Economic and Social Council

2010 Substantive Session

44^th & 45^th Meetings (AM & PM)

Economic and Social Council Focuses on Social Issues, Human Rights

 

Council Also Adopts Texts on Extending Social Protection Systems,

Promoting Tobacco Control, Strengthening Data Collection on Gender Violence

The Economic and Social Council today continued the work of its general segment today, adopting by consensus 10 resolutions and 7 decisions broadly aimed at strengthening crime prevention measures, tackling illegal narcotics trade and extending effective social protections to the world’s most vulnerable populations, especially in the wake of crises.

Most of the day’s flurry of action and in-depth discussion centred on social issues and human rights, as presented in the reports of the Council’s subsidiary bodies dealing with those and other issues, including narcotic drugs, refugees and indigenous peoples.  In that context, the Council also approved and recommended to the General Assembly for adoption four resolutions contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its nineteenth session.

By the terms of one such text, the Assembly would urge States to strengthen systematic data collection on violence against women with a view to assessing the scope and prevalence of such abuse.  By another, the Assembly would adopt the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders — or “the Bangkok Rules” — and invite States to consider the special needs of women as prisoners when developing legislation, procedures and policies.

In the area of social development, the Council adopted by consensus five resolutions and one decision contained in the report of the forty-eighth session of the Commission for Social Development.  By the terms of one resolution on the social dimensions of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the Council invited the Secretary-General to urge the United Nations to assist African countries in implementing quick-impact initiatives, based on their national priorities, to reach the Millennium Development Goals.  By another text, the Council urged Governments to develop social protection systems and extend, as appropriate coverage for workers in the informal economy.

Such work was particularly important when addressing the economic, social and other rights of migrants in the context of development, said Ivan Šimonović, Assistant Secretary-General, New York Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), who introduced the report of that Office prior to action on the day’s texts.  “This is, indeed, one of today’s most critical and complex human rights challenges”.

Today, about 214 million people were living outside their country of origin, he said.  The rights of countless migrants were violated daily as they were often denied access to public health care, adequate housing and essential social security.  Such denial of access was closely linked to discriminatory laws and practices, and with “deep-seated attitudes of prejudice and xenophobia” against migrant communities.

Zeroing in on drug control, Hamid Ghodse, President of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), presented that body’s 2009 report with a call to Governments to “bring primary prevention out from the shadows of other strategic measures”.  Policymakers must establish a clear focal point for primary prevention and improve cooperation among all parts of Government.

Among the Board’s efforts to combat illicit drug production, he said, was its work as a focal point for global joint initiatives like “Project Cohesion” and “Project Prism”, which had reduced the availability of precursors used in the illicit manufacture of drugs.  Also significant was the Board’s dialogue with Afghanistan, which had become the largest illicit producer of opium, accounting in 2009 for 95 per cent of global production, consumed mostly in Europe, the Russian Federation and countries en route to those destinations, particularly Iran.

In the general discussion on social and human rights, several speakers cited the importance of the Salvador Declaration, adopted at the Twelfth United Nations Crime Congress, which emphasized the shared concern of the international community over the impact of organized crime on human rights, the rule of law, security and sustainable development.  Some welcomed decisions taken by the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on follow-up on that Congress, including on the issues of trafficking in persons.

In other business related to its subsidiary bodies, the Council elected by secret ballot Galina Aleksandrovna Korchagina of the Russian Federation to the International Narcotics Control Board for a term of office beginning todayand expiring on 1 March 2015.

Other action today included the adoption of two resolutions by consensus contained in the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its nineteenth session on, respectively, “criminal justice responses to protect cultural property, especially with regard to its trafficking”; and “support for the development and implementation of an integrated approach to programme development at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime”.  A decision in that report on the “Commission’s nineteenth session and provisional agenda for its twentieth session” was also adopted by consensus.

In the area of narcotic drugs, the Council approved by consensus for adoption by the General Assembly a draft resolution on “Realignment of the functions of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and changes to the strategic framework”.  Also in that report, it adopted by consensus two decisions on, respectively, “Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its fifty-third session and provisional agenda and documentation for its fifty-fourth session”; and “Report of the International Narcotics Control Board”.

In the report of the ninth session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the Council adopted by consensus draft decisions I, II and III.

Resuming matters related to coordination, the Council adopted by consensus a draft resolution “Enlargement of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees”.  It also adopted by consensus a resolution put forward by Council Vice-President Somduth Soborun (Mauritius) on “Tobacco use and maternal and child health”.

It also adopted a resolution, introduced by Cameroon’s representative, on “Enlargement of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees”.

Resuming matters related to sustainable development, the Council adopted by consensus a draft resolution on the report of the twelfth session of the Committee for Development Policy.

Canada’s representative introduced a draft resolution on the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti. 

In resumed consideration of item 11, Egypt’s representative introduced a draft resolution on Economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the Palestinian Territory”.

Making general statements today on social and human rights questions were representatives of Belgium (on behalf of the European Union), Ukraine, Iraq, Belarus, Guatemala, Brazil, Iran, Russian Federation, Republic of Korea, India, Bangladesh and Indonesia.

