Child Rights and the new Human Rights Council - 12

20 September 2006 - Child Rights and the new Human Rights Council - 12

 

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- Latest: second session of the Human Rights Council opens

- Coming up: plenary session and parallel events

- NGO news: Human Rights Watch calls on Council to expand its reach

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Latest: second session of the Human Rights Council opens [news]

AGENDA

The second session of the Human Rights Council opened in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday 18th September and will close on Friday 6th October. This session will include:

  • reports from thematic and country mandate holders (pending from the 62nd session of the Commission on Human Rights)
  • reports from the two working groups on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and the review of mandates and mechanisms
  • a report on the 1503 confidential communications procedure (closed meeting)

On Monday morning, Council members and observers heard a message from United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and an address by High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour as well as an address by Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba of Mexico, President of the Human Rights Council. 

Louise Arbour's address (see below for more information) focused on the human rights situation in Sudan, Iraq and Sri Lanka. She expressed her concern about the increase of human rights violations in these countries and denounced the reigning impunity, the restrictions on humanitarian access and the failure to protect civilian populations.

Reports from special procedures followed on Monday afternoon. Starting with thematic mandates, special rapporteurs are reporting in groups of three, every morning and afternoon session. Reports from country mandates will start next Tuesday, 26th September. According to this session's procedures, NGOs are allowed to make statements on thematic mandates only, they are barred from taking the floor on country mandates.

So far, the Council heard presentations on reports from: the Special Rapporteur on racism, the Working Group on people of African descent, the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, the Working Group on Enforced Disappearances, the Independent Expert on minority issues, the Special Rapporteur on indigenous People, the Representative on internally displaced persons, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions. For details of when aother reports will be presented, please consult the timetable.

LOUISE ARBOUR'S ADDRESS [full speech]

In her opening address, Louise Arbour welcomed the forthcoming adoption of the draft Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. She said the Convention represented a "proper framework to address the often neglected rights of an estimated ten percent of the world's population". 

She also talked about migration issues, which were discussed last week at the UN General Assembly in New York. She said that more attention should be given to the vulnerability of migrants to abuse, and that Council members that had not yet ratified the Convention on the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers should ratify it.

Ms Arbour then focused on human rights abuses in conflict countries. In Darfur, she said, the human rights situation has steadily deteriorated despite the peace agreements signed in May 2006: forced displacement, restrictions humanitarian access, sexual violence continue with impunity. She denounced the Sudanese Government's failure to protect the people of Darfur, and its unwillingness to allow UN assistance. She finally urged Council members to put more pressure on Sudan to comply with its obligations towards the International Criminal Court (ICC) in order to end impunity. 

In Iraq, Louise Arbour added, the human rights situation is also worsening: "daily attacks, extra-judicial killings, kidnappings, arbitrary detentions, disappearances, and torture" persist and human rights violations are rarely investigated and remain unpunished, because of the security situation and a lack of adequate resources. "Increased efforts need to be undertaken to address, as a priority, the security of all civilians", she concluded. 

Ms Arbour mentioned the similar predicament of the civilian population in Sri Lanka, where "scores of extrajudicial and political killings, allegedly committed by Government security forces, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and other armed elements, continue". Displacement, disappearances and the recruitment of child soldiers by the LTTE are also on the increase. In Sri Lanka also, the government is failing to protect its population and investigate crimes.

On a more positive note, the High Commissioner for Human Rights welcomed the installation of a new Government in Nepal. "The declaration of a mutual ceasefire by the parties to the conflict, and the start of a peace process bring hope to all people in Nepal that a decade of conflict may be ending". However, she urged members to monitor the human rights situation and peace process closely.

Louise Arbour then mentioned the current talks on the modalities of the Universal Periodic Review, which should achieve universality of coverage and equal treatment of all UN member States. "But ultimately, she warned, it will be the willingness of countries under review to be open to genuine scrutiny that will shape the UPR and its effectiveness". In this matter, she urged the Council to make use of the resources produced by the Treaty Bodies and the Special Procedures. "The heart of the matter is how to create synergy rather than overlap between these mechanisms and the UPR".

Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=10311

Further information

  • Timetable
  • Statements by Kofi Annan, Louise Arbour, Luis Alfonso de Alba
  • General documentation
  • Webpage on OHCHR
  • CRIN's HRC news page

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    Coming up: plenary session and parallel events


    PLENARY

    Wednesday, 20th September

    - Presentation of the report from Ms Sigma Huda, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children - E/CN.4/2006/62

    - Presentation of the report from Mr Manfred Nowak, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment - E/CN.4/2006/6

    Friday, 22nd September

    - Presentation of the report from Mr Jean Ziegler, Special Rapporteur on the right to food - E/CN.4/2006/44

    - Presentation of the report from Mr Juan Miguel Petit, Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography - E/CN.4/2006/67

    Monday, 25th September

    - Presentation of the report from Mr Vernor Muños Villalobos, Special Rapporteur on the right to education - E/CN.4/2006/45

    All reports relating to children's rights are available at: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=10015

    SIDE EVENT

    Thursday, 21st September

    The World Organisation against Torture (OMCT)'s Children's Rights Programme has organised an event aiming to discuss the proposals in favour of strengthening the UN mechanisms for the protection of children's rights. This debate will be integrated in the follow up of the UN SG's Study on Violence Against Children, as well as in the context of the Human Rights Council's review of special procedures.

