The Commission on Human Rights,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 48/121 of 20 December 1993, in which the Assembly endorsed the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights (A/CONF.157/23), as well as subsequent resolutions of the Assembly and of the Commission on this matter, in particular General Assembly resolution 52/148 of 12 December 1997,

Considering that the promotion of universal respect for and observance of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all is one of the basic purposes of the Charter of the United Nations and one of the main priorities of the Organization,

Reaffirming that all human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated,

Convinced that the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action has to be translated into effective action by States, the competent United Nations organs and organizations and other organizations concerned, including non­governmental organizations,

Recalling Part II, paragraph 100, of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action concerning the five­year review of progress made in the implementation of the Declaration and Programme of Action, to be carried out in 1998, in which the World Conference on Human Rights, inter alia, requested the Secretary­General to invite, on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, all States and all organs and agencies of the United Nations system related to human rights to report to him on the progress made in the implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action,

Recalling also that regional and, as appropriate, national human rights institutions, as well as non­governmental organizations, may present their views to the Secretary­General on the progress made in the implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, and that special attention should be paid to assessing the progress towards the goal of universal ratification of international human rights treaties and protocols adopted within the framework of the United Nations,

Bearing in mind that the five­year implementation review of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action provides an opportunity to strengthen the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide, review and assess progress made in human rights protection since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, and consider ways and means of further developing the United Nations human rights programme to meet current and future challenges,

Recognizing that the interdependence of democracy, development and respect for human rights, as stated in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, requires a comprehensive and integrated approach to the promotion and protection of human rights and that adequate inter­agency cooperation and coordination are essential in order to ensure such a fully integrated approach throughout the United Nations system,

Welcoming the fact that the call of the World Conference on Human Rights for a United Nations system­wide approach to human rights issues has been reflected in the recommendations of major international conferences organized by the United Nations in the economic, social and related fields,

Noting the ongoing efforts to ensure a coordinated follow­up to major international conferences in the economic, social and related fields, as most recently addressed in Economic and Social Council resolution 1997/61 of 25 July 1997 on the integrated and coordinated implementation and follow­up of the major United Nations conferences and summits,
Recalling that each year the Economic and Social Council shall carry out, within the framework of its coordination segment, a review of cross­cutting themes common to major international conferences and/or contribute to an overall review of the implementation of the programme of action of a United Nations conference, in accordance with agreed conclusions 1995/1 of the Economic and Social Council,

Recalling also Economic and Social Council decision 1998/208 of 6 February 1998, in which the Council decided to devote the coordination segment of its substantive session of 1998 to the question of the coordinated follow­up to and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action,

Noting General Assembly resolution 52/148, in which the Assembly, inter alia, decided to review at its fifty­third session, as foreseen in Part II, paragraph 100, of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, the progress made in the implementation of the Declaration and Programme of Action,

1. Takes note with appreciation of the interim report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the five­year review of the implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (E/CN.4/1998/104 and Corr.1 and 2);

2. Welcomes the contributions made so far by Governments, United Nations bodies and organizations and other organizations, and calls upon the High Commissioner for Human Rights to make these and subsequent contributions available to the General Assembly at its fifty­third session;

3. Reaffirms the importance of the promotion of universal respect for and observance and protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, as expressed in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action;

4. Calls upon all States to take further action with a view to the full realization of all human rights for all in the light of the recommendations of the World Conference on Human Rights;

5. Recognizes that the international community should devise ways and means to remove current obstacles and meet the challenges to the full realization of all human rights and to prevent the continuation of human rights violations resulting therefrom throughout the world;

6. Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the General Assembly, and other organs and bodies of the United Nations system related to human rights to take further action with a view to the full implementation of all the recommendations of the Conference;

7. Welcomes the decision of the General Assembly, in its resolution 52/148, to review at its fifty­third session, as foreseen in Part II, paragraph 100, of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, the progress made in the implementation of the Declaration and Programme of Action;

8. Recalls that, in accordance with Part II, paragraph 100, of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, the High Commissioner for Human Rights has invited Governments and United Nations agencies and programmes related to human rights to provide reports on the progress made in the implementation of the recommendations adopted by the World Conference, and has invited regional and, as appropriate, national human rights institutions, as well as non­governmental organizations, to present their views in this regard;

9. Welcomes with appreciation the preparations and contributions made so far for the five­year implementation review of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action and calls upon all States to contribute actively to this process;

10. Encourages once again regional and national human rights institutions as well as non­governmental organizations to present, on this occasion, their views on the progress made in the implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action;

11. Welcomes Economic and Social Council decision 1998/208, in which the Council decided to devote the coordination segment of its substantive session of 1998 to the question of the coordinated follow­up to and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, as part of the five­year review foreseen in Part II, paragraph 100, of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, and calls upon all United Nations Agencies and programmes to participate actively in this process;

12. Underlines the need to give particular attention to the human rights of women and the girl child in the five­year implementation review of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, taking into account that gender mainstreaming is a key strategy for achieving equality between women and men and the full enjoyment of all human rights by women;

13. Emphasizes the important role of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the system of United Nations human rights organs, as defined in General Assembly resolution 48/141 of 20 December 1993, including her role in the process of analysis of the functioning of the United Nations human rights machinery and its adaptation to current and future needs;

14. Requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue to coordinate human rights promotion and protection activities throughout the United Nations system, as set out in General Assembly resolution 48/141, including through a permanent dialogue with the United Nations agencies and programmes whose activities deal with human rights;

15. Invites the Administrative Committee on Coordination to continue to discuss the implications of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action for the United Nations system, with the participation of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in particular in the context of the 1998 five­year review;

16. Urges all States and the United Nations system to give widespread publicity to the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, in particular in the context of the public information and human rights education activities for the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including through training programmes, human rights education and public information, in order to promote increased awareness of all human rights and fundamental freedoms;

17. Decides to continue its consideration of this question at its fifty­fifth session.

58th meeting
22 April 1998

[Adopted without a vote. See chap. XXI.]