A representative of Ius Primi Viri also spoke.

The Director of the New York Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) also spoke.  A representative of the New York Office of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) introduced the Secretary-General’s report on capital punishment and implementation of safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty (document E/2010/10).

The Economic and Social Council will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Friday, 23 July, to conclude its general segment and 2010 substantive session, with action expected on all outstanding draft texts.

Background

The Economic and Social Council met today to conclude its general segment.  It had before reports of its subsidiary bodies which addressed social and human rights questions.  The discussion was expected to touch on issues of social development, crime prevention, narcotic drugs, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the comprehensive implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, human rights, and the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

The Council was also expected to hold elections for the International Narcotics Board and to take up matters regarding coordination, programme and other questions.  It was expected to take action on draft resolutions on tobacco and health.  It was also expected to consider draft texts on a number of economic, social and environmental questions, and to act on recommendations contained in the reports of its subsidiary bodies.

Introduction of Draft

KEITH MORRILL (Canada) introduced the draft resolution on the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti (document E/2010/L.27).  The text, he said, included several amendments to reflect the current situation in and prospects for long-term development in Haiti.  By the terms of the draft, the Council would welcome the report of the Advisory Group, and extend its mandate until the Economic and Social Council’s substantive session in 2012.

Within that framework, the Advisory Group would be called upon to report on its activities in support of the recovery, reconstruction and development of the country.  The Group would also outline its recommendations to the Council during its organizational and substantive sessions in 2011.  Furthermore, the Group’s mandate would be slightly changed in order to recognize Haiti’s post-disaster situation and the reconstruction the socio-economic framework.

Also by the draft, the Council would welcome the commitment of donors following the earthquake, urging them to respect commitments as soon as possible.  The Council would, as well, welcome pledges of support made at international meeting organized following the earthquake, including the International Donors’ Conference “Towards a New Future for Haiti” held in New York on 31 March.

Introduction of Reports

IVAN ŠIMONOVIĆ, Assistant Secretary-General, New York Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), introduced the report of OHCHR (document E/2010/89), which focused on the economic, social and cultural rights of migrants in host countries, and State obligations in that context.  He noted that the report should be read in conjunction with previous reports of the High Commissioner to the Council that had clarified particular aspects of the promotion and protection of those rights, which were also applicable to migrants.  In preparation for the High-Level Plenary Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals in September, he hoped the report would draw attention to the human rights of migrants in the context of development.  “This is, indeed, one of today’s most critical and complex human rights challenges.”

Today, about 214 million people were living outside their country of origin.  Migration affected every region of the world, being a positive experience for some and a discriminatory one for many others.  The rights of countless migrants were violated daily as they were often denied access to public health care, adequate housing and essential social security, he said.  Such denial of access was closely linked to discriminatory laws and practices, and with “deep-seated attitudes of prejudice and xenophobia” against migrant communities.

Migrants, especially women and children, were particularly vulnerable because they were not legally protected in their country of origin, were unfamiliar with the language and laws of the host country, and lacked social networks to rely on.  Poverty, social exclusion or violations of human rights continued to induce many to migrate, while periods of crisis often were marked by increased anti-migrant sentiments and discriminatory practices.  To counter those challenges, States must put in place legislation and policies that better protected migrants from abuse.

Such action, he said, should be guided by a human rights approach which placed the individual migrant at the centre of migration policies.  It should also ensure protection, participation and access to remedies.  International human rights law required States to make efforts to achieve the fullest realization of those rights to the highest quality of physical and mental health.  In that regard, all migrants should be given access to emergency health care, primary level health interventions and adequate housing.  Ultimately, the welfare of migrants and their successful participation in the life of the host country benefited society as a whole.

The representative of Croatia briefly took the floor to welcome Mr. Šimonović, saying that he had been instrumental in the creation of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.  Croatia was confident that he would work to ensure greater coherence between the Forum and the Geneva-based OHCHR.  Such work would be all the more important in drawing up a road map to meet the Millennium Development Goals, for which a holistic approach should be undertaken.  With that in mind, he wished the new Assistant Secretary-General success in his future work.

UDO JANZ, Director of the New York Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said that agency had in recent years been increasingly faced with insecure environments characterized by shrinking humanitarian space.  In addition, global crises had hampered its ability to provide protection and assistance to the world’s uprooted populations, and had called attention to the need to create or strengthen partnerships.  Against that backdrop, UNHCR had continued to build on and reinforce its alliances to bring protection assistance and durable solutions to refugees and other persons of concern.

Regarding the coordination between the United Nations system and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, he said that UNHCR continued to lead the protection, emergency shelter and camp coordination and management clusters at the global level, and had co-lead clusters in some 20 country operations.  The Office had also contributed to policy deliberations to improve management of the Central Emergency Response Fund, liaised with the Standing Committee’s Task Force on Climate Change to analyse humanitarian consequences.  It also participated actively in the United Nations Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict initiative resulting from Security Council resolution 1888 (2009).

