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VIENNA DECLARATION PART III



VIENNA DECLARATION AND PROGRAMME OF ACTION
(posted in III parts for easier downloading)
 
Part III
 
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     3.  The equal status and human rights of women
 
36.  The World Conference on Human Rights urges the full and
equal enjoyment by women of all human rights and that this be
a priority for Governments and for the United Nations.  The
World Conference on Human Rights also underlines the
importance of the integration and full participation of women
as both agents and beneficiaries in the development process,
and reiterates the objectives established on global action for
women towards sustainable and equitable development set forth
in the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and 
chapter 24 of Agenda 21, adopted by the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development (Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil, 3-14 June 1992).
 
37.  The equal status of women and the human rights of women
should be integrated into the mainstream of United Nations
system-wide activity.  These issues should be regularly and
systematically addressed throughout relevant United Nations
bodies and mechanisms.  In particular, steps should be taken
to increase cooperation and promote further integration of
objectives and goals between the Commission on the Status of
Women, the Commission on Human Rights, the Committee for the
Elimination of Discrimination against Women, the United
Nations Development Fund for Women, the United Nations
Development Programme and other United Nations agencies.  In
this context, cooperation and coordination should be
strengthened between the Centre for Human Rights and the
Division for the Advancement of Women.
 
38.  In particular, the World Conference on Human Rights
stresses the importance of working towards the elimination of
violence against women in public and private life, the
elimination of all forms of sexual harassment, exploitation
and trafficking in women, the elimination of gender bias in
the administration of justice and the eradication of any
conflicts which may arise between the rights of women and the
harmful effects of certain traditional or customary practices,
cultural prejudices and religious extremism.  The World
Conference on Human Rights calls upon the General Assembly to
adopt the draft declaration on violence against women and
urges States to combat violence against women in accordance
with its provisions.  Violations of the human rights of women
in situations of armed conflict are violations of the
fundamental principles of international human rights and
humanitarian law.  All violations of this kind, including in
particular murder, systematic rape, sexual slavery, and forced
pregnancy, require a particularly effective response.
 
39.  The World Conference on Human Rights urges the
eradication of all forms of discrimination against women, both
hidden and overt.  The United Nations should encourage the
goal of universal ratification by all States of the Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women by the year 2000.  Ways and means of addressing the
particularly large number of reservations to the Convention
should be encouraged.  Inter alia, the Committee on the
Elimination of Discrimination against Women should continue
its review of reservations to the Convention.  States are
urged to withdraw reservations that are contrary to the object
and purpose of the Convention or which are otherwise
incompatible with international treaty law. 
 
40.  Treaty monitoring bodies should disseminate necessary
information to enable women to make more effective use of
existing implementation procedures in their pursuits of full
and equal enjoyment of human rights and non-discrimination. 
New procedures should also be adopted to strengthen
implementation of the commitment to women's equality and the
human rights of women. The Commission on the Status of Women
and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against
Women should quickly examine the possibility of introducing
the right of petition through the preparation of an optional
protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women.  The World Conference on Human
Rights welcomes the decision of the Commission on Human Rights
to consider the appointment of a special rapporteur on
violence against women at its fiftieth session.
 
41.  The World Conference on Human Rights recognizes the
importance of the enjoyment by women of the highest standard
of physical and mental health throughout their life span.  In
the context of the World Conference on Women and the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women, as well as the Proclamation of Tehran of 1968,
the World Conference on Human Rights reaffirms, on the basis
of equality between women and men, a woman's right to
accessible and adequate health care and the widest range of
family planning services, as well as equal access to education
at all levels. 
 
42.  Treaty monitoring bodies should include the status of
women and the human rights of women in their deliberations and
findings, making use of gender-specific data.  States should 
be encouraged to supply information on the situation of women
de jure and de facto in their reports to treaty monitoring
bodies.  The World Conference on Human Rights notes with
satisfaction that the Commission on Human Rights adopted at
its forty-ninth session resolution 1993/46 of 8 March 1993
stating that rapporteurs and working groups in the field of
human rights should also be encouraged to do so.  Steps should
also be taken by the Division for the Advancement of Women in
cooperation with other United Nations bodies, specifically the
Centre for Human Rights, to ensure that the human rights
activities of the United Nations regularly address violations
of women's human rights, including gender-specific abuses. 
Training for United Nations human rights and humanitarian
relief personnel to assist them to recognize and deal with
human rights abuses particular to women and to carry out their
work without gender bias should be encouraged.
 
