25 November 1981

International Covenants on Human Rights

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolutions 32/66 of 8 December 1977, 33/51 of 14 December 1978, 34/45 of 23 November 1979 and 35/132 of 11 December 1980, Having noted the report of the Secretary-General on the status of 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,

Noting with appreciation that, following its appeal, more Member States have acceded to the International Covenants on Human Rights,

Bearing in mind the important responsibilities of the Economic and Social Council in relation to the International Covenants on Human Rights,

Recognizing the important role of the Human Rights Committee in the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Optional Protocol thereto,

Taking into account the important responsibilities of the Sessional Working Group on the Implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,

1. Notes with appreciation the report of the Human Rights Committee on its eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth sessions and expresses satisfaction at the serious and constructive manner in which the Committee is continuing to undertake its functions;

2. Expresses its appreciation to the States parties to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which have extended their co-operation to the Human Rights Committee when submitting their reports under article 40 of the Covenant and urges States parties which have not yet done so to submit their reports to the Committee as speedily as possible;

3. Urges the States parties to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which have been requested by the Human Rights Committee to provide additional information to comply with this request;

4. Takes note of the decisions of the Human Rights Committee on the question of periodicity and on guidelines regarding the form and content of reports from States parties under article 40, paragraph 1 (b), of the Covenant as well as the adoption by the Committee of general comments under article 40, paragraph 4, of the Covenant;

5. Commends the States parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights that have submitted their reports under article 16 of the Covenant and urges States which have not yet done so to submit their reports as soon as possible;

6. Takes due note of Economic and Social Council decision 1981/162 of 8 May 1981 concerning the review of the composition, organization and administrative arrangements of the Sessional Working Group of Governmental Experts on the Implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and looks forward to further results in this regard at the first regular session of the Council in 1982;

7. Again invites all States which have not yet done so to become parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as well as to consider acceding to the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;

8. Invites the States parties to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to consider making the declaration provided for in article 41 of the Covenant;

9. Appreciates that the Human Rights Committee continues to strive for uniform standards in the implementation of the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and of the Optional Protocol thereto;

10. Emphasizes the importance of the strictest compliance by States parties with their obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and, where applicable, the Optional Protocol thereto;

11. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to keep the Human Rights Committee informed of the activities of the Commission on Human Rights, the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities and the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and also to transmit the annual reports of the Human Rights Committee to these bodies;

12. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its thirty-seventh session a report on the status of 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;

13. Welcomes the measures taken by the Secretary-General to improve the publicity for the work of the Human Rights Committee and requests the Secretary-General to consider the most appropriate steps for the publication of the Committee's documentation and to report on this question to the thirty-seventh session;

14. Requests the Secretary-General to continue take all possible steps to ensure that the Division on Human Rights of the Secretariat is able to assist effectively the Human Rights Committee and the Economic and Social Council in this implementation of their respective functions under the International Covenants on Human Rights, taking into account General Assembly resolutions 3534 (XXX) of 17 December 1975 and 31/93 of 14 December 1976.