He said bilateral relations had been maintained between the High Commissioner’s Office and its key partners, such as the World Food Programme (WFP), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and members of the non-governmental organization consortia.

As the single largest group of UNHCR’s partners, non-governmental organizations played an essential role in meeting the basic need of person of concern to the Office, he said.  Compared to 2008, UNHCR had increased its expenditure through such groups by some $86 million, or 21.5 per cent.  Nearly 80 per cent of UNHCR’s implementing partners were local and national organizations which contributed vital local expertise as well as coverage in the field.  Those national partners knew the geography, the social context and had easy access to populations in need, thus constituting a cornerstone of the Office’s delivery capacity.

HAMID GHODSE, President of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), presenting that body’s 2009 report (document E/INCB/2009/1), which had been officially launched in February 2010, said primary prevention of drug abuse was a key goal of the international drug control treaties.  As such, the report’s first chapter dealt with measures to prevent and reduce drug abuse in populations that were either not using or not seriously involved with drugs.  “Governments need to bring primary prevention out from the shadows of other strategic measures,” he said, calling on policymakers to establish a clear focal point for primary prevention and to improve cooperation among all parts of Government.

The second chapter focused on the operation of the international drug control system, he said, noting that the Board maintained dialogue with Governments through regular consultations.  In the past year, the Board had sent missions to Angola, Australia, Finland, Holy See and Sudan, among other places.  It had noted with concern that some States parties to international drug control treaties had implemented policies that were not in line with those instruments, such as “safer crack [use] kits”, so-called “medical” use of cannabis and operation of drug consumption rooms, all of which could promote social and legal tolerance of drug abuse.  Other concerns related to abuse of prescription drugs.

The Board was particularly concerned by the significant risk to public health posed by illegal Internet pharmacies that sold counterfeit and sub-standard products.  In response, the Board had disseminated guidelines for Governments to prevent the illegal sale of internationally controlled substances through the Internet.  In other areas, he said, diversion of psychotropic substances must be addressed at the national level.  Challenges in that area included dealing with amphetamine-type stimulants, which were increasingly being made in developing countries, including South Africa; non-controlled substances, like ketamine and piperazines; and psychotropic substances sold over the Internet.

While progress had been made in controlling precursor chemicals to curtail the manufacture of illicit drugs, challenges remained, he said, noting that a significant drop in attempts to divert such precursors in raw form had led to an increase in suspicious shipments involving those substances in the form of pharmaceutical preparations.  Diversion routes had also changed and, in response to stronger controls, traffickers had sought out non-scheduled chemical substances designed to mask key controlled precursors.

To help Governments, the Board offered a number of tools, including an online system for the exchange of pre-export notifications; and precursor estimates, to provide exporting nations with an indication of the legitimate precursor chemical requirements of importing countries and a list of non-scheduled substances.  The Board was also the focal point for international joint initiatives like “Project Cohesion” and “Project Prism”, which had reduced the availability of precursors used in the illicit manufacture of drugs.

Moving on, he said the report’s third chapter described the Board’s dialogue with Afghanistan.  The country had become the world’s largest illicit producer of opium — accounting in 2009 for 6,900 tons, or 95 per cent, of global opium production, and 90 per cent of the global heroin supply — consumed mostly in Europe, the Russian Federation and countries en route to those destinations, particularly Iran.  That situation was a major concern.  In other areas, he said, illicit cultivation in the Andean region provided cocaine to 174 countries.  African countries were being targeted for the transit of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals.  Some 22 of the 34 countries least likely to achieve the Millennium Development Goals were either in, or emerging from, conflicts in regions that were magnets for drug cultivation and trafficking.

SIMONE MONASEBIAN, New York Office of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), introducing the Secretary-General’s report on capital punishment and implementation of safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty (document E/2010/10), said that since 1975, reports on the subject had had been submitted to the agency at five-year intervals.  They applied to States that had not abolished the death penalty, aiming to ensure that it would be imposed in limited cases and only for the most serious crimes.  Concerning the 2004 to 2008 period, the findings were based primarily on information collected through questionnaires sent to Member States, intergovernmental organizations and United Nations specialized agencies.

In analysing the situation, four categories were used to classify States, she said: countries that had abolished the death penalty for all crimes by the start of 2004; countries that had abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes — such as murder or rape — by the start of 2004; de-facto abolitionist retention States at the start of 2004; and countries that had retained the death penalty at the start of 2004.  A notable development had been the General Assembly’s adoption in 2008 of resolution 62/149, which called on States to respect international standards providing safeguards and establish a moratorium on the death penalty.  Assembly resolution 63/168 confirmed that call.  There was an increase in ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and other regional conventions, such as European Commission Protocols 6 (restriction of death penalty) and 13 (complete abolition of death penalty).

The report stressed that, where capital punishment remained in force, there were serious problems regarding norms and standards, she explained.  The Commission on Human Rights, on the question of the death penalty, had called for ensuring that the notion of “most serious crimes” did not extend beyond those with “extremely grave consequences” and that it not be used for crimes such as financial crimes.

