HIGH-LEVEL REPRESENTATION SOUGHT FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY"S SPECIAL SESSION ON ROLE OF WOMEN 21ST CENTURY

Press Release
GA/SHC/3555

HIGH-LEVEL REPRESENTATION SOUGHT FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY’S SPECIAL SESSION ON ROLE OF WOMEN 21ST CENTURY

Committee Approves Text on ‘Women in 2000’; In Other Drafts, Action Urged on Racial Discrimination, Convention Against Torture

The General Assembly would urge Member States and observers to ensure their representation at a high political level in its special session entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”, by the terms of one of four draft resolutions approved without a vote, this afternoon, by the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural).

Also by the draft, the Assembly would decide that non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, as well as those which were accredited to the Fourth World Conference on Women may participate in the special session without creating a precedent for future General Assembly sessions. (The Special Session is to take place from 5 to 9 June, 2000.)

By an orally revised draft also approved today, the Assembly would call upon all Member States to allocate adequate resources for the provisions of data disaggregated by sex and age for undertaking gender impact analysis and measures progress in order to develop successful national implementation strategies for the Platform for Action on the Fourth World Conference on Women.

By another orally revised draft resolution, all Governments would be urged to cooperate fully with the Special Rapporteur on Racism and Racial Discrimination with a view to enabling him to fulfil his mandate, including the examination of incidence of contemporary forms of racism and racial discrimination, inter alia, against blacks, Arabs and Muslims, xenophobia, Negrophobia, anti-Semitism and related intolerance.

Another orally revised draft resolution would have the Assembly urge all States that have not yet done so to become parties to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Third Committee - 1a - Press Release GA/SHC/3555 41st Meeting (PM) 10 November 1999

Also today, the Committee received a draft resolution on issues related to the promotion and protection of the rights of children, entitled “the rights of the child”.

The Committee also continued its discussion on human rights issues.

Many States said that without the elimination of poverty and the unequal distribution of resources, all efforts to advance human rights were in vain. Warning that in the context of the current global difficulties, economic, social and cultural rights could no longer be relegated to a secondary rank, the representative of the Republic of Korea called for the elimination of absolute poverty.

Stating that globalization had benefited a small part of humankind but had given rise to greater inequalities, the representative of Pakistan said it was imperative to promote growth with equity for the benefit rather than exploitation of the majority of people.

The economic, social and cultural rights had to be upgraded to make civil and political rights, in order to realize the right to development, said the representative of Jordan.

Appealing to the international community for assistance and help in order to promote human rights, the representative of Togo said international efforts would be more efficient with a positive mobilization of resources rather than the application of sanctions.

The representatives of Argentina, Madagascar, Turkey and Congo also made statements.

In exercise of the right of reply, statements were also made by the representative of Trinidad and Tobago, China, Greece, Cyprus and Turkey.

The Committee will meet again tomorrow, 11 November at 10 a.m. to continue its consideration on issues related to human rights questions.

Committee Work Programme

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this afternoon to continue its consideration of human rights issues, including alternative approaches for improving human rights; human rights situations; follow-up to the Vienna Declaration; and the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. (For background information, see Press Releases GA/SHC/3546 and 3547 of 4 November.)

The Committee has before it the newly released report of the Secretary- General on enhancing the effectiveness of the principle of periodic and genuine elections (document A/54/491). It contains information about the status of requests received by the United Nations for electoral assistance and about the efforts of the Secretary-General to enhance the Organization’s support for the democratization process. The report is presented in three main sections: a) implementation of General Assembly resolutions 52/129 and 50/185; b) United Nations experience in electoral assistance over the past two years; and c) reflections on future activities.

Over the past two years, 38 States made requests to the United Nations for electoral assistance. Since, in some cases, States requested assistance more than once during the reporting period, the actual number of requests was 48. Assistance ranged in scale from short-term technical assistance projects in Djibouti and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the organization and conduct of the popular consultation on the future of East Timor.

The number of large-scale missions is declining while requests for technical assistance are on the rise. One important factor contributing to that trend has been the establishment, over the past seven years, of permanent national election commissions and administrative bodies in countries throughout the world. For many States engaged in democratization, their primary concern is how the electoral process can be improved and refined over time. Efficiency and cost-effectiveness are new priorities for many election administrators. Also, elections have provided a focus for communication and cooperation among diverse national groups, encouraging the expression of views and opinions in a safe and neutral environment.

The report contains information on the United Nations experience with periodic and genuine elections as it relates to major United Nations missions, support for international observers and technical assistance and advisory services. The Annex to the report includes a summary of electoral assistance activities from 17 September 1997 to 30 September 1999.

