PRESS
RELEASE
« ÉTATS GÉNÉRAUX » ON HUMAN RIGHTS
2007
Geneva – Thursday 15th of March
2007
« WITHOUT THE SPECIAL PROCEDURES, THE EFFICIENCY OF THE
HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL WILL BE SEVERELY COMPROMISED !
»
Geneva, 15th of March 2007. On the occasion
of the 4th session of the Human Rights Council, human rights NGOs reaffirmed
clearly today their support to the special procedures, in the face of serious
challenges by governments. Without independent and objective experts, the
ability of the UN – in particular the Human Rights Council - to respond to
violations will be severely compromised.
In UN General Assembly’s resolution 60/251 establishing the Human Rights
Council member states decided that ” the Council shall assume, review and, where necessary, improve and
rationalize all mandates, mechanisms, functions and responsibilities of the
Commission on Human Rights in order to maintain a system of special procedures,
expert advice and a complaint procedure”. The United Nations Human Rights Council’s special rapporteurs and
representatives, independent experts and working groups - collectively known as
the “Special Procedures” - are among the most innovative, flexible and
responsive tools created by the UN to promote and protect human
rights.
However in Council discussions since the
Council first met in June 2006, certain States tried to restrain special
rapporteurs, for instance by introducing a "code of conduct". Despite the clear
need for the Human Rights Council to strengthen the Special Procedures, several
states are instead proposing changes that would cripple the ability of Special
Procedures to promote and protect human rights effectively. Those states are
disregarding the harm that such measures would do to the men, women and children
whose human rights are violated every day in all parts of the world, and who
look to the Special Procedures to intervene on their behalf in defense of their
rights.
Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch,
la Fédération internationale des Ligues des Droits de l’Homme, l’Organisation
mondiale contre la torture et Forum Asia today reaffirmed in Geneva the
importance of special procedures and the need not only to maintain them, but to
reinforce them.
"A strong UN needs a strong Human Rights
Council. And a strong Council needs a strong system of independent experts who
are able to monitor effectively, respond rapidly and inform the Councill of
human rights violations throughout the world without political interference or
intimidation. Victims and rights-holders deserve no less", said Irene Khan,
Secretary General of Amnesty International.
“The special procedures are the most
important legacy from the Commission to the Human Rights Council. They must be
further strengthened, not undermined”, said Reed Brody, Spokesperson of Human
Rights Watch.
"If the implementation of human rights
requires political intervention, the assessment of their respect and the
conformity of action at the national level with standards and international
customary law should only be dealt with by experts who are independent,
professionally qualified and free to act within their mandate", said
Anne-Laurence Lacroix, Deputy Director of
OMCT.
”One of the reason to upgrade the human
rights system in the UN reform was to give HR more visibility and importance in
the UN system, therefore when States refuse to cooperate in the area of human
rights, this should also be of concern to the Security Council in the same way
the Security Council discusses lack of cooperation when a State doesn’t meet its
nuclear obligations”, said Simia Ahmadi, FIDH representative at the UN in
Geneva.
Online petition to support the special
procedures : www.actforspecialprocedures.org
The “Etats généraux” on Human Rights invites
all NGOs representatives attending the 2007 Human Rights Council to a discussion
of NGO demands for the special procedures on Thursday 22th of March. 18:00 to
20:00, location to be determined.
The “Etats généraux” on Human Rights is an
initiative of the Geneva Film Festival on Human Rights (FIFDH) and was formally
established in early 2006. The aim is to offer a platform to all persons and
organizations actively engaged in the defense of human dignity and fundamental
rights. Most Geneva based international organizations that actively promote
human rights are part of it. The overall aim is to give a stronger voice to
civil society as well as to national and international NGOs in
Geneva.
Contacts:
- Amnesty International: Irene Khan: 0044 77
78 472 188
- Human Rights Watch: Reed Brody: 0032 49 8
625 786
- OMCT, Anne-Laurence Lacroix: 079 456 97
23
- FIDH: Simia Ahmadi: 078 718 16 46.