Human Rights Council

Forty- f if th session

14 September–7 October 2020

Agenda item 3

P romotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council on 6 October 2020

4 5 / 4. Mandate of the Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order

The Human Rights Council,

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

Recalling all previous resolutions of the General Assembly, the Commission on Human Rights and the Human Rights Council on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order,

Recalling also Human Rights Council resolutions 5/1, on the institution-building of the Council, and 5/2, on the Code of Conduct for Special Procedures Mandate Holders of the Council, of 18 June 2007, and stressing that the mandate holder shall discharge his or her duties in accordance with those resolutions and the annexes thereto,

Reaffirming that everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights can be fully realized,

Reaffirming also the determination expressed in the Preamble to the Charter to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom, to practice tolerance and good neighbourliness, and to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples,

Reiterating the importance of working urgently for the establishment of an international economic order based on equity, sovereign equality, interdependence, common interest and cooperation among all States, irrespective of their economic and social systems, which shall correct inequalities and redress existing injustices, make it possible to eliminate the widening gap between the developed and the developing countries, and ensure steadily accelerating economic and social development and peace and justice for present and future generations,

Expressing its concern at the adverse effects of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, including its negative impact on the economy and society, and emphasizing the importance of a democratic and equitable international order for effectively addressing the current global challenges and crises, aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic,

Resolved to take all measures within its power to secure a democratic and equitable international order,

1.Reaffirms that everyone is entitled to a democratic and equitable international order, and that a democratic and equitable international order fosters the full realization of all human rights for all, including the right to development;

2.Takes note of the report of the Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order;

3.Decides to renew the mandate of the Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order for a period of three years, in conformity with the terms set forth by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 18/6;

4.Calls upon all Governments to cooperate with and assist the Independent Expert in the discharge of his or her mandate, and to provide the Independent Expert with all the necessary information requested by the Independent Expert in order to enable him or her to fulfil the duties of the mandate effectively;

5.Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide all the human and financial resources necessary for the effective fulfilment of the mandate by the Independent Expert;

6.Invites the Independent Expert to continue to develop close cooperation with academia, think tanks and research institutes, such as South Centre, and with other relevant stakeholders from all regions;

7.Requests the human rights treaty bodies, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the special mechanisms of the Human Rights Council and the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee to pay due attention, within their respective mandates, to the present resolution, and to make contributions to its implementation;

8.Calls upon the Office of the High Commissioner to build upon the issue of the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order;

9.Requests the Independent Expert to report regularly to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly in accordance with their respective programmes of work;

10.Invites the Independent Expert to give special attention in his next report to the Human Rights Council to the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic at the international level on relevant issues pertaining to his mandate;

11.Decides to continue its consideration of this matter under the same agenda item in accordance with its programme of work.

36th meeting 6 October 2020

[Adopted by a recorded vote of 22 to 15, with 10 abstentions. The voting was as follows:

In favour:

Angola, Argentina, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Eritrea, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Mauritania, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Senegal, Sudan, Togo and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)

Against:

Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Marshall Islands, Netherlands, Poland, Republic of Korea, Slovakia, Spain and Ukraine

Abstaining:

Afghanistan, Armenia, Brazil, Chile, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, Mexico, Peru, Somalia and Uruguay]