Introduction of reports by the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for Human Rights: Statement by Ms. Kyung-wha Kang Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights

Mr. President,
Distinguished Members of the Human Rights Council,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I wish to thank the Human Rights Council for this opportunity to address you.  My presentation today introduces reports by the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General that are submitted to this session of the Council. 

Let me begin by briefly highlighting some aspects of the High Commissioner’s report on the composition of OHCHR (A/HRC/13/18).  Achieving geographical diversity of staff remains one of the High Commissioner’s priorities.  We are committed to implementing the procedures and framework for improving geographical diversity that were first presented to the Commission on Human Rights in February 2006.  These measures are now yielding clear results.  This report provides a full overview of the entire professional staffing of the Office, broken down by nationality, grade and sex.  The data show that the Office has increased the percentage of staff from all the regions identified as requiring better representation within OHCHR.  In fact, during the last three years there was a measurable increase in the representation from such regions from 35.9% of the total professional staff at the end of 2006, to 46.3% by the end of 2009.  I should also like to point out that the report indicates that OHCHR continues to have a good balance between female and male staff members with women representing 52.2% of its total professional staff.  These positive trends will continue.  OHCHR is committed to maximizing every opportunity offered by the continued growth of OHCHR to further increase the geographical diversity of staff.

Also before the Council is the report of the High Commissioner on the enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights (A/HRC/13/19 and Add.1) submitted pursuant to Council resolution 10/6.  It summarizes replies received in response to a request for information to States, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations on how to enhance international cooperation and dialogue in the United Nations human rights machinery, including the Council.  

It is my great pleasure to present to you a thematic study prepared by OHCHR on the structure and role of national mechanisms for the implementation and monitoring of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (A/HRC/13/29), as requested by Human Rights Council resolution 10/7.  We hope that this study will provide substantive information for the Council’s second annual debate on the rights of persons with disabilities. The study was prepared in consultation with relevant stakeholders through an open-ended meeting held on 26 October 2009 in Geneva, and draws from more than 100 submissions. The study focuses on the structure and roles of the institutional arrangements envisaged in article 33 of the Convention; clarifies the distinction between implementation and monitoring operated by the Convention; and the characteristics the entities designed to perform such functions should possess.  It places special emphasis on the requirement that national human rights institutions be part of the monitoring framework, and that persons with disabilities and their representative organizations participate in the monitoring process. 

The Report of the Secretary-General on arbitrary deprivation of nationality (A/HRC/13/34) was prepared pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 10/13.  It describes the legal framework applicable to the right to nationality and addresses the issue of the prohibition of arbitrary deprivation of nationality.  It emphasizes that States have an obligation to implement fully the principle of non-discrimination, in particular when deciding on issues relating to the acquisition and retention of a nationality.  It also underscores the general obligation of States to prevent statelessness.  Lastly, it addresses the question of the right to a nationality and arbitrary deprivation of nationality in the context of State succession.

Let me now turn to the report of the High Commissioner on the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism (A/HRC/13/36) submitted in accordance with the Council resolution 10/15.  It highlights the need to protect and promote all human rights while ensuring effective counter-terrorism measures.  These are two complementary and mutually reinforcing objectives which must be pursued together as part of States’ duty to protect. The report outlines the High Commissioner’s activities in addition to OHCHR’s role in the implementation of the Secretary-General’s Global Strategy to counter terrorism. It also considers specific human rights concerns which arise in international cooperation while countering terrorism. The report identifies a number of practical challenges related to complying with human rights obligations, in particular pursuing  accountability, ending impunity and providing effective remedies to victims of human rights violations in the context of countering terrorism.

And now let me draw your attention to OHCHR report on the impact of the global economic and financial crises on the realization of all human rights and on possible actions to alleviate it (A/HRC/13/38).  This report, prepared pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 12/28, draws from contributions received from Member States and other relevant stakeholders in response to the above resolution, as well as from outcomes of major events, including the United Nations Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and its Impact on Development held in New York in June 2009. The report highlights potential human rights issues raised in these deliberations, reports and contributions, while indicating that it is still too early to assess the full impact of the crisis now and in the longer term.  The report concludes by noting the importance of continuing to monitor the impact of the crisis on human rights in order to guide national and international efforts to ensure respect for and protection of all human rights of those who are affected by the crisis.

