Appendix 6

United Nations Declaration on Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and the Abuse of Power


Approved by the UN General Assembly, on 29 November 1985 (resolution 40/34), on the recommendation of the Seventh Congress.

Published in Monograph No 7: Putting Victims on the Agenda, November 1996


Victims should be treated with compassion and respect to their dignity, and are entitled to prompt redress for harm caused.

Judicial and administrative mechanisms should be established and strengthened to enable victims to obtain redress.

Victims should be informed of their role and the timing and progress of their cases.

The views and concerns of victims should be presented and considered at appropriate stages of the process.

Steps should be taken to minimise delay and inconvenience to victims, ensure their privacy, and protect them from intimidation and retaliation.

Offenders should, where appropriate, make restitution to victims or their families or dependants.

Where public officials have violated criminal laws, victims should receive restitution from the state.

When compensation is not fully available from the offender, states should provide compensation to victims or their families in cases of significant physical or mental injury.

Victims should receive the necessary material, medical, psychological and social assistance through governmental and voluntary means.

Police, justice, social service and other personnel concerned should receive training to sensitise them to the needs of victims.

States should consider incorporating into national law norms proscribing abuses of power, including political and economic power. They should also provide remedies to victims of such abuses, including restitution and compensation.