In the UN reform Human Rights should be equally important to development and security. The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) therefore wishes to express its disappointment with the outcome of the current summit of the United Nations, writes the Copenhagen-based council in a press statement Friday.
The statement goes on:
From the positive proposal to elevate the importance of Human Rights and the creation of a standing Human Rights Council we note that the document simply states a pledge to set up a new council without more details. The IRCT is concerned about the lack of definition and terms of reference of the Human Rights Council and calls on the UN members to urgently make this a priority agenda item in the continued process.
The