A/HRC/RES/18/12
Welcoming the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and
Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules), adopted by the
General Assembly in its resolution 65/229 on 21 December 2010, as a recent development
for due consideration, and the Salvador Declaration on Comprehensive Strategies for
Global Challenges: Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Systems and Their Development
in a Changing World, adopted by the Assembly in its resolution 65/230 of 21 December
2010,
Recalling all resolutions of the Human Rights Council, the Commission on Human
Rights, the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council relevant to the subject,
in particular Human Rights Council resolutions 7/29 of 28 March 2008 and 10/2 of 25
March 2009, Assembly resolutions 62/158 of 18 December 2007, 63/241 of 24 December
2008 and 65/231 of 21 December 2010, and Economic and Social Council resolution
2009/26 of 30 July 2009,
Noting with interest the adoption by the Human Rights Committee of its general
comments No. 21, on the humane treatment of prisoners deprived of their liberty, and No.
32, on the right to equality before courts and tribunals and to a fair trial, and the adoption
by the Committee on the Rights of the Child of its general comments No. 10, on children’s
rights in juvenile justice, and No. 13, on the rights of the child to freedom from all violence,
Bearing in mind its decision to devote the 2012 full-day meeting on the rights of the
child to the question of children and the administration of justice,
Acknowledging the efforts made by the Secretary-General on improving the
coordination of United Nations activities in the field of administration of justice, the rule of
law and juvenile justice,
Noting with appreciation the important work of the Office of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the
United Nations Children’s Fund, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on
Violence against Children and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on
Children and Armed Conflict in the field of the administration of justice,
Noting with satisfaction the work of the Interagency Panel on Juvenile Justice and
its members, including the United Nations Children’s Fund, the Office of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime, the United Nations Development Programme, the Department of Peacekeeping
Operations, the Committee on the Rights of the Child and various non-governmental
organizations, in particular their coordination in providing technical advice and assistance
in juvenile justice, and the active participation of civil society in its respective work,
Reaffirming that an independent and impartial judiciary, an independent legal
profession and the integrity of the judicial system are essential prerequisites for the
protection of human rights and for ensuring that there is no discrimination in the
administration of justice,
Emphasizing that the right to access to justice for all forms an important basis for
strengthening the rule of law through the administration of justice,
Recalling that every State should provide an effective framework in which to pursue
remedies to redress human rights grievances or violations,
Recalling also that the social rehabilitation of persons deprived of their liberty shall
be among the essential aims of the criminal justice system, ensuring, as far as possible, that
offenders are willing and able to lead a law-abiding and self-supporting life upon their
return to society,
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