The Committee also has before it a draft resolution expected to be introduced. By the eight-part draft on the rights of the child (document A/C.3/54/L.49), the Assembly would call for actions related directly to promotion and protection of those rights. In part I, it would call for implementing the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Specifically, it would once again urge States to sign and ratify or accede to the Convention, reitering its concern at the great number of reservations and urging States to withdraw them. The Assembly would also call on States to implement the Convention and would urge States to involve children and youth in their efforts to implement the goals of the World Summit for Children and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Under part II of the draft, concerning prevention and eradication of the sale of children and of their sexual exploitation and abuse, including child prostitution and child pornography, the Assembly would strongly support the work of the open-ended inter-sessional working group of the Commission on Human Rights on elaborating a draft optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Also, it would call upon States to criminalize and effectively penalize all forms of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children. In addition, it would call on States to enact, enforce, review and revise laws, as appropriate, and to implement policies, programmes and practices to protect children.

Part III, on protection of children affected by armed conflict, would have the Assembly urge the Secretary-General and all relevant parts of the United Nations system to intensify efforts to develop a concerted approach to the rights, protection and welfare of children affected by armed conflict. States and other parties to armed conflict would be urged to respect international humanitarian law, to put an end to any form of targeting of children or attacking of sites that usually have a significant presence of children.

Part IV concerns refugee and internally displaced children. In that regard, the Assembly would urge Governments to improve the implementation of policies and programmes for the protection, care and well-being of refugee and internally displaced children with the necessary international cooperation. Part V, concerning progressive elimination of child labour, would have the Assembly call on States to translate into concrete action their commitment to eliminate child labour contrary to accepted international standards. It would also call on States to assess and examine the magnitude, nature and causes of child labour, and to elaborate and implement strategies for eliminating child labour.

By Part VI, on the plight of children working and/or living on the streets, Governments would be strongly urged to guarantee the respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as to take urgent and effective measures to prevent the killing of children living and/or working on the streets. By part VII, concerning children with disabilities, the Assembly would call on States to take all measures to ensure full and equal rights to children with disabilities and to promote a decent life for them. By part VIII, the Assembly would decide to request reports related to the rights of the child from both the Secretary-General and his Special Representative on children and armed conflict.

The resolution is sponsored by Andorra, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Malaysia, Monaco, Mongolia, Namibia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Tunisia, Ukraine and United Kingdom.

In addition to that draft, the Committee has before it a number of drafts on which action is expected.

A draft resolution on the follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action (document A/C.3/54/L.54) would have the Assembly recall the decision to convene a high-level plenary review of implementation as a special session of the General Assembly, taking place from 5 to 9 June 2000 and entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”. The Assembly would reaffirm that adequate resources would be required to implement the Platform for Action with that special session in mind, and that policies may have to be reformulated and resources reallocated to implement it. It would reiterate that participation in the special session should be at a high political level and that the decision to include certain non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as participants would not set a precedent for future sessions of the Assembly.

By a draft text on preparations for the special session of the General Assembly on Women 2000 (document A/C.3/54/L.55), the Assembly would reiterate an invitation for Governments to prepare national action plans and reports on implementing the Beijing Platform for Action, and would decide that the special session shall have a plenary and an ad hoc committee of the whole. It would decide that the provisional agenda for the special session would include a review of progress in implementing the Platform and would consider further actions to overcome obstacles in implementation. It would request the Secretary-General to prepare a report on the Platform's implementation and would urge Member States and observers to ensure they were represented at a high political level in the special session.

A draft resolution sponsored by Guyana on measures to combat contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance (document A/C.3/54/L.26) would have the Assembly declare that racism and racial discrimination were among the most serious violations of human rights in the contemporary world and must be combated by all available means. The Assembly would express its profound concern about, and unequivocal condemnation of, all forms of racism and racial discrimination, in particular racial violence and propaganda or activities based on doctrines of racial superiority. The Assembly would also express profound concern at, and condemnation of, all manifestations of racism and stereotyping of migrant workers or their families and of persons belonging to minorities or vulnerable groups. Also, the Assembly would express deep concern about the increase in racial and xenophobic violence, particularly in Europe and North America, where the numbers of associations established on racist or xenophobic platforms was increasing.

By the draft, the Assembly would condemn the misuse of print, media and new technology, including the Internet, for the purpose of inciting violence motivated by racial hatred. It would urge all Governments to cooperate fully with the Special Rapporteur on racism and would call for international participation in events to carry out, promote and disseminate actions ensuring success for 2001 as the International Year of Mobilization against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, in particular the outcome of the World Conference against racism to be held that year. The following became sponsors when Guyana introduced the draft on 8 November: Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Netherlands, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

By terms of a 43-power draft on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (document A/C.3/54/L.50), the Assembly would urge all States that had not done so to become parties to the relevant Convention. It would urge them to accept all its provisions and to comply strictly with their obligations under the Convention. Further, it would urge them to take into full account the conclusions of the Committee against Torture. It would emphasize the obligation of States parties to ensure education and training for personnel involved with those vulnerable to torture treatment and calls upon them to cooperate with and to assist the Special Rapporteur in the performance of his task.

