INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN OF THE 54TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS, MR JS SELEBI ON THE OCCASION OF THE OPENING OF THE 55TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION

22 March 1999

High Commissioner, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

It is my pleasure to declare open the 55th session of the Commission on Human Rights. As we embark upon the last session of the Commission before the end of the century and the dawn of the new millennium, it is an appropriate time for the Commission to take stock of its achievements over more than 50 years and look ahead to new challenges. At the core of its achievements stands a simple statement: the promotion and protection of human rights must remain the primary focus of our work.

I am greatly indebted to all of you for affording me a rare and unique opportunity to Chair this Commission. I assumed Chairmanship of this august body at a unique opportunity in the human rights history. My Chairmanship coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the adoption of a Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, and the Reform of the Agenda of the Commission. All of these important mileposts bear testimony to the growing recognition that more requires to be done in the field of human rights, and a growing recognition that human rights are inextricably linked to all other forms of development of the human person. There is strong challenge upon this Commission to enhance its methods of work to ensure efficiency, better resource utilization and maximum benefits to all.

The past session of the Commission on Human Rights has made considerable progress in the following areas:

- by restructuring its agenda, the Commission has given absolute priority to the human rights of Women and Children. Special provisions have been made for annual review.

- special session for interactive dialogue will continue to feature on the agenda of the Commission. This year the focus has been placed on the Rights of the Child. It will be recalled that the interactive dialogue on Women Rights last year was very constructive.

- the role played by the Bureau of the Commission on Human Rights during the intersessional period which culminated in the appointments of Independent Experts on the Right to Development, Right to Education and Extreme Poverty was one of the priority areas. In addition, the Bureau appointed a new Independent Expert on Structural Adjustment Policies and a Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan.

- I had an opportunity at the General Assembly last year, to serve on a special committee to decide on six nominees for the United Nations Human Rights Award. This was undoubtedly one of the most difficult tasks I had to perform. In my view, everyone of the nominees deserved recognition for the excellent work performed in the field of human rights. Of particular significance is the special award presented to human rights defenders who had sacrificed their lives in the struggle for the common good of humanity. A memorial plaque was unveiled at United Nations Headquarters in New York in honour of these heroes.

- the recent decision by the Secretary-General to divert additional resources to the activities of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is a positive development. We, however, still need to do more regarding voluntary contributions to important funds such as racism and torture.

Last year, the Commission, recognizing the need for renewal and reform, took a significant step by requesting its Bureau to undertake a review of its mechanisms. Following broad consultations, conducted in a spirit of transparency and cooperation over several months, the Bureau was able to arrive at a number of observations, proposals and recommendations aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of those mechanisms. Our conclusions and recommendations were inspired by a simple guiding principle: to enhance the capacity of the United Nations to promote and protect internationally-recognized human rights and contribute to the prevention of their violation. These recommendations, as contained in report (E/CN.4/1999/104), are now submitted to you for your consideration. It will be for you, members of the Commission, to decide how to take this process forward. In this report the Bureau believes that there are many areas where agreement can be reached effortlessly and others where further discussion is needed. It would be important for the Commission to remain focused on the issue. We should not lose the momentum. We should work for the widest possible agreement within a specific time-frame. The Bureau, for its part, considers that it has discharged the mandate given to it.

While the review is an important item for the Commission, I do not believe that it should overshadow all the other important issues that the Commission has before it this year. Some of these issues trace their roots to the last session but most have been with us for much longer. In a few days time, for instance, we shall hold the first meeting dedicated to the preparations for the world conference on racism. Then, we shall give attention to commemorative events related to the 10th anniversary of the most-ratified international human rights instruments of all, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the 50th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions and the 100th anniversary of the Hague Convention. We shall also have to consider how to implement the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders which the General Assembly adopted last December.

Most of all though, I believe that we need to consider our response to the most egregious violations of human rights. We are reminded by atrocities we see daily on world television networks that elsewhere in the world, the scourge of war, conflict, ethnic strife and abuses continue unabated. Armed conflict continues to pose the greatest threat to human rights and humanity and in its name, massive violations against civilians are perpetrated. The sources of armed conflict, as we have witnessed over the past year, have ranged from discrimination, to denial of fundamental rights and intolerance. As the Commission takes-up its agenda for the forthcoming session, I would urge it to give thought to the role it can play in preventing conflict. I recognize and salute the work that the Commission has accomplished over more than fifty years in combating gross violations of human rights and addressing issues of prevention, protection and even reconstruction, through the provision of technical cooperation. Fact-finding and monitoring remain critical components of the Commission's work as they enable the international community to gather facts in an impartial and objective manner and can often dispel propaganda and "hate speech". This was recognized three decades ago when developing countries took the lead in calling on the Commission to consider ways of ending violations of human rights wherever they occur.

I thoroughly enjoyed working with everyone who has been associated with this Commission during the past year. A special word of thanks goes to all those who remained committed to making our system work. The success of the Commission on Human Rights will only be realized when world communities, especially those communities torn by strife, begin to feel the presence of our work in their midst.

I will always cherish the wonderful support I enjoyed from all the members of the Bureau of the 54th session. On behalf of my colleagues in the Bureau, I would like to extend my best wishes to the incoming Chair and Bureau and may they be successful in taking the work of this Commission further.

My official duties as Chairman are now almost over. Today, I leave having had the enormous privilege and honour of chairing a Commission that produced a number of important achievements. During all this time you have reinforced my view that "people matter". Their rights should not be violated and their sacred trust should not be betrayed.


I thank you.