ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO BE CONSIDERED AS THIRD COMMITTEE BEGINS REVIEW OF FURTHER HUMAN RIGHTS QUESTIONS
Press Release
GA/SHC/3443
ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO BE CONSIDERED AS THIRD COMMITTEE BEGINS REVIEW OF FURTHER HUMAN RIGHTS QUESTIONS
19971112 Background Release The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today begins consideration of further human rights questions, including issues related to alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms; human rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and representatives; comprehensive implementation and follow-up to the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action; and the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.The Committee has before it more than 30 reports on all those aspects of human rights. (On 7 November, the Committee began consideration of "implementation of human right instruments".)
Report of High Commissioner for Human Rights
The report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (document A/52/36) which incorporates the implementation and follow-up to the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, presents developments in the field of human rights since last year's session of the Commission on Human Rights. It states that since taking office, the Secretary-General has stressed the importance of the human rights component of the United Nations activities, stating his intention to be a champion of human rights. The ongoing process of reform faithfully reflects the Secretary-General's intention of making human rights a central concern of the United Nations agenda and giving full support to the effective exercise by the High Commissioner of her mandate.
The report states that efforts to meet human rights challenges through the forging of a global partnership for human rights have been determinedly endorsed by Mary Robinson, since taking up her appointment as High Commissioner on 12 September. This partnership will be built on an integrated and holistic approach to human rights, in the framework of which all rights, civil, cultural, economic, political and social, including the right to development, are perceived as of equal importance, interrelated and mutually supportive.
In 1998, when the international community will commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and carry out the five-year review of the implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme
of Action, adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights on 25 June 1993, this partnership, the report continues, would provide a strong foundation for future endeavour in years to come.
The seven-part report provides details of the renewal and enhancement of the human rights programme: integration of human rights activities within the United Nations system; the fifty-third session of the Commission of Human rights; research and the right to development; activities and programmes; support services; and the human rights year (1998).
On the human rights year, the report states the Office of the High Commissioner has initiated inter-agency consultations concerning preparations for the commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration and the five-year review of the implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. Seven inter-agency meetings have already taken place in 1997, illustrating that "1998" is perceived system-wide as a unique framework for strengthening and consolidating United Nations efforts in the area of human rights and for making the universal enjoyment of these rights one of the guiding ideas of the Organization for the next century.
Under the technical cooperation programme, the report states that the Office of the High Commissioner has established human rights field presences in 15 countries, on its own and in cooperation with other United Nations entities. Operational aspects of this activity still need to be strengthened. The insecure funding base of such undertakings, which rely largely on voluntary contributions from Governments, constitutes their ongoing weakness which must be addressed. The report notes that the Office's own human rights field activities are pursued in a number of countries, including Burundi, Cambodia, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mongolia, Gaza, and Rwanda and several countries of the former Yugoslavia. The Human Rights Field Operation in Rwanda, supported entirely by voluntary contributions, remains the largest field presence maintained under the authority of the Office of the High Commissioner.
In 1997, the Human Rights Field Operation in Rwanda continued its monitoring and technical cooperation activities on a reduced scale, owing to a severe deterioration in security conditions and the imposition of travel restrictions which followed the tragic murders of staff members of the Operation in February 1997. In view of the continuing conditions and obstacles posed by the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the investigation of allegations of massacres and other issues affecting human rights arising from the situation prevailing in eastern Zaire since September 1996, the Secretary-General has decided to withdraw the members of the team, pending clarification of the policy of the Government concerning the investigation, the report states.
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Alternative Approaches for Improving Effective Enjoyment of Human Rights
The Secretary-General's report on enhancing the effectiveness of the principle of periodic and genuine elections (document A/52/474) states that it presents the progress to date in the implementation of resolutions on the issue, in particular to report on the status of requests from Member States for electoral assistance and verification, and on the efforts of the Secretary-General to enhance the Organization's support of the democratization process in Member States.
The information provided in the present report is divided into three sections: implementation of General Assembly resolutions 49/190 and 50/185; United Nations experience in electoral assistance over the past two years, including that in the context of the United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES) and the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL); and reflections on future activities. Additional details of specific assistance projects between 18 October 1995 and 16 September 1997 are contained in the annex.
Over the past two years, it is noted, the United Nations has continued to receive a significant number of requests from Member States for electoral assistance. However, as more Member States have passed through the initial phase of first-time multi-party elections, the focus is shifting away from the specific events surrounding election day to the consolidation of institutions and processes which are essential to viable democracies. That trend was first identified two years ago and has become increasingly pronounced. The Under- Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Kieran Prendergast, serves as the United Nations focal point for electoral assistance activities and he is assisted in that task by the Electoral Assistance Division, Department of Political Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat.
A note by the Secretary-General transmits to the Assembly the interim report on the elimination of all forms of religious intolerance (document A/52/477), prepared by Abdelfattah Amor, Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights. The annexed report provides information on the Rapporteur's visits and their follow-up; the development of a culture of tolerance and the status of communications sent since the fifty-third session of the Commission on Human Rights.
The report states that, based on the analysis of the communications, the rapporteur provides a general classification of the communities which have allegedly been the victims of violations of religious freedom. Listed are Christian communities in Afghanistan, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Egypt, Georgia, India, Iraq, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Qatar, Pakistan, Romania, the Sudan, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan. Islamic communities included: Afghanistan,
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Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Iraq, Qatar and Uzbekistan. Buddhist communities included: China and Viet Nam.
