RES/6/20 Regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights

Human Rights Council

Resolution 6/20. Regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights

The Human Rights Council,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 32/127 of 16 December 1977 and the

subsequent resolutions of the General Assembly concerning regional arrangements for

the promotion and protection of human rights, the latest being 61/167 of 19 December

2006,

Recalling also Commission on Human Rights resolution 1993/51 of 9 March

1993 and its subsequent resolutions in this regard,

Bearing in mind paragraph 5 (h) of General Assembly resolution 60/251 in

which it was decided that the Council shall work in close cooperation with regional

organizations,

Bearing in mind also the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action

adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights on 25 June 1993, which reiterates,

inter alia, the need to consider the possibility of establishing regional and subregional

arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights where they do not

already exist,

Reaffirming that regional arrangements play an important role in promoting

and protecting human rights and should reinforce universal human rights standards, as

contained in international human rights instruments,

1. Welcomes progress made by Governments in the establishment of

regional and subregional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human

rights as well as their achievements in all regions of the world;

2. Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to

convene in 2008 a workshop for an exchange of views on good practices, added value

and challenges for such regional arrangements, with the participation of

representatives of the relevant regional and subregional arrangements from different

regions, experts as well as all interested United Nations Member States, observers,

national human rights institutions and representatives of non-governmental

organizations, based on arrangements, including Economic and Social Council

resolution 1996/31 of 25 July 1996 and practices observed by the Commission on

Human Rights;

3. Requests the Office of the High Commissioner to present to the

Council a summary of the discussions of the workshop, at a moment in conformity

with the programme of work of the Council.

[Adopted without a vote] 22nd meeting

28 September 2007

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