27 May 1988

16th plenary meeting

Effective implementation of international instruments on human rights

The Economic and Social Council,

Affirming that the effective implementation of international instruments on human rights is of major importance to the efforts made by the United Nations, pursuant to the Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to promote universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Considering that the effective functioning of treaty bodies established in accordance with the relevant provisions of international instruments on human rights plays a fundamental role in this connection and hence represents an important continuing concern of the United Nations,

Recalling the many resolutions adopted by the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and the Commission on Human Rights that have affirmed this concern and addressed various aspects of the effective implementation of international instruments on human rights,

Recalling in particular General Assembly resolution 42/105 of 7 December 1987, concerning reporting obligations of States parties to international instruments on human rights,

1. Appeals strongly to all States that have not yet become parties to international instruments on human rights to do so;

2. Emphasizes the interest and responsibility of States parties to the various human rights instruments in ensuring that legal, financial and administrative difficulties affecting the functioning of the relevant treaty bodies are appropriately addressed;

3. Urges all States parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and all States parties to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment to comply fully with their financial obligations under these conventions;

4. Emphasizes that the United Nations has an interest in ensuring that difficulties affecting the functioning of the relevant treaty bodies are appropriately addressed;

5. Affirms its commitment to relevant provisions of various resolutions of the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and the Commission on Human Rights, addressing such issues as:

(a) The importance of effective systems of periodic reporting by States parties to international instruments on human rights for reviewing and assisting efforts to promote and protect the rights and freedoms elaborated in those instruments;

(b) The need for the United Nations to ensure that financial difficulties, which may increasingly impede the functioning of certain human rights treaty bodies and deter universal acceptance of certain international instruments on human rights, are appropriately addressed;

(c) The importance of the application of universally recognized criteria in the implementation of provisions of the international instruments on human rights;

6. Requests the Secretary-General to fully inform the General Assembly at its forty-third session, the Economic and Social Council at its first regular session of 1989 and the Commission on Human Rights, as its subsidiary body, at its forty-fifth session, as well as the second meeting of chairmen of human rights treaty bodies, of further developments concerning the effective functioning of treaty bodies established in accordance with the international instruments on human rights.