Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

A/RES/59/192No PDF available

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 105bHuman rights questions, including alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, published in 2005.

What other versions does this mandate have?

10 versions · 1999–2010

This is an older version — the most recent is A/RES/64/163

2010A/RES/64/163Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental FreedomsLatestCompare with previous version
2008A/RES/62/152Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental FreedomsCompare with previous version
2006A/RES/60/161Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental FreedomsCompare with previous version
2005A/RES/59/192Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental FreedomsCompare with previous version
2004A/RES/58/178Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental FreedomsCompare with previous version

Versions are identified automatically by matching titles within the same organ (~97% accuracy on a manual audit).

What does this mandate say?

20 operative paragraphs

Calls upon all States to promote and give full effect to the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, including by taking, as appropriate, practical steps to that end;

Welcomes the reports of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders and her contribution to the effective promotion of the Declaration and the improvement of the protection of human rights defenders worldwide;

Encourages all States to ensure and maintain an environment conducive to the work of human rights defenders;

Condemns all human rights violations committed against persons engaged in promoting and defending human rights and fundamental freedoms around the world, and urges States to take all appropriate action, consistent with the Declaration and all other relevant human rights instruments, to eliminate such human rights violations;

Calls upon all States to take all necessary measures to ensure the protection of human rights defenders, at both the local and the national levels;

Also calls upon all States to ensure, protect and respect the freedom of expression and association of human rights defenders and, where registration is required, to facilitate registration, including through the establishment of effective and transparent criteria and non-discriminatory procedures under domestic law;

Urges States to ensure that any measures to combat terrorism and preserve national security comply with their obligations under international law, in particular under international human rights law, and do not hinder the work and safety of human rights defenders;

Emphasizes the importance of combating impunity, and in this regard urges States to take appropriate measures to address the question of impunity for threats, attacks and acts of intimidation against human rights defenders;

Urges States to ensure that complaints from human rights defenders are investigated and addressed in a transparent, independent and accountable manner;

Urges all Governments to cooperate with and assist the Special Representative in the performance of her tasks and to furnish all information in the fulfilment of her mandate upon request;

Calls upon Governments to give serious consideration to responding favourably to the requests of the Special Representative to visit their countries, and urges them to enter into a constructive dialogue with the Special Representative with respect to the follow-up and implementation of her recommendations, so as to enable her to fulfil her mandate even more effectively;

Urges those Governments that have not yet responded to the communications transmitted to them by the Special Representative to answer without further delay;

Invites Governments to translate the Declaration into national languages and to take measures to improve its dissemination;

Encourages States to promote awareness and training in regard to the Declaration in order to enable officials, agencies, authorities and the judiciary to observe the provisions of the Declaration and thus to promote better understanding and respect for human rights defenders;

Requests all concerned United Nations agencies and organizations, within their mandates, to provide all possible assistance and support to the Special Representative in the implementation of her programme of activities;

Invites relevant United Nations bodies, including at the country level, within their mandates and working in cooperation with States, to give due consideration to the Declaration and to the reports of the Special Representative, and requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to draw the attention of all relevant United Nations bodies, including at the country level, to the reports of the Special Representative;

Encourages all Governments to investigate expeditiously urgent appeals and allegations brought to their attention by the Special Representative and to take timely action to prevent violations of the rights of human rights defenders;

Requests the Secretary-General to provide the Special Representative with all necessary human, material and financial resources in order to enable her to continue to carry out her mandate effectively, including through country visits;

Requests the Special Representative to continue to report on her activities to the General Assembly and to the Commission on Human Rights in accordance with her mandate;

Decides to consider the question at its sixtieth session under the item entitled “Human rights questions”.

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Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

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