43.  The World Conference on Human Rights urges Governments
and regional and international organizations to facilitate the
access of women to decision-making posts and their greater
participation in the decision-making process.  It encourages
further steps within the United Nations Secretariat to appoint
and promote women staff members in accordance with the Charter
of the United Nations, and encourages other principal and
subsidiary organs of the United Nations to guarantee the
participation of women under conditions of equality.
 
44.  The World Conference on Human Rights welcomes the World
Conference on Women to be held in Beijing in 1995 and urges
that human rights of women should play an important role in
its deliberations, in accordance with the priority themes of
the World Conference on Women of equality, development and
peace.  
 
                 4.  The rights of the child
 
45.  The World Conference on Human Rights reiterates the
principle of "First Call for Children" and, in this respect,
underlines the importance of major national and international
efforts, especially those of the United Nations Children's
Fund, for promoting respect for the rights of the child to
survival, protection, development and participation.
 
46.  Measures should be taken to achieve universal
ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by
1995 and the universal signing of the World Declaration on the
Survival, Protection and Development of Children and Plan of
Action adopted by the World Summit for Children, as well as
their effective implementation.  The World Conference on Human
Rights urges States to withdraw reservations to the Convention
on the Rights of the Child contrary to the object and purpose
of the Convention or otherwise contrary to international
treaty law. 
 
47.  The World Conference on Human Rights urges all nations to
undertake measures to the maximum extent of their available
resources, with the support of international cooperation, to
achieve the goals in the World Summit Plan of Action.  The
Conference calls on States to integrate the Convention on the
Rights of the Child into their national action plans.  By
means of these national action plans and through international
efforts, particular priority should be placed on reducing
infant and maternal mortality rates, reducing malnutrition and
illiteracy rates and providing access to safe drinking water
and to basic education.  Whenever so called for, national
plans of action should be devised to combat devastating
emergencies resulting from natural disasters and armed
conflicts and the equally grave problem of children in extreme
poverty. 
 
48.  The World Conference on Human Rights urges all States,
with the support of international cooperation, to address the
acute problem of children under especially difficult
circumstances.  Exploitation and abuse of children should be
actively combated, including by addressing their root causes. 
Effective measures are required against female infanticide,
harmful child labour, sale of children and organs, child
prostitution, child pornography, as well as other forms of
sexual abuse. 
 
49.  The World Conference on Human Rights supports all
measures by the United Nations and its specialized agencies to
ensure the effective protection and promotion of human rights
of the girl child.  The World Conference on Human Rights urges
States to repeal existing laws and regulations and remove
customs and practices which discriminate against and cause
harm to the girl child.
 
50.  The World Conference on Human Rights strongly supports
the proposal that the Secretary-General initiate a study into
means of improving the protection of children in armed
conflicts.  Humanitarian norms should be implemented and
measures taken in order to protect and facilitate assistance
to children in war zones.  Measures should include protection
for children against indiscriminate use of all weapons of war,
especially anti-personnel mines.  The need for aftercare and
rehabilitation of children traumatized by war must be
addressed urgently.  The Conference calls on the Committee on
the Rights of the Child to study the question of raising the
minimum age of recruitment into armed forces.  
 
51.  The World Conference on Human Rights recommends that
matters relating to human rights and the situation of children
be regularly reviewed and monitored by all relevant organs and
mechanisms of the United Nations system and by the supervisory 
bodies of the specialized agencies in accordance with their
mandates.
 
52.  The World Conference on Human Rights recognizes the
important role played by non-governmental organizations in the
effective implementation of all human rights instruments and,
in particular, the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
 
53.  The World Conference on Human Rights recommends that the
Committee on the Rights of the Child, with the assistance of
the Centre for Human Rights, be enabled expeditiously and
effectively to meet its mandate, especially in view of the
unprecedented extent of ratification and subsequent submission
of country reports.
 
