A/RES/53/150
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Convinced that further efforts are needed to promote wider awareness of and respect for the Declaration,
and taking note in this regard of the report of the Secretary-General,3
Bearing in mind Commission on Human Rights resolution 1998/40 of 17 April 1998,4
1. Reaffirms that any act of enforced disappearance is an offence to human dignity and a grave and
flagrant violation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights1 and reaffirmed and developed in other international instruments in this field, as well as a
violation of the rules of international law;
2. Reiterates its invitation to all Governments to take appropriate legislative or other steps to prevent
and suppress the practice of enforced disappearances, in keeping with the Declaration on the Protection of All
Persons from Enforced Disappearance, and to take action to that end at the national and regional levels and in
cooperation with the United Nations, including through technical assistance;
3. Calls upon Governments to take steps to ensure that, when a state of emergency is introduced, the
protection of human rights is ensured, in particular as regards the prevention of enforced disappearances;
4. Reminds Governments of the need to ensure that their competent authorities conduct prompt and
impartial inquiries in all circumstances, whenever there is a reason to believe that an enforced disappearance
has occurred in territory under their jurisdiction, and that, if allegations are confirmed, perpetrators should be
prosecuted;
5. Once again urges the Governments concerned to take steps to protect the families of disappeared
persons against any intimidation or ill-treatment to which they might be subjected;
6. Encourages States, as some have already done, to provide concrete information on measures taken
to give effect to the Declaration, as well as obstacles encountered;
7. Requests all States to consider the possibility of disseminating the text of the Declaration in their
respective national languages and to facilitate its dissemination in local languages;
8. Notes the action taken by non-governmental organizations to encourage implementation of the
Declaration, and invites them to continue to facilitate its dissemination and to contribute to the work of the
Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities of the Commission on Human
Rights;
9. Expresses its appreciation to the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances of
the Commission on Human Rights for its humanitarian work;
10. Requests the Working Group, in the continued exercise of its mandate, to take into account the
provisions of the Declaration and to modify its working methods, if necessary;
3
A/53/304.
4
See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 1998, Supplement No. 3 (E/1998/23), chap. II, sect.
A.
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