Closing remarks by Ivan Šimonović, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, at the Conference on the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights of Victims of Terrorism, New York, 11 February 2016

Let me first congratulate the organizers for choosing this excellent topic of the conference, as well as the panellists for very interesting presentations.

I am glad that representatives of victims groups were given a chance to speak and engage with us on this. I was asked to provide concluding remarks as the last speaker however, if there is among us any victims who would like to take the floor, please do. After all, this is a victim centred event.

Let me now wrap up. As we heard earlier today, the human cost of terrorism continues to be felt around the globe and the victims of terrorism including family members continue to experience severe trauma.

As you know, the United Nations family, including the staff of the Human Rights Office, has not been spared and has suffered the devastating consequences of these acts of violence. We therefore know all too well the terrible impact of such heinous acts, including the long-term suffering involved for the survivors and their families.

This conference is welcome for bringing into focus this often neglected consequence of terrorism. To discuss the legal gaps that remain and practical steps to close those gaps, I agree with the assessment of all panellists that not enough has been done to eliviate the suffering of victims, to offer them legal, psychological, physical and financial support, and to introduce a culture of respect and dignity for them.

While in the immediate years following the horrific attacks that we experience, also in New York, the issue of terrorism was addressed with an almost exclusive focus on the suspected perpetrators, victims’ rights have gradually moved to the centre of the debate. But still, not enough has been done.

So what can we do about that? First and foremost we must recognise the impact that terrorist acts and disproportionate responses have on victims, and the importance of respecting their dignity. This may be done by a range of measures including by simply acknowledging that a person and his or her family have been victimized, but even better, also ensuring their access to a full range of support services.

Victims should also be provided with access to justice and an effective remedy, through which they can access fair, adequate and prompt reparation for the harm suffered. We have heard earlier today about the practical steps that some states have undertaken to achieve this. These experiences should be shared and multiplied, and countries most affected by terrorism should be internationally supported to make sure that they too can provide for their victims.

Victims should be given the possibility to effectively participate and express their views in judicial proceedings and other mechanisms to elucidate the truth behind the events. Victims who choose to participate must be protected against intimidation, retaliation and arbitrary interference with their right to privacy. As stated by Under-Secretary-General Feltman at the opening today, “victims – through their unique experience – can bring a perspective that can shape the debate, counter hateful narratives both at the community level and on online forums, and influence attitudes which can assist in reaching out to marginalised and at-risk communities.”

Finally, turning to prevention. We heard earlier about what states can do in practice to try to prevent terrorist acts from occurring in the first place, including by utilising provisions under the Arms Trade Treaty (2014).

We also heard about another aspect of prevention which is to serve victims by countering terrorism in a way that is effective. This means that efforts to combat terrorism must comply in full accordance with the laws and principles that hold the international community together. It is only when doing so that we really do justice to the victims that have suffered so much as a result of terrorism.

In light of the Secretary General’s Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism that can lead to terrorism – a plan that stresses the importance of addressing the drivers of this kind of violence in an “all-of-society” approach – it is imperative that government institutions at all levels reach out to all victims and provide them not only with a platform from which they can share their experiences, but also to listen closely to these experiences and take them into account when developing policies and measures to prevent further violence.

The Plan also sets out a role for victims in producing effective counter narratives to terrorism. This is true, but it must always be done with the rights and best interests of the victims themselves at heart. In some countries this has been done through remembrance days as a means of expressing profound solidarity with victims of terrorism.

With a prevention focus in our hearts and minds, we could also consider building a holistic counter narrative where the voices of the victims of terrorism are joined by the voices of the families of those who have lost their children to terrorist recruitment, or of the victims and families of heavy handed counter terrorism measures. This would send a very powerful message and help heal the wounds in both individuals and societies that have suffered due to the cycle of violence.

Let me conclude by emphasizing the importance of:

Building bridges across political, geographical, religious or ethnic lines is an essential tool for building a society free from terror. Effective counter-terrorism strategies must be wise and preventive in nature, addressing the full spectrum of conditions that are conducive to the spread of terrorism. There has to be justice for victims.

Upholding human rights in all counter terrorism efforts at national and international levels is crucial. Counter terrorism measures that violate human rights only give rise to more suffering and death, and undermine the very goals that States seek to achieve by preventing and countering terrorism.

An important aspect of preventive strategies is to give voice to the victims of terrorism – and with their consent, to a wider variety of people who have suffered as a result of terrorism at large. These voices are a powerful testament to the gravest and most emblematic phenomenon of our time, and they deserve to be heard, respected and protected. They are also the ones who have the highest moral appeal to call for protection of human rights while countering terrorism, helping to break the vicious cycle of violence and victimization.

All of us can best serve victims of terrorism by ending the current cycle of violence that perpetuates terrorism and by preventing terrorism in the first place. It is only by adopting a comprehensive and human rights-compliant approach to all counter terrorism efforts that we take a step in the right direction towards achieving this end. The moral authority of victims of terrorism should lead us along this way.

I thank you once against for the opportunity to deliver closing remarks at such an important event, one that touches directly on the suffering endured by many victims, including some of my colleagues and their families.