A/HRC/RES/21/15
Welcoming also the decision of the General Assembly to convene a high-level
meeting on the theme “The rule of law at the national and international levels” during the
high-level segment of its sixty-seventh session,1
Recalling the reports of the Secretary-General on the rule of law and transitional
justice in conflict and post-conflict societies,2 including the relevant recommendations
contained therein, the report of the Secretary-General entitled “Uniting our strengths:
Enhancing United Nations support for the rule of law”, 3 which designated the Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights as the lead entity within the United
Nations system on, inter alia, transitional justice, subsequent reports of the SecretaryGeneral on the rule of law and4 the report of the Secretary-General on enhancing mediation
and its support activities,5 and taking note of the guidance note of the Secretary-General on
the United Nations Approach to Transitional Justice of March 2010,
Recalling also the set of principles for the protection and promotion of human rights
through action to combat impunity,6 and taking note with appreciation of the updated
version of those principles,7 as well as the report of the Special Rapporteur on the
independence of judges and lawyers submitted to the Commission on Human Rights,8
Recalling further Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) of 31 October 2000 and
its subsequent resolutions 1820 (2008) of 19 June 2008, 1888 (2009) of 30 September
2009, 1889 (2009) of 5 October 2009 and 1960 (2010) of 16 December 2010 on women,
peace and security, and reaffirming the important role of women in the prevention and
resolution of conflicts and in peacebuilding, and the need to increase their role in decisionmaking with regard to conflict prevention and resolution,
Welcoming the role of the Peacebuilding Commission in this regard, and recalling
the necessity for the Commission to intensify its efforts, within its mandate, in cooperation
with national and transitional Governments and in consultation with the relevant United
Nations entities, to incorporate human rights, when advising on or proposing countryspecific peacebuilding strategies for post-conflict situations in cases under consideration,
where applicable,
Recognizing the role of the International Criminal Court in a multilateral system that
aims to end impunity, establish the rule of law, promote and encourage respect for human
rights and international humanitarian law and achieve sustainable peace, in accordance with
international law and the purposes and principles of the Charter,
Noting the inclusion of a range of sexual violence offences in the Rome Statute of
the International Criminal Court and the statutes of the ad hoc international criminal
tribunals, and also that rape and other forms of sexual violence can constitute a war crime, a
crime against humanity, or a constitutive act with respect to genocide,
Welcoming the activities of the United Nations, including through its field presences,
in assisting States to design, establish and implement transitional justice mechanisms and
promote the rule of law, as well as its conceptual and analytical work on transitional justice
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5
6
7
8
2
General Assembly resolution 65/32, para. 13.
S/2004/616 and S/2011/634.
A/61/636-S/2006/980.
A/63/226, A/63/64, A/64/298, A/65/318 and A/66/133..
S/2009/189.
E/CN.4/Sub.2/1997/20/Rev.1, annex II.
E/CN.4/2005/102/Add.1.
E/CN.4/2006/52.
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