The Human Rights Council this morning discussed the reports of its Special Rapporteurs on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; the right to food; and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders.

Paul Hunt, Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, said the right to health was one of the most extensive and complex human rights in the international code. However, it was generating an increasing number of national and international cases that shed light on its content. He said neglected diseases had been affecting the poorest people in the poorest communities. He urged health ministers in low-income and middle-income countries to prepare national health programmes that reflected what was actually needed to establish effective, integrated health systems accessible to all.

Jean Ziegler, Special Rapporteur on the right to food, said the Millennium Development Goals on reducing hunger would not be met. The World Food Report said that world agriculture as it was now could easily feed some 12 billion, and therefore the deaths from malnutrition were avoidable. A child who died from malnutrition was therefore murdered. However, there were positive elements and progress in the world, such as in Brazil where the battle against hunger had been won; and in France, where a tax levy on air tickets had been instituted to combat HIV/AIDS and hunger. He held the World Trade Organization responsible for massive malnutrition through its decisions.

Hina Jilani, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human right defenders, said that several governments had recognized the role and status of human rights defenders. Civil society, in most parts of the world, was gaining in maturity and continued to mobilize for the defence of human rights. Notwithstanding those positive developments, serious concerns persisted with regard to the protection of human rights defenders and the effective implementation of the Declaration. In 2005, she assessed the situation of human rights defenders in 118 countries, in addition to her three country visits.

The representatives of Uganda, Guatemala, India, Brazil and Israel spoke as concerned countries.

Also this morning, the Council concluded its discussion on the reports of the High Commissioner on incitement to racial and religious hatred and the promotion of tolerance; and the joint report by the Special Rapproteur on freedom of religion or belief and the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racisms, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance on the same issue.

Mehr Khan Williams, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, in concluding remarks, said the Office would continue to support the Council as needed. Several speakers had referred to judicial lacunae, and international jurisprudence provided a firm framework on which to develop a clear legal regime with which to deal with violence. It would be useful to give the international mechanisms such as the treaty bodies and the Special Rapporteurs the chance to elaborate on these areas. More expert work could be needed, and the Human Rights Council should work on how to promote tolerance among cultures.

Doudou Diene, Special Rapporteur on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, said the Council should look at its strategy on this issue, taking into account that this was an issue that was long lasting, and required a long-term strategy. The complexity of religious plurality should be taken into account. There should be no dogmatism of the secular approach being used to manipulate religious freedom.

Asma Jahnagir, Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, said she thought that the current climate of intolerance was more of a political nature rather than legal. Acts of intolerance in the recent past had provided a useful lesson in the sense that there was a political cost to be paid when people in a position of power in government and congress made offensive remarks. Infringements on the freedom of religion or belief, though, had to be denounced and combated at all levels of society.

Participating in the discussion on the reports on incitement to racial and religious hatred were the representatives of Argentina, Australia, Malaysia, Belgium, Canada, Senegal, United States, Poland, Costa Rico, Netherlands, Indonesia, Spain, Japan, Iran, Armenia, Algeria, Morocco, Mexico, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Sovereign Order of Malta.

Also taking the floor were non-governmental organizations from International Service for Human Rights, United Nations Watch, Association for World Education in a joint statement with World Union for Progressive Judaism, Agir ensemble pour les droits de l'homme, and Friends World Committee for Consultation.

The Council will reconvene at 3 p.m. this afternoon to conclude its discussion on the right to health, the right to food and human rights defenders. It will then up the reports of the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, Juan Miguel Petit; the Independent Expert on the economic reform policies and foreign debt on the full enjoyment of all human rights, Bernards Andrew Nyamwaya Mudho; and the Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination, Benavides de Perez.

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