               5.  Freedom from torture
 
54.  The World Conference on Human Rights welcomes the
ratification by many Member States of the Convention against
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment and encourages its speedy ratification by all other
Member States.
 
55.  The World Conference on Human Rights emphasizes that one
of the most atrocious violations against human dignity is the
act of torture, the result of which destroys the dignity and
impairs the capability of victims to continue their lives and
their activities.
 
56.  The World Conference on Human Rights reaffirms that under
human rights law and international humanitarian law, freedom
from torture is a right which must be protected under all
circumstances, including in times of internal or international
disturbance or armed conflicts.
 
57.  The World Conference on Human Rights therefore urges all
States to put an immediate end to the practice of torture and
eradicate this evil forever through full implementation of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as the relevant
conventions and, where necessary, strengthening of existing
mechanisms.  The World Conference on Human Rights calls on all
States to cooperate fully with the Special Rapporteur on the
question of torture in the fulfilment of his mandate.
 
58.  Special attention should be given to ensure universal
respect for, and effective implementation of, the Principles
of Medical Ethics relevant to the Role of Health Personnel,
particularly Physicians, in the Protection of Prisoners and
Detainees against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment or Punishment adopted by the General
Assembly of the United Nations.
 
59.  The World Conference on Human Rights stresses the
importance of further concrete action within the framework of
the United Nations with the view to providing assistance to
victims of torture and ensure more effective remedies for
their physical, psychological and social rehabilitation. 
Providing the necessary resources for this purpose should be
given high priority, inter alia, by additional contributions
to the United Nations Voluntary Fund for the Victims of
Torture.
 
60.  States should abrogate legislation leading to impunity
for those responsible for grave violations of human rights
such as torture and prosecute such violations, thereby
providing a firm basis for the rule of law.
 
61.  The World Conference on Human Rights reaffirms that
efforts to eradicate torture should, first and foremost, be
concentrated on prevention and,  therefore, calls for the
early adoption of an optional protocol to the Convention
against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading
Treatment or Punishment, which is intended to establish a
preventive system of regular visits to places of detention.
 
Enforced disappearances
 
62.  The World Conference on Human Rights, welcoming the
adoption by the General Assembly of the Declaration on the
Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, calls
upon all States to take effective legislative, administrative,
judicial or other measures to prevent, terminate and punish
acts of enforced disappearances.  The World Conference on
Human Rights reaffirms that it is the duty of all States,
under any circumstances, to make investigations whenever there
is reason to believe that an enforced disappearance has taken
place on a territory under their jurisdiction and, if
allegations are confirmed, to prosecute its perpetrators.  
 
            6.  The rights of the disabled person
 
63.  The World Conference on Human Rights reaffirms that all
human rights and fundamental freedoms are universal and thus
unreservedly include persons with disabilities.  Every person
is born equal and has the same rights to life and welfare,
education and work, living independently and active
participation in all aspects of society.  Any direct
discrimination or other negative discriminatory treatment of a
disabled person is therefore a violation of his or her rights. 
The World Conference on Human Rights calls on Governments,
where necessary, to adopt or adjust legislation to assure
access to these and other rights for disabled persons.
 
64.  The place of disabled persons is everywhere.  Persons
with disabilities should be guaranteed equal opportunity
through the elimination of all socially determined barriers,
be they physical, financial, social or psychological, which
exclude or restrict full participation in society.
 
65.  Recalling the World Programme of Action concerning
Disabled Persons, adopted by the General Assembly at its
thirty-seventh session, the World Conference on Human Rights
calls upon the General Assembly and the Economic and Social
Council to adopt the draft standard rules on the equalization
of opportunities for persons with disabilities, at their
meetings in 1993. 
 
 C.  Cooperation, development and strengthening of human
rights 
 
66.  The World Conference on Human Rights recommends that
priority be given to national and international action to
promote democracy, development and human rights.
 
