AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SHOULD EXPAND ITS AREAS OF CONCERN TO INCLUDE SOCIO-ECONOMIC RIGHTS, NGO COMMITTEE IS TOLD
Press Release
NGO/264
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SHOULD EXPAND ITS AREAS OF CONCERN TO INCLUDE SOCIO-ECONOMIC RIGHTS, NGO COMMITTEE IS TOLD
19960129 The human rights organization Amnesty International should expand its areas of concern to include economic, social and cultural rights particularly, the right to development, in light of the Vienna Declaration adopted by the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights, the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations was told this afternoon.That view was expressed by the representative of Cuba as the Committee reviewed the quadrennial reports of organizations with consultative status with the Economic and Social Council.
Expressing a similar view was the representative of China, who said that Amnesty International should objectively reflect the status of human rights in the world and pay attention to the overall situation of human rights in the United Nations. Such an effort should also apply to other non-governmental organizations dealing with human rights in the United Nations.
In similar vein, Indonesia's representative said that since Amnesty International had, in a report to the Committee, acknowledged that all human rights were interlinked and indivisible, it should be asked to purvey economic rights as well, including the right to development.
Opposing views were expressed by the United Kingdom, United States and Ireland. The representative of the United Kingdom said it would be inappropriate for the Committee to ask a non-governmental organization to broaden its area of interest unless its members decided to do so on their own. Decisions should be left to the non-governmental organizations. Moreover, Amnesty International was neither a government nor a party to the Vienna Declaration.
Ireland's representative said he would be uncomfortable with the Committee making a recommendation of that nature.
"The good thing about non-governmental organizations is that they can do what they want to do", the United States representative said, backing the view that they should not be told what to do.
Committee on NGOs - 2 - Press Release NGO/264 583rd Meeting (PM) 29 January 1996
Costa Rica's representative expressed appreciation for the information it had received from Amnesty International regarding the disappearances of people in her region.
The Committee today took note of about 121 of some 180 quadrennial reports from non-governmental organizations with consultative status with the Economic and Social Council. Four reports were deferred. They were from Liberal International, World Veterans Federation, Christian Democrat International and Human Rights Advocates. The remaining will be taken up tomorrow.
In accordance with arrangements approved by the Council for consultations with such organizations, they are required to report, every four years, on the work they did in support of the United Nations. After looking at the reports, the Committee may recommend to the Council any reclassification in the status of the organizations concerned that it finds appropriate.
The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m., tomorrow, 30 January. It is expected to continue looking at the quadrennial reports and also to consider applications for consultative status from the International Energy Foundation (IEF), ISIS International (Chile) and ISIS International Women's Information and Communication Service (Philippines).
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