Strengthening the Prevention Mandate of the Human Rights Council: The role of human rights mechanisms and a cross-pillar approach to atrocity prevention

Statement by Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Geneva, 24 February 2020
 

Excellencies,
Colleagues, Friends,

I thank Rwanda and The Netherlands for organising this discussion. The prevention of human rights violations is essential to preventing conflicts and atrocities. Strengthening the role of the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms will be crucial to help build sound societies that can resolve disputes and avert threats.

The Council’s mandate, in resolution 60/251, highlights two mutually reinforcing areas of work. Deep-rooted, structural prevention: the Council “shall contribute through dialogue and cooperation, to the prevention of human rights violations”. Rapid-reaction, operational prevention: it shall “respond promptly to human rights emergencies”, to de-escalate ongoing violations and avert specific threats of atrocities.

The Council and its mechanisms have contributed to both these aspects of prevention. In Rwanda, months before the genocide of 1994, Bacre Ndiaye -- Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions for the Council’s predecessor, the Commission on Human Rights -- warned of “attempted genocide”. From Syria to Sri Lanka and from Myanmar to the Central African Republic, major human rights crises have repeatedly been preceeded by warnings from the Office, Special Procedures -- and indeed the Treaty Bodies – indicating an alarming rise in human rights violations and abuses. The UPR also casts a spotlight on injustices, violations and abuses, which require action.

Perhaps even more vital than this searchlight and early warning function is the capacity of all international human rights bodies to provide practical assistance, to help States correct structural gaps and revert a trajectory of rising human rights abuses. I want to emphasise that this prevention work should cover all human rights, including economic, social and cultural rights.

Experience demonstrates that the implementation of detailed, expert human rights recommendations and guidance, including from Special Procedures and mandated investigative bodies, has an important preventive role. The Council’s Special Sessions, confidential complaint procedure, and analysis of reports prepared by my Office can also contribute to prevention.

In some cases, implementation requires financial assistance; in many, technical cooperation is helpful. At the Council, States can also share their needs and discuss modalities of cooperation, be it under item 10 of the Council’s agenda or during UPR reviews.

Partnership with stakeholders at the international, regional and national level can also help to increase the impact of prevention strategies. The Council and its mechanisms, as well as my Office, have taken valuable initiatives to engage with New-York based bodies. We need to bridge the divisions between pillars, and these initiatives require your support. Other UN entites can act as amplifiers and leverage systems for human rights-based prevention measures, and I am convinced that better links between our work and that of other UN partners can achieve very significant impact.

Like the Secretary-General, I am absolutely committed to strengthening the preventive impact of all our bodies. I am eager to consult the report that Yvette Stevens, Pablo de Greiff and Nils Muiznieks will present during this session, and I look forward to your comments and insights into this essential area of work.

Thank you