The resolution is sponsored by Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Senegal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States and Venezuela.

Introduction of draft

The representative of Finland introduced the draft on issues related to the promotion and protection of the rights of children. The following countries were added as sponsors: Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, China, Cape Verde, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, India, Iraq, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Mali, Republic of Moldova, Liberia, Lesotho, Russian Federation, Micronesia, New Zealand, Sudan, Thailand, Senegal, South Africa, Uzbekistan and Sierra Leone.

Action on draft resolutions

The draft resolution entitled “Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and full implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action” (document A/C.3/54/L.54) was taken up by the Committee.

The Committee approved the draft, as orally revised, without a vote.

The draft resolution on “Preparations for the special session of the General Assembly” entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”. (document A/C.3/54/L.55) was approved by the Committee without a vote.

Next, the Committee took up the draft resolution on “Measures to combat contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance”(document A/C.3/54/L.26). The following countries joined in sponsoring that draft: Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Iceland, Israel, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malta, San Marino, Congo, Ghana, Cameroon, Norway, Sweden and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as well as the Group of 77 and China.

The draft, as orally revised, was approved without a vote.

The Committee postponed taking up the draft resolution on the “Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination and the convening of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance”, (document A/C.3/54/L.28/Rev.1) due to possible programme budget implications from Geneva.

Next, the Committee took up the draft resolution on “Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment” (document A/C.4/54/L.50). The following countries joined in sponsoring that draft: Liberia, Madagascar, Ghana, Guatemala, Sierra Leone, Armenia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cameroon, El Salvador, Morocco, Eritrea, Russian Federation, San Marino and South Africa.

The draft resolution had programme budget implications. The Committee approved the draft, as orally revised, without a vote.

Statements

SAMER NABER (Jordan) said the process of implementing and developing human rights was influenced by historical, cultural and socio-economic developments shaping policies at the local level. He said economic, social and cultural rights had to be upgraded to match civil and political rights in order to realize the right to development.

He said that despite the economic, geopolitical and development constraints on his country, compounded by three forced mass migrations of Palestinian refugees, the government had institutionalized legal, judicial and administrative guarantees to implement and review human rights commitments. A Center of Human Rights and Democratic Studies had been established in Amman, dedicated to the principles of pluralism and to disseminating awareness in human rights and democratic practices. At the international level, critical factors in preventing gross violations of humans rights were to secure accountability and to end impunity.

RICARDO BOCALANDRO (Argentina) said that when respect for civil rights was absent in even a single country, it was a challenge to the entire international community. Human rights went beyond individual states and were of global concern. Argentina was industrious in meeting its obligations to promote and protect human rights. Since the return of democracy in 1983, human rights had been reinforced by constitutional reform as well as by other measures, such as the creation of an ombudsman’s office. In addition, a mechanism for dealing with former rights abuses had been created.

KOFFI ESAW (Togo) said the principles of non-selectivity and impartiality should be reflected in the promotion and protection of human rights. It was a Government priority in his country. There were no political prisoners in Togo. There were bodies dealing with the rights of women. Human rights could be established only in a democratic manner.

He said the greatest human rights violations were related to armed conflict. In 1998, a peaceful dialogue in order to reach a compromise had been undertaken among the various political parties. He appealed to the international community for assistance in promoting human rights. A positive mobilization of resources would be more effective than sanctions.

HELENA RAJAONARIVELO (Madagascar) said the promotion and protection of human rights should be an integral part of efforts by the international community. In her country, a national commission for human rights had been established. Supporting the convention on terrorism, she said the financing of terrorism should be repressed by the international community.

She spoke of the democratization in many African countries and said solidarity through bilateral, regional and international cooperation was the best way to help others to promote human rights. The right to development was an essential part of the process.

ALAMGIR BABAR (Pakistan) said globalization had resulted in a new form of economic, cultural and political domination. It had benefited a small part of humankind but had given rise to greater inequalities, a higher level of unemployment and serious social consequences. It was now imperative to promote growth with equity and to promote globalization for the benefit rather than exploitation of the majority of people. However, the development of civil and political rights indicators by the United Nations Development Group to complement existing economic and social indicators was of concern because it could introduce unacceptable “cross-conditionalities” for developmental funding.

Throughout history, people held in bondage by colonialists and foreign occupants had struggled for freedom, he said. The people of Jammu and Kashmir were struggling for their right of self-determination against India, despite Pakistan’s call for talks to solve the problem. Principles should be adopted to protect human rights in all armed conflicts, through such measures as monitoring and establishing a field presence. He said there was unevenness in the European Union’s analysis of the global human rights situation. Why had the European Union not condemned indignities suffered by a dark-skinned celebrity at one of its airports, or the random killing of school children, or the attacks against immigrants by white supremacists?

