United Nations General Assembly A/RES/57/221 Distr.: General 27 February 2003 Fifty-seventh session Agenda item 109 (b) Resolution adopted by the General Assembly [on the report of the Third Committee (A/57/556/Add.2 and Corr.1-3)] 57/221. Strengthening of the rule of law The General Assembly, Recalling that, by adopting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1 fifty-four years ago, Member States pledged themselves to achieve, in cooperation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, Firmly convinced that the rule of law is an essential factor in the protection of human rights, as stressed in the Declaration, and should continue to attract the attention of the international community, Convinced that, through their own national legal and judicial systems, States must provide appropriate civil, criminal and administrative remedies for violations of human rights, Recognizing the importance of the role that can be played by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in supporting national efforts to strengthen the institutions of the rule of law, Bearing in mind that, in its resolution 48/141 of 20 December 1993, the General Assembly entrusted the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights with, inter alia, providing advisory services and technical and financial assistance in the field of human rights, enhancing international cooperation for the promotion and protection of all human rights and coordinating human rights activities throughout the United Nations system, Recalling the recommendation of the World Conference on Human Rights, held at Vienna from 14 to 25 June 1993, that a comprehensive programme should be established within the United Nations with a view to helping States in the task of building and strengthening adequate national structures that have a direct impact on the overall observance of human rights and the maintenance of the rule of law, 2 Recalling also its resolutions 53/142 of 9 December 1998 and 55/99 of 4 December 2000, _______________ 1 2 02 55376 Resolution 217 A (III). See A/CONF.157/24 (Part I), chap. III, sect. II, para. 69.