DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF UN OFFICE AT GENEVA SAYS THE UNITED NATIONS IS WORKING WITH GOVERNMENT OF ALBANIA TO ADVANCE AND CONSOLIDATE HUMAN RIGHTS

DG/98/18
18 November 1998




Director-General of UNOG, on behalf of UN Secretary-General,
states that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
is a living document that takes on greater
force with every passing year


Vladimir Petrovsky, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, made this speech on 16 November in Tirana, Albania, on the occasion of the National Conference on Human Rights. The Director-General also read out a message on behalf of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan:


It gives me great pleasure to be with you here today at this human rights conference in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration. I have the further pleasure of presenting a message on behalf of the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan on this occasion:

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has the great merit of being the first international legal instrument to gather together a set of principles embodying the fundamental rights and freedoms of the human being, recognized by the international community and based on the dignity and equality of all members of the human family. Since its adoption by the General Assembly in 1948, this "Magna Carta for all humanity" has been translated into more than 250 languages and its tenets woven into the fabric of national and international life. It is a living document that has stood the test of time and takes on greater force -- both ethically and juridically -- with every passing year.

The 50th anniversary motto -- ”all human rights for all” -- expresses the challenge we face today. For too many people around the world, the Declaration's tenets have yet to take on real meaning. We must insist on greater respect for civil and political rights and on the building of democratic societies. But equally, we must insist that due attention be given to economic, social and cultural rights. Mass illiteracy and poverty are human rights issues no less than freedom of expression, and the wilful disregard of the former is as likely to sow the seeds of conflict as the denial of the latter.

Today, the principles enshrined in the Declaration continue to lie at the heart of all that the United Nations aspires to achieve in its global mission of peace and development. In keeping with that spirit, I have been most encouraged to see the commitment made by governments, such as that of Albania, to establish a human rights commission: an independent body that will be an impartial advocate not just for individuals, but for fairness. I share the hope that this commission will prove to be a powerful instrument of service for the Albanian people, particularly the most vulnerable and disadvantaged. The United Nations, which has considerable expertise in this area, stands ready to assist.”

The presence at this new international Conference in Tirana of a number of the United Nations programmes and other international and regional organizations as well as the diplomatic corps underscores the international community’s commitment to Albania and its collective resolve to support Albania in its efforts to consolidate democratic process to achieve enhanced peace and security and to overcome its economic and political difficulties.

The United Nations has worked with the Government of Albania in a variety of ways to further advance and consolidate democratic institutions and human rights - the respect for which is a fundamental tenet of democracy and prerequisite for good governance.

Firstly, we have worked with the Albanian authorities towards the building of national institutions and mechanisms for the promotion, monitoring and implementation of human rights. In this regard, as the Secretary-General has mentioned, we are aware of and welcome the fact that legislation concerning the establishment of an effective, independent, “peoples-advocate”, an Ombudsman for the protection of human rights, is currently being planned for passage this December. The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights as well as the UNDP office in Albania have been particularly involved in providing advice and expertise in this area - specifically in providing suggestions for the draft law.

Furthermore, the United Nations is pleased that a new Constitution for Albania - already approved by the Parliament - will be forthcoming in a referendum to be held on the 22nd of November. We cannot but note with great satisfaction that specific clauses relating to human rights have been incorporated into the Constitution. We sincerely hope and trust that all Albanians will participate in the referendum.

Secondly, in 1992 the United Nations signed a framework agreement on technical cooperation and advisory services for the training of judges and law enforcement officials regarding the application of international human rights norms within the purview of their functions. The United Nations assigns high priority to human rights in the administration of justice and the value of an independent judiciary. To this end, in December 1997, the General Assembly decided to consider the questions of human rights in the administration of justice at its 54th session under the item entitled “Human rights questions” and called upon States to make use of technical assistance offered by the United Nations in order to strengthen national capacities and infrastructures in this area.

The technical cooperation project also included the provision of basic documents through a local NGO towards the establishment of a permanent research, documentation and information centre for the dissemination and implementation of human rights norms at the local level. The United Nations gives extremely high priority to this initiative for a permanent centre. We welcome the attitude of such United Nations Member - as Italy, which supports this project and earmarks funds.

Thirdly, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights undertook a small monitoring mission to Albania this year to interview refugees from Kosovo in the north of Albania. The Albanian Government was most cooperative in this venture and greatly facilitated required contacts at the local, governmental level and the coordination of international agencies in Bajram Curry. The Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees also has an emergency response mission team with regards to the Kosovo refugee plight in the area.

To sum up, all these actions are an important contribution to good governance. From the United Nations perspective, good governance, the idea of which is widely accepted by all international community, entails purposefulness and effectiveness on the part of a governing institution, transparency and accountability in the management of public affairs and of course, a fundamental respect for human rights - which should be constitutionally based. It also implies the existence of a system founded on the active participation of all actors involved in the political process. In other words, the civil society in all its aspects. All the United Nations’ experience testifies that there is no alternative to ruled-based democracy, the most representative form of political participation.

Without a strong commitment to the values of democracy and the rule of law any durable progress towards the common goals of peace, stability and well-being is unattainable.

Good governance also implies the creation of conditions for the eradication of a culture of war and the establishment of a culture of peace which means not only the rejection of violence and peaceful resolution of differences through dialogue and negotiations, but also social interaction and sharing based on the principles of freedom, justice, tolerance and solidarity.

The General Assembly of the United Nations just proclaimed the period 2001-2010 as the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World. The Assembly took this action in the conviction that such a decade, at the beginning of the new millennium, would greatly assist efforts of the international community to foster peace, harmony, all human rights, democracy and development throughout the world. The Assembly invited Member States to take the necessary steps to ensure that the practice of peace and non-violence is taught at all levels in their respective societies, including in educational institutions.

From the perspective of the United Nations in the new millennium, the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights looks as an important landmark in the persistent efforts to achieve the global acceptance of the Declaration so that all human rights for all will become an integral part of everyday’s life in all countries throughout the world.