67.  Special emphasis should be given to measures to assist in
the strengthening and building of institutions relating to
human rights, strengthening of a pluralistic civil society and
the protection of groups which have been rendered vulnerable. 
In this context, assistance provided upon the request of
Governments for the conduct of free and fair elections,
including assistance in the human rights aspects of elections
and public information about elections, is of particular
importance.  Equally important is the assistance to be given
to the strengthening of the rule of law, the promotion of
freedom of expression and the administration of justice, and
to the real and effective participation of the people in the
decision-making processes. 
 
68.  The World Conference on Human Rights stresses the need
for the implementation of strengthened advisory services and
technical assistance activities by the Centre for Human
Rights.  The Centre should make available to States upon
request assistance on specific human rights issues, including
the preparation of reports under human rights treaties as well
as for the implementation of coherent and comprehensive plans
of action for the  promotion and protection of human rights. 
Strengthening the institutions of human rights and democracy,
the legal protection of human rights, training of officials
and others, broad-based education and public information aimed
at promoting respect for human rights should all be available
as components of these programmes.
 
69.  The World Conference on Human Rights strongly recommends
that a comprehensive programme be established within the
United Nations in order to help States in the task of building 
and strengthening adequate national structures which have a
direct impact on the overall observance of human rights and
the maintenance of the rule of law.  Such a programme, to be
coordinated by the Centre for Human Rights, should be able to
provide, upon the request of the interested Government,
technical and financial assistance to national projects in
reforming penal and correctional establishments, education and
training of lawyers, judges and security forces in human
rights, and any other sphere of activity relevant to the good
functioning of the rule of law.  That programme should make
available to States assistance for the implementation of plans
of action for the promotion and protection of human rights.
 
70.  The World Conference on Human Rights requests the
Secretary-General of the United Nations to submit proposals to
the United Nations General Assembly, containing alternatives
for the establishment, structure, operational modalities and
funding of the proposed programme.
 
71.  The World Conference on Human Rights recommends that each
State consider the desirability of drawing up a national
action plan identifying steps whereby that State would improve
the promotion and protection of human rights.
 
72.  The World Conference on Human Rights on Human Rights
reaffirms that the universal and inalienable right to
development, as established in the Declaration on the Right to
Development, must be implemented and realized.  In this
context, the World Conference on Human Rights welcomes the
appointment by the Commission on Human Rights of a thematic
working group on the right to development and urges that the
Working Group, in consultation and cooperation with other
organs and agencies of the United Nations system, promptly
formulate, for early consideration by the United Nations
General Assembly, comprehensive and effective measures to
eliminate obstacles to the implementation and realization of
the Declaration on the Right to Development and recommending
ways and means towards the realization of the right to
development by all States. 
 
73.  The World Conference on Human Rights recommends that non-
governmental and other grass-roots organizations active in
development and/or human rights should be enabled to play a
major role on the national and international levels in the
debate, activities and implementation relating to the right to
development and, in cooperation with Governments, in all
relevant aspects of development cooperation.
 
74.  The World Conference on Human Rights appeals to
Governments, competent agencies and institutions to increase
considerably the resources devoted to building
well-functioning legal systems able to protect human rights,
and to national institutions working in this area.  Actors in
the field of development cooperation should bear in mind the
mutually reinforcing interrelationship between development,
democracy and human rights.  Cooperation should be based on
dialogue and transparency.  The World Conference on Human
Rights also calls for the establishment of comprehensive
programmes, including resource banks of information and
personnel with expertise relating to the strengthening of the
rule of law and of democratic institutions.
 
75.  The World Conference on Human Rights encourages the
Commission on Human Rights, in cooperation with the Committee
on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to continue the
examination of optional protocols to the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
 
76.  The World Conference on Human Rights recommends that more
resources be made available for the strengthening or the
establishment of regional arrangements for the promotion and
protection of human rights under the programmes of advisory
services and technical assistance of the Centre for Human
Rights. States are encouraged to request assistance for such
purposes as regional and subregional workshops, seminars and
information exchanges designed to strengthen regional
arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights
in accord with universal human rights standards as contained
in international human rights instruments.
 