    During the event, a panel discussion will take place comprising five high level personalities who will give statements. The discussion will be moderated by the Director of OMCT, Mr Eric Sottas.

    All those interested in children's rights are welcome to attend and participate in this side event, which will be held on the 21st September from 2 to 4 pm at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, in Room IX.

    Panellists:

    • Mr. Noberto Liwski: Expert member of the Committee on the Rights of the Child
    • Mr Juan Miguel Petit: Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography
    • Mr. Vitit Muntarbhorn: Chairperson of the Coordination Committee of Special Procedures and former Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (1991-1994)
    • Mr. Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro: Independent expert of the United Nations’ Study on violence against children
    • Mrs. Nakpa Polo: Member of the African Committee of experts on the rights and welfare of the child

    Information in French and Spanish. 

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    NGO news: Human Rights Watch calls on Council to expand its reach

    [GENEVA, 18 September 2006] – The new UN Human Rights Council must take urgent action to address crises from Darfur to Sri Lanka and expand its focus beyond the Middle East, Human Rights Watch said today.

    The council begins its second regular session today. Thus far the council has held one opening session to establish its framework and two special sessions, one on the Occupied Palestinian Territories and one on Lebanon.  

    “It’s time for the Human Rights Council to get down to work,” said Peggy Hicks, global advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. “Victims of human rights violations from Darfur to Sri Lanka are looking to the council to take immediate steps for their protection.”  

    On Darfur, Human Rights Watch called on the council to condemn war crimes and crimes against humanity by Sudan and the janjaweed militia it supports and to recommend stronger Security Council action, including the extension of the arms embargo to cover all of Sudan and targeted sanctions on high-level Sudanese officials should they continue to block the deployment of a UN force in Darfur.  

    In Sri Lanka, the resumption of major fighting in the two-decades-long civil war that has already claimed 65,000 lives has now placed hundreds of thousands of civilians at risk. Human Rights Watch said the council must immediately dispatch a mission of inquiry into recent massacres and other atrocities and urge the government to accept the deployment of a UN human rights monitoring mission to conflict areas.  

    In its meetings to date, the council has adopted three resolutions on human rights abuses and violations of humanitarian law by Israel, but has ignored the responsibilities and roles of other parties in the Middle East, including Hezbollah and Palestinian armed groups, who have committed violations. In taking a one-sided approach, the council failed in its duty to act to protect the rights of all citizens in the region.  

    Over the course of the next year, the council will begin a system of “universal periodic review” of the human rights situations in all UN member states. However, it will be years before the council is able to subject all states to this review. Such reviews are thus not a substitute for council action to address human rights situations requiring more immediate attention or follow-up.  

    The council will also hear a report by five of its experts who found serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law at the US detention center in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Human Rights Watch urged the council to endorse the experts’ findings and to call on the United States to abide by international law in its treatment of detainees held in the fight against terrorism.  

    The council should also bring public scrutiny to abuses in Uzbekistan by not continuing to treat it as a “confidential procedure.” It should endorse the call for an independent, international inquiry into last year’s massacre of hundreds of unarmed protesters in Andijan and call for an end to the fierce crackdown on civil society that has ensued.  

    Human Rights Watch also urged the council to:  

    • Call on all UN member states to allow visits by the council’s independent experts, and specifically identify those states which continue to block such visits, including Iran, Democratic Republic of Congo, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan; and,  
    • In view of the council decision in June to extend the mandates of all independent experts for a year, resist pressure to end the mandates of the experts monitoring the human rights situations in particular countries, including Belarus and Cuba.

    “If the Human Rights Council fails again to address human rights crises beyond those involving Israel, its credibility may be damaged beyond repair,” Hicks said.

    Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=10305

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    This update has been produced by CRIN, in collaboration with the NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Subgroup for the Commission on Human Rights. To subscribe, unsubscribe or view archives, visit http://www.crin.org/email.

    Further information about the 61st Session is available on the CRIN website at: www.crin.org/chr. To submit information, contact Veronica Yates on [email protected]. CRIN, c/o Save the Children, 1, St John's Lane, London EC1M 4AR, UK.

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