A/RES/74/155
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
20 January 2020
Seventy-fourth session
Agenda item 70 (b)
Promotion and protection of human rights: human
rights questions, including alternative approaches for
improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and
fundamental freedoms
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly
on 18 December 2019
[on the report of the Third Committee (A/74/399/Add.2)]
74/155.
Promotion of equitable geographical distribution in the
membership of the human rights treaty bodies
The General Assembly,
Recalling its previous resolutions on this question,
Reaffirming the importance of the goal of universal ratification of the United
Nations human rights instruments,
Welcoming the significant increase in the number of ratifications of United
Nations human rights instruments and the movement of some treaties towards
universal ratification,
Reiterating the importance of the effective functioning of the treaty bodies
established pursuant to United Nations human rights instruments for the full and
effective implementation of those instruments,
Recognizing that the equitable geographical distribution of membership is an
essential requirement for the effective functioning of the tre aty bodies,
Recalling that, with regard to the election of the members of the human rights
treaty bodies, the General Assembly and the former Commission on Human Rights
recognized the importance of giving consideration in their membership to equitable
geographical distribution, gender balance and representation of the principal legal
systems and of bearing in mind that the members shall be elected and shall serve in
their personal capacity, and shall be of high moral character, acknowledged
impartiality and recognized competence in the field of human rights,
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