Human Rights Council hears addresses by 20 dignitaries as it continues its high-level segment

Human Rights Council
HRC/20/8

25 February 2020

The Human Rights Council this afternoon continued its high-level segment during which 20 dignitaries drew attention to some of the most pressing challenges to the promotion and protection of human rights, and discussed ways in which their national governments dealt with them. 

Speaking were Agron Tare, Deputy Minister of European and Foreign Affairs of Albania; Martin Povejšil, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic; Eemon Gilmore, Special Representative for Human Rights of the European Union; Adriana Mejia, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia; Cornel Feruta, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania; Nikolaos-Georgios Dendias, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece; Abdulla Shahid, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives; Miroslav Lajčák, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia; Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nepal; Mohamed Ali Alhakim, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iraq; Pedro Brolo Vila, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala; Palamagamba Kabudi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tanzania; Andrej Zhernovski, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia; Aureliu Ciocoi, Minister for Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova; Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria; Joel Hernandez Garcia, Vice-President of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights; Omi Asako, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan; Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for the Commonwealth, United Nations and South Asia and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; Mohamed El Hassen Ould Boukhreiss, Commissioner for Human Rights, Humanitarian Action and Relations with Civil Society of Mauritania; and Jan Beagle, Director General of the International Development Law Organization.

The Council will meet again at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, 26 February 2020, to conclude the high-level segment in the morning, then hold the general segment, followed by an interactive dialogue on the High Commissioner’s report on recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry on protests in occupied Palestinian territory and an interactive dialogue on the oral update by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea.

High-Level Segment

AGRON TARE, Deputy Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania, said that Albania had placed the advancement of human rights at the core of its priorities as the Chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe this year.  Last year, Albania underwent its third Universal Periodic Review, and it supported this important exercise in promoting human rights.  This year would be a particularly important year for the advancement of gender equality.  The twenty-fifth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the twentieth anniversary of the Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security were opportunities to reflect on challenges ahead.  Albania would support initiatives aimed at combatting violence against women, and protecting women rights defenders and civil society activists.  Women continued to be disproportionally affected by conflict, so particular attention would be paid to the role of women in conflict prevention.  The second priority would be to promote tolerance and non-discrimination.  Peaceful and sustainable societies were inclusive societies that left no one behind.  These were societies that all pledged to build through the 2030 Agenda.  Amidst rising hate speech, xenophobia and intolerance, States had to acknowledge their responsibility to integrate human rights approaches in development policies.  Throughout 2020, Albania would pay particular attention to the fight against anti-Semitism.  The third priority concerned freedom of expression and freedom of the media, as they were fundamental in building democratic and stable societies.  Albania reiterated its support to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the treaty bodies and the special procedures.

MARTIN POVEJSIL, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, stated that the human rights pillar of the United Nations remained seriously underfunded, and welcomed the Secretary-General’s Call to Action for Human Rights for much needed reform.  The Czech Republic also supported Austria’s call to further implement the Council’s efficiency measures.  While advocating for all human rights, the Czech Republic was proud to promote its two national initiatives, equal participation in public affairs, and freedom of peaceful assembly and association.  He regretted the increasing attacks on media freedoms, and recalled that the Czech Republic had become a member of the Media Freedom Coalition, to confront the threat against press freedom.  The Deputy Minister highlighted the risk to human rights in the digital context, where freedom of expression online needed to be defended.  As such he thanked the Government of Ghana for organizing the recent Freedom Online Coalition Conference in Accra.  He raised the worsening human rights situation in Russia where new repressive laws were targeting civil society, and noted that the situation was particularly dire in the occupied Crimea.  He also raised the case of human rights abuses in Venezuela, reiterating the Government’s full support for interim President Juan Guido, and calling on the Government to immediately address the pressing lack of food and medicine in the country. 

