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adopted under the Advisory Services item, all by consensus. Resolution 1991/50 recorded the Commission's continuing interest in this program; it also requested that special rapporteurs and representatives inform governments whenever appropriate of the possibility of requesting advisory services in the field of human rights. Resolution 1991/49, on the Voluntary Fund for Advisory Services and Technical Assistance in the Field of Human Rights, urged governments to provide greater support for the fund.

In resolution 1991/51, the Commission expressed its deep concern for serious human rights violations that had continued to take place in Guatemala, but welcomed the commitment by the new government to guarantee the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The Commission also took note of a report submitted by an expert on the services provided to the Government of Equatorial Guinea under the advisory services program, thanked Spain for its cooperation in extending assistance to Equatorial Guinea in the human rights field, and urged the Government of Equatorial Guinea to take concrete steps to implement the human rights recognized in the International Covenants on Human Rights that it ratified. (Resolution 1991/80.)

Youth and Human Rights

The Human Rights Commission adopted by consensus two resolutions dealing with youth and human rights. Resolution 1991/64 called upon states to ensure the exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms by youth, including the right to education and the right to work. The United States made an explanation of position, noting that the important questions of education, training and employment were more appropriate to other UN forums, where the interests of youth could be better served. Resolution 1991/65 requested the Secretary General report to the next Commission on the question of conscientious objection to military service.

The General Assembly annually considers the topic of youth and human rights; its actions are discussed in the section on Social Development.

Review of the Work of the

Subcommission

Each year the Human Rights Commission considers the report of the most recent session of its Subcommission on Pre

vention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, including draft resolutions and decisions submitted by the Subcommission. During the debate on this item, the U.S. Representative pointed out that, despite Commission resolution 1990/ 64, on Subcommission reform, the number of extraneous or duplicative resolutions, decisions and studies had actually increased. This, he said, detracted from the important work of the Subcommission. He also reiterated the importance of having Subcommission members who are truly independent experts not subject to direction or pressure from their governments.

The Commission reviewed the work of the Subcommission and adopted, without a vote, resolution 1991/56, which drew together the principal points of the discussion and called them to the attention of the Subcommission. The resolution emphasized the need for the Subcommission to be guided by Commission resolutions and proposed several ways in which the Subcommission could improve its work. It also called upon states to nominate for Subcommission membership persons who were truly independent experts.

The Commission approved, without a vote, two resolutions relating to indigenous peoples. Resolution 1991/57 urged governments to develop activities for the International Year for the World's Indigenous People (1993) in consultation with indigenous people. Resolution 1991/59 expressed support for the work of the Subcommission's Working Group on Indigenous Populations and urged the working group to complete, as soon as possible, a set of draft international standards based on a continued and comprehensive review of developments pertaining to the promotion and protection of the human rights of indigenous populations.

The Commission also endorsed consensus resolution 1991/ 58, which called on international organizations to provide information on the subject of slavery and slavery-like practices to the Subcommission Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery. Establishment of a voluntary fund on contemporary forms of slavery was urged.

Resolution 1991/81, introduced by Cuba under the title "Strengthening of the independence of the expert members of the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities," would have limited the members' ability to use the secret ballot in voting on country-specific human rights situations. The United States supported Western efforts to amend the draft to ensure that the secret ballot could be used.

The amended resolution was adopted by a vote of 23 (U.S.) to 4, with 15 abstentions.

Science and Technology

The Human Rights Commission adopted four resolutions on science and technology in the field of human rights. Two were adopted without a vote. Resolution 1991/45 noted a UN University study on the use of scientific and technological developments for the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. It requested the Subcommission consider the study. Resolution 1991/46 noted the working group's completion of a draft body of principles for protection of persons with mental illness and improvement of mental health care. The principles were transmitted to the General Assembly for consideration and adoption. In resolution 46/119, the General Assembly adopted the principles without a vote and requested the Secretary General give the principles the widest possible dissemination.