Indeed, the “most serious crimes” issue had been on the agenda of Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, who had addressed death sentences imposed for behaviour including adultery, drug possession and trafficking, expressing oneself, homosexual acts, manifesting religious beliefs and singing songs.  The issue was relevant to drug policy, she said, due to the number of executions carried out for that offence each year.  The role of international monitoring bodies was important but their decisions were not always implemented. The need to respect the ninth safeguard –- on minimizing suffering -- was particularly important, as were requirements such as presumption of innocence.

After that presentation, the representative of the Russian Federation said that his country’s Permanent Representative had sent a letter to the Secretary-General on 15 June, raising an issue contained in table 4 of the annex of the UNODC report on capital punishment.  The table indicated that the Russian Federation had ceased executions in 1995, and his country could not accept the way the situation had been presented.  The pronouncement of the death penalty was part of a State’s sovereignty, he said, and it could be implemented only if there was an accusation made by a competent court, in line with international legislation.

He said that a moratorium had been placed on the death penalty in 1996 within the Russian territory.  The only question, then, was that of murders committed by Chechen separatist rebels.  Such actions were being investigated and taken to court by the Government.  In that regard, the letter asked for clarification on that issue, as well as the issuance of a correction to the existing report.  The Russian Federation would be unable to take note of the report until the necessary changes were made.

The Council Vice-President then said the Council would postpone consideration of that report until the following morning.

General Discussion

ELLEN DE GEEST (Belgium), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said that transnational organized crime was becoming a growing concern for international peace and security, largely due to its increasing interconnections with major destabilizing threats.  The fight against organized crime, trafficking in drugs and human beings, as well as corruption, needed to be undertaken in a holistic and integrated manner at national, regional and international levels.  Those matters also constituted a growing threat to sustainable development, political stability and democratic institutions.

As organized crime grew ever more sophisticated, cross-border trafficking could only be countered through improved law enforcement and judicial cooperation, she said.  With the adoption of the Stockholm Programme in December 2009, the European Union had set out to improve its work in the areas of freedom, security and justice, and to address new challenges.  In order to succeed, the European Union must address challenges in a comprehensive manner and deepen and intensify its cooperation with partner countries through the facilitation of police and judicial mechanisms.

Highlighting the tenth anniversary of the opening for signature of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, she said the European Union called for the universal ratification and full implementation of that instrument, and it believed that the recent General Assembly special high-level meeting on transnational organized crime had been an excellent opportunity to build momentum towards the Conference of the Parties to the Convention set for this coming October.

She went on to say that a corruption-free culture, both in the public and private sector, was fundamental to good governance and the relationship of trust between the citizen and Government, and expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the most recent Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption, where a review mechanism had been adopted.

She thanked Brazil for hosting the twelfth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, where practitioners, academics and researchers had exchanged information, experiences and best practices.  She further said that the European Union believed that the United Nations standards and norms lay at the very heart of the global efforts to effectively address crime prevention and criminal justice issues, and welcomed the adoption of the updated Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Women.

She expressed appreciation for the accomplishments noted in UNODC’s eighth report on capital punishment and implementation of the safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty.  The Union’s position on the issue of capital punishment was well known, and she stressed its opposition to the death penalty in all circumstances, with a moratorium on executions as a first step towards it universal abolition.

Turning to the issue of narcotic drugs, she said that the European Union’s policy encompassed three cross-cutting themes: international cooperation to address the problem’s global nature; coordination to establish and conduct a successful strategy against drugs; and research, evaluation and information resulting in a better understanding of the drug problem and the development of an optimal response to it, including clear indications of any program’s merits and shortcomings.  She also commended INCB, and the relevant treaties which ensured that narcotic drugs were made available for medical and scientific purposes, while measures were put in place to prevent diversion from licit to illicit markets and to prevent drug abuse.

On the issue of social development, she said the European Union believed that a strong political commitment was needed to achieve social protection and social inclusion objectives, with special attention given to vulnerable groups such as the unemployed, minorities, youth and children, the elderly and persons with disabilities.  She underlined the valuable role played by volunteer organizations in those capacities, and noted that women often suffered disproportionately in difficult economic circumstances, particularly those who faced greater income insecurity and increased burdens of family care.

Protection systems such as social inclusion policies acted as automatic economic stabilizers and cushioned the social impact of the economic downturn, helping people back to the labour market.  Overall, she said, the consistent provision of minimum standards, access to social protection and social dialogue was the basis for achieving decent work for all, reducing poverty and ensuring sustainable development and social inclusion.

OLHA KAVUN (Ukraine), aligning with the statement made on behalf of the European Union, spoke first on the issue of social development.  Her Government had taken measures towards social dialogue and constructive cooperation with trade unions and workers in order to revive the economy and minimize the negative impact of the economic and financial crisis while averting a reduction in living standards.  It would also take steps to launch national economic reform programmes to stabilize the State budget, renew the labour market and decrease the unemployment rate.  Furthermore, she welcomed the outcome of the forty-eighth session of the Commission for Social Development, as well as the efforts of the International Labour Organization (ILO) aimed at overcoming the consequences of the crisis.

