

13. Calls upon States, relevant international organizations, intergovernmental

bodies and civil society to make use of the ideas and issues raised in the annual panel

discussion under agenda item 10 during its thirty-eighth session to enhance the efficiency,

effectiveness and policy coherence of technical cooperation and capacity-building efforts

undertaken by the Office of the High Commissioner and United Nations country teams and

agencies in improving States’ national capacities to promote and protect human rights and

support the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

42nd meeting

29 September 2017

[Adopted without a vote.]