The General Assembly,
 
      Recalling its resolutions 44/135 of 15 December 1989, 45/180 of 21
December 1990, 46/111 and 46/118 of 17 December 1991, 47/127 of 18 December
1992, 48/129 and 48/141 of 20 December 1993 and 49/195 of 23 December 1994,
and bearing in mind all relevant resolutions of the Economic and Social
Council and the Commission on Human Rights,
 
      Considering that the promotion of universal respect for and observance
of human rights and fundamental freedoms is one of the basic purposes of the
United Nations enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and a priority
activity of the Organization,
 
      Taking into account the fact that in the Vienna Declaration and
Programme of Action, the World Conference on Human Rights, held at Vienna from
14 to 25 June 1993, concerned by the growing disparity between the activities
of the Centre for Human Rights of the Secretariat and the human, financial and
other resources available to carry them out, and bearing in mind the resources
needed for other important United Nations programmes, requested the
Secretary-General and the General Assembly to take immediate steps to increase
substantially the resources for the human rights programme, from within the
existing and future regular budgets of the United Nations, and to take urgent
steps to seek increased extrabudgetary resources,
 
      Noting that in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, the World
Conference on Human Rights stressed the importance of strengthening the
Centre,
 
      Taking into account the establishment of the post of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights, as well as the mandate for the post,
including its coordinating role and its overall supervision of the Centre, as
well as the request by the General Assembly in resolution 48/141 for
appropriate staff and resources to enable the High Commissioner to fulfil his
mandate, 
 
      Noting with concern that the response to these requests has not been
commensurate with the needs, resulting in a serious imbalance between the
mandates assigned to the High Commissioner and the Centre by the competent
bodies of the United Nations system in the field of human rights and the
resources available to fulfil all of these mandates,
 
      Taking into account the fact that, in the Vienna Declaration and
Programme of Action, the World Conference on Human Rights urged all United
Nations organs, bodies and the specialized agencies whose activities deal with
human rights to cooperate in order to strengthen, rationalize and streamline
their activities, taking into account the need to avoid unnecessary
duplication,
 
      Noting that the High Commissioner and the Centre are a unity whereby the
High Commissioner, in accordance with resolution 48/141, sets the policy
directions and the priority of action and the Centre implements those policies
under the direction of the head of the Centre, the Assistant Secretary-General
for Human Rights,
 
      Taking into account the fact that the responsibilities of the High
Commissioner include, inter alia, engaging in a dialogue with all Governments
in the implementation of his mandate with a view to the promotion and
protection of all human rights, and rationalizing, adapting, strengthening and
streamlining the United Nations machinery in the field of human rights with a
view to improving its efficiency and effectiveness,
 
      Acknowledging that, while further improvement in the functioning and
efficiency of the Centre, together with a strong emphasis on good management
practices, is needed in order to enable the Centre to cope with its constantly
increasing workload, good management practices need to be complemented by
additional resources commensurate with additional mandates,
 
      Taking note of the information provided by the High Commissioner with
regard to the ongoing process aimed at increasing the efficiency and
effectiveness of the Centre, and bearing in mind, in this context, the request
of the Commission on Human Rights in its resolution 1995/93 of 10 March 1995
to the Secretary- General to convene, at least twice a year at Geneva,
meetings with all interested States to provide information on the activities
conducted by the Centre and its process of restructuring,
 
      Recognizing that this process should contribute to the strengthening of
the functional framework for integrated and consolidated activities of the
Secretariat in the field of human rights,
 
      Recalling that in its report to the Special Commission of the Economic
and Social Council, the Commission on Human Rights reaffirmed that the
paramount consideration in the employment of staff at every level was the need
for the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, and that it
was convinced that that was compatible with the principle of equitable
geographical distribution, and bearing in mind Article 101, paragraph 3, of
the Charter of the United Nations,
 
      Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General on the strengthening
of the Centre for Human Rights of the Secretariat and the note by the
Secretary- General on the geographical composition and functions of the staff
of the Centre, as well as the report of the United Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights,
 
      1.    Supports and encourages the efforts of the Secretary-General to
enhance the role and further improve the functioning of the Centre for Human
Rights of the Secretariat, under the overall supervision of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights;
 
      2.    Reiterates the need to ensure that all the necessary human,
financial, material and personnel resources are provided without delay to the
High Commissioner and the Centre to enable them to carry out efficiently,
effectively and expeditiously the mandates assigned to them;
 
      3.    Requests the Secretary-General to make available additional human
and financial resources, within the overall regular budget of the United
Nations, to enhance the capability of the High Commissioner and of the Centre
to fulfil effectively their respective mandates and their ability to carry out
mandated operational activities and to coordinate efficiently with other
relevant departments of the Secretariat, as well as other organs, bodies and
specialized agencies of the United Nations system, including on logistical and
administrative questions, having due regard to the need to finance and
implement activities of the United Nations related to development;
 
      4.    Supports fully the High Commissioner in his efforts to strengthen
the human rights activities of the United Nations, inter alia, through
measures aimed at restructuring the Centre to improve its efficiency and
effectiveness;
 
      5.    Requests the Secretary-General to submit an interim report to the
Commission on Human Rights at its fifty-second session and a final report to
the General Assembly at its fifty-first session on the strengthening of the
human rights programme and on the measures taken to implement the present
resolution.