21 May 1986

16th plenary meeting

Twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the International Covenants on Human Rights

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling that 1986 marks the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, as well as the tenth anniversary of their entry into force,

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,

Conscious that the General Assembly proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations and that the International Covenants on Human Rights develop its provisions, constitute the first all-embracing and legally-binding international treaties in the field of human rights, and establish standards to which States should conform,

Recalling that responsibility for the discharge of the functions of the United Nations in the field of promoting universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion, is vested in the General Assembly and, under the authority of the General Assembly, in the Economic and Social Council,

Welcoming the decision of the General Assembly, in its 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,

Noting Commission on Human Rights resolution 1986/17 of 10 March 1986, in which the Commission reaffirmed the importance of the International Covenants on Human Rights as major elements of international efforts to promote universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Noting that only half of the States Members of the United Nations have acceded to the International Covenants on Human Rights and conscious of the desirability of participation of all States in the Covenants,

1. Invites States to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights by continuing and strengthening measures designed to conform with the provisions of the Covenants;

2. Appeals strongly, on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the Covenants, to all States that have not yet become parties to these 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;

3. Invites the Secretary-General, on the same occasion, to continue systematically encouraging States to become parties to the 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 assisting them to ratify them or accede thereto,

4. Encourages all Governments to publish the texts of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in as many languages as possible and to distribute them and make them known as widely as possible in their territories;

5. Invites all States and international organizations to carry out special activities on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the Covenants.