The United States could not support two draft resolutions under this agenda item because they were not appropriate to the Commission's work. The first, concerning human rights and the environment, endorsed a Subcommission decision to appoint a special rapporteur to prepare a study on this subject. The United States, while noting the grave environmental problems facing the international community, stated it did not regard the environment as a human rights concern and an already burdened Subcommission should not be given additional, extraneous work. The resolution was adopted by a vote of 39 to 1 (U.S.), with 1 abstention. (Resolution 1991/44.) During debate on a second resolution, on movement and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and waste, the United States again maintained that the subject was extraneous to the Commission's work. In a rollcall vote requested by the United States, the resolution was adopted by 29 votes to 0, with 12 abstentions (U.S.). (Resolution 1991/47.)

Subcommission on Prevention of
Discrimination and Protection of
Minorities

This 26-member Subcommission is composed of uninstructed experts who act in their individual capacity; in theory they do not involve the responsibility of their governments. It reports to

the Human Rights Commission. The Subcommission held its 43rd session in Geneva August 5-30.

The United States has become increasingly concerned about the Subcommission's duplication of country-specific subjects under active consideration by the Commission. Another concern is the increasing number of reports and studies under preparation by various individual Subcommission members; the Subcommission listed 23 such studies and reports at various stages of preparation.

Examples of such country-specific resolutions in 1991 abound. Resolution 1991/10 citing human rights violations in Tibet that "threaten the distinct cultural, religious and national identity of the Tibetan people" was adopted by a vote of 9 to 7, with 4 abstentions. The rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in Somalia was addressed in consensus resolution 1991/ 29. These votes and those on all other country-specific resolutions were by secret ballot. The Subcommission also addressed country-specific situations in South Africa, Guatemala, Kuwait, Cambodia, Iran, El Salvador and Iraq. It adopted resolutions on apartheid in South Africa and on the situation in the Israelioccupied Arab territories. Regarding the latter subject, the Subcommission recommended to the Commission that ECOSOC seek an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on "the legal consequences for states arising from the building by Israel of settlements in the territories occupied since 1967." (Resolution 1991/38, adopted by a vote of 10 to 4 (U.S.), with 6 abstentions.)

In the U.S. view, the Subcommission is not only duplicating the Commission's effort, but it is also overcrowding its own agenda. Moreover, the Subcommission at times seriously complicates the UN's ability to deal with such situations. One example: the focus on Tibet raised the question of sovereignty; as a result, the Commission decided to take no action at all on the question of human rights in China. A second example: the request for the ICJ advisory opinion came at a delicate stage in the search for peace in the Middle East.

Among the human rights themes of note during the Subcommission's 43rd session were: application of international standards on the rights of detained juveniles, traditional practices affecting the health of women and children, ownership and control of the cultural property of indigenous peoples, and a draft program of action to prevent exploitation of prostitutes.

In closed sessions, the Subcommission considered recommendations of its presessional Working Group on Communica

tions. This standing working group was established under ECOSOC resolution 1503 (XLVIII) to screen the thousands of human rights communications received each year by the United Nations from private sources. Its task is to identify for the full Subcommission those situations that appear to reveal a consistent pattern of gross and reliably attested violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The Subcommission decided to refer several of the situations it had examined to the Commission for consideration.

Status of Women

Commission on the Status of Women

The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) was established by ECOSOC in 1946 to prepare reports on promotion of women's rights in the political, economic, social and educational fields, and to make recommendations on problems involving women's rights. The CSW has 45 members, including the United States, which has served continuously since 1947, and is located in Vienna.

The 35th session of the CSW took place in Vienna, February 27-March 8. The issue of the venue of the 1995 world conference on women dominated the agenda. Fourteen resolutions were adopted by consensus: one entitled "Improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat" was introduced by the United States; three were cosponsored by the United States and dealt with migrant women, women and AIDS, and refugee and displaced women and children. Action on a U.S. resolution to improve the CSW communications procedure was deferred until the next session of the CSW. The United States called for a vote and voted against resolutions concerning women and children under apartheid and Palestinian women.

The 35th session was the fourth conducted under the reformed agenda adopted in 1987. At that time, it was agreed that each of the next five CSW sessions would discuss three priority themes, one drawn from each category of the ForwardLooking Strategies of the Nairobi World Conference: Equality, Development and Peace. The 1991 themes were vulnerable women, including migrant women; machineries on the national, regional and international levels for effective integration of women in the development process, including nongovernmental organizations; and refugee and displaced women and children.

The issue of the 1995 world conference on women-to be entitled Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equal

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