Enhancement of International Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights

A/HRC/RES/59/3View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A document of the Human Rights Council, under agenda item 3 Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development, published in 2025.

What else is in this group?

49 documents · 1997–2026

Newer documents in this group exist (latest: 2026).

Year	Symbol	Title	Word length	Text similarity
2026	A/HRC/RES/62/6	Enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights	3,386	–
2025	A/RES/80/204	Enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights	1,317	–
2025	A/HRC/RES/59/3	Enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights	3,575	–
2024	A/RES/79/166	Enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights	1,316	–
2024	A/HRC/RES/56/2	Enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights	3,336	–

This group bundles related documents that are not individually ordered.

Who cites this mandate in the budget?

1 entity

Entity	(Sub-)Programme	Title	Total mandates cited	Expenditure
	Programme 20	Human rights	433

Historical expenditure covers the complete programme or subprogramme, not this mandate. For an overview of all UN entities and programmes, see UN entities and programmes.

Who cites this mandate in the budget?

1 entity

Entity	(Sub-)Programme	Title	Total mandates cited	Expenditure
	Programme 20	Human rights	433	—

Historical expenditure covers the complete programme or subprogramme, not this mandate. For an overview of all UN entities and programmes, see UN entities and programmes.

What subjects does this mandate have?

3 subjects

Human Rights Human Rights Advancement International Cooperation

What’s in this document?

39 operative paragraphs

Reaffirms that it is one of the purposes of the United Nations and also the primary responsibility of States to promote, protect and encourage respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all through, inter alia, international cooperation;

Recognizes that, in addition to their separate responsibilities to their individual societies, States have a collective responsibility to uphold the principles of human dignity, equality and equity at the global level;

Reaffirms the duty of States to cooperate with one another in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations in the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, including with respect to the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination and all forms of religious intolerance;

Underlines the fact that States have pledged to cooperate and act in collaboration with the United Nations, in accordance with the Charter, for the achievement of universal respect for and observance of human rights;

Reaffirms that States should realize their rights and fulfil their duties in such a manner as to promote a new international economic order based on sovereign equality, interdependence, mutual interest and cooperation among all States, and to encourage the observance and realization of human rights;

Also reaffirms that dialogue among and within cultures and civilizations facilitates the promotion of a culture of tolerance and respect for diversity, and welcomes in this regard the holding of conferences and meetings at the national, regional and international levels on dialogue among civilizations;

Urges all actors on the international scene to build an international order based on inclusion, justice, equality and equity, human dignity, mutual understanding and the promotion of and respect for cultural diversity and universal human rights, and to reject all doctrines of exclusion based on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;

Expresses its concern at the continued imposition of unilateralism and unilateral coercive measures, which hinder the well-being of the population in affected States and create obstacles to the full realization of their human rights, and reaffirms the importance of international cooperation and solidarity to address the negative impact of these measures;

Resolves to promote respect for and preserve cultural diversity within and between communities and nations while respecting human rights law, including cultural rights, with a view to creating a harmonious multicultural world;

Calls upon the international community to maximize the benefits of globalization through, inter alia, the strengthening and enhancement of international cooperation and global communications for the promotion of understanding and respect for cultural diversity;

Reaffirms the importance of the enhancement of international cooperation for the promotion and protection of human rights and for the achievement of the objectives of the fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;

Emphasizes that essential goods and services, such as food, medicines and healthcare, should under no circumstances be used as tools for political coercion and that States should refrain from hindering international cooperation related to such goods and services, depriving people of their basic needs and human rights;

Considers that international cooperation in the field of human rights, consistent with the purposes and principles set out in the Charter and international law, should make an effective and practical contribution to the urgent task of preventing violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms;

Reaffirms that each State has the inalienable right to choose freely and develop, in accordance with the sovereign will of its people, its own political, social, economic and cultural systems, without interference from any other State or non-State actor, in strict conformity with the Charter and consistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other relevant international instruments;

Re-emphasizes that acts, methods and practices of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations are activities aimed at the destruction of human rights, fundamental freedoms and democracy, threatening the territorial integrity and security of States and destabilizing legitimately constituted Governments, and that the international community should take the steps necessary to enhance cooperation to prevent and combat terrorism;

Also re-emphasizes the need to promote a cooperative and constructive approach to the promotion and protection of human rights and to further enhance the role of the Human Rights Council in promoting advisory services, technical assistance and capacity-building to support efforts to ensure the equal realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, where appropriate;

Reaffirms that the promotion, protection and full realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all should be guided by the principles of universality, non-selectivity, objectivity and transparency and the enhancement of international cooperation in a manner consistent with the purposes and principles set out in the Charter;

Emphasizes the importance of the universal periodic review as a mechanism based on cooperation and constructive dialogue with the objective of, inter alia, improving the situation of human rights on the ground and promoting the fulfilment of the human rights obligations and commitments undertaken by States;

Also emphasizes the need for a cooperative and constructive approach on the part of all stakeholders to resolving human rights issues in international forums;

Further emphasizes the role of international cooperation in support of national efforts and in increasing the capacities of States in the field of human rights through, inter alia, the enhancement of their cooperation with human rights mechanisms, including through the provision of technical assistance, upon the request of and in accordance with the priorities set by the States concerned;

Takes note of the annual update on the activities of the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights;⁵

⁵A/HRC/58/78.

Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to seek to enhance dialogue with representatives from non-traditional donor countries with a view to broadening the donor base and to replenishing the resources available to the funds;

Also requests the Office of the High Commissioner to make clear the process by which States request assistance from the funds, and to process such requests in a timely and transparent manner that adequately responds to the requesting States;

Urges States to continue to support the funds;

Calls upon States, specialized agencies and intergovernmental organizations to continue to carry out a constructive and cooperative dialogue and consultations for the enhancement of understanding and the promotion and protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, and encourages non-governmental organizations to contribute actively to this endeavour;

Calls upon States to further advance initiatives aimed at enhancing international cooperation in the field of human rights on issues of common interest and concern, bearing in mind the need to promote a cooperative and constructive approach in this regard;

Urges States to take, upon request by affected States, the measures necessary to enhance bilateral, regional and international cooperation aimed at addressing the adverse impact of consecutive and compounded global crises, such as health crises, financial and economic crises, food crises, climate change and natural disasters, and refugee and internal displacement crises, on the full enjoyment of human rights;

Recognizes the need to strengthen international cooperation in the field of health, including North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation, for the realization of human rights, in particular the right to health, and calls upon third States to refrain from hindering bilateral, regional or international cooperation projects in the field of health;

Reaffirms its commitment to international cooperation and multilateralism, and its strong support for the central role of the United Nations system in the global response to pandemics that constitute a threat to public health;

Urges States to take further steps to develop and diffuse science, and to recognize the benefits to be derived from the encouragement and development of international contacts and cooperation in the scientific fields, reiterates in this respect the right of everyone to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications, and calls for intensified international cooperation to address the continuing negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic;

Requests all States and the United Nations system to explore and foster complementarities among North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation aiming at the enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights, and requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to undertake concrete activities in this regard, including by studying, promoting and preparing a compilation of best practices;

Recalls the importance of the mandate given to the High Commissioner to organize five regional seminars as set out by the Human Rights Council in its resolutions 53/11 of 12 July 2023 and 56/2 of 10 July 2024, and reiterates its request to the High Commissioner to organize a series of regional seminars, one for each of the five geographical regions, on the contribution of North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation to the enjoyment of all human rights, including the right to development, in order to allow States, relevant United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, international and regional organizations, national human rights institutions, civil society organizations and other stakeholders to augment their activities in identifying challenges and gaps and sharing good practices and experiences in this regard before the sixty-fifth session of the Council;

Requests the Secretary-General to provide all the resources necessary for the above-mentioned regional seminars, its services and facilities, and requests the High Commissioner to prepare a summary report on the discussions held at the seminars and to present the report to the Human Rights Council at its sixty-fifth session;

Takes note of the report of the High Commissioner on the implementation and enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights, submitted to the Human Rights Council at the present session;⁶

⁶A/HRC/59/36.

Requests the High Commissioner to prepare a new report on the work of the Office of the High Commissioner in the implementation and enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights, proposing also possible ways to face the challenges to the promotion and protection of human rights, including the right to development, and to submit the report to the Human Rights Council at its sixty-second session;

Invites States and relevant United Nations human rights mechanisms and procedures to continue to pay attention to the importance of mutual cooperation, understanding and dialogue in ensuring the promotion and protection of all human rights;

Recalls that, in its resolution 78/197 of 19 December 2023, the General Assembly requested the Human Rights Council to consider further proposals for the strengthening of United Nations action in the field of human rights through the promotion of international cooperation and the importance of the principles of non-selectivity, impartiality and objectivity, including in the context of the universal periodic review;

Also recalls that, in its resolution 79/166 of 17 December 2024, the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General, in collaboration with the High Commissioner, to consult States and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations on ways and means, as well as on obstacles and challenges and possible proposals to overcome them, for the enhancement of international cooperation and genuine dialogue in the United Nations human rights machinery, including the Human Rights Council;

Decides to continue its consideration of the matter at its sixty-second session, in accordance with its annual programme of work.

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