16 December 1981

Question of the international legal protection of the human rights of individuals who are not citizens of the country in which they live

The General Assembly,

Bearing in mind Economic and Social Council resolutions 1790 (LIV) of 18 May 1973 and 1871 (LVI) of 17 May 1974 concerning the question of the international legal protection of the human rights of individuals who are not citizens of the country in which they live,

Noting Commission on Human Rights resolutions 8 (XXIX) of 21 March 1973, 11 (XXX) of 6 March 1974, 16 (XXXV) of 14 March 1979 and 19 (XXXVI) of 29 February 1980, on the same subject,

Noting also resolution 9 (XXXI) of the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities,

Recalling that the Economic and Social Council, by its resolution 1980/29 of 2 May 1980, decided to transmit to the General Assembly at its thirty-fifth session the text of the draft declaration on the human rights of individuals who are not citizens of the country in which they live, prepared by the Special Rapporteur of the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, the Baroness Elles, and amended by the Sub-Commission, together with the comments on the text received from Member States in response to Council decision 1979/36 of 10 May 1979 and recommended that the General Assembly should consider the adoption of a declaration on the subject,

Recalling also its resolution 35/199 of 15 December 1980, in which it decided to establish an open-ended Working Group for the purpose of concluding the elaboration of the draft declaration on the human rights of individuals who are not citizens of the country in which they live,

Having considered the report of the open-ended Working Group,

1. Takes note of the report of the open-ended Working Group and of the fact that, although the Working Group has done useful work, it has not had sufficient time to conclude its task;

2. Decides to establish, at its thirty-seventh session, an open-ended Working Group for the purpose of concluding the elaboration of the draft declaration on the human rights of individuals who are not citizens of the country in which they live;

3. Expresses the hope that a draft declaration on the human rights of individuals who are not citizens of the country in which they live will be adopted by the General Assembly at its thirty-seventh session.