Welcome to the United Nations 
OHCHR 
Statements
Default title
18 April 2000
Share
ADDRESS BY MARY ROBINSON
UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
TO THE INTERNATIONAL CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE OF NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOR THE PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
Geneva 18 April 2000
Distinguished members
of the International Co-ordinating Committee
and Guests,
It is a pleasure to see so many familiar faces from the Workshop which took place in Rabat a few days ago. I take this opportunity to wish the Chair of this meeting, the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of India, my congratulations on his re-election.
I want to commend you and your members for your active participation in the 5th International Workshop on National Institutions and again extend my appreciation to the Moroccan Conseil Consultatif des Droits de l’Homme for its efficient organisation of the event and very kind hospitality. I took the opportunity to set out my broad views on the role of national institutions at the Workshop meeting and copies of my statement are available to you here. I will focus today on a number of the themes which arose at the Workshop and which were included in the Rabat Declaration which was adopted at the close of the Workshop.
The identity and significance of national human rights institutions is clearly affirmed in the Rabat Declaration. I am pleased to note that it is not only a matter of the numbers of institutions growing – there are now 35, I understand, which are accredited as members of your Committee - but also that they are strengthening their role and those which are not yet compliant with the Paris Principles are striving to be so.
As you know, I firmly believe in the importance of interaction between national institutions. Meetings such as that held in Rabat provide a valuable opportunity for national institutions from different countries and regions to meet and exchange experiences.
I am very happy to see you wearing your national institution badges here. This is not only a name-tag, but also a clear recognition by the Commission on Human Rights of your important role in the promotion and protection of human rights. Your ability to speak in your own right with your own identity on issues of particular concern is indeed significant and reinforces your independent status.
The Rabat Declaration highlights the importance of the issues to be addressed at the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Forms of Intolerance next year. I fully endorse the wish of National Institutions to be involved in preparations for the World Conference and in active participation in the Conference itself. In this regard I encourage you, alongside your other human rights partners, to organise national activities which will help create the momentum for the Conference.
Equally, as part of the development of regional strategies which my Office is undertaking, I look forward to hearing of regional initiatives which capitalise on the energies of governments and Parliaments in the region, national institutions, and organizations of civil society. This very much echoes the reference in the Rabat Declaration calling for particular cultural aspects and perceptions to be taken into account.
Morocco is a country which has witnessed the flow of people between continents for many centuries. It is therefore appropriate that there was a strong call at the Workshop for the ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of the Rights of all Migrant Workers and Members of their Families. The importance of this Convention is intrinsically linked to combatting discrimination and violent acts committed against migrant groups and to the culture of paranoia and isolation, which are all too common. The country I come from has witnessed important flows of migrants from its land – and is now experiencing inward flows with the advent of economic prosperity. I therefore fully appreciate the significance of migrant issues. I urge you, through your expertise and ability to inform, to do your utmost to ensure that your respective Governments ratify this vital Convention.
The Declaration also calls upon you to continue to support initiatives relating to vulnerable groups. In this regard I am pleased that my Office will, in collaboration with the Asia Pacific Forum, support the new Fiji Human Rights Commission in the holding of next month’s workshop on women’s rights. The session on racism and women will, no doubt, provide valuable input for the World Conference.
National human rights institutions have the full range of human rights in their remit and you will be touching on many issues in your deliberations. Regarding children’s rights, I look forward to hearing about specific initiatives following the conclusions of last year’s Manila Workshop on the rights of the child. This was the first time we successfully organised substantial interaction between representatives of national institutions, senior practitioners from the region, members of the major international treaty bodies and the relevant thematic rapporteur. Our efforts to “mainstream” national institutions into all areas of United Nations human rights work are clearly bearing fruit.
An area which we have not touched on, and which I would like to mention here for further consideration and discussion is the right to health. Recently I appointed in my Office a focal point on HIV/AIDS, which is a scourge that affects many of those who are vulnerable in your countries. My Office, in co-operation with UNAIDS, is looking at constructive, practical ways to address this terrible problem. I encourage you to engage with my Office on this matter and in future meetings to reflect on the pandemic and how you as national institutions can assist in stopping its spread and also extend a compassionate hand and support to those who need it.
Weakness in the delivery of proper health care ties into a broader theme of the Rabat Declaration which I have highlighted as requiring increased attention – economic, social and cultural rights and the right to development. A recent workshop in Yemen, organized by my Office, and at which national human rights institutions participated, formulated practical proposals which I would commend to you for your attention.
It was also significant that European national institutions which met recently in Strasbourg were encouraged to publicise international instruments in the field of economic and social rights, to press their governments to ratify these instruments, and to develop and participate in national education programmes aimed at the promotion of economic, social and cultural rights. National institutions – as a bridge between Governments and civil society – are well placed to ensure that more attention is paid to these fundamental rights.
I strongly believe that there must be no impunity in the case of gross violations of human rights. Recent events on all continents challenge us to ensure that this will not happen. I welcome the fact that the Rabat Declaration addresses this issue and encourages all States to ratify the Statute of the International Criminal Court so as to ensure that it comes into force. I encourage you to engage with your Governments to encourage the early establishment of the Court.
I share these ideas with you so that we can constructively engage in practical approaches together – national institutions and my Office - to ensure that the Rabat Declaration and initiatives emanating from your meetings in each region over the past year are translated into action.
I will follow your deliberations with great interest and stand ready, with the resources I have at my disposal, to support you in your activities.
