STATEMENT BY MARY ROBINSON, THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL, SUBSTANTIVE SESSION COORDINATION SEGMENT: COORDINATED FOLLOW-UP TO, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE VIENNA DECLARATION AND PROGRAMME OF ACTION

New York, 17 July 1998



Mr. Chairman, Distinguished Representatives,


It is a privilege to be among you today to introduce the report of the Secretary-General to ECOSOC, focusing on the “Coordinated follow-up to, and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action.”

The international community has made it clear that the two inter-related human rights events of this year - the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Five Year Implementation Review of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action - together should mark 1998 as a special year for human rights. Today, we can already confirm that this is the case. If we stop to look at the incredible number and variety of activities being carried out all over the world - by Governments and non-governmental organizations, by schools, community groups and individuals at the grass-roots level, we can feel confident that the message of human rights is being heard in all parts of the world even as we speak.

Allow me to mention how impressive and moving it is to see the mail coming to our Office each day from people, often from remote parts of the world, who share with us the activities they are undertaking to commemorate the 50th Anniversary. What is also significant to note is that these activities, as a rule, are making practical contributions to the promotion and protection of human rights. As the Secretary-General has rightly put it, “The people of the world have made human rights their own.”

The fifty-fourth session of the Commission on Human Rights, under the chairmanship of Ambassador Selebi of South Africa, confirmed the message of 1998 - a message of better cooperation, more understanding for the concerns of others, and greater determination to take bold steps to improve our action for human rights. In my many contacts with Governmental delegates and representatives of civil society, I have heard repeatedly the belief that by acting on this spirit, by working together, we can make the lives of people, particularly those in urgent need of our help, better.

Indeed, 1998 must be about something more than celebration. It should contribute to making human rights a reality world-wide. It should compel the international community to reaffirm its commitment to human rights through determined and concrete action aimed at the effective promotion and protection of all human rights. It should further our efforts to prevent human rights violations and provide the framework for a global partnership for human rights. 1998 should affirm our conviction that human rights, along with peace, democracy, and development are the guiding principles of the twenty-first century. I realize that this is a great deal to ask of any one year. But opportunities like this don’t come along everyday. People around the world are counting on us to do more.

Mr. Chairman,

On the basis of the “Vienna+5" Review, the international community will be in the position to chart its course of action for the next five years and beyond. This will be possible, first of all, through recognizing achievements and noting best practices at all levels. In this way, we will gain an important reference point - a comprehensive “human rights case study” which would be referred to while considering possible ways of translating human rights principles into practical action. Similarly, by noting the areas in which we have fallen short of the goals set by the World Conference, a clearer picture of where our efforts at all levels should be reinforced will present itself.

This session of ECOSOC constitutes an essential component of the “Vienna+5" Review. It takes place after the initial analysis during the fifty-fourth session of the Commission on Human Rights which stressed that “Vienna+5" Review provides an opportunity to:

strengthen the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide,
review and assess progress made in human rights protection since the adoption of the Universal Declaration and the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, and
consider ways and means to further develop the United Nations human rights programme to meet current and future challenges.

ECOSOC’s review will be followed, during the fifty-third session of the General Assembly, by the overall evaluation of the implementation of the recommendations adopted by the Vienna Conference.

Allow me to express my appreciation to the Economic and Social Council for dedicating its coordination segment in 1998 to the coordinated follow up to, and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action.

ECOSOC is the most competent forum for evaluating the past and designing plans for the future of system-wide cooperation in the interlinked economic and social sectors which are of basic importance to human rights. Indeed, there is great potential in coordinated inter-agency efforts. ECOSOC can provide valuable encouragement and orientation to this process, as was demonstrated during the recent special session on the integrated and coordinated implementation and follow-up to major UN conferences and summits.

A comprehensive approach to the implementation of the VDPA, which incorporates activities both explicitly and implicitly related to human rights, is essential. Such an approach leads to stronger input from all relevant parts of the UN system. At the same time, it fosters contributions by the United Nations human rights programme to the implementation of recommendations adopted by other United Nations international conferences. This comprehensive approach, which guided the World Conference on Human Rights and subsequent United Nations conferences and summits, is based on the affirmation that democracy, development and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms are interdependent and mutually reinforcing.

