RES/8/9 Promotion on the right of peoples to peace

Human Rights Council

Resolution 8/9. Promotion on the right of peoples to peace

The Human Rights Council,

Recalling all previous resolutions on this issue adopted by the General Assembly

and the Commission on Human Rights,

Noting General Assembly resolution 39/11 of 12 November 1984, entitled

“Declaration of the Right of Peoples to Peace”, and the United Nations Millennium

Declaration,

Determined to foster strict respect for the purposes and principles enshrined in the

Charter of the United Nations,

Bearing in mind that one of the purposes of the United Nations is to achieve

international cooperation in solving international problems of an economic, social,

cultural or humanitarian character, and to promote and encourage respect for human

rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language

or religion,

Underlining, in accordance with the purposes and principles of the United

Nations, its full and active support for the United Nations and for the enhancement

of its role and effectiveness in strengthening international peace, security and

justice and in promoting the solution of international problems, as well as the

development of friendly relations and cooperation among States,

Reaffirming the obligation of all States to settle their international disputes by

peaceful means in such a manner that international peace, security and justice are

not endangered,

Emphasizing its objective of promoting better relations among all States and

contributing to setting up conditions in which their people can live in true and lasting

peace, free from any threat to or attempt against their security,

Reaffirming the obligation of all States to refrain, in their international relations,

from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence

of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United

Nations,

Reaffirming also its commitment to peace, security and justice and the continuing

development of friendly relations and cooperation among States,

Rejecting the use of violence in pursuit of political aims and stressing that only

peaceful political solutions can assure a stable and democratic future for all peoples

around the world,

Reaffirming the importance of ensuring respect for the principles of sovereignty,

territorial integrity and political independence of States and non-intervention in matters

which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any State, in accordance with

the Charter and international law,

Reaffirming also that all peoples have the right to self-determination, by virtue of

which they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social

and cultural development,

Reaffirming further the Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning

Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States in accordance with the Charter of the

United Nations,

Recognizing that peace and development are mutually reinforcing, including in the

prevention of armed conflict,

Affirming that human rights include social, economic and cultural rights and the

right to peace, a healthy environment and development, and that development is, in

fact, the realization of these rights,

Underlining that the subjection of peoples to alien subjugation,

domination and exploitation constitutes a denial of fundamental rights, is

contrary to the Charter and is an impediment to the promotion of world peace

and cooperation,

Recalling that everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which

the rights and freedoms set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights can

be fully realized,

Convinced of the aim of creating conditions of stability and well-being, which

are necessary for peaceful and friendly relations among nations based on respect for

the principle of the equal rights and self-determination of peoples,

Convinced also that life without war is the primary international prerequisite

for the material well-being, development and progress of countries and for the full

implementation of the rights and fundamental human freedoms proclaimed by the

United Nations,

Convinced further that international cooperation in the field of human rights

contributes to creating an international environment of peace and stability,

1. Reaffirms that the peoples of our planet have a sacred right to peace;

2. Also reaffirms that the preservation of the right of peoples to peace and

the promotion of its implementation constitute a fundamental obligation of each State;

3. Stresses that peace is a vital requirement for the promotion and

protection of all human rights for all;

4. Also stresses that the deep fault line that divides human society, between

the rich and the poor, and the ever-increasing gap between the developed and

developing worlds pose a major threat to global prosperity, peace, security and

stability;

5. Emphasizes that ensuring the exercise of the right of peoples to peace and

its promotion demand that the policies of States be directed towards the elimination of

the threat of war, particularly nuclear war, the renunciation of the use or threat of use

of force in international relations and the settlement of international disputes by

peaceful means on the basis of the Charter of the United Nations;

6. Affirms that all States should promote the establishment, maintenance and

strengthening of international peace and security and an international system based on

respect of the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and the

promotion of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to

development and the right of peoples to self-determination;

7. Urges all States to respect and to put into practice the principles and

purposes of the Charter in their relations with all other States, irrespective of their

political, economic or social systems, or of their size, geographical location or level of

economic development;

8. Reaffirms the duty of all States, in accordance with the principles of the

Charter, to use peaceful means to settle any dispute to which they are parties and the

continuance of which is likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace and

security, and encourages States to settle their disputes as early as possible, as a vital

requirement for the promotion and protection of all human rights of everyone and all

peoples;

9. Underlines the vital importance of education for peace as a tool to foster

the realization of the right of peoples to peace, and encourages States, United Nations

specialized agencies and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to

contribute actively to this endeavour;

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

convene, before April 2009, and taking into account previous practices, a three-day

workshop on the right of peoples to peace, with the participation of two experts from

countries of each of the five regional groups, in order:

(a) To further clarify the content and scope of this right;

(b) To propose measures that raise awareness of the importance of realizing

this right;

(c) To suggest concrete actions to mobilize States, intergovernmental and

non-governmental organizations in the promotion of the right of peoples to peace;

11. Also requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights:

(a) To select as soon as possible those 10 experts, through consultations with

States and relevant stakeholders;

(b) To timely extend an invitation to those experts in order to attend the

workshop and actively participate in it, including by presenting discussion papers on

the subjects identified in paragraph 10 above;

(c) To report on the outcome of the workshop to the Council at its eleventh

session, to be held in June 2009;

12. Invites States and relevant United Nations human rights mechanisms and

procedures to continue to pay attention to the importance of mutual cooperation,

understanding and dialogue in ensuring the promotion and protection of all human rights;

13. Decides to continue considering the issue at its eleventh session under

the same agenda item.

28th meeting 18 June 2008

[Adopted by a recorded vote of 32 to 13, with 2 abstentions. The voting was as follows:

In favour: Angola, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Cuba,

Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, Indonesia, Jordan, Madagascar,

Malaysia, Mali, Mauritius, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines,

Qatar, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Africa, Sri Lanka,

Uruguay, Zambia;

Against: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands,

Republic of Korea, Romania, Slovenia, Switzerland, Ukraine, United

Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;

Abstaining:India, Mexico.]