Turning to narcotic drugs, she said the major political lesson learned from the twentieth special session of the General Assembly on international drug control was that countries, together with international organizations, had proved their ability to cooperate successfully to address the world drug problem.  That problem, she said, was a multifaceted issue which required a complex approach.  Underlining particular links between illicit drug use and the spread of HIV, she stressed the importance that drug demand reduction, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation programmes played in tackling the problem.  Ukraine believed that national policies to contribute to international efforts to counter drug trafficking and abuse should prioritize actions to support public health, measures to prevent illegal drug supply and the alignment of national legislation to international requirements, among others.

Speaking next on crime prevention and criminal justice, she said her country supported enhanced multilateral cooperation to find new ways and legal means to combat transnational organized crime.  Ukraine welcomed the fact that the promotion of universal ratification of the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocol had been a top priority.  Underscoring the key role played by UNODC in ensuring the application of principles outlined in the Convention, she noted with regret that some of that agency’s high officials used in their statements “groundless information” which distorted activities of some Member States in special areas.  For its part, Ukraine attached great importance to combating corruption.  In that regard, it supported the establishment of an open-ended intergovernmental review mechanism in order to upgrade national activities for further ratification and implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

Lastly, she said the United Nations continued to play a central role as a forum for dialogue and a reviewer of the human rights performances of Member States.  However, she noted that United Nations efforts to that end could not violate the principles of respect for sovereignty, territorial consolidation and non-interference in the internal affairs of States.  The Human Rights Council played a key role in the international system of protection of human rights.  It must carry out the work of revealing patterns of human rights violations, even as the international community moved away from selectivity and partial approaches.  There was a need to prioritize strategy development to prevent human rights violations, she said.  Highlighting ways in which Ukraine promoted and protected fundamental rights and freedoms, she said the key human rights challenge was to ensure that current economic difficulties were not allowed to undermine human rights protection.

YAHYA IBRAHEEM FADHIL AL-OBAIDI (Iraq) said his Government had honoured its human rights commitments despite difficult circumstances endured in the past.  It attached importance to the rule of law and building institutions in line with the Constitution, particularly to ensure women’s effective contribution to society.  The Iraqi Constitution was the country’s highest document in the field of human rights, ensuring principles such as non-discrimination, right to life, security, freedom and equal opportunities, personal privacy and the right to participate in public affairs.

He went on to say that terrorism was a huge challenge for the Government, as it targeted innocent civilians, particularly children.  Despite such challenges, the Government had tried to trace Al-Qaida.  Through such security efforts, the Government had adopted a national reconciliation programme.  It had also established a Ministry of Human Rights.  Among other achievements, he said, freedom of opinion was a main pillar of the Constitution, and after Iraq’s long isolation from the world, there was now a healthy architecture for building democracy and respecting human rights.

IRINA VELICHKO ( Belarus) said the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols, along with other treaties, had created a solid foundation for combating organized crime in all its forms. Efforts were needed to further States’ accession to such instruments. Among the steps taken to combat crime, she welcomed measures taken by the UNODC on money laundering and in the provision of technical assistance to States. The impacts of organized crime on global development, peace and security continued to grow, and she welcomed a meeting held by the Security Council in March on such issues.

She also noted the adoption, at the Twelfth Conference on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, of the Salvador Declaration, and the General Assembly’s ongoing consultations to create a global plan to combat human trafficking.  For its part, Belarus was committed to international anti-narcotics efforts and welcomed the Canal Operation, mounted under the aegis of the Collective Security Treaty Organization.  She also noted UNODC’s work in counteracting the challenge.  In other areas, she said Belarus was implementing a programme for the 2009-2013 period, which had seen success in organizing work with refugees.  A new law had given stateless foreign people status.  In addition, an agreement would be signed on cooperation with and the legal status of UNHCR offices in Belarus.

CONNIE TARACENA SECAIRA (Guatemala), speaking on the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, acknowledged its invaluable contributions to women and children.  Noting that several peace accords on the rights of indigenous peoples had been signed by her country, she said Guatemala’s Ministry of Labour and Social Services, through the Department of Indigenous Peoples, had developed programmes for education and training.  Such programmes, which helped to raise awareness on indigenous peoples, would also help indigenous peoples identify, formulate and evaluate public policies relating to them.

Furthermore, the Government had undertaken research to diagnose the genesis of racism in the country in 2007.  That research centred on broad participation to design comprehensive policy, she said, stressing that racism was an issue which could no longer be left out of Guatemala’s national debates.  The issue was, in itself, an obstacle to horizontal cooperation, consensus and coexistence.  It presented a significant challenge for her country, but efforts were being taken to encourage policies which promoted equal opportunities for all peoples.  Those efforts were “steps in the right direction” towards increasing social awareness and including indigenous peoples in the country’s development.

PEDRO AURELIO FIORENCIO CABRAL DE ANDRADE (Brazil) said that the Salvador Declaration adopted by the Twelfth United Nations Crime Congress had emphasized the shared concern of the international community over the impact of organized crime on human rights, the rule of law, security and sustainable development.  The Declaration stressed that crime prevention should be considered an integral element of strategies to foster social and economic development in all States, and underlined the importance of a participatory, collaborative and integrated approach to crime-prevention polices.