The report of the Secretary-General on national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (A/HRC/13/44) is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council decision 2/102.  It contains information on the activities that OHCHR has carried out –at the national, regional and international level- in order to establish and strengthen national human rights institutions (NHRIs).   It elaborates on the measures taken by Governments and NHRIs, as well as on the cooperation between NHRIs and UN human rights mechanisms.  The report also addresses cooperation on NHRIs among OHCHR and UN agencies and programmes, especially UNDP, international and regional organizations, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and regional mechanisms.  The report highlights the crucial role played by NHRIs within the national human rights protection systems.

Stemming from the same decision is also the report of the Secretary-General (A/HRC/13/45) on the process currently utilized by the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (ICC).  It contains information on the activities carried out by the Subcommittee on Accreditation of the ICC, including its current composition, the more transparent and rigorous accreditation process and the adoption of general observations so as to interpret key provisions of the Paris Principles.  The report elaborates on the NHRIs that sought accreditation for the first time or whose accreditation status was reviewed during 2009 and offers updated information on the number and status of the NHRIs currently accredited (65 of which with “A” status).  It addresses the accreditation process, highlighting the measures that have led to the improvement of this process.

You also have before you the High Commissioner’s report on the implementation of Human Rights Council resolution 10/22 entitled “combating defamation of religions” (A/HRC/13/57).  Pursuant to this resolution the High Commissioner was requested to report to the Council on the implementation of the same resolution, including on the possible correlation between defamation of religions and the upsurge in incitement, intolerance and hatred in many parts of the world. Consequently, the report presents information about measures taken to address instances of religious intolerance, including Islamophobia and anti-Semitism.  The report contains information from Member States and regional organizations.  In addition, the report updates the Secretary-General’s report of 31 July 2009 to the General Assembly at its 64th session on combating defamation of religions by giving information on the latest developments at the level of human rights treaty bodies, special procedures and the United Nations.

I am also pleased to present the Secretary-General’s report (A/HRC/13/61) on Advisory Services and Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights. This is an update on the work of the Board of Trustees of the Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation, which in recent years has focused its attention to providing advice to the Office on policy orientation, global vision and strategy rather than on individual projects. 

The Secretary- General’s report on effective implementation of human rights instruments (A/HRC/13/69) provides a description of measures taken and obstacles met in the implementation of Council resolution 9/8.  It contains recommendations for further improving the effectiveness of the treaty body system, as well as suggestions pertaining to its harmonization and reform.  The report highlights the increase of workload of treaty bodies and informs on specific activities that these bodies have undertaken in addition to their regular work. These include specific events to mark the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention of the Rights of the Child and the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

Excellencies,

Now allow me to offer a brief description of the Secretary-General’s report transmitting the joint work plan of the Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW) and OHCHR on integrating human rights of women into the human rights mechanism of the UN (A/HRC/13/70). The report is submitted in accordance with Commission on the Status of Women resolution 39/5, Commission on Human Rights resolution 1997/43, and Human Rights Council resolution 6/30. A joint work-plan is prepared annually by the DAW and OHCHR.  Cooperation between OHCHR and DAW continued in 2009 with the goal of achieving equality between women and men and the promotion and protection of women’s human rights.  The major activities that were carried out jointly are outlined in the report, as are plans for joint activities for 2010, in particular in the context of the 15th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

The Secretary-General’s report containing conclusions and recommendations by special procedures (A/HRC/10/74) is an annual compilation of references to conclusions and recommendations contained in reports of special procedures issued for sessions of the Human Rights Council held in 2009.

You will also find the note of the Secretary-General on the operations of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture (A/HRC/13/75).  This note covers the activities of the Fund for Victims of Torture since the publication of the report of the Secretary-General to the General Assembly (A/64/264) on 7 August 2009.  It also describes the financial situation of the Fund and its needs for 2011.

Finally, you will also have before you the note by the Secretariat (A/HRC/13/27) concerning Council resolution 10/2 on human rights in the administration of justice, in particular juvenile justice, as well as the note by the Secretary-General (A/HRC/13/71) transmitting the report of the United Nations Development Fund for Women on its activities to eliminate violence against women.

This concludes my presentation today. I wish you a fruitful discussion.

Thank you.