EEMON GILMORE, Special Representative for Human Rights of the European Union, reaffirmed the European Union’s staunch support for the rules-based international order and effective multilateralism.  The European Union would continue to promote complementarity with the United Nations, to invest in a strong and effective United Nations system, and to support the reforms put forth by the United Nations Secretary-General.  The European Union remained committed to engaging in the spirit of partnership and constructive cooperation with partners from all regions to reach lasting solutions that advanced the promotion and protection of human rights.  The international community should redouble its efforts to mainstream human rights throughout the United Nations system, including in discussions at the Security Council, Mr. Gilmore said.  During the current session of the Human Rights Council, the European Union would present four initiatives: on the dire human rights situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, on the situation of human rights of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar, on freedom of religion or belief, and on the rights of the child.  Mr. Gilmore noted that the European Union could not ignore the widespread human rights violations and abuses in places such as Syria or Libya.  It urged China to allow meaningful access to Xinjiang for independent observers, and called for access for international and regional human rights monitoring mechanisms to Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, which had been illegally annexed by the Russian Federation, as well as areas in eastern Ukraine.  The European Union also called for the same access to be allowed in Myanmar, the occupied Palestinian territory, and Yemen.   

ADRIANA MEJIA, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Colombia, said that Colombia had experienced first-hand violence for 40 years along with drug trafficking, kidnaping, illegal arms trafficking and human trafficking.  However, throughout this period, democracy stood firm and free elections were held.  It was no secret that the most significant challenge that Colombia was facing was the implementation of the peace process.  Armed groups, some of them remnants from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, had taken a new form, which had threatened the peace process.  The national protection unit was designated to provide individual and collective plans.  The National Security Guarantees Commission was spearheaded by the President of the Republic.  Special units under the State Attorney were working on uncovering the truth.  All of those efforts had saved lives.  In the 18 months since the new Government had been in place, the numbers of attacks on human rights defenders and activists had decreased.  As for the implementation of the Peace Agreement, the Government had requested the Security Council to expand the mandate of the verification mission on two occasions.  Rural reform was praised by the last report of the Security Council.  Colombia recognized the Council as a forum of great significance. 

Speaking further on behalf of the Lima Group, Ms. Mejia voiced concern over situation in Venezuela, as its citizens were fleeing to neighbouring countries.  The Council had to continue monitoring the situation in Venezuela, and the international community was urged to call for the restoration of democracy in Venezuela. 

CORNEL FERUTA, Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania, noted the many human rights challenges faced around the world, and expressed the view that multilateralism and a rules-based international framework were vital to addressing these.  The Council had risen to this challenge, albeit not perfectly, but the Secretary of State called on all countries to engage with its mechanisms.  The situation in Syria was of grave concern, as the country entered its tenth year of conflict, and where women and girls faced a higher risk of exploitation and abuse.  Romania continued to support the efforts of the United Nations to find a sustainable political solution to the conflict.  The situation in Ukraine was also very serious, with a high death toll and infringements on human rights.  The Romanian Government would continue to support the activity of the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, urging it to be granted full and free access to the whole territory of Ukraine.  He also stressed the importance of combatting hate speech both online and in public, and that this should be tackled both by law enforcement, as well as the education system via changes to the school curriculum. 

NIKOLAOS-GEORGIOS DENDIAS, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, affirmed Greece’s commitment to the international multilateral system.  Greece remained committed to the universality, interdependence and indivisibility of all human rights.  It supported the special procedures of the Human Rights Council and the treaty body system as a whole.  Greece maintained a standing invitation to all special procedures, and it was fully involved in the Universal Periodic Review, which achieved tangible results on the ground.  That mechanism had provided Greece with an opportunity to focus on its national human rights framework.  The Minister stressed that a consensus-based approach was more realistic to achieve tangible results.  Greece’s active presence in the United Nations fora was linked with its human rights policy and was based on equality and diversity.  In its actions, Greece focused on cross-regional initiatives, which aimed at tackling important political and civil, as well as economic, social and cultural rights.  Greece also worked to promote human rights through sports and the Olympic ideal.  Turning to climate change, the Minister noted that it especially affected cultural and natural heritage.  Accordingly, Greece would convene a conference on that theme in Athens during 2020 and encourage global action.  At the national level, Greece remained committed to the promotion and protection of all human rights, especially gender equality, the rights of persons with disabilities, and the rights of the child.  Furthermore, it was drafting its national action plan on women, peace and security.  Speaking of migration, the Minister noted that Greece had been at the forefront of the migration crisis in Europe, adding that the protection of rights of refugees and migrants was of great concern for the Greek Government.  However, entry countries should not and could not bear the burden of migrant pressure alone, the Minister emphasized.

