UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, MEXICO AGREE ON OPENING OF NATIONAL OFFICE

1 July 2002



The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Government of Mexico agreed formally today to the opening of an office of the United Nations rights agency in the country.

High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson and Mexican Foreign Minister Jorge Castañeda this afternoon signed the accord providing for the office, which will work with the Government and a wide cross section of civil society in making a diagnosis of problems in Mexico in order to help draw up an inclusive national human rights programme. Among the issues to be addressed are torture, the work of the national human rights commission, indigenous rights and the administration of justice. The office is expected to be operational shortly, following the appointment of its head.

Following the signing, Mrs. Robinson said today’s agreement was an important milestone in the programme of cooperation between Mexico and OHCHR and further evidence of the will of the Government to address human rights issues.

“The office is part of an ambitious programme for OHCHR and for Mexico”, she said. “Our hope is that it will help the Government and civil society analyze the human rights situation in depth so as to tackle the problems that still plague the country. The commitment is there, but there will have to be implementation if we are to make a real difference in the lives of ordinary Mexicans”.

The technical cooperation programme with Mexico will enter its second phase in August. Mrs. Robinson and President Fox signed an initial agreement on 2 December 2000, and the first phase ran from February to August 2001.

Mrs. Robinson is in Mexico for the third time as High Commissioner. Today she also opened the Latin America-Caribbean Regional Expert Seminar on follow-up to the World Conference against Racism held in Durban last year. The meeting is the first regional gathering to look at what steps can be taken to make the recommendations of the Durban conference a reality.



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