Programme of Action relating to Human Rights after the International Human Rights Year 1968

Recommendation 548 (1969)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 30 January 1969 (26th Sitting) (see Doc. 2505, report of the Legal Affairs Committee). Text adopted by the Assembly on 30 January 1969 (26th Sitting).

The Assembly,

1. Considering the results of International Human Rights Year, which the General Assembly of the United Nations decided in its Resolution 2081 (XX) should be devoted to intensified national and international efforts and undertakings in the field of human rights and to a review of the achievements in this field ;

2. Noting with satisfaction the success of the system of protection created by the European Convention on Human Rights and the valuable work accomplished in the last years by the organs set up under the Convention ;

3. Convinced that the member states of the Council of Europe, because of the experience acquired over fifteen years in the application of the European Convention on Human Rights, have a leading role to play in the framework of the United Nations in securing better universal protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms ;

4. Noting with satisfaction that the Committee of Ministers approved the Assembly's Recommendation 458 (1966) on the participation of the Council of Europe to International Human Rights Year and adopted its Resolution (67) 15 by which it recommended to member governments a number of different measures to be taken at the national level ;

5. Regretting that no states have yet ratified the International Covenants on Human Rights approved by the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 1966 ;

6. Noting that twenty-five states (but only two Members of the Council of Europe) have now ratified the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination which is likely to enter into force in the near future, and that the Committee of Ministers, by Resolution (68) 30, has recommended to member states which have not yet done so, to sign and ratify this Convention and give all possible support to its effective implementation,

7. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers :

7.1 With regard to the United Nations invite member states to :

a ratify the UN Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Optional Protocol thereto after having taken, within the Committee of Ministers, the necessary decisions on the problems arising in connection with the co-existence of the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN Covenants ;

b endeavour to secure the early and positive action on certain proposals which were presented to the International Conference on Human Rights in Teheran but not acted upon, e.g. the proposal concerning the co-ordination of different international instruments on human rights ;

c lend their support to Resolution XXIII adopted by the International Conference at Teheran which calls for better application of existing humanitarian conventions and for the preparation of additional conventions to ensure the protection of civilians, prisoners and combatants in armed conflicts, and also calls on states which have not yet done so to become Parties to the Hague and Geneva Conventions ;

7.2 With regard to the Council of Europe :

a urge the two member states which have not yet done so to ratify the European Convention on Human Rights as soon as possible ;

b invite the five Contracting Parties to the European Convention which have not yet accepted the two optional clauses recognising the competence of the European Commission to receive individual applications and the compulsory jurisdiction of the European Court to make such declarations in the near future ;

c call upon the ten member states which have not yet done so to ratify the European Social Charter ;

d inform the Assembly of the action taken on paragraph (d) of the Committee of Ministers' Resolution (67) 15 with a view to informing the legal profession about the system of safeguards provided by the European Convention, and intensify such action where it has hitherto been insufficient ;

7.3 With regard to measures to be taken at national level :

a invite member states which have not already done so to consider the possibility of setting up institutions such as the Ombudsman, for the purpose of speedy and inexpensive investigation of individual complaints of alleged violation of rights by the administration, and national human rights commissions with the power of reviewing, and making recommendations about, the effective protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national level ;

b invite member states to encourage teaching in schools about the value of human rights and the necessity of their protection.