He said Brazil was confident that the Salvador Declaration had contributed to a renewal of the commitment of the international community regarding crime prevention and reinforcement of criminal justice systems.  In that regard, he welcomed the decisions taken by the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on follow-up to the Congress, including on the issues of trafficking in persons, protection against trafficking in cultural property, and the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners.

AHMAD RAJABI (Iran) said his country was engaged in a full-fledged conflict with narcotic drugs.  The pervasive nature of the phenomenon made it a problem that could only be curbed through collective efforts, based on the principle of shared responsibility.  The failure to resolve the drug problem in Afghanistan had made drug trafficking a serious threat.  Iran supported the “Triangular Initiative” among Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, which had led to successes such as the establishment of the Joint Planning Cell and border liaison offices.

Spending $600 million a year, Iran had strengthened barriers along its eastern borders with Afghanistan, he explained, while measures for creating barriers along the western border region had blocked the passage of illicit drugs out of that country.  The aggregate amount of drugs seized in 2008 had hit 702 tons, while in 2009, 1,100 tons of opium-based drugs had been seized, 81 per cent of which had been along eastern borders.  Other actions to combat drug trafficking included the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with 40 countries; equipping border points with the required technologies; and participating in anti-trafficking initiative Operation TARCET, which, among other things, aimed to prevent the smuggling of drug-producing chemicals into Afghanistan.

NIKOLAY RAKOVSKIY (Russian Federation) said the leading role of the United Nations in the social sphere was played by the Commission on Social Development.  The high-level meeting of the Commission’s forty-eighth session in February had motivated Governments to implement the Copenhagen Goals in tandem with the Millennium Development Goals.  Special attention must be devoted to socially vulnerable groups who had been left most exposed by the global financial crisis.

For its part, the Russian Federation continued to afford full social support to its citizens, he said, noting that not a single social programme had been scrapped because of the crisis.  Indeed, there had been approval of the support for socially vulnerable groups, including elderly persons.  In 2009, pensions had been increased on four occasions, growing by 35 per cent, to eradicate poverty among pensioners.  Efforts were under way regarding persons with disabilities in the areas of inclusive education and unimpeded access to services throughout the country.  For youth, policy was geared towards fulfilment of their professional capabilities, among other things.  Indeed, among the most defining components of stability was investment in the social sphere.

HYUN-I HWANG (Republic of Korea) said her country welcomed the reports of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.  An increasing demand for international cooperation in that field underscored the importance of sharing information, ideas and best practices at the international level.  The Republic of Korea commended the Office of the dedicated efforts of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to protect refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons, among others.  Ahead of the sixtieth anniversary of the adoption of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, the international community must reaffirm its political will and bolster efforts to protect those vulnerable groups.

Her Government gave special focus to the prospect of a growing influx of refugees and asylum seekers into the Asia-Pacific region.  In that context, it called for all other Governments in the region to abide by international norms — particularly the principle of “non-refoulement”.  Reaffirming the Republic of Korea’s full commitment to protecting and promoting human rights, she noted that focus should remain on vulnerable groups such as women, children, persons with disabilities and the elderly.

RANDHIR KUMAR JAISWAL (India) said his country considered its entire population after it received independence, as well as their successors, to be indigenous.  Noting that two reports submitted by the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (documents E/C/19/2010/3/Add.1 and e/c/19/2010/8) had used the terms “tribal” and “indigenous” interchangeably, he reiterated India’s understanding that there was a clear difference between the two terms.  Therefore, the United Nations, as well as its funds, agencies and programmes, must ensure that the correct terminology would be used in its reports.

Various so-called indigenous groups had used the Permanent Forum to call attention to that issue, diverting its attention from core concerns related to indigenous peoples.  To combat such diversions, there must be a transparent process of scrutiny of non-governmental indigenous peoples’ organizations prior to giving them accreditation, he said.  Moreover, discussions held during the Permanent Forum’s sessions must focus squarely on indigenous, rather than superfluous, issues.

ABULKALAM ABDUL MOMEN (Bangladesh) raised a concern regarding the report of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (document E/2010/43 Supp. No. 23).  Paragraph 141 of that report referred to the appointment of Lars-Anders Baer as Special Rapporteur to undertake a study on the implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord of 1997.  Providing the Council with background information on the issue, he noted that the words “indigenous” and “tribal” were erroneously considered synonymous by members of the Permanent Forum.

There were indeed some tribal people — or people of different ethnic minorities — living in various parts of Bangladesh.  The majority of those people lived in the three hill districts of Chittagong, and in light of unrest in that region from 1975 to 1996, the Accord had been signed in 1997.  The Chittagong Tracts Peace Accord, he stressed, was an internal arrangement for improving administration and quality of governance in that region with participation of its inhabitants. 

