STATEMENT BY MARY ROBINSON, UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, NIPILAR AWARDS CEREMONY, SOUTH AFRICA

10 December 1997



This is my first Human Rights Day as High Commissioner and it launches a very special year. During this year we commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - the first universal document to proclaim the equal and inalienable rights of every individual, based on the inherent dignity of all people. Fifty years ago, the Universal Declaration reflected the hopes and dreams of people seeking to respond to the horrible consequences of wars and persecution, injustice and underdevelopment, hatred and discrimination.

The struggle to realize human rights requires unremitting efforts. The prevention of violations, the protection of victims and the development of a human rights culture is tough and continuous work. In the large majority of cases, this is silent, anonymous work, remaining unrewarded in practical terms. On 10 December every year the international community pays tribute to all those who have sacrificed not only their time, but often their freedom or even their lives to serve others.

I chose to come here for Human Rights Day because I believe South Africa is a most appropriate place to begin this commemoration year. Your country's journey over the last fifty years symbolizes a transformation which has taken place not only in Africa but also in other parts of the world. On 10 December 1948, the South African Government did not vote for the Universal Declaration. South Africa was under a political system not prepared to recognize the inherent dignity and rights of all members of the human family as proclaimed by the Universal Declaration.

Today, South Africa is one of the champions of human rights at the international level. The world still remembers the long queues of people voting for the first time, and admires the balanced structures of participation you put in place to reflect the rich multicultural and multiracial society of the new South Africa. The Bill of Rights incorporated into your new constitution clearly reflects its direct descent from the Universal Declaration. As we reaffirm our commitment to the ongoing struggle to realize human rights we draw encouragement from South Africa. Its story is personified in many ways by a man who was once prevented from participating fully in the life of his country simply because of the color of his skin, was imprisoned for long years because he tried to change such a system and now is his nation's President.

In his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, President Nelson Mandela expressed the challenge which not only South Africa, but indeed the entire world faces as we approach a new century. He said:

"When I walked out of prison, that was my mission, to liberate the oppressed and the oppressor both. Some say that has now been achieved. But I know that that is not the case. The truth is that we are not yet free; we have merely achieved the freedom to be free, the right not to be oppressed. We have not taken the final step of our journey, but the first step on a longer and even more difficult road. For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. The true test of our devotion to freedom is just beginning..."

We are only now beginning to understand more fully that true freedom is made up of a complex tapestry of rights which must all be addressed equally and protected. The golden thread is the knowledge that democracy, development and human rights are inextricably linked. Our vision of one cannot exclude the others.

Each country follows its own path, and South Africa has once again given leadership in adopting a National Action Plan for Human Rights to implement the commitments of the Universal Declaration and the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. You have identified the need to continue to tackle the insidious after-effects of the legacy of apartheid. The distortions of economy and society, through the use of the organs of the state itself for the repression of the majority and the denial of their basic human rights as a means of maintaining power along racial - also to a significant extent along gender - lines have long tentacles which have to be redressed at many different levels.

You began with a determination to develop an all embracing human rights culture as a key element in the transformation of your society as reflected in your Constitution and institution building. The Constitutional Court, the Human Rights Commission and other Commissions such as for Gender, Youth and the Restitution of Land Rights and the Office of the Public Protector reporting directly to the Parliament all bear witness to this. The contribution of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission during this transitional period would be difficult to overstate, because it has tapped into the pain, suffering and loss of so many and helped an understanding of how difficult the healing process it.

I am aware of the gap in perceptions over just what we mean by "human rights", especially when the term focuses specifically on civil and political rights on the one hand or, at the other end of the spectrum, emphasizes the importance of the right to development.

The right to development should guide us in a holistic approach to human rights. Realizing this right is essential if we intend to protect people against alienation in economic, social and political life. Although from country to country the needs in terms of human rights can vary greatly, the international community should make it a priority to further conceptualize and implement economic, social and cultural rights.

We must learn that human rights, in their essence, are empowering. By protecting human rights, we can create an environment for living in which each individual is able to develop his or her own gifts to the fullest extent. Providing this assurance of protection, in turn, will contribute to preventing so many of the conflicts based on poverty, discrimination and political oppression which continue to plague humanity. The vicious cycle: violations of human rights - conflicts - which in turn lead to more violations - must be broken. I believe we can break it only by ensuring respect for all human rights. The reaction to conflict always comes too late from the perspective of those whose rights have been violated. Now is the time for us to assume collective responsibility and develop the institutions and processes to anticipate, deter and prevent gross human rights violations.

My Office has developed a comprehensive "Human Rights Strategy for Africa." The overall objective of the strategy is to assist nations of this continent in their efforts to bring about improvement in the enjoyment of human rights through strengthened legal, policy and institutional frameworks at all levels.

To succeed in this, it will be necessary to work with other United Nations agencies, particularly UNDP and the World Bank. Of equal importance will be our focus on enhancing the conditions for better cooperation between Governments and non-governmental organizations so vital to addressing the problems confronting human rights and democracy.

The Motto of the 50th Anniversary, "All Human Rights for All", expresses what we must commit ourselves to achieving in the years ahead. It is evident, as we launch this anniversary year that we have little cause for celebration. Rights for far too many including many millions of children remain only words on paper, not freedoms to be enjoyed. I do believe however, that we should use this day and year to focus on the future, reinvigorating the common will and commitment of the international community to ensuring the enjoyment of human rights by people everywhere, especially those still suffering under oppression.

We are all the custodians of human rights. Their protection cannot remain the sole responsibility of Governments, the United Nations or anyone else. We must all find our own way to do what is required. We need a global alliance for human rights - a partnership linking governments, civil society, and international organizations. Working together, assisting and drawing lessons from each other, helping people to realize their rights - that's what the Universal Declaration teaches us.

1998 must become a year of tangible progress in the realisation of all human rights. The Universal Declaration continues to be our guide in this endeavour. Read it. Talk about it. Take its message with you in your daily life. This is our common challenge as we begin this year for human rights. The time has come for us to make a new commitment to all human rights. Let us begin today...