ABDULLA SHAHID, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives, pointed to the example of his own country as one that had left behind a painful legacy of authoritarianism and a culture of impunity, and described the changes brought about by the election of President Solih in 2018.  This year the Maldives re-joined the Commonwealth of Nations after an absence of four years, and last year it had ratified the Third Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and signed the Declaration under article 22 of the Convention against Torture.  For the first time since 2002, there were no cases of Maldivians before the Committee on Human Rights of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.  The third cycle of Maldives before the Universal Periodic Review would take place this year, and they intended to engage constructively in the process.  On the international front, Maldives was deeply concerned about the plight of the Palestinian people, especially women and children in the occupied territories, and called on the international community to act collectively to find a solution to the Palestinian question.  On Myanmar, Maldives welcomed the recent ruling by the International Court of Justice on the Rohingya people and intended to support actions to establish accountability for the perpetrators of this violence.  With regard to climate change, Maldives had adopted a motion declaring a climate emergency on 12 February 2020, and called on the international community to step up efforts to avert the impacts of this change. 

MIROSLAV LAJČÁK, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia, appreciated being at the Human Rights Council at such a decisive time for rules-based order, multilateralism and human rights around the globe.  The transformation of the global order included resumption of competition among powers, rules being ignored or violated, and democracy being called in question.  They did not know how and when this would end, but knew the costs paid.  Such costs included many victims in the current environment of doubts and blurred boundaries between truth and lies.  Those victims included multilateralism and different institutions, including the Human Rights Council.  Slovakia was a proud member of the Council and a strong advocate of multilateralism, and it would continue to promote it by both assuming obligations and responsibility of leadership.  It confirmed this most recently by chairing the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in 2019.  The starting point of fair societies included that human rights were not considered as a privilege or gift and human rights were not optional.  Four points were laid out.  First, human rights were a driver for peace and security.  Second, human rights were a driver for progress and prosperity.  Third, societies were facing new challenges with respect to human rights, and fourth, human rights were always personal.  While those four points were not meant to give a full-scale account of the complex human rights universe, they were among the key principles of Slovakia’s approach to them and the Council was a crucial part of it. 

PERDEEP KUMAR GYAWALI, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nepal, stated Nepal’s belief that the rule of law and human rights must go together.  Nepal had internalized the values and standards of the Human Rights Council, and an inclusive multi-party democracy, upholding the rule of law, an independent judiciary, and a representative government were all hallmarks of Nepal’s democracy.  Nepal as a secular State guaranteed freedom of religion as a basic human right.  The National Development Plan had taken on board many of the Sustainable Development Goals and aimed to implement all by 2030.  The thirtieth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child last year had seen Nepal consolidate laws against child labour, end child marriages and ensure healthcare for children.  Migration was one of the defining phenomena of recent times, and as one of the source countries for many migrants, Nepal believed a framework of cooperation for insuring safe conditions for migrant workers was necessary.  As a mountainous country, Nepal was vulnerable to the effects of climate change, and the Minister called on the international community to participate in multilateral efforts to curb its impact.  The Universal Periodic Review process had evolved as a transparent and fair process for improving human rights, and as such Nepal had been implementing the recommendations of the second cycle, and looked forward to working constructively in the third cycle due later this year.  Nepal would seek membership of the Human Rights Council in 2021-2023 and counted on the support of all Member States. 

