E/2012/27
E/CN.6/2012/16
D.
Matters brought to the attention of the Council
4.
The following resolutions and decisions adopted by the Commission are
brought to the attention of the Council:
Resolution 56/1
Release of women and children taken hostage, including those subsequently
imprisoned, in armed conflicts
The Commission on the Status of Women,
Guided by the purposes, principles and provisions of the Charter of the United
Nations,
Guided also by the principles and norms of international humanitarian law, in
particular the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 15 and the Additional
Protocols thereto of 1977, 16 as well as relevant international standards of human
rights, in particular the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,9 the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,7 the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights,7 the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women, 17 the Convention on the Rights of the Child, 18 the
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment 19 and the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted on
25 June 1993 by the World Conference on Human Rights, 20
Taking duly into account the International Convention for the Protection of All
Persons from Enforced Disappearance, adopted by the General Assembly in its
resolution 61/177 of 20 December 2006,
Recalling all its previous resolutions on the release of women and children
taken hostage, including those subsequently imprisoned, in armed conflicts, as well
as all resolutions of the Commission on Human Rights concerning hostage-taking
and General Assembly resolution 61/172 of 19 December 2006,
Recognizing that everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person
and that the taking of hostages is an offence of grave concern to the international
community,
Recalling the relevant provisions contained in the instruments of international
humanitarian law relative to the protection of the civilian population as such,
Reaffirming the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 21 as well as the
outcomes of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, entitled
“Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first
century”,5 and the outcome of the special session of the General Assembly on
__________________
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
6
United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 75, Nos. 970-973.
Ibid., vol. 1125, Nos. 17512 and 17513.
United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1249, No. 20378.
Ibid., vol. 1577, No. 27531.
Ibid., vol. 1465, No. 24841.
A/CONF.157/24 (Part I), chap. III.
Report of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, 4-15 September 1995 (United
Nations publication, Sales No. E.96.IV.13), chap. I, resolution 1, annexes I and II.
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