National institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly.

National institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights

Reaffirms the importance of the development of effective, independent and pluralistic national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights, in keeping with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights; encourages Member States to establish or, where they already exist, to strengthen national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights, as outlined in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action; reaffirms the role of national institutions, where they exist, as appropriate agencies, inter alia, for the dissemination of human rights materials and other public information activities, including those of the UN, and encourages national institutions to play an active role in the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at the national and local levels; urges the Secretary-General to continue to give high priority to requests from Member States for assistance in the establishment and strengthening of national human rights institutions as part of the programme of advisory services and technical assistance in the field of human rights; welcomes the high priority given by the Office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to work on national institutions, encourages the High Commissioner to ensure that appropriate arrangements are made and budgetary resources provided to continue and further extend activities in support of national human rights institutions, and invites Governments to contribute additional, earmarked funds to the UN Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights for that purpose; requests the Secretary-General to continue to provide the necessary assistance for holding meeting of the Coordinating Committee during the sessions of the Commission on Human Rights, in cooperation with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Adopted without vote, 70th meeting

4 p.

Adopted at the 70th plenary meeting, 12 Dec. 1997.