Thank you Mr. Chairman.
UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
TO THE INTERNATIONAL CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE OF NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOR THE PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
Geneva 18 April 2000
Distinguished members
of the International Co-ordinating Committee
and Guests,
It is a pleasure to see so many familiar faces from the Workshop which took place in Rabat a few days ago. I take this opportunity to wish the Chair of this meeting, the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of India, my congratulations on his re-election.
I want to commend you and your members for your active participation in the 5th International Workshop on National Institutions and again extend my appreciation to the Moroccan Conseil Consultatif des Droits de l’Homme for its efficient organisation of the event and very kind hospitality. I took the opportunity to set out my broad views on the role of national institutions at the Workshop meeting and copies of my statement are available to you here. I will focus today on a number of the themes which arose at the Workshop and which were included in the Rabat Declaration which was adopted at the close of the Workshop.
The identity and significance of national human rights institutions is clearly affirmed in the Rabat Declaration. I am pleased to note that it is not only a matter of the numbers of institutions growing – there are now 35, I understand, which are accredited as members of your Committee - but also that they are strengthening their role and those which are not yet compliant with the Paris Principles are striving to be so.
As you know, I firmly believe in the importance of interaction between national institutions. Meetings such as that held in Rabat provide a valuable opportunity for national institutions from different countries and regions to meet and exchange experiences.
I am very happy to see you wearing your national institution badges here. This is not only a name-tag, but also a clear recognition by the Commission on Human Rights of your important role in the promotion and protection of human rights. Your ability to speak in your own right with your own identity on issues of particular concern is indeed significant and reinforces your independent status.
The Rabat Declaration highlights the importance of the issues to be addressed at the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Forms of Intolerance next year. I fully endorse the wish of National Institutions to be involved in preparations for the World Conference and in active participation in the Conference itself. In this regard I encourage you, alongside your other human rights partners, to organise national activities which will help create the momentum for the Conference.
Equally, as part of the development of regional strategies which my Office is undertaking, I look forward to hearing of regional initiatives which capitalise on the energies of governments and Parliaments in the region, national institutions, and organizations of civil society. This very much echoes the reference in the Rabat Declaration calling for particular cultural aspects and perceptions to be taken into account.
Morocco is a country which has witnessed the flow of people between continents for many centuries. It is therefore appropriate that there was a strong call at the Workshop for the ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of the Rights of all Migrant Workers and Members of their Families. The importance of this Convention is intrinsically linked to combatting discrimination and violent acts committed against migrant groups and to the culture of paranoia and isolation, which are all too common. The country I come from has witnessed important flows of migrants from its land – and is now experiencing inward flows with the advent of economic prosperity. I therefore fully appreciate the significance of migrant issues. I urge you, through your expertise and ability to inform, to do your utmost to ensure that your respective Governments ratify this vital Convention.
The Declaration also calls upon you to continue to support initiatives relating to vulnerable groups. In this regard I am pleased that my Office will, in collaboration with the Asia Pacific Forum, support the new Fiji Human Rights Commission in the holding of next month’s workshop on women’s rights. The session on racism and women will, no doubt, provide valuable input for the World Conference.
National human rights institutions have the full range of human rights in their remit and you will be touching on many issues in your deliberations. Regarding children’s rights, I look forward to hearing about specific initiatives following the conclusions of last year’s Manila Workshop on the rights of the child. This was the first time we successfully organised substantial interaction between representatives of national institutions, senior practitioners from the region, members of the major international treaty bodies and the relevant thematic rapporteur. Our efforts to “mainstream” national institutions into all areas of United Nations human rights work are clearly bearing fruit.
An area which we have not touched on, and which I would like to mention here for further consideration and discussion is the right to health. Recently I appointed in my Office a focal point on HIV/AIDS, which is a scourge that affects many of those who are vulnerable in your countries. My Office, in co-operation with UNAIDS, is looking at constructive, practical ways to address this terrible problem. I encourage you to engage with my Office on this matter and in future meetings to reflect on the pandemic and how you as national institutions can assist in stopping its spread and also extend a compassionate hand and support to those who need it.
Weakness in the delivery of proper health care ties into a broader theme of the Rabat Declaration which I have highlighted as requiring increased attention – economic, social and cultural rights and the right to development. A recent workshop in Yemen, organized by my Office, and at which national human rights institutions participated, formulated practical proposals which I would commend to you for your attention.
It was also significant that European national institutions which met recently in Strasbourg were encouraged to publicise international instruments in the field of economic and social rights, to press their governments to ratify these instruments, and to develop and participate in national education programmes aimed at the promotion of economic, social and cultural rights. National institutions – as a bridge between Governments and civil society – are well placed to ensure that more attention is paid to these fundamental rights.
I strongly believe that there must be no impunity in the case of gross violations of human rights. Recent events on all continents challenge us to ensure that this will not happen. I welcome the fact that the Rabat Declaration addresses this issue and encourages all States to ratify the Statute of the International Criminal Court so as to ensure that it comes into force. I encourage you to engage with your Governments to encourage the early establishment of the Court.
I share these ideas with you so that we can constructively engage in practical approaches together – national institutions and my Office - to ensure that the Rabat Declaration and initiatives emanating from your meetings in each region over the past year are translated into action.
I will follow your deliberations with great interest and stand ready, with the resources I have at my disposal, to support you in your activities.
Thank you Mr. Chairman.