A/HRC/RES/34/5
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
3 April 2017
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Thirty-fourth session
27 February–24 March 2017
Agenda item 3
Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council on 23 March 2017
34/5.
Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human
rights defenders
The Human Rights Council,
Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants on Human Rights and
other relevant instruments,
Recalling General Assembly resolution 53/144 of 9 December 1998, by which the
Assembly adopted by consensus the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of
Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized
Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms annexed to that resolution, and reiterating the
importance of the Declaration and its promotion and implementation,
Recalling also the continued validity and application of all the provisions of the
above-mentioned Declaration,
Recalling further all previous resolutions on this subject, including Human Rights
Council resolutions 16/5 of 24 March 2011, 25/18 of 28 March 2014 and 31/32 of 24
March 2016, and General Assembly resolutions 68/181 of 18 December 2013 and 70/161
of 17 December 2015,
Recalling Human Rights Council resolutions 5/1, on 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,
Emphasizing the important role that individuals and civil society institutions,
including non-governmental organizations, groups and national human rights institutions,
play at the local, national, regional and international levels in the promotion and protection
of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all,
Reiterating the grave concerns expressed by the General Assembly and the Human
Rights Council with regard to the serious risks faced by human rights defenders due to
threats, attacks, reprisals and acts of intimidation against them,
GE.17-05291(E)