“The Accord has nothing to do with ‘indigenous issues’”, he said.  Therefore, his Government believed that the Permanent Forum had no right to discuss issues related to the Accord.  Turning back to the report, he stressed that paragraph 141 was a “clear violation of the mandate of that Forum”.  In that regard, he requested that it be deleted from the report and that the members of the Permanent Forum refrain from taking such decisions of its own accord.

SPICA ALPHANYA TUTUHATUNEWA (Indonesia) said this year provided a prime opportunity to undertake a collective approach in addressing transnational organized crime, including illegal logging and fishing, corruption, cybercrime and terrorism.  Delegates at the Twelfth United Nations Crime Congress had adopted the Salvador Declaration, which provided action-oriented measures.  Indeed, it was imperative to amplify action against drug problems.  Trends and patterns emerged daily and called for collective actions as a shared responsibility.

She said that, while crimes related to illicit drugs remained at the forefront of attention, emerging issues, like the cultivation and use of cannabis, abuse of prescription drugs and distribution of amphetamine-type stimulants, were increasing, including in Indonesia.  A balanced approach to supply and demand should be considered in developing national and international strategy.  Assistance and sharing best practices should be encouraged.  On the demand side, demand-reduction measures should be in line with social well-being laws and principles, among other things.  In closing, she said the International Narcotics Control Board’s comprehensive report provided important information on the global drug situation.

GEORGIA FILIOTIS, representative of Ius Primi Viri, said that conflicts between women and men created “enormous discomfort” which effected their children and society.  A constructive will needed to be developed to solve problems which, left unchecked, led to poor mental health, low self-esteem and a world view in which “conditionings” such as alcohol and drug abuse destroyed human freedom.  She said that, after 30 years of scientific study and research with the Centre for Human Evolution Studies, Ius Primi Viri had concluded that human suffering could not be alleviated unless opportunities were provided through education to access the potential of every individual, particularly women.

Action on Drafts

MICHEL TOMMO MONTHE (Cameroon), also speaking on behalf of Bulgaria, Togo and Turkmenistan, introduced the draft resolution entitled “Enlargement of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees” (document E/2010/L.18).  He said the current figures and data indicated an impressive number of individuals that were still under the aegis of the United Nation refugee agency (UNHCR), including asylum seekers, displaced persons, internally displaced persons, repatriated persons and stateless individuals, whose survival hinged on the assistance provided by UNHCR.

However, the challenges that those individuals faced were immense, and he requested that solutions be found related to increasing sustained cooperation and the equal distribution of labour among various protagonists on the field.  He said his delegation was resolved and determined, as was clearly expressed in the letters sent to the Secretary-General, to work actively in cooperation with UNHCR to find solutions to problems facing those vulnerable groups.  He said the draft was based on the decision adopted last year, and the new elements updated previous measures and guaranteed a smooth transition for the increased number of UNHCR Executive Committee members from 79 to 84.  He expressed the hope that the Council’s august members would be able to unanimously adopt the draft decision.

The Council then took action on several draft resolutions and decisions contained in the reports of its subsidiary bodies concerned with social and human rights issues.

In the area of social development, the Council had before it the report of the forty-eighth session of the Commission for Social Development (13 February 2009 and 3-12 and 19 February 2010) (document E/2010/26), which contained five draft resolutions and one draft decision.

The Council adopted by consensus draft resolution I, on the “Future organization and methods of work of the Commission for Social Development”, deciding that the priority theme for the 2011-2012 review and policy cycle should be poverty eradication, taking into account its relationship with social integration and full employment and decent work for all.  It also recommended that officers elected to the Bureau of the Commission serve for a two-year term of office.

Next, it adopted by consensus draft resolution II, on the “Social dimensions of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)”, inviting the Secretary-General to urge United Nations bodies to assist African countries in implementing quick-impact initiatives, based on their national development priorities, to reach the Millennium Development Goals.  For its part, the Commission should continue to raise awareness of the social dimensions of the New Partnership during its forty-ninth session.

Adopting by consensus draft resolution III, on “Promoting social integration”, the Council urged Governments to develop social protection systems and extend, as appropriate, coverage for workers in the informal economy.  The United Nations was requested to support national social development, including in fostering social integration at the local, national, subregional, regional and international levels.

Continuing, the Council adopted by consensus draft resolution IV, on “Mainstreaming disability in the development agenda”, calling on States to enable persons with disabilities to participate as agents and beneficiaries of development by ensuring that policies to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, promoting gender equality and improving maternal health, among others, were inclusive of those persons.

It also adopted by consensus draft resolution V, on the “Future implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002”, deciding to conduct the second global review of the Plan of Action in 2013 at the Commission’s fifty-first session.  For that review, it endorsed the theme of “Full implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing: social situation, well-being and dignity, development and the full realization of all human rights for older persons.”

In section B of the report, the Council then adopted by consensus a draft decision on the “Report of the Commission for Social Development on its forty-eighth session and provisional agenda and documentation for the forty-ninth session”, by which it took note of the Commission’s report and approved the provisional agenda for the forty-ninth session.