Consistency and complementarity in the approach to human rights and related matters, close intra-system cooperation and better coordination are all of fundamental importance to achieving the goals of the conferences and to utilizing the full potential of the United Nations.


Mr. Chairman,

The Secretary-General’s report provides an overview of the contribution by the UN system to implementing the recommendations made in the VDPA. For this reason, it focuses on assistance to Governments and civil society, as well as on cooperation and coordination within the UN system to that end.

The report should assist ECOSOC in identifying:

methods of achieving a concerted system-wide approach to human rights;
examples of good experience in implementing the VDPA;
areas of responsibility in which efforts should be made to fully implement the VDPA within the United Nations system; and
plans for improving interagency cooperation and coordination to achieve better results in the implementation of the VDPA.

In this context, I would like to express my sincere thanks to our partners in the United Nations system who took part in the inter-agency process which produced the Secretary-General’s report. I am grateful for the commitment shown by them in ensuring that this report reflect the wide range of activities which contribute to implementing the recommendations made by the Vienna Conference.

The report indicates clearly that human rights are not the exclusive domain of any one part of the UN system, but rather, that system-wide contributions are needed to contribute to the realization of human rights.



Mr. Chairman,


Five years ago, the 171 Governments represented at the World Conference on Human Rights, adopted by consensus a detailed framework of principles and a programme of activities, for achieving the objectives of the United Nations Charter in the field of human rights.

Without in any way intending to anticipate the conclusions which will be reached by ECOSOC, or the panel discussion which will follow, I would like to share with you some general observations.

The Vienna Conference marked a significant step forward in moving the promotion and protection of human rights to centre-stage in United Nations activities. The VDPA stresses that specialized agencies, bodies and institutions of the United Nations system play a vital role in the formulation, promotion and implementation of human rights standards. The Secretary-General’s report makes clear that Important efforts have already been made by various parts of the UN family to include human rights into specific programmes. At the same time, human rights have become part of coordination efforts between agencies and within the United Nations system, where the continuing support of ECOSOC is particularly important.

One could say that it has taken a good deal of time to give the required speed and depth to this process. But, today, the human rights programme together with other parts of the United Nations system benefit from the Governments’ support for coordinated follow-up to the world conferences and summits.

I am encouraged by the growing involvement of our Office, working together with partners, in country and regional projects all over the world. The regional offices and projects which our Office is developing, will strengthen decisively our ability to cooperate at the national level. Cooperation with programmes, funds and agencies facilitates the inclusion of developmental and humanitarian perspectives in our activities. Our response and contribution is thus becoming more comprehensive and effective.

We have to bear in mind that only a swift and professional response to the existing needs is adequate. Therefore, the United Nations should harness all actors by improving coordination both at the Headquarters and field levels. Only then can scarce resources be put to efficient use and effective assistance provided.

Inter-agency coordination also strengthens our cooperation with civil society. Various channels of cooperation with local communities, various professions, non-governmental organizations and academic institutions enlarge the results of our action and contribute to people’s participation in the assistance projects carried out by our Organization.

These promising developments are the foundations we should build on in the years ahead.

At the same time, we must recognize that the international community has fallen far short of realizing all the commitments made by Governments in Vienna five years ago. Looking at the area under discussion during this coordination segment, we have to say that the progress in developing a system-wide approach to human rights has not always been satisfactory. The promotion and protection of economic, social and cultural rights and the right to development requires comprehensive implementation projects. Also, inadequacy of resources dedicated to human rights related activities at the UN level, in spite of calls in the VDPA to increase “substantially” the resources in this area must also be pointed to as a serious shortcoming. During the oncoming panels and the general debate, we will have the occasion to discuss these aspects in-depth.

I wish you every success as you begin this important work which will provide essential input to the “Vienna+5" Review.


Thank you.