SUH DAE-WON (Republic of Korea) said no racial, ethnic, cultural or religious particularities warranted the violation of rights. State sovereignty could not be invoked in cases of humanitarian crises where principles and objectives of the United Nations Charter called for intervention. In the context of current global difficulties, it was evident that economic, social and cultural rights could no longer be relegated to a secondary rank. Without the elimination of absolute poverty and the empowerment of the individual, all efforts to advance human rights were on shaky ground.

He said recent experience had demonstrated that human rights violations of the past and present would become root causes for future conflicts. Wherever massive human rights abuses were threatened, collective action had to be taken. The United Nations should bolster its capacity for early warning and preventive action by strengthening its human rights field presence and by special procedures of the Commission on Human Rights.

LEVENT BILMAN (Turkey) said the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights did not reflect an equitable geographical distribution. For that reason, his Government had supported a draft resolution which requested the High Commissioner to prepare a report on the personnel structure of her office.

Issues relating to the strengthening of democratic institutions, human rights and constitutional reform were high on his Government’s agenda, he said. Constitutional changes had been made, detention periods had been reduced, measures had been taken to improve the conditions in prisons and new legislation had been enacted. Also, a committee on human rights coordination had already taken more than 150 legal and administrative decisions. Alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms should be sought, in order to better address the challenges facing the international community at the end of the millenium.

He said Greece must assume its responsibility in the events leading to the current state of affairs in Cyprus. The first ethnic cleansing campaign in Europe since the Second World War had started in 1963 in Cyprus against Turkish Cypriots. He hoped that the efforts of the Secretary General to initiate a peace process between Turkish and Greek Cypriots would be successful.

BASILE IKOUEBE (Congo) said her country had inherited an army and an economy in shreds. A forum for national reconciliation had been established. Her Government was attempting to reach a gradual return to peace and order. In difficult circumstances, it had achieved freedom of association and of all political parties as well of freedom of speech. It had also declared amnesty for soldiers or militia who had committed war crimes.

She said, the European Union had greatly helped her country, but had made false allegations regarding the human rights situation. Armed bandits who killed the population and used them as human shields were different from Government soldiers who were fighting to restore peace. As a partner, the European Union should support her country so that it could restore peace and the rule of law. Former militia men had given themselves to the authorities. The people needed increased humanitarian assistance.

Rights of Reply

The representative of Trinidad and Tobago referred to the portion of the statement by Finland on behalf of the European Union regarding the death penalty. He said the concept of sovereignty implied the right of every State to exclusive jurisdiction. Nothing authorized the United Nations to interfere in the internal affairs of states. The decision to maintain or abolish the death penalty was the sovereign right of a state.

The representative of China said he rejected the statements of the European Union, Canada, Australia and, particularly, the United States against his country. He said the accusation of human rights abuses was unfounded. Legal reforms had been undertaken. The United States knew nothing about the difference between the cult of the Falong Gong and a religious group. China’s methods of dealing with that cult were mild compared to the way the United States dealt with cults. The United States with its bad human rights record had no right to criticize anyone else on human rights.

The representative of Greece said facts on the tragic question of Cyprus were fully known by the international community. None of the United Nations resolutions had condemned Greece for the situation on Cyprus.

The representative of Cyprus said the representative of Turkey had a weak case to defend. He would not go into the facts about Cyprus again. Turkey maintained an army in the occupied parts of his country. It had repeatedly violated the human rights of the refugees in Cyprus. Turkey should lift the preconditions it had set on talks to open the way for negotiations leading to a final solution of the problem.

The representative of Turkey said Greece had been implicated in the separation of the island in 1963, not 1974. During those years, Turkish Cypriots were attacked and disappeared. The Turkish Cypriot people lived underground while the Greek Cypriots carried out attacks. That condition had continued despite the presence of the international community and despite Security Council resolutions. There was much to say about the atrocities committed against Turkish Cypriots by Greek Cypriots backed by Greece. The hatred expressed by the representatives had been evidence of how unprepared they were to have Turkish Cypriots living with Greek Cypriots peacefully. The representative of Greece said the Secretary-General had noted a lack of political will for a settlement on the part of Turkey.

The representative of Cyprus said that for the last 25 years a solution to the problem in his country had been searched for. “We would like to project towards the future”, he said. His Government wanted to build a State comprising of two communities that could look into the future and construct a good life for future generations.

The representative of Turkey said Greece had made unfounded allegations. They were false and hypocritical. Two sovereign peoples lived in Cyprus. Those people had each their own culture and religion.

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