United Nations
General Assembly
A/RES/59/137
Distr.: General
17 February 2005
Fifty-ninth session
Agenda item 39 (a)
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 10 December 2004
[without reference to a Main Committee (A/59/L.45 and Add.1)]
59/137. Assistance to survivors of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda,
particularly orphans, widows and victims of sexual
violence
The General Assembly,
Guided by the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, 1
Recalling the findings and recommendations of the independent inquiry
commissioned by the Secretary-General, with the approval of the Security Council,
into the actions of the United Nations during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, 2
Recalling also the report containing the findings and recommendations of the
International Panel of Eminent Personalities commissioned by the Organization of
African Unity to investigate the genocide in Rwanda and the surrounding events,
entitled “Rwanda: The Preventable Genocide”,
Recalling further its resolution 58/234 of 23 December 2003, by which it
declared 7 April 2004 the International Day of Reflection on the Genocide in
Rwanda,
Noting decision EX.CL/Dec.154 (V) on the report of the Chairperson of the
African Union on the commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the Rwandan
genocide, adopted by the Executive Council of the African Union at its fifth
ordinary session, held in Addis Ababa from 30 June to 3 July 2004,
Recognizing the numerous difficulties faced by survivors of the 1994 genocide
in Rwanda, particularly the orphans, widows and victims of sexual violence, who
are poorer and more vulnerable as a result of the genocide, especially the many
victims of sexual violence who have contracted HIV and have since either died or
become seriously ill with AIDS,
Firmly convinced of the necessity to restore the dignity of the survivors of the
1994 genocide in Rwanda, which would help to promote reconciliation and healing
in Rwanda,
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1
2
04-48448
Resolution 217 A (III).
See S/1999/1257.