MOHAMED ALI ALHAKIM, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iraq, said that one year ago they had shared with the Council the aspirations of the new Government of Iraq which sought to guide the country following the victory against ISIS.  This phase of reconstruction had included highly ambitious government programmes, incorporating development and human rights objectives.  However, due to inherited challenges, a sense of frustration was present among Iraqi citizens.  Since the beginning of October, Iraq had witnessed a number of protests with many young demonstrators demanding their constitutional right to freedom of expression.  The lack of economic prospects for employment had led them to the streets.  Youth had also demanded the end of corruption.  Attempts of security forces to maintain public order had led to escalations that had led to violence, resulting in a number of injured people on both sides.  Private and public properties were destroyed, some television channels stopped working, and some schools were shut down.  A Commission of Inquiry had been set up to assess what happened and some officials had been removed from office.  The Government had undertaken a number of measures to respond to the demands of protesters.  Finally, the Government resigned in November 2019.  Women’s empowerment was at the cornerstone of the restoration of peace and sustainable development.  Iraq continued to firmly support the Palestinian cause and the return of Palestinians to their land, so agenda item seven had to stay on the Council’s agenda. 

PEDRO BROLO VILA, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala, stressed that Guatemala was committed to defending the right to life and respect for life, access to justice by minorities, protection of the environment, combatting corruption, and ensuring peaceful coexistence and social stability.  It would continue to work to strengthen national and international mechanisms that protected human rights.  The work of the Human Rights Council needed to be guided by the impact it would have on the ground, for those whose needs were not met, the Minister noted.  The Guatemalan Government was well aware that social justice was an imperative need, which was why it focused on fostering sustainable rural development and generating economic opportunities.  In recent years, Guatemala and the neighbouring region had been affected by increased migration flows.  It was working with neighbouring countries to formulate a comprehensive regional plan to address the structural causes of migration in order to prevent irregular migration and to protect the rights of migrants.  Living safely and securely was indispensable and thus Guatemala would focus on securing private property and protecting the rights of indigenous peoples.  It welcomed the United Nations General Assembly’s proclamation of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages.  Guatemala also supported the creation of a permanent forum on people of African descent in order to fight racism and racial discrimination.  The Minister recalled that many Guatemalans continued to live in serious poverty, which was why the President of the country had launched a national strategy to combat dire poverty, and to improve the nutrition levels of children, women and rural populations. 

PALAMAGAMBA KABUDI, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tanzania, noted that general elections would be held in October and they would be free and fair.  Tanzania would send invitations to civil society to observe the elections.  Tanzania remained steadfast in its human rights obligations, taking into account non-discrimination.  Specific focus was on bringing services to all citizens, allowing them to enjoy socio-economic and civic and political rights.  Upon gaining independence, poverty and disease were the main enemies of the country.  In the last four years, promoting a right to healthcare had been implemented through the construction of health services, including new hospitals, and new health workers had been recruited.  Access to health care services had been increased through a national service fund.  Education was free for all and poverty eradication remained high on the Government’s agenda.  Several poverty reduction documents had been adopted, showing good results, as acknowledged by the World Bank report with Tanzania getting the highest score in Sub-Saharan Africa.  A strong justice system was crucial in ensuring the equality of all before the law.  A mobile court system had been introduced to reduce the high caseload and a partnership had been forged with civil society to resolve this problem.  The Transparency Corruption Index for Africa 2019 reported on progress marked by Tanzania in the fight against corruption.  A number of initiatives had been implemented targeting women, elderly, persons with disabilities and rural populations. 

ANDREJ ZHERNOVSKI, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia, hailed the indisputable role and importance of the Human Rights Council.  North Macedonia supported the Council’s ability to address human rights violations in a timely and efficient manner.  Mechanisms that enabled the Council, such as the Universal Periodic Review and mandates of Special Rapporteurs, made it more efficient.  The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights played a key role in monitoring human rights situations in many countries.  Speaking of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations, the Deputy Minister said that despite serious achievements, the world still faced serious challenges and debates about how to deal with them, as highlighted by the Secretary-General’s Call to Action on Human Rights.  He named several such challenges: geostrategic tensions, the widening gap between developed and developing countries, forced displacement of millions of people, terrorist threats, and growing populism.  The so-called autonomous weapons systems threatened to exclude the human element from decision-making.  In addition, climate change threatened to destroy the planet.  Such a context required global action and efforts to protect the environment as a precondition for the enjoyment of human rights.  The Deputy Minister voiced concern about human rights situations in many countries, such as Burundi, Myanmar and Syria, adding that sustainable peace could not be achieved without the participation of women.  In conclusion, the Deputy Minister noted that since 2017 the current Government of North Macedonia had made a U turn with respect to its human rights obligations in a positive way. 

