SUB-COMMISSION ADOPTS REPORT AND CONCLUDES ANNUAL SESSION

Sub-Commission on the Promotion and
Protection of Human Rights
55th session
15 August 2003
Morning






Hears Concluding Statements by Acting High Commissioner
for Human Rights, Chairperson; Adopts Decision on Globalization




The Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights concluded this morning its fifty-fifth session by adopting its report and provisional agenda for next year’s session and hearing concluding remarks by the Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Chairperson of the Sub-Commission.

Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights, Bertrand Ramcharan, said the Sub-Commission was the strategist of the human rights environment and played a pivotal role. He thanked Experts, Government representatives and non-governmental organizations for their important and constructive participation. Within this session, there had not been one single vote on resolutions - a staggering achievement, much to the credit of the Chairperson. It was not possible to address issues of human dignity unless doing so on the foundations of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights.

Human rights had a key role to play in the future of the United Nations, Mr. Ramcharan continued. The quest for peace must be based on human rights norms, as must the development process and work for the protection of the rights of minority communities. When one thought about the future of the United Nations, the centrality of human rights was vital. As the thinking and strategic arm of the human rights environment, the Sub-Commission had a pivotal role to play. He added that the story of human rights must be presented as expanding concentric circles with the Universal Declaration and commitments made in the center. It was his conviction that the future must be built on human rights, including civil and political, and economic, social and cultural rights.

Making concluding remarks, the Chairperson of the Sub-Commission, Halima Embarek Warzazi, said that the debate of the Sub-Commission had been fruitful, including the interactive dialogue. The reports by the Experts had allowed the identification of all the problems encountered in the realization of human rights, often constituting serious violations of the majority of the affected populations. Those violations had also been reported to the Sub-Commission by a number of non-governmental organizations, which also contributed to the work.

The problems of globalization, the right to development, the right to drinking water, corruption, and extreme poverty had been given attention by the Sub-Commission, Mrs. Warzazi continued. New initiatives had also been taken aimed at ensuring to all human beings security, justice, and protection against arbitrary detention and all forms of discrimination. This year, the Sub-Commission had also dealt with the problems faced by women and children; terrorism; the misuse of firearms and human rights violations emanating from bioethics. Decisions had been taken in connection with minorities, indigenous peoples and victims of all forms of slavery, thanks to the work achieved by the working groups and intersessional working groups.

Sub-Commission Experts Abdul Sattar, El Hadji Guisse, Antoanella-Iulia Motoc, Miguel Alfonso Martinez, and Asbjorn Eide made concluding remarks and thanked the Chairperson for her leadership.

Also this morning the Sub-Commission adopted a decision on globalization and its effects on the full enjoyment of all human rights, welcoming the reports of Special Rapporteurs Josef Oloka-Onyongo and Deepika Udagama, and deciding to submit the reports to the Commission on Human Rights to be published in all United Nations languages.

The Sub-Commission adopted its draft provisional agenda for the fifty-sixth session, as well as its report of the fifty-fifth session. The fifty-sixth session of the Sub-Commission will be held from 26 July to 13 August 2004.




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