In the area of crime prevention, the Council had before it the report of the nineteenth session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (4 December 2009 and 17-21 May 2010) (document E/2010/30), which contained six draft resolutions and one draft decision.

In Chapter I, it approved by consensus and recommended to the General Assembly for adoption, draft resolutions I, II, III, IV, respectively on “Strengthening crime prevention and criminal justice responses to violence against women”; “United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-Custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules)”; “Realignment of the functions of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and changes to the strategic framework”; and the “Twelfth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice”.

Also in Chapter I, the Council adopted by consensus two draft resolutions, respectively on “Crime prevention and criminal justice responses to protect cultural property, especially with regard to its trafficking”, and “Support for the development and implementation of an integrated approach to programme development at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime”.

A draft decision on the report of the Commission’s nineteenth session and provisional agenda for its twentieth session was also adopted by consensus.

In the area of narcotic drugs, the Council took up the report of the fifty-third session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (2 December 2009 and 8-12 March 2010) (document E/2010/28).

In Chapter I, the Council approved by consensus a draft resolution on “Realignment of the functions of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and changes to the strategic framework.”  That text would be forwarded to the General Assembly for final action.

It also adopted by consensus draft decision I entitled “Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its fifty-third session and provisional agenda and documentation for its fifty-fourth session”.

It also adopted by consensus draft decision II, on the “Report of the International Narcotics Control Board”.

The Council then adopted by consensus the draft resolution “Enlargement of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees” (document E/2010/L.18).

Turning its attention to human rights matters, the Council next took up the report of the forty-second and forty-third sessions of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (4–22 May 2009, 2–20 November 2009) (document E/2010/22), deciding that a draft decision outlining programme budget implications in the amount of $2,308,500 to carry out recommendations contained in that report for the biennium 2010-2011, would be deferred until a later date.

Next, the Council turned its attention to the report of the ninth session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (19-30 April 2010) (document E/2010/43), which contained three draft decisions.

The Council adopted by consensus draft decision I, authorizing a three-day international expert group meeting on the theme “indigenous peoples and forests”, and requesting that the results of that meeting be reported to the Permanent Forum at its tenth session and to the United Nations Forum on Forests at its ninth session.

The Council also adopted by consensus draft decision II, by which it decided that the tenth session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues would be held in New York from 16 to 27 May 2011; and draft decision III, entitled “Provisional agenda for the tenth session of the Permanent Forum”.

Following that action, the Council adopted by consensus a draft resolution submitted by Council Vice-President Somduth Soborun (Mauritius) on “Tobacco use and maternal and child health” (document E/2010/L.26), calling on States to include tobacco control in their efforts to improve public health, including maternal and child health.  The text also called on States to reduce child mortality through protecting children and pregnant women from tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke.

The Council Vice-President said that, in light of the adoption of resolution E/2010/L.26, draft resolution E/2010/L.14 would be withdrawn.

As the Council then resumed consideration of item 11, MOHAMED KHALIL (Egypt), introduced a draft resolution on Economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the Palestinian Territory (document E/2010/L.31).  Many changes introduced to the text adopted by the Council last year indicated the level of humanitarian hardship endured by Palestinians as a result of illegal Israeli policies and actions.  While the text was similar to Council resolution 2009/34, amendments had been made to preambular and operative paragraphs.  Three new paragraphs had also been added.

He went on to say that the text reaffirmed the inalienable rights of Palestinians and those in the occupied Syrian Golan.  It called for the lifting of restrictions on Palestinians, including the opening of the border crossings in the Gaza Strip, in order to ensure the sustained and regular movement of persons and goods.  It called for Israel’s compliance with all its legal obligations under international humanitarian law and stressed the need to preserve the territorial contiguity of Palestinian land.

Further by the text, the Council would reaffirm that expansion of Israeli settlements, including in and around East Jerusalem and in the occupied Syrian Golan, was illegal and hampered the achievement of peace, he said.  Israel’s construction of the wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in and around East Jerusalem, contravened international law.  Egypt looked forward to the resolution’s adoption by consensus.

The Council then held an election by secret ballot for one member of the International Narcotics Control Board.

Voting Results

The results of the balloting were as follows:
Number of ballot papers:	50
Number of invalid ballots:	0
Number of valid ballots:	50
Abstentions:	1
Members voting:	49
Required majority:	25
Number of votes obtained:
Galina Aleksandrovna Korchagina ( Russian Federation)	47
Abdelwahab Hamid Suliman (Sudan)	2

Having obtained the required majority, Galina Aleksandrovna Korchagina (Russian Federation), was elected to the International Narcotics Control Board for a term of office beginning today,22 July 2010, and expiring on 1 March 2015.

In final action, the Council then adopted by consensus a draft resolution on the report of the twelfth session of the Committee for Development Policy (document E/2010/L.30), taking note of that body’s report, and deciding to forward the chapter on “International Support Measures for the Least Developed Countries” to the Preparatory Committee of the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries.  It also requested the Committee, at its thirteenth session, to make recommendations on the themes chosen by the Council for the high-level segment of its 2011 substantive session.

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For information media • not an official record