RES/30/21 Enhancement of technical cooperation and capacity-building in the field of human rights

Human Rights Council Thirtieth session

Agenda item 10

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council on 2 October 2015

30/21. Enhancement of technical cooperation and capacity-building

in the field of human rights

The Human Rights Council,

Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,

particularly with regard to achieving international cooperation in promoting and

encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all, 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 the obligation of States under the Charter to promote universal respect

for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Recognizing that the enhancement of international cooperation is essential for the

effective promotion and protection of human rights, which should be based on the

principles of cooperation and genuine dialogue and aimed at strengthening the capacity of

States to prevent human rights violations and comply with their human rights obligations

for the benefit of all human beings,

Recalling the mandate of the Human Rights Council to promote advisory services,

technical assistance and capacity-building, to be provided in consultation with and with the

consent of States concerned, and provisions in Council resolutions 5/1 and 5/2 of 18 June

2007 and 16/21 of 25 March 2011 that aim to enable the Council to fulfil such a mandate,

Recalling also Human Rights Council resolutions 29/2 of 29 June 2015 and 26/19 of

26 June 2014, in which the Council resolved to ensure respect for the human rights and

fundamental freedoms of all migrants,

Recalling further all relevant international human rights instruments, particularly the

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on

Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel,

Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Convention on the Elimination of All

Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the

International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the International Convention on

United Nations A/HRC/RES/30/21

General Assembly

the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, as

well as the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees,

Acknowledging the cultural and economic contributions made by migrants to their

communities of origin and destination and the need to identify appropriate means of

maximizing development benefits, to respond to the challenges that migration poses to

countries of origin, transit and destination, to promote dignified, humane treatment with

applicable protections and access to basic services, and to strengthen mechanisms for

international cooperation,

Recognizing that States are responsible for promoting and protecting the human

rights of all persons, including irregular migrants, who are in their territory, and subject to

their jurisdiction, in accordance with their international human rights obligations,

Recognizing also the shared responsibilities of countries of origin, transit and

destination in promoting and protecting the human rights of migrants and avoiding

approaches that might aggravate their vulnerability, bearing in mind the need to address

the special situation and vulnerability of migrant women and girls,

Expressing deep concern that the number of people who are forcibly displaced has

reached the highest level since the Second World War, and underlining that it is necessary

for Member States to respect their obligations under international law, including provision

of international protection, as appropriate,

Deeply concerned at the large and growing number of migrants, especially women

and children, including those unaccompanied or separated from their parents, who find

themselves in a vulnerable situation by attempting to cross international borders, and

recognizing the obligation of States to respect the human rights of those migrants in

accordance with their applicable international human rights obligations,

1. Encourages Members and observers of the Human Rights Council to use,

where relevant, the general debate under agenda item 10 as a platform to share experiences,

challenges and information on assistance needed in the implementation of their human

rights obligations and voluntary pledges and commitments, including accepted universal

periodic review recommendations, as well as their achievements and good practices in the

area of technical cooperation in the field of human rights;

2. Emphasizes that the discussion to promote technical cooperation and

capacity-building in the Human Rights Council should be based on consultations with and

the consent of the States concerned, and should take into account their needs, as well as the

fact that all human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated and aim

to make a concrete impact on the ground;

3. Affirms that technical cooperation should be an inclusive exercise that

engages and involves all national stakeholders, including government agencies and civil

societies, at all stages;

4. Reaffirms the need for enhanced voluntary contributions to the relevant

United Nations funds to support technical assistance and capacity-building, particularly the

United Nations Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights,

the Voluntary Fund for participation in the universal periodic review and the Voluntary

Trust Fund for Financial and Technical Assistance for the Implementation of the Universal

Periodic Review, and encourages States to make contribution to these funds, especially

those who have not yet done so;

5. Welcomes the panel discussion held under agenda item 10 at the twenty-

eighth session of the Human Rights Council on the theme “Technical cooperation to

support inclusive and participatory development and poverty eradication at the national

level”, which underlined the importance of technical cooperation and capacity-building to

fill the gaps and support States in overcoming challenges in the implementation of their

national development and poverty eradication policies to ensure that such policies are

inclusive, participatory and leave no one behind;

6. Underscores the importance of international, regional and bilateral

cooperation and dialogue in the protection of the human rights of all migrants, particularly

at a time when both regular and irregular migration flows have increased in

the globalized economy and occur in a context of conflicts and continued security concerns,

while taking into account the multidimensional character of the migratory phenomenon;

7. Encourages States, relevant international organizations, intergovernmental

bodies, civil society, including non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to

continue and to enhance their dialogue with a view to strengthening and making more

inclusive public policies aimed at promoting and respecting the human rights of all

migrants;

8. Decides, in accordance with paragraphs 3 and 4 of its resolution 18/18 of 29

September 2011, that the theme for the annual thematic panel discussion under agenda item

10 to be held during its thirty-first session will be “Technical cooperation and capacity-

building to promote and protect the rights of all migrants, including women, children, older

persons and persons with disabilities”;

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

Rights to prepare a report on the activities undertaken by the Office, other relevant United

Nations agencies and, where applicable, regional organizations to support efforts by States

to promote and protect the rights of migrants in their national legislation, policies and

programmes, and to submit it to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-first session, to

serve as a basis for the thematic panel discussion, and to liaise with States, relevant United

Nations bodies and agencies, relevant special procedures and other stakeholders, including,

where applicable, those involved in technical cooperation projects that demonstrate best

practices, constructive engagement and positive impact on the ground with a view to

ensuring their participation in the thematic panel discussion.

42nd meeting

2 October 2015

[Adopted without a vote.]