Other listed religions, religious groups and religious communities who have reportedly suffered are: Ahmadis in Pakistan; Baha'is in Iran; Jehovah's Witnesses in Armenia, Bulgaria, Gabon, Georgia, Latvia, Romania, Singapore and Slovakia; and Hare Krishna in Armenia. Countries where all religions, all religious groups and religious communities, except the official or State religion or the predominant religion, have allegedly suffered violations of freedom are: Brunei Darussalam, the Comoros, Israel, Kuwait, Mauritania, Nicaragua, Oman, the Russian Federation, Somalia, Thailand and Yemen. The report cites alleged violations of freedom of all religions, all religious groups and religious communities in Nigeria.
A report by the Secretary-General on national institutions for human rights (document A/52/468) outlines activities of national institutions cooperating with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in implementing international human rights standards at the national level. The report describes action at the national and regional levels by national institutions in Africa, Asia/Pacific and Eastern Europe, such as the first Asia-Pacific Regional Workshop of National Human Rights Institutions held at Darwin, Australia, for senior government officials from eight countries considering establishing human rights institutions.
The report indicates a growing role for independent national institutions in promoting and protecting human rights. It also reflects the expanding role of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner in continuing and strengthening national institutions. Finally, the report highlights the need for a closer framework for cooperation between national institutions and the international bodies responsible for human rights by recognizing an appropriate status for participation in human rights forums.
A report by the Secretary-General on human rights and mass exoduses (document A/52/494) states that steps to enhance United Nations capacity to avert and tackle the root causes of refugee overflows are aimed not so much at new activities but at enhancing the speed, comprehensiveness, coherence and flexibility of overall and sectoral responses, adapted to specific situations. Those steps involve a more systemic inclusion of all relevant United Nations entities in a comprehensive response, leading to the human rights programme being more fully incorporated into the broad range of United Nations activities.
The report describes participation by the High Commissioner for Human Rights in meetings of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee and the inclusion of her Office's operational activities in the consolidated appeals. The High Commissioner also participates in the Executive Committees on Peace and
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Security, Economic and Social Affairs, Development Operations and Humanitarian Affairs, with emphasis on smooth transition of activity so that, for instance, emergency and development assistance are handled as parallel rather than sequential efforts.
At the headquarters level, responsibility has been clarified for increased responsiveness and decision-making in the field. By a mechanism of consultations, an overall strategy is formulated at the earliest possible stage. Where activities overlap or pull oppositely, or consensus cannot be reached, decision-making authorities at various levels harmonize conflicting views and set priorities.
A note by the Secretary-General on human rights and terrorism (document A/52/483) transmits to the Commission on Human Rights a report outlining Member States' views regarding establishment of a United Nations voluntary fund for victims of terrorism, including for their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
A report by the Secretary-General on promoting the Declaration on rights of minorities (document A/52/498) describes the steps taken by the United Nations system to assist Governments, at their request, to incorporate international human rights standards into national laws, policies and practices, and in building national capacity and regional structures for promoting and protecting human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Assistance generally takes the form of providing expertise, advisory services or information, as well as institution-building, training and other vehicles of education.
The report also describes cooperation of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights with United Nations Programmes and Agencies dealing with minority issues. These include the treaty bodies of the Human Rights Committee, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the Committee on the Rights of the Child; they also include the special rapporteur, special representatives and working groups of the Commission on Human Rights.
A report by the Secretary-General on strengthening the rule of law (document A/52/475) describes United Nations efforts to enhance inter-agency coordination and cooperation for strengthening the rule of law, particularly in countries committed to that end but facing economic hardship. The report describes the consultations that the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights undertook with United Nations organs and agencies to explore avenues for increasing financing. Also described are further contacts made for support from financial institutions acting within their own mandates who are potential sources of technical and financial means for strengthening the Centre's capacity for providing assistance to national projects.
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A note by the Secretary-General on human rights and unilateral coercive measures (document A/52/567) states that information requested from Member States about implications and negative effects of human rights and unilateral coercive measures on their populations has not yet been received. The note also states that the Commission on Human Rights, on whose behalf the information was requested, will examine the question further at its fifty- fourth session from 16 March to 24 April 1998.
A report by the Secretary-General on the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (document A/52/469) presents an overview of progress made in implementing the plan of action for the Decade, 1995-2004, following the plan's structure of eight components. Among these are: assessing needs and formulating strategies; strengthening international, regional, national and local programmes and capacities; coordinated development of materials; strengthening the role of the mass media; and globally disseminating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Also included in the report is a description of other public information activities undertaken by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and human rights activities undertaken by the Department of Public Information. Activities by Information Centres and those planned for the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are included.
An addendum to the report (document A/52/469/Add.1) presents guidelines for national plans of action for human rights education based on objectives along the lines of the overall plan, beginning with assessing needs and culminating in global dissemination of the Universal Declaration. The report describes the rationale for human rights education and sets down the principles for a national plan of action. It then outlines steps towards the national plan: establishing a national committee; conducting a baseline study; setting priorities and identifying groups in need; developing the plan, implementing it, and then reviewing and revising it.
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