A/HRC/RES/41/20
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
22 July 2019
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Forty-first session
24 June–12 July 2019
Agenda item 3
Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council
on 12 July 2019
41/20.
Impact of arms transfers on human rights
The Human Rights Council,
Guided by the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights,
Recalling the obligations of States to respect, promote and protect the human rights
of all individuals within their jurisdictions,
Recalling also the inherent right to individual or collective self-defence of States as
recognized in Article 51 of the Charter,
Reaffirming that everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person and is
entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights can be fully realized,
Acknowledging that peace and security, development and human rights are the pillars
of the United Nations system and the foundation for collective security, and recognizing that
development, peace and security and human rights are interlinked and mutually reinforcing,
Recalling the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, the
Additional Protocols thereto of 8 June 1977, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination against Women, other relevant international human rights law and
international humanitarian law instruments and the Vienna Declaration and Programme of
Action,
Recalling in particular that the Human Rights Council has the mandate to, inter alia,
serve as a forum for dialogue on thematic issues on all human rights,
Recalling its resolutions 24/35 of 27 September 2013, 32/12 of 1 July 2016 and 38/10
of 5 July 2018,
Acknowledging that millions of people around the world are affected by serious human
rights violations and abuses resulting from or facilitated by the diversion of arms, unregulated
or illicit arms transfers,
Acknowledging with concern that the diversion of arms and unregulated or illicit arms
transfers fuel armed conflicts and can have a negative impact on a wide range of human
rights, and negative humanitarian, development and socioeconomic consequences, including
a disproportionate impact in terms of violence perpetrated against women and girls,
GE.19-12438(E)