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Geneva, 22.03.02



Statement by H.E. Mr. Jan Petersen,
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Norway
to the 58th session of
the Commission on Human Rights



Mr. Chairman,
Excellencies,
Distinguished members of the Commission,

First of all, I would like to express my government's gratitude to the High Commissioner for her unfailing determination and tireless efforts to promote human rights. We regret that the High Commissioner will not be seeking a renewed mandate.

Mr. Chairman,

In his Nobel Peace Prize lecture last December, Secretary General Kofi Annan said: "The mission of the United Nations in the 21st Century will be defined by a new, more profound, awareness of the sanctity and dignity of every human life - regardless of race or religion."

We have all committed ourselves to respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms. We have all committed ourselves to securing human dignity and respecting the intrinsic value of every human being. It is high time to bridge the gap between the obligations we have undertaken and their actual implementation.

We must never abandon the principle of the equal worth of every individual - regardless of nationality, gender, race or religion.

We must never lose sight of our overall objective that must guide all our efforts - the right to life, freedom and equal opportunities for all.

We must concentrate on practical results, rather than academic discussions. We must concentrate on the core human rights issues.

We must focus on individual human beings – on giving hope to those who are suffering under repression and misrule.

Securing human rights is first and foremost the responsibility of the individual nation state.

Securing human rights is not something that is attained once and for all - it is a continuous process that demands persistent efforts by States and civil society alike.

The UN Human Rights Commission can help in these efforts, together with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the many Special Rapporteurs, Representatives and Experts, as well as non-governmental organizations - who operate around the clock - around the globe – in tireless efforts to promote human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Mr. Chairman,

Securing human rights must begin at home.

This is why we have developed a national plan of action for human rights in Norway. It contains more than 300 concrete measures, of which more than half are initiatives and programmes to be implemented at the national level. It aims at ensuring an overall, systematic and targeted national human rights policy that involves nearly all sectors of our society.

The action plan also includes international measures aimed at strengthening our human rights efforts both bilaterally and multilaterally.

The human rights dialogue with other countries is one of several tools we are using to achieve this aim.

The strength of such dialogues lies in their ability to address sensitive issues, as well as issues of common concern, and their ability to build networks between academics, non-governmental organizations, public officials, and representatives of the judicial branch. This must be supplemented by advice and assistance in concrete efforts to secure human rights.

Mr. Chairman,

The right to life is the most fundamental of all human rights.

Capital punishment is unacceptable. We must seek to abolish it world-wide.

Almost half the members of the United Nations have now abolished the death penalty. We urge all states that have not yet committed themselves to abolishing capital punishment to do so.

Mr. Chairman,

Torture is one of the most repulsive violations of human rights.

We must continue our efforts to eliminate the use of torture. We must further strengthen the international system of prevention of torture, and we support the adoption of an additional protocol to the Convention against torture.

Mr. Chairman,

We must never fail to act when children are abused. Children are the most vulnerable among us and need special protection.

Children suffer the most in wars and armed conflicts. Most of these conflicts are civil wars, where nine out of every ten casualties are civilians, who have often been killed with all too readily available handguns. And far too often children themselves are forced to become killers - due to the cruel practice of recruiting child soldiers.

We therefore strongly support the work of the UN Special Representative for Children in Armed Conflict. We must also give priority to an early ratification of the two optional protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Mr. Chairman,

Far too many women in far too many countries have hardly any human rights protection at all.

Discrimination on the basis of gender is totally unacceptable.

The practice of female genital mutilation is also totally unacceptable - regardless of its cultural and historical context.

And steps must be taken to end the widespread practice of forced marriage.

There must be no impunity for so called “killings committed in the name of passion or honour.”

Mr. Chairman,

We must continue to combat intolerance, racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia - which throughout history have caused so much suffering and pain.

We must uphold the rights of national minorities and indigenous peoples.

Mr. Chairman,

Those who work on a daily basis to ensure that all individuals can enjoy their fundamental rights and freedoms deserve our deep admiration and support.

The reports of the Secretary General's Special Representative for Human Rights Defenders provide disturbing evidence of how human rights defenders are being harassed every day - and even killed.

We must now seek effective ways and means to stop the repression of human rights defenders, and ensure the effective protection of this group of outstanding individuals.

Mr. Chairman,

The International Criminal Court will be a major step forward in the protection of human rights and international humanitarian law. I am encouraged by the fast increasing number of ratifications of the Rome Statute, which means that it may enter into force this year. We must ensure active support for the establishment of the Court in order to enable it to make a successful start.

There must be no sanctuary for the perpetrators of international crimes. National remedies must be given priority. But if national legal systems are unwilling or unable to apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators of mass atrocities, the international community must take responsibility.
Mr. Chairman,

Not a day goes by without reports of fresh violence in the Middle East.

The region is caught in a destructive spiral of violence, involving serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. This spiral of violence must be broken.

Palestinian society is on the brink of collapse. At the same time, the Israeli people have neither peace nor security.

Neither of the parties seems to have any strategy for putting an end to the violence.

The future of the Israelis and the Palestinians is tied together, there can be no prosperity and no security unless the parties reverse the spiral of violence and resume serious negotiations on how to live side by side in peace.

We appeal to both parties to fully respect human rights and humanitarian law.

The UN Security Council Resolution 1397 contains a clear vision of the region where two States - Israel and Palestine - live side by side within secure and recognized borders. This is a vision we all share. This is a vision we should all help turning into reality. Now is the time to stop the violence and return to the negotiating table.

Mr. Chairman,

The international community must stand united in helping to bring Afghanistan back into the family of nations, just as we stand united in the fight against terrorism. Indeed, the fight against terrorism will not succeed if we allow people to live in misery and in failed states.

We must show steadfast determination in supporting the political process and helping the Afghan people rebuild their war-torn country. We must remain committed for the long run.

There can be no real progress and lasting peace in Afghanistan without respect for human rights. Years of neglect of women’s rights have taken their toll and will have to be addressed as a matter of urgency.

Mr. Chairman,

We are deeply concerned about the situation in Zimbabwe, which is characterized by widespread human rights violations.

A group of election observers from Norway monitored the recent presidential elections in Zimbabwe. The Norwegian Observer Mission has reported that the elections were conducted in an atmosphere of strong polarization and political violence and that the election administration had serious shortcomings. The run-up to - as well as the aftermath of - the elections was also marred by incidents of intimidation and violence.

The Government of Zimbabwe must put an end to the extreme level of violence and restore respect for human rights in the country.

Mr. Chairman,

We were all shocked and saddened by the tragic events of September 11. We have been forced to reflect on the consequences of international terrorism and the balance between the need to protect oneself from terrorist acts and the respect for human rights.

We have seen that international terrorism is not only a threat to national stability and international peace and security, but also represents a threat to human rights and the rule of law.

It is for this very reason that we must conduct the fight against terrorism within the framework provided by international human rights and humanitarian law.
The fight against terrorism must not become an excuse for repression and violation of human rights.

At the same time terrorism is a threat to our most fundamental human rights. It is an attack on the values enshrined in the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Mr. Chairman,

Human rights are about human dignity – about protecting the individual against oppression, exploitation, injustice and degradation.

Human rights are about economic and social progress. Governments that deprive their people of basic human rights deprive them not only of political freedom, but also of improved economic and social conditions.

Human rights are about stability and security. Respecting all human rights – civil and political rights, as well as social, economic and cultural rights – is a necessary condition for peaceful, stable and dynamic societies.

Therefore the sanctity and dignity of life must be the overriding principle for all our work.



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