United Nations General Assembly A/HRC/RES/27/24 Distr.: General 3 October 2014 Original: English Human Rights Council Twenty-seventh session Agenda item 3 Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council 27/24 Equal participation in political and public affairs The Human Rights Council, Guided by the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Recalling relevant international human rights treaties, in particular the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Recalling also all relevant General Assembly and Human Rights Council resolutions on participation in political and public affairs, in particular Council resolution 24/8 of 26 September 2013 on equal political participation, Reaffirming that every citizen shall have the right and the opportunity, without any of the distinctions stipulated in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and without unreasonable restrictions, to take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through freely chosen representatives, and to have access, on general terms of equality, to public service in his or her country, as well as to vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret ballot, guaranteeing the free expression of the will of the electors, and reaffirming also that the will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government, Reaffirming also that no distinctions are permitted among citizens in the enjoyment of the right to participate in the conduct of public affairs on the grounds of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status, or on the basis of disability, Emphasizing the critical importance of equal and effective participation in political and public affairs for democracy, the rule of law, social inclusion, economic development and advancing gender equality, as well as for the realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, GE.14-17973 (E) 