H u m a n   R i g h t s   D a y
10 December 2002
Sustainable Development Networking Programme, SDNP - Bangladesh

NEW CENTURY TO POSE FORMIDABLE CHALLENGES FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Following are remarks made today by Mary Robinson, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, at the Human Rights Day ceremony at the Palais Wilson:

This last human rights day of the century has a special resonance. One of the first achievements of the young United Nations organisation was the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As we start a new century we can see that the Universal Declaration laid strong foundations for the broad range of work which is carried out in the human rights field in every part of the world today. Perhaps its greatest achievement was to integrate human rights into the fabric of national and international life, both ethically and juridically and to demonstrate, in the words of the Secretary General, Kofi Annan, that

"Human rights are foreign to no culture and native to all nations; they are universal."

We can draw encouragement from the great strides made over the past fifty years in setting comprehensive human rights norms and standards. But we must be honest and recognise how far performance lags behind the goal of human rights for all.

The record in securing civil and political rights speaks for itself. It has been one of humanity's bloodiest centuries. The modern human rights movement came into being under the slogan "Never Again". Yet genocide has disfigured the world more than once in the past decade. Gross human rights abuses remain commonplace as, for example, my reports to the Commission on Human Rights on Kosovo and the Special Session on East Timor made plain. Meanwhile, economic, social and cultural rights remain a distant dream for many. The gap between the richest countries in the world and the poorest is ever widening. The spread of the globalised economy has brought greater prosperity to some, but untold millions continue to live in dire poverty without access to food, education or basic healthcare.

Nevertheless, I believe that we should face the new century in a spirit of hope and determination. Hope based on the fact that important battles have been won - for example, the defeat of apartheid. Determination in that human rights are now centre stage. There may never be as good an opportunity to really implement all human rights in practice - economic, social and cultural as well as civil and political. A major challenge in the face of different perceptions of globalisation will be to find common ground in promoting the right to development.

The century to come will pose formidable challenges in the human rights field. The era of standard setting is more or less complete. Now we have to address the real test of whether the legislation can be made to work effectively. The public's expectations have been raised; they want to know - understandably - if the ideals behind the human rights movement will produce sustained results.

My aim is to help shape the debate on human rights in the twenty first century. An aspect that I have been emphasising in recent months is the need for more attention and resources to be devoted to prevention. A lot has been written about prevention but few lessons seem to have been learned. There are still all too many cases where warnings of potential grave violations have been coming through loud and clear but the response has been too little, too late. The resources spent on prevention fall far short of what is required even though the cost of reconstruction after gross violations can be many times higher.

I strongly believe that adequate resources should be made available to implement preventive strategies: by strengthening democracy and human rights, by building up legal and administrative systems, by investing more in human rights education. Prevention also means monitoring governments' performance and working with them to improve their record. It means putting early warning systems in place so that the signs of tension and potential conflict are spotted in time. And it means governments taking their responsibilities seriously and honouring their commitments to human rights.

It is appropriate that the theme of this year's Human Rights Day is racism since the fight against racism is one of the most powerful preventive measures that could be envisaged. Racism, xenophobia, racial discrimination and intolerance are all malign influences which are at the root of many of the world's conflicts. Despite some impressive victories in the post-War period, racism remains a persistent and stubborn problem. No country is free from at least some people who are intolerant of difference, whether ethnic or religious, and whose intolerance finds violent expression. We are witness to many conflicts where ethnic or religious differences are invoked. There is persistent, and in some cases, increased discrimination against minorities, indigenous peoples and migrants. Harsh immigration and asylum policies are enforced. And new, insidious forms of racial discrimination have appeared such as hate messages on the Internet.

Since it came into being, the United Nations has placed a high priority on combatting racism and racial discrimination. This is spelled out in the UN Charter itself, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Genocide Convention. The oldest of the Treaty Bodies is the Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination which reviews country reports on the causes of, and measures to combat, contemporary forms of racism. It also deals with individual allegations of violations of the rights established under the International Convention for the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination. To date, 155 States have ratified this Convention.

The World Conference against Racism will take place in South Africa in 2001. The first preparatory conference will be held here in Geneva next May. There will be numerous national and international events associated with the Conference - indeed, some are already underway or have taken place. I think, for example, of the seminar a fortnight ago at the University of Geneva and the seminar which my Office organised this week on the subject of Racism, Refugees and Multiethnic States. The Swiss Government has kindly agreed to sponsor a seminar next February on the topic of remedies available to victims of racial discrimination. I hope that there will be regional conferences throughout the world as part of the build up to the main Conference.

The Conference will provide an ideal opportunity to craft a new vision for the fight against racism in the next century. It will be an occasion to review our thinking and renew our efforts in this important sphere. My objective, as Secretary General of the Conference, will be to ensure that new, practical strategies are identified to combat racism and xenophobia more effectively.

For the Conference to be successful it will need the wholehearted support of all the key actors. I would like to take advantage of the presence here today of many people from different walks of life to ask for your support in the months ahead.

- I would ask Ambassadors and representatives of Permanent Missions to brief governments on the Conference and to ensure that there is a strong focus on it at the national level. I would like to pay tribute to the President of the Swiss Confederation for showing the lead by addressing us today.

- I am glad to note the presence of heads of UN agencies and other international bodies. Racism is complex and multifaceted and it impinges on many aspects of life. I look forward to working closely with all the members of the UN family and other international organisations in the work of the Conference.

- The contribution which civil society has to make is of the utmost importance. I am glad to welcome NGO representatives here and can assure them that their input will be greatly valued. In a few moments I will announce the names of the first Goodwill Ambassadors, drawn from the arts and the field of human rights, who will be spreading the word about the Conference in the months ahead.

- The media can also play a very positive role in combatting racism. I am happy to welcome representatives of the media here today, and in particular the 14 editors who are in Geneva this week as guests of the Department of Public Information.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We should not make the mistake of regarding the World Conference as an end in itself. It is sobering to recall that this will be the third World Conference against Racism and that we are at present in the course of the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination. The World Conference will be part of the ongoing struggle to combat racism in all its manifestations and we should see it as an occasion to take stock and redouble our efforts. I shall be looking in particular to women and to young people to take initiatives in their national and local communities which can help us shape a global community committed to the cause of human rights for all, irrespective of race, gender or creed. It is fitting that the World Conference will take place in South Africa where Nelson Mandela has set such an outstanding example of forgiveness over hatred, reconciliation over revenge.

Entering a new century, let us re-dedicate ourselves to the ideal of a multicultural world where all races and ethnic groups can coexist peacefully. Let us recognise that our neighbours in this global village are our fellow human beings- with hopes and dreams just as we have, and problems and faults just as we have. In the wonder of diversity we should find strength and understanding rather than division and prejudice. And respect for the fundamental worth and dignity of every human being.

SOURCE: HUMAN RIGHTS DAY, MESSAGE FROM MARY ROBINSON, UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

© Copyright and Fair Use . SDNP Bangladesh holds the © copyright to its publications and web pages but
encourages duplication of these materials for noncommercial purposes. Proper citation is required. 
Sustainable Development Networking Programme (SDNP)
E-17 Agargaon, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh. Email: info@sdnbd.org