A/HRC/RES/39/15
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
8 October 2018
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Thirty-ninth session
10–28 September 2018
Agenda item 4
Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council
on 28 September 2018
39/15.
The human rights situation in the Syrian Arab Republic
The Human Rights Council,
Guided by the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations,
Reaffirming its previous resolutions on the Syrian Arab Republic,
Reaffirming also its strong commitment to the full respect of the sovereignty,
independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic,
Demanding that the Syrian authorities meet their responsibility to protect the Syrian
population,
Condemning the grave situation of human rights across the Syrian Arab Republic,
Condemning also the indiscriminate or deliberate targeting of civilians in violation
of international humanitarian law, and recalling the obligation of all parties to the conflict
to take all feasible precautions to avoid, and in any event minimize, harm to civilians and
civilian objects, such as schools, as well as medical facilities, and the prohibition on
attacking, removing, destroying or rendering useless objects indispensable to the survival of
the civilian population, including drinking water installations, supplies and food stuffs,
Expressing deep concern at the situation of women, children and internally
displaced persons, who remain among the most vulnerable to violence,
Reiterating that the only sustainable solution to the current conflict in the Syrian
Arab Republic is through an inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process under
the auspices of the United Nations, including with the equal voice and full and meaningful
participation of women in all efforts and decision-making, and in accordance with the
Geneva communiqué of 30 June 2012 and Security Council resolutions 2118 (2013) of 27
September 2013 and 2254 (2015) of 18 December 2015, with a view to establishing
credible, inclusive and non-sectarian governance and supporting the Special Envoy of the
Secretary-General for Syria is his efforts towards this end,
Recalling Security Council resolution 2336 (2016) of 31 December 2016, and
stressing the urgent need to respect the de-escalation area of Idlib, acknowledging the
signing of the memorandum by Turkey and the Russian Federation on the stabilization of
the situation in the Idlib de-escalation area, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive
nationwide ceasefire, and also emphasizing that humanitarian access must be part of such
efforts,
GE.18-16542(E)