SECOND CONFERENCE ON NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS IN THE ARAB WORLD: “A CULTURE OF HUMAN RIGHTS”, 4-6 March 2006, Doha, Qatar

STATEMENT OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, LOUISE ARBOUR

To be presented via video-tape on 4 March 2006

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Allow me to express my gratitude to all of you for coming to Doha and extend my appreciation to the People and Government of the State of Qatar for hosting this conference. I very much regret that I was unable to join you on this important occasion.

Special thanks are due to the National Human Rights Committee of Qatar for its excellent work in the preparations for the conference. I also wish to acknowledge the support extended by the League of Arab States; the Gulf Cooperation Council; UNDP; UNESCO; and the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions in the organization of this conference. I wish further to thank our former Secretary-General Mr. Boutros Boutros Ghali, current Chair of the National Council for Human Rights of Egypt, for proposing the theme of this second regional conference on national human rights institutions as host of the first conference that took place in Cairo in March last year.

As this conference takes place in Qatar, I would like to seize this opportunity to extend my gratitude to the Government of Qatar for its cooperation with my Office on the establishment of the United Nations Human Rights Training and Documentation Centre for South-West and the Arab Region. We consider this Centre a promising tool for closer cooperation in building regional and national capacities in human rights through training, documentation and information dissemination. We look forward to working with governments and civil society in the region with a view to opening the Centre within a reasonable time frame.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This conference takes place at a significant juncture in the United Nations history. The United Nations human rights system is currently undergoing one of its most far-reaching reform processes which aims to empower people to realize and defend their human rights and freedoms.

As you are well aware, at the World Summit of last September, Heads of State and Governments decided to establish a Human Rights Council to replace the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. It has been envisaged that the Council will be responsible for promoting universal respect for human rights and freedoms without distinction of any kind. It is intended that the Council will deal more objectively and credibly with human rights violations worldwide. I look forward to working with all Arab countries and with many of you to make the Council a successful mechanism.

Regarding my Office, the World Summit acknowledged our Plan of Action submitted in May 2005, which offered a new vision on the promotion and protection of human rights at the national, regional and international levels. Our aim is to close the human rights implementation gap on the ground and to ensure that respect for human rights becomes a reality. Interaction and cooperation with the Arab region, nationally and regionally, is an integral part of our strategy.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Building a culture of human rights where all live in dignity, equality and justice must be at the core of our societies. This requires a number of key elements. First, there must be the political will to ensure that such a culture permeates all that we do. We need strong and effective leadership to ensure that a legislative framework is established to protect us from discrimination and ensure that we can fully enjoy all our rights. Strong democratic processes, where individuals’ voices are heard through free and fair independent elections, must be supported. A vibrant civil society to challenge us, and accompany us, to meet our obligations must be nurtured and indeed cherished. And a strong institutional infrastructure must exist to sustain a culture of human rights. Education is the root from which such a culture may grow. These are the common needs for a culture of human rights. Nevertheless, there is clear room to take into account individual and societal needs – we are enriched by diversity – while respecting universality.

Such a culture must be encouraged, owned, respected and protected by women and men. This brings me to International Women’s Day which we will celebrate on March 8. On this occasion, I wish to call upon States that have not yet ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women to do so. Women are, and must be fully recognized, as equal partners in our society. I would like also to stress the necessity of encouraging greater participation of women in the public sphere. This can be achieved, for example, by ensuring that women occupy key leadership positions within parliaments, governments, national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations. Their rights must also be fully respected in the private sphere and hence I call upon you to do all that is necessary to ensure that domestic violence is not tolerated.

Since 1993, when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Principles relating to the Status of National Institutions, known as “The Paris Principles”, the role of national institutions in promoting and protecting human rights has significantly advanced in most regions. Independent, credible and effective national institutions are key to ensuring the sustainability of a culture of human rights. Among other things, these Principles define one of the responsibilities of a national institution as assisting in the formulation of programmes and the teaching and publicizing of human rights. This can be done by raising public awareness through media campaigns and education and by training various officials including security forces. I congratulate those States that have established national institutions. However, at the same time, I wish to see true independence being achieved, and a broad range of powers being granted to such institutions to ensure their compliance with the Paris Principles. Please remember our Office’s offer to continue to provide appropriate assistance to any State that intends to establish an independent institution as well as in reinforcing those existing institutions that seek a more independent and effective role.

Upon the conclusion of the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education in 2004, the General Assembly proclaimed the World Programme for Human Rights Education starting from January 2005. The first objective of the World Programme is to promote the development of a culture of human rights. National institutions were identified as a key actor responsible for the implementation of the World Programme, in particular its first phase from 2005 through 2007, on human rights education in the school system. Non-governmental institutions, the media and academic institutions are key partners as well. I count on each of you, both in your individual and institutional capacities, to contribute to the implementation of the World Programme.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Discrimination constitutes one of the most acute human rights concerns facing the world today along with poverty, conflict, impunity and democratic deficits. I am troubled by the increasing polarization along lines of religion or culture accompanied by intolerance and mistrust. My Office is committed to work with governments, national institutions and civil society to develop effective ways to improve understanding and promote dialogue among cultures based upon a commitment of universal respect for human rights. The discussions you will have in the coming three days will be an important contribution to this process. In order to promote understanding among various cultures and civilizations, it is our moral duty to appeal for mutual respect, tolerance and constructive dialogue.

A true culture of human rights is one which promotes efforts to be attentive to the rights of others, and which invests in peaceful, rational and respectful mechanisms to settle disputes, even when they involve our most deeply held values and beliefs.

The United Nations Secretary-General concluded in his recent report “In Larger Freedom” that “we will not enjoy development without security, we will not enjoy security without development, and we will not enjoy either without respect for human rights”. Promoting a culture of human rights would lead, I am confident, to a more peaceful and prosperous world.

I look forward to the outcome of this conference, which no doubt will constitute an additional asset to your efforts in promoting and protecting human rights, nationally, regionally and internationally.

I wish you rich and fruitful discussions for a successful conference.