Third Committee Submits 8 Draft Resolutions to General Assembly, Including Ones on Establishing Cybercrime Treaty, Combating Nazi Glorification
The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) sent eight draft resolutions to the General Assembly today, including texts on establishing a United Nations cybercrime convention, promoting the rights of Indigenous Peoples and combating the glorification of Nazism.
UN Cybercrime Convention
The draft resolution titled “United Nations Convention against Cybercrime” (document A/78/986) — approved without a vote, as amended — would have the General Assembly adopt the Convention and opens it for signature in Hanoi in 2025 and thereafter at UN Headquarters in New York until 31 December 2026. Further by the text, the Assembly would urge all States and competent regional economic integration organizations to sign and ratify the Convention as soon as possible in order to ensure its rapid entry into force and request the Conference of the States Parties to the Convention to keep abreast of technological developments in the area of cybercrime, to make recommendations regarding appropriate action in that regard. The Assembly would also decide that the Ad Hoc Committee continue its work to negotiate a draft protocol to the Convention addressing additional criminal offences.
Several delegations cautioned that some States may misuse the instrument to justify human rights abuses, stressing the importance of interpreting the Convention consistently within their obligation under international human rights law, and not as permitting suppression of specific human rights and fundamental freedoms under the guise of cybercrime investigations.
Although the amendment (document A/C.3/79/L.22) to the draft was technical — moving the signing ceremony from New York to Hanoi, several delegates voiced concern that the motion was introduced after the treaty text was adopted by the Ad Hoc Committee. They underscored that the move cannot set a precedent and that moving the venue may put a financial strain on smaller delegations.
Nazi Glorification
The Committee approved the draft resolution, “Combating glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism and other practices that contribute to fuelling contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance” (document A/C.3/79/L.2), as amended, by a recorded vote of 116 in favour to 54 against, with 11 abstentions.
By the text, the Assembly would express concern about the glorification of the Nazi movement, neo-Nazism and former members of the Waffen SS organization, including by erecting monuments and memorials and holding public demonstrations in the name of the glorification of the Nazi past. It would urge States to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination by all appropriate means — including legislation — and adopt further measures to support training for the police and other law enforcement bodies on the ideologies of extremist political parties to strengthen their capacity to address racist and xenophobic crimes and prevent racial profiling practices.
Prior to L.2’s adoption, the Committee approved — by a recorded vote of 66 in favour to 43 against, with 51 abstentions — amendment (document A/C.3/79/L.51), inserting a new operative paragraph that “notes with alarm that the Russian Federation has sought to justify its territorial aggression against Ukraine on the purported basis of eliminating neo-Nazism, and underlines that the pretextual use of neo-Nazism to justify territorial aggression seriously undermines genuine attempts to combat neo-Nazism”.
Introducing the amendment, Norway’s delegate stressed that this year’s draft was again incorrectly presented as a “technical rollover”. While the text is designed to combat the glorification of Nazism, “the Russian Federation is doing the exact opposite,” she cautioned, condemning the instrumentalization of history, which turns the draft into “a vehicle for propaganda”.
Many delegates echoed the concern that the draft continues to be misused by Moscow to justify its illegal invasion of Ukraine on the pretext of neo-Nazism, citing it as “a glaring example of its efforts to further its geopolitical aims”.
Other delegates supported the draft but disassociated from the amendment — describing it as “a procedural provocation”. Rejecting politicization, they underscored that “it is a thematic and not a country-specific resolution”. Such a selective approach violates the principle of impartiality and objectivity, hindering constructive dialogue and diluting the draft, they added.
Indigenous Peoples Rights
The Committee also approved the draft resolution, “Rights of Indigenous Peoples” (document A/C.3/79/L.21/Rev.1), by a recorded vote of 168 in favour, 1 against (Argentina), with 7 abstentions (Bulgaria, France, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lithuania, Mali, Romania and Slovakia).
