Documents

OEA/Ser.P
AG/RES. 1783 (XXXI-O/01)
5 June 2001
Original: Spanish

OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

(Resolution adopted at the third plenary session, held on June 5, 2001;
subject to review by the Style Committee)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

HAVING SEEN the annual report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), the presentation thereof by the President of the Commission (CP/CAJP-1808/01), and the observations and recommendations of the Permanent Council on the annual report of the IACHR (CP/doc.3480/01); and

CONSIDERING:

That in their Charter the member states of the Organization of American States have proclaimed as one of their principles respect for the fundamental rights of the individual without distinction as to race, nationality, creed, or sex;

That, under the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights, the principal function of the IACHR is to promote the observance and protection of human rights;
That the Heads of State and Government expressed in the Declaration of the Second Summit of the Americas (Santiago, Chile, 1998) that "respect for and promotion of human rights and the fundamental freedoms of all individuals is a primary concern of our governments";

That in the Declaration of the Third Summit of the Americas (Quebec City, Canada, 2001), the Heads of State and Government stated that their "commitment to full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms is based on shared principles and convictions" and that they supported "strengthening and enhancing the effectiveness of the inter American human rights system, which includes the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights"; and

That the member states have reaffirmed the inextricable link between human rights, democracy, and development;

RECOGNIZING that the universal protection and promotion of human rights are fundamental if democratic societies are to function properly and underscoring the importance of respect for the rule of law, equitable and effective access to justice, and participation by all sectors of society in public decision-making; and

RECALLING that unfailing respect for the provisions of international human rights law is the basis for the legitimate action of the organs for the promotion and protection of human rights and of those states that have undertaken, through international instruments, to respect such provisions,

RESOLVES:

1. To take note of the annual report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and to thank the Commission for presenting it.

2. To receive with satisfaction the report of the Permanent Council on the observations and recommendations of the member states on the annual report of the IACHR and to transmit that report to the Commission.

3. To recommend to the IACHR that it take account of the concerns and observations of the member states on the form and content of its annual report, in particular, on the report of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression.

4. To urge the IACHR to continue to promote the observance and protection of human rights, in keeping with the provisions governing its competence and operations, in particular, the OAS Charter, the American Convention on Human Rights, and the Commission's Statute and Rule of Procedure.

5. To recognize the work of the Commission in this area, and to urge the member states to continue their collaboration with the Commission and their support for those efforts.

6. To urge those member states of the OAS that have not yet done so to focus, pursuant to the Plan of Action of the Third Summit of the Americas, on the universal adoption of the inter-American human rights system by increasing the number of accessions to its basic instruments and, in that regard, to consider as early as possible the signature and ratification of, or accession to, as appropriate, the American Convention on Human Rights and other instruments of the system.

7. To instruct the Permanent Council to promote, in the coming fiscal periods, an adequate increase in the resources allocated to the IACHR, given that the protection of human rights is a fundamental priority of the Organization.

8. To request the Permanent Council to present a report on the implementation of this resolution to the General Assembly at its thirty-second regular session.