AURELIU CIOCOI, Minister for Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova, noted that 2020 was the year of anniversaries, one hundred years of multilateralism, seventy-five years of the United Nations, and twenty-five years of the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action.  Those anniversaries should demonstrate that it was the common duty to advance human rights so that generations to come would have a reason to celebrate.  Today, human rights faced more and more challenges.  Old challenges such as conflict and poverty competed with new ones – climate change, mass movement of people, unchecked information and authority, and artificial intelligence.  Domestic violence and violence against women were still pertinent.  The Republic of Moldova was going through a new awakening when it came to human rights.  There were no human rights without a truly independent judicial system.  The Government was committed to putting stronger mechanisms for the exercise of human rights, including freedom of expression.  The elimination of all forms of violence against women was crucial for human rights and the Government had prepared the legal ground for the ratification and implementation of the Istanbul Convention.  As for the human rights situation in Transnistria, it had become very grave due to human rights violations perpetrated by the illegal secession regime that was de facto controlling the territory.  The Moldovan authorities always sought to shield ordinary people from the negative effects of this protracted conflict.  Today’s statement was not just a political speech but also a call for action, particularly when it came to forced abductions as a punishment for exercising human rights.  The international community was called upon to not turn a blind eye to those forced abductions, and the need for monitoring mechanisms was stressed. 

GEOFFEREY ONYEAMA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, noted the significance of meeting during the twenty-fifth anniversary year of the Beijing Conference, which had been fundamental in empowering women and girls the world over.  The promotion and protection of fundamental human rights and fundamental freedoms was crucial to the attainment of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.  As such it was imperative that the international community supported the work of the Human Rights Council in the promotion and protection of these rights.  Nigeria re-affirmed its commitment to work with the Human Rights Council in the implementation of its core mandate.  The fight against terrorism remained a core priority of the Government of Nigeria.  This included the fight against Boko Haram, kidnapping of civilians, and other atrocities.  In its fight against terrorism, Nigeria was committed to upholding human rights, and the military forces were continuously sensitized to the need to respect human rights, as they tackled violent extremism.  Furthermore, de-radicalization and reintegration practices were a cornerstone of Nigeria’s approach to tackling the threat of extremism.  Nigeria had created a Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Development, which allowed it to engage with other actors in the field of development and disaster reduction.  Nigeria called for continued international cooperation in the fight to repatriate looted funds, hidden in foreign jurisdictions, which could be directed towards the needs of Nigerians. 

JOEL HERNÁNDEZ GARCÍA, Vice President of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, reminded that many countries from the American continent had been active in creating human rights standards, while a great number of them had participated in the transition from dictatorial regimes to democracy.  Despite that historical progress, many challenges to human rights had recently appeared in the Americas, such as persistent violence against women, girls, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons, indigenous peoples, journalists, human rights defenders, migrants, persons of African descent, farmers, and persons deprived of liberty.  A real clamp down on social protests, and freedom of expression could be observed.  In some cases there had been a tendency towards the excessive use of force.  The Commission therefore energetically condemned any act of violence, and underlined that peaceful protests were legitimate.  Many crimes had gone unpunished, which perpetuated violence and violated the right to life and personal integrity, Mr. Hernández García noted.  It was necessary to create an enabling environment for those defending human rights.  The Commission was particularly concerned about the forced migration of Venezuelans, and noted with extreme concern the measures adopted by some countries not to admit Venezuelans.  The so-called “caravan migration” in the northern triangle posed a real risk to migrants.  The Commission called on regional countries to address the problem of forced migration in the Americas, from the perspective of human rights, and to recognize the right to non-refoulement, as well as migrants’ economic, social and cultural rights. 

