RES/20/2 Conscientious objection to military service

GE.12-15288

Human Rights Council Twentieth session

Agenda item 3

Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,

political, economic, social and cultural rights,

including the right to development

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council 

20/2.

Conscientious objection to military service

The Human Rights Council,

Bearing in mind that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in

the Universal Declaration of Human Rights without distinction of any kind, such as race,

colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property,

birth or other status,

Reaffirming that it is recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and

the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that everyone has the right to life,

liberty and security of person, as well as the right to freedom of thought, conscience and

religion and the right not to be discriminated against,

Recalling all previous relevant resolutions and decisions, including Human Rights

Council decision 2/102 of 6 October 2006 and Commission on Human Rights resolutions

2004/35 of 19 April 2004 and 1998/77 of 22 April 1998, in which the Commission

recognized the right of everyone to have conscientious objection to military service as a

legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, as laid down

in article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and article 18 of the

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and general comment No. 22 (1993) of

the Human Rights Committee,

1. Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human

Rights to prepare, in consultation with all States, relevant United Nations agencies,

programmes and funds, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and

national human rights institutions, a quadrennial analytical report on conscientious

objection to military service, in particular on new developments, best practices and

 The resolutions and decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council will be contained in the report of the Council on its twentieth session (A/HRC/20/2), chap. I.

remaining challenges, and to submit the first report to the Human Rights Council at its

twenty-third session, under agenda item 3;

2. Encourages all States, relevant United Nations agencies, programmes and

funds, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and national human rights

institutions to cooperate fully with the Office of the High Commissioner by providing

relevant information for the preparation of the report on conscientious objection to military

service;

3. Calls upon all States to continue to review, as appropriate, their laws, policies

and practices relating to conscientious objection to military service, including by

considering, inter alia, introducing alternatives to military service, in the light of the present

resolution.

31st meeting

5 July 2012

[Adopted without a vote.]