UN HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF WELCOMES SUMMIT GAINS, CALLS FOR ASSEMBLY TO FINISH JOB

16 September 2005




High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour welcomed the adoption by world leaders today of clear commitments on human rights, including the creation of a new and stronger global rights council and the doubling of the resources of the UN's human rights programme.

"The international community has declared in unambiguous terms that the protection of human rights is a central purpose of the United Nations, and that without human rights there can be no security, and no development", the High Commissioner said as Heads of State and Government wound up the World Summit at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
"Importantly, they have backed up this declaration with a commitment to concrete measures to ensure stronger action in the defense and promotion of human rights".

The High Commissioner pointed to the agreement reached at the Summit,
in which world leaders:

· Identify human rights as one of the three pillars of the UN, alongside development and security;
· Recognize “the responsibility to protect" populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity;
· Agree to create a new global Human Rights Council;
· Agree to double the human rights budget of the United Nations;
· Support closer cooperation between the High Commissioner and theSecurity Council; and
· Reaffirm the importance of protecting the rights of women, minorities, indigenous peoples, children, internally displaced persons, refugees and persons with disabilities.

Recognizing these important achievements, the High Commissioner stressed that it was essential now for the General Assembly to build on them and to complete the vital task of constructing a human rights council that meets the expectations of the international community.

“The Summit is one important step in this process”, she said. “Much work remains to translate these solemn commitments into reality, and to strengthen the human rights work of the United Nations. We owe it to all the people who look to us for protection, to all persons at risk, and to the victims of human rights abuses, to create a strong, credible and effective Human Rights Council.”


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José Luis Díaz
Information Officer, Spokesperson
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
tel. +4122 917 9242
fax +4122 917 9004
jdiaz@ohchr.org