77.  The World Conference on Human Rights supports all
measures by the United Nations and its relevant specialized
agencies to ensure the effective promotion and protection of
trade union rights, as stipulated in the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and other
relevant international instruments.  It calls on all States to
abide fully by their obligations in this regard contained in
international instruments.
 
                    D.  Human rights education
 
78.   The World Conference on Human Rights considers human
rights education, training and public information essential
for the promotion and achievement of stable and harmonious
relations among communities and for fostering mutual
understanding, tolerance and peace. 
 
79.   States should strive to eradicate illiteracy and should
direct education towards the full development of the human
personality and to the strengthening of respect for human
rights and fundamental freedoms.  The World Conference on
Human Rights calls on all States and institutions to include
human rights, humanitarian law, democracy and rule of law as
subjects in the curricula of all learning institutions in
formal and non-formal settings.
 
80.  Human rights education should include peace, democracy,
development and social justice, as set forth in international
and regional human rights instruments, in order to achieve
common understanding and awareness with a view to
strengthening universal commitment to human rights.
 
81.  Taking into account the World Plan of Action on Education
for Human Rights and Democracy, adopted in March 1993 by the
International Congress on Education for Human Rights and
Democracy of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization, and other human rights instruments, the
World Conference on Human Rights recommends that States
develop specific programmes and strategies for ensuring the
widest human rights education and the dissemination of public
information, taking particular account of the human rights
needs of women. 
 
82.  Governments, with the assistance of intergovernmental
organizations, national institutions and non-governmental
organizations, should promote an increased awareness of human
rights and mutual tolerance.  The World Conference on Human
Rights underlines the importance of strengthening the World
Public Information Campaign for Human Rights carried out by
the United Nations.  They should initiate and support
education in human rights and undertake effective
dissemination of public information in this field.  The
advisory services and technical assistance programmes of the
United Nations system should be able to respond immediately to
requests from States for educational and training activities
in the field of human rights as well as for special education
concerning standards as contained in international human
rights instruments and in humanitarian law and their
application to special groups such as military forces, law
enforcement personnel, police and the health profession.  The
proclamation of a United Nations decade for human rights
education in order to promote, encourage and focus these
educational activities should be considered. 
 
       E.  Implementation and monitoring methods
 
83.  The World Conference on Human Rights urges Governments to
incorporate standards as contained in international human
rights instruments in domestic legislation and to strengthen
national structures, institutions and organs of society which
play a role in promoting and safeguarding human rights.
 
84.  The World Conference on Human Rights recommends the
strengthening of United Nations activities and programmes to
meet requests for assistance by States which want to establish
or strengthen their own national institutions for the
promotion and protection of human rights.
 
85.  The World Conference on Human Rights also encourages the
strengthening of cooperation between national institutions for
the promotion and protection of human rights, particularly
through exchanges of information and experience, as well as
cooperation with regional organizations and the United
Nations.
 
86.  The World Conference on Human Rights strongly recommends
in this regard that representatives of national institutions
for the promotion and protection of human rights convene
periodic meetings under the auspices of the Centre for Human
Rights to examine ways and means of improving their mechanisms
and sharing experiences.
 
87.  The World Conference on Human Rights recommends to the
human rights treaty bodies, to the meetings of chairpersons of
the treaty bodies and to the meetings of States parties that
they continue to take steps aimed at coordinating the multiple
reporting requirements and guidelines for preparing State
reports under the respective human rights conventions and
study the suggestion that the submission of one overall report
on treaty obligations undertaken by each State would make
these procedures more effective and increase their impact.
 
88.  The World Conference on Human Rights recommends that the
States parties to international human rights instruments, the
General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council should
consider studying the existing human rights treaty bodies and
the various thematic mechanisms and procedures with a view to
promoting greater efficiency and effectiveness through better
coordination of the various bodies, mechanisms and procedures,
taking into account the need to avoid unnecessary duplication
and overlapping of their mandates and tasks.
 
