A/RES/53/187 Page 3 5. Invites the Government of Haiti to ratify the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,2 the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment,6 and the Optional Protocols to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;7 6. Strongly supports the efforts made to enable the people of Haiti to express their political will in the forthcoming legislative and local elections, invites all the political leaders of the country to involve themselves in a constructive dialogue, and in this connection invites the Government of Haiti to ensure the necessary political and security environment for the holding of free and fair elections in accordance with the schedule recently announced by the Provisional Electoral Council; 7. Calls upon the Government of Haiti to continue structural reforms in the police and the judicial system and the improvement of the prison sector, to investigate properly politically motivated crimes and prosecute perpetrators of such crimes in accordance with Haitian law, to take vigorous action to eliminate any continuing human rights violations, including illegal arrests and detentions, and to ensure due process within a reasonable time; 8. Reaffirms the importance, for combating impunity and for the realization of a genuine and effective process of transition and national reconciliation, of the investigations undertaken by the National Commission for Truth and Justice, and once again calls upon the Government of Haiti to institute legal proceedings against the perpetrators of human rights violations identified by the National Commission and to create effective facilities for providing support to the victims, in particular women, children and members of their families, and in this specific context reiterates the recommendations contained in the report of the independent expert of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Haiti;5 9. Welcomes the initiative of the Government of Haiti, in collaboration with the international community and women’s groups, to put in place measures to address the human rights of women and, inter alia, violence against women, including the development of training programmes for judicial and legal personnel and the incorporation of the precept of the human rights of women at all levels of the education system; 10. Encourages the Government of Haiti to promote further the rights of children, in particular their right to education; 11. Invites the Secretary-General and the Government of Haiti to contribute to the strengthening of the Office for the Protection of Citizens through the establishment of a programme of technical cooperation, in close collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and invites the international community to assist in this effort; 6 Resolution 39/46, annex. 7 See resolutions 2200 A (XXI), annex, and 44/128, annex. /...

Select target paragraph3