United Nations
General Assembly
A/RES/56/153
Distr.: General
13 February 2002
Fifty-sixth session
Agenda item 119 (b)
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly
[on the report of the Third Committee (A/56/583/Add.2)]
56/153. Strengthening United Nations action in the field of human
rights through the promotion of international cooperation
and the importance of non-selectivity, impartiality and
objectivity
The General Assembly,
Bearing in mind that among the purposes of the United Nations are those of
developing friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of
equal rights and self-determination of peoples and taking other appropriate measures
to strengthen universal peace, as well as achieving international cooperation in solving
international problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character and
in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for
all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion,
Desirous of achieving further progress in international cooperation in
promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms,
Considering that such international cooperation should be based on the
principles embodied in international law, especially the Charter of the United
Nations, as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1 the International
Covenants on Human Rights 2 and other relevant instruments,
Deeply convinced that United Nations action in this field should be based not
only on a profound understanding of the broad range of problems existing in all
societies but also on full respect for the political, economic and social realities of
each of them, in strict compliance with the purposes and principles of the Charter
and for the basic purpose of promoting and encouraging respect for human rights
and fundamental freedoms through international cooperation,
Recalling its previous resolutions in this regard,
Reaffirming the importance of ensuring the universality, objectivity and nonselectivity of the consideration of human rights issues, as affirmed in the Vienna
Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by the World Conference on Human
Rights on 25 June 1993, 3
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1
Resolution 217 A (III).
Resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex.
3
A/CONF.157/24 (Part I), chap. III.
2
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