89.  The World Conference on Human Rights recommends continued
work on the improvement of the functioning, including the
monitoring tasks, of the treaty bodies, taking into account
multiple proposals made in this respect, in particular those
made by the treaty bodies themselves and by the meetings of
the chairpersons of the treaty bodies.  The comprehensive
national approach taken by the Committee on the Rights of the
Child should also be encouraged.
 
90.  The World Conference on Human Rights recommends that
States parties to human rights treaties consider accepting all
the available optional communication procedures.
 
91.  The World Conference on Human Rights views with concern
the issue of impunity of perpetrators of human rights
violations, and supports the efforts of the Commission on
Human Rights and the Sub-Commission on Prevention of
Discrimination and Protection of Minorities to examine all
aspects of the issue.
 
92.  The World Conference on Human Rights recommends that the
Commission on Human Rights examine the possibility for better
implementation of existing human rights instruments at the
international and regional levels and encourages the
International Law Commission to continue its work on an
international criminal court. 
 
93.  The World Conference on Human Rights appeals to States
which have not yet done so to accede to the Geneva Conventions
of 12 August 1949 and the Protocols thereto, and to take all
appropriate national measures, including legislative ones, for
their full implementation.   
 
94.  The World Conference on Human Rights recommends the
speedy completion and adoption of the draft declaration on the
right and responsibility of individuals, groups and organs of
society to promote and protect universally recognized human
rights and fundamental freedoms.
     
95.  The World Conference on Human Rights underlines the
importance of preserving and strengthening the system of
special procedures, rapporteurs, representatives, experts and
working groups of the Commission on Human Rights and the
Sub-Commission on the Prevention of Discrimination and
Protection of Minorities, in order to enable them to carry out
their mandates in all countries throughout the world,
providing them with the necessary human and financial
resources.  The procedures and mechanisms should be enabled to
harmonize and rationalize their work through periodic
meetings.  All States are asked to cooperate fully with
these procedures and mechanisms.
 
96.  The World Conference on Human Rights recommends that the
United Nations assume a more active role in the promotion and
protection of human rights in ensuring full respect for
international humanitarian law in all situations of armed
conflict, in accordance with the purposes and principles of
the Charter of the United Nations.
 
97.  The World Conference on Human Rights, recognizing the
important role of human rights components in specific
arrangements concerning some peace-keeping operations by the
United Nations, recommends that the Secretary-General take
into account the reporting, experience and capabilities of the
Centre for Human Rights and human rights mechanisms, in
conformity with the Charter of the United Nations. 
 
98.  To strengthen the enjoyment of economic, social and
cultural rights, additional approaches should be examined,
such as a system of indicators to measure progress in the
realization of the rights set forth in the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.  There must
be a concerted effort to ensure recognition of economic,
social and cultural rights at the national, regional and
international levels.
 
   F.  Follow-up to the World Conference on Human Rights
 
99.  The World Conference on Human Rights on Human Rights
recommends that the General Assembly, the Commission on Human
Rights and other organs and agencies of the United Nations
system related to human rights consider ways and means for the
full implementation, without delay, of the recommendations
contained in the present Declaration, including the
possibility of proclaiming a United Nations decade for human
rights.  The World Conference on Human Rights further
recommends that the Commission on Human Rights annually review
the progress towards this end. 
 
100.       The World Conference on Human Rights requests the
Secretary-General of the United Nations to invite on the
occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights all States, all organs and
agencies of the United Nations system related to human rights,
to report to him on the progress made in the implementation of
the present Declaration and to submit a report to the General
Assembly at its fifty-third session, through the Commission on
Human Rights and the Economic and Social Council.  Likewise,
regional and, as appropriate, national human rights
institutions, as well as non-governmental organizations, may
present their views to the Secretary-General on the progress
made in the implementation of the present Declaration. 
Special attention should be paid to assessing the progress
towards the goal of universal ratification of international
human rights treaties and protocols adopted within the
framework of the United Nations system.  
                                       
 
END OF DOCUMENT
 
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ALL STATES, INCLUDING BURMA, WHICH PARTICIPATED IN THE
CONFERENCE, COMMITTED THEMSELVES TO THIS DECLARATION AND
PROGRAMME OF ACTION