OMI ASAKO, Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, explained that in the face of the outbreak of COVID19, the Japanese Government continued to provide care for those suffering in the country, regardless of their nationality.  She also expressed concern at the discrimination faced by some people of East Asian origin as a result of the virus, and asked States to ensure the fair treatment of all.  The Kyoto Congress would be held later this year and would stress the promotion of the rule of law.  The Olympic and Paralympic games would be held in the summer of 2020, and human rights would be fully respected during the course of the games and would contribute to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.  Japan had held a bilateral human rights dialogue with some countries, including Myanmar.  With regard to the alleged human rights abuses in Rakhine province, the Government of Myanmar had accepted to cooperate with the independent investigation into this conflict.  She also raised the issue of abductions by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and asked the Government to address the concerns that Japan had brought forward on the matter.  Japan had taken measures to focus on children’s rights in recent years, would be putting forward to the Committee on the Rights of the Child a Japanese expert on children’s rights, and asked States to support this candidate.  The issue of comfort women was raised, and she asked the Republic of Korea to adhere to the agreement it had reached with Japan on the matter. 

LORD AHMAD OF WIMBLEDON, Minister of State for the Commonwealth, United Nations and South Asia and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, said that seventy-five years ago the architects of the United Nations Charter had carved out three pillars of cooperation.  The United Kingdom remained committed to fostering development, promoting human rights, and peace and security.  A State that respected human rights was better equipped to meet the needs of its people.  The United Kingdom placed the promotion of human rights at the top of its priorities and would promote the rule of law.  It would seek re-election to the Council this year.  If every girl in the world had at least 12 years of quality education it would be possible to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.  The United Kingdom would impose a sanctions regime on all those that violated human rights.  As a co-host of this year’s climate change summit, the United Kingdom would seek to address climate change issues.  Millions of people continued to be deprived of their rights, from Syria where the regime was the main perpetrator of violations, to Myanmar and Bangladesh where survivors remained stranded from their homes.  In Iran, in November they had seen a near total shutdown of the Internet and a crackdown by the Government on protestors.  In the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, reports of serious human rights violations continued to emerge.  China was called upon to allow the Office of the High Commissioner unfretted access. 

MOHAMED EL HASSEN OULD BOUKHREISS, Commissioner for Human Rights, Humanitarian Action and Relations with Civil Society of Mauritania, reminded that the world continued to face challenges that undermined the enjoyment of the most basic human rights.  Those challenges included armed conflict, terrorism, pollution and corruption, which the international community had to face head on with a firm stance.  At the same time, Mauritania and its neighbours had to deal with the threats of organized crime and terrorism.  To that end, Mauritania participated in the Sahel Alliance.  The authorities in Mauritania endeavoured to foster pluralistic openness for all, the values of citizenship regardless of individuals’ background, and to foster national cohesion.  The Government had made efforts to achieve consensus on major topics of national interest.  Mauritania was a party to the main international and regional human rights treaties, and it nurtured constructive relations with its partners in order to uphold its international human rights commitments.  It had completed a national action plan to fight human trafficking and was implementing a national strategy to promote and protect human rights.  It would also adopt laws against clandestine migration, and violence against women and girls.  It would establish a legal framework for the operation of civil society organizations.  The Commissioner reiterated Mauritania’s cooperative approach to protecting human rights, including through cooperation with international human rights mechanisms.

JAN BEAGLE, Director General of the International Development Law Organization, said they were the only intergovernmental organization that was devoted to sustainable development and peace and security through the rule of law.  Human rights were under pressure in many parts of the world and the rule of law was being eroded, as noted by numerous speakers.  As the Secretary-General marked, a human rights approach resulted in more inclusive societies, which was why human rights were instrumental for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.  The International Development Law Organization worked from a top down approach with governments to build judiciary and legal capacity, to bottom up with citizens to claim their rights and establish the trust of citizens with their judicial system.  In Tunisia, capacity building for the justice system was carried out, and in Afghanistan work was done with the Attorney General to prosecute gender based violence.  Experience showed that national ownership was crucial for capacity building.  Much remained to be done to mobilize political commitment.  Over two-thirds of the global population did not have access to justice while the development aid targeting the judiciary was declining.  The rule of law was the best investment that could be made for peace and sustainable development.  The justice sector deserved the same attention as other sectors in terms of both national and international financing.  The International Development Law Organization had launched an annual conference on Sustainable Development Goal 16 and this year it would be held in Rome on the topic of transformative governance.  The Council’s increased focus on access to justice was welcomed.
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