A/HRC/RES/24/8
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
8 October 2013
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Twenty-fourth session
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights,
including the right to development
Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council
24/8.
Equal political participation
The Human Rights Council,
Guided by the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights and relevant international human rights treaties, in particular the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
Recalling all relevant General Assembly and Human Rights Council resolutions on
political participation,
Reaffirming that every citizen shall have the right and the opportunity, without any
of the distinctions stipulated in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and
without unreasonable restrictions, to take part in the conduct of political and public affairs,
directly or through freely chosen representatives, and to have access, on general terms of
equality, to public service in his or her country,
Reaffirming also that the will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of
government and that every citizen shall have the right and the opportunity, without any of
the distinctions stipulated in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and
without unreasonable restrictions, to vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections
which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret ballot,
guaranteeing the free expression of the will of the electors,
Reaffirming further that no distinctions are permitted among citizens in the
enjoyment of the right to participate in the conduct of political and public affairs on the
grounds of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social
origin, property, birth or other status, or on the basis of disability,
The resolutions and decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council will be contained in the report of
the Council on its twenty-fourth session (A/HRC/24/2), Part One.
GE.13-17854