UN-The right to self-determination of peoples General Comment No. 12: The right to self-determination of peoples (Art. 1) : . 13/03/84. CCPR General Comment No. 12. (General Comments)
Convention Abbreviation: CCPR GENERAL COMMENT 12
The right to self-determination of peoples
(Article 1)
(Twenty-first session, 1984)
1. In accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, article 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights recognizes that all peoples have the right of self-determination. The right of self-determination is of particular importance
because its realization is an essential condition for the effective guarantee and observance of individual human rights and for the promotion and
strengthening of those rights. It is for that reason that States set forth the right of self-determination in a provision of positive law in both
Covenants and placed this provision as article 1 apart from and before all of the other rights in the two Covenants.
2. Article 1 enshrines an inalienable right of all peoples as described in its paragraphs 1 and 2. By virtue of that right they freely "determine
their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development". The article imposes on all States parties corresponding
obligations. This right and the corresponding obligations concerning its implementation are interrelated with other provisions of the Covenant
and rules of international law.
3. Although the reporting obligations of all States parties include article 1, only some reports give detailed explanations regarding each of its
paragraphs. The Committee has noted that many of them completely ignore article 1, provide inadequate information in regard to it or confine
themselves to a reference to election laws. The Committee considers it highly desirable that States parties' reports should contain information
on each paragraph of article 1.
4. With regard to paragraph 1 of article 1, States parties should describe the constitutional and political processes which in practice allow the
exercise of this right.
5. Paragraph 2 affirms a particular aspect of the economic content of the right of self-determination, namely the right of peoples, for their own
ends, freely to "dispose of their natural wealth and resources without prejudice to any obligations arising out of international economic
cooperation, based upon the principle of mutual benefit, and international law. In no case may a people be deprived of its own means of
subsistence". This right entails corresponding duties for all States and the international community. States should indicate any factors or
difficulties which prevent the free disposal of their natural wealth and resources contrary to the provisions of this paragraph and to what extent
that affects the enjoyment of other rights set forth in the Covenant.
6. Paragraph 3, in the Committee's opinion, is particularly important in that it imposes specific obligations on States parties, not only in relation
to their own peoples but vis-à-vis all peoples which have not been able to exercise or have been deprived of the possibility of exercising their
right to self-determination. The general nature of this paragraph is confirmed by its drafting history. It stipulates that "The States Parties to the
present Covenant, including those having responsibility for the administration of Non-Self-Governing and Trust Territories, shall promote the
realization of the right of self-determination, and shall respect that right, in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations".
The obligations exist irrespective of whether a people entitled to self-determination depends on a State party to the Covenant or not. It follows
that all States parties to the Covenant should take positive action to facilitate realization of and respect for the right of peoples to self-
determination. Such positive action must be consistent with the States' obligations under the Charter of the United Nations and under
international law: in particular, States must refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of other States and thereby adversely affecting the
exercise of the right to self-determination. The reports should contain information on the performance of these obligations and the measures
taken to that end.
7. In connection with article 1 of the Covenant, the Committee refers to other international instruments concerning the right of all peoples to
self-determination, in particular the Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation among
States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, adopted by the General Assembly on 24 October 1970 (General Assembly
resolution 2625 (XXV)).
8. The Committee considers that history has proved that the realization of and respect for the right of self-determination of peoples contributes
to the establishment of friendly relations and cooperation between States and to strengthening international peace and understanding. ©1996-2001Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human RightsGeneva, Switzerland
