Meetings Coverage

Without greater awareness of the human rights values and concerns encompassed in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, its implementation would be “difficult, if not impossible”, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) heard today, as it began its general discussion on the rights of indigenous peoples.

Despite the more than 40 years it had taken the International Law Commission to finalize its draft articles on State responsibility for internationally wrongful acts, delegates could still not find consensus on whether to codify them in a convention, as the Sixth (Legal) Committee began deliberations on the matter.

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today discussed a wide range of hiring and workplace practices — from recruitment to ethics to consultants — as it considered nearly a dozen reports meant to monitor the management of tens of thousands of the Organization’s employees around the globe.

Building on the momentum created during their latest round of talks in Kampala, Uganda, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the 23 March Movement armed group needed to reach a peace accord based on the principles of sustainability and accountability, and must not allow amnesty for the perpetrators of war crimes, or crimes against humanity, the Security Council heard today.

A lack of access to the sea, as well as remoteness, made doing business with major markets expensive for landlocked developing countries, said the representative of Botswana today as the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) discussed countries in special situations.

The General Assembly today adopted a resolution endorsing the construction at Headquarters of a permanent memorial to honour the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade, and encouraging Member States and other interested parties to contribute to the Trust Fund set up to pay for it.

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today aired its views on the evolving administrative justice system at the United Nations and the need to assess its effectiveness as Secretariat officials unveiled their annual reports on the system.

Although crucial in the fight against impunity, universal jurisdiction must be used selectively and exceptionally, as a means of last resort, and without violating international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter, delegates told the Sixth Committee (Legal) today as it concluded its debate on the scope and application of the principle of universal jurisdiction.

The Security Council today adopted a resolution that puts stronger measures in place for women to participate in all phases of conflict prevention, resolution and recovery, placing the onus of providing them with seats at the peace table on Member States, regional organizations and the United Nations itself.

Failing to intervene and invest in children carried a high price for any society, delegates stressed, as the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) concluded a three day debate on the rights of children.