By the text, the Assembly would decide to further expand the mandate of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples to assist representatives of Indigenous Peoples’ organizations and communities in participating in meetings related to the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Stressing the disproportionate impact of climate change on Indigenous Peoples due to their direct reliance on ecosystems, it would emphasize that climate change poses a threat to their survival, dignity and well-being and stress the urgent need to enhance their adaptive capacity and resilience to the phenomenon.
Many delegations voiced regret that one country called for a vote on the resolution as the delegation had not objected to the text during its preparation. Underscoring the importance of the draft — which had been approved by consensus previously — one delegation spotlighted its language addressing the effects of climate change on Indigenous Peoples — particularly women and girls and persons with disabilities. Another stressed that the draft reflects a shared commitment to promote, protect and fulfil the rights of Indigenous Peoples, and recognizes their valuable contributions to the world.
The representative of Argentina opposed some terminology as “ambiguous and broad”, noting the draft does not sufficiently guarantee Indigenous Peoples universal rights without discrimination and that “ancestral practices can lead to the validation of practices which are at odds the fundamental rights of women and girls, the right to health and access to scientific progress”.
The other drafts moving on to the General Assembly are:
Preventing and countering violence against children by organized criminal groups and terrorist groups in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice (document A/C.3/79/L.5)
By the text, approved without a vote, the Assembly would voice deep concern that children face heightened risks of recruitment, abuse and exploitation by organized criminal and terrorist groups using evolving technologies, including social media. The Assembly would call upon Member States to adopt measures to prevent that violence online while strengthening measures to assist in the rehabilitation and reintegration of children who have been involved in organized criminal groups, including gangs. It would request the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to facilitate an event at the Fifteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice to promote children’s rights in crime prevention and criminal justice.
Follow-up to the Second World Assembly on Ageing (A/C.3/79/L.8/Rev.1)
By the text, approved without a vote, the Assembly would recognize the negative impact of the [coronavirus] pandemic on the financial security of older persons, calling on States to address barriers in labour markets and inadequate social protection systems, and combat elder abuse and all forms of discrimination and inequalities experienced by them. It would encourage States to adopt social policies that promote the development of community services for older persons, considering the psychological and physical aspects of ageing and the special needs of older women and older persons with disabilities.
Literacy for life: shaping future agendas (document A/C.3/79/L.11)
By the text, also approved without a vote, the Assembly would call on Governments to scale up literacy — including digital literacy — programmes, with particular attention to those in vulnerable situations, and increase investment in inclusive and equitable quality education for all. It would call on States to work with the private sector and civil society towards closing the digital divides and promote digital inclusion by addressing the challenges associated with access, affordability and digital literacy. It would further request the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to continue its coordinating role through the implementation of its Strategy for Youth and Adult Literacy (2020–2025) and the strategy of the Global Alliance for Literacy.
Follow-up to the Fourteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and preparations for the Fifteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (A/C.3/79/L.3).
By the text, the Assembly would decide to hold the Fifteenth Congress in Abu Dhabi from 25 to 30 April 2026, with pre-Congress consultations to be held on 24 April 2026 and that the high-level segment of the Congress shall be held during the first two days, urging participants in the regional preparatory meetings to make action-oriented recommendations to serve as a basis for the draft recommendations and conclusions for consideration by the Congress. It would also request the Secretary-General to provide the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime with the necessary resources for the preparation of, and for the Congress.
Reducing reoffending through rehabilitation and reintegration (A/C.3/79/L.4)
To the text, approved without a vote, the Assembly would authorize the open-ended intergovernmental expert group on model strategies on reducing reoffending to continue its work with a view to reporting to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at its thirty-fourth session and requests the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to convene an additional meeting of the open-ended intergovernmental expert group to finalize the development of model strategies on reducing reoffending, while strongly encouraging Member States to participate in that meeting and include experts from a variety of disciplines in their delegations.