Twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the International Covenants on Human Rights : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly
| Publisher | UN General Assembly |
| Author | UN General Assembly (41st sess. : 1986-1987) |
| Publication Date | 3 November 1986 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | A/RES/41/32 |
| Reference | 41 |
| Cite as | UN General Assembly, Twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the International Covenants on Human Rights : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly, 3 November 1986, A/RES/41/32, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3b00f0034.html [accessed 24 May 2023] |
Twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the International Covenants on Human Rights
The General Assembly, Aware that the peoples of the United Nations have, in the Charter of the United Nations, declared their determination to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women, and to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom, Recalling its resolution 2200 A (XXI) of 16 December 1966, by which it adopted and opened for signature and ratification or accession the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Recalling its resolution 31/86 of 13 December 1976, by which it welcomed with deep satisfaction the entry into force of those instruments as a major step in the international efforts to promote universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, Recalling also its decision, contained in resolution 40/114 of 13 December 1985, to convene during its forty-first session a commemorative plenary meeting devoted to the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the International Covenants on Human Rights, Convinced that the entry into force of the International Covenants has furthered the ability of the United Nations to promote, encourage and guarantee universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, Also convinced that respect for and implementation of the provisions of the International Covenants in the field of human rights contribute to good co-operation between States for the achievement of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, Noting, however, that only half of the States Members of the United Nations have acceded to the International Covenants, Conscious that it is desirable to broaden accession to the International Covenants so that they acquire a genuinely universal character, Desiring to observe solemnly the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the International Covenants,1. Invites all States to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the International Covenants on Human Rights by continuing and strengthening measures aimed at the implementation, promotion and protection of the provisions of those instruments;
2. Invites also the appropriate United Nations bodies, the specialized agencies and regional intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations to take appropriate measures to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the International Convenants;
3. Reaffirms, on the occasion of this twentieth anniversary, that, in order to contribute to the realization of the purposes and to the implementation of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, States should pursue policies directed to the full implementation of the rights contained in those instruments;
4. Expresses its appreciation to those States that have become party to the International Covenants;
5. Appeals strongly, on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the International Covenants, to all States that have not yet become parties to those instruments to do so, so that the Covenants acquire genuine universality, and to consider acceding to the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and making the declaration provided for in article 41 of the Covenant;
6. Invites the Secretary-General, on the same occasion, to continue systematically encouraging States to become parties to the International Covenants and, through the programme of advisory services in the field of human rights, to provide technical assistance to the States that are not parties to the Covenants with a view to helping them to ratify those instruments or accede thereto;
7. Requests the Secretary-General to arrange, within existing resources, the dissemination of appropriate public information on the International Covenants on Human Rights with a view to emphasizing their importance;
8. Encourages all Governments to publish the texts of the International Covenants in as many languages as possible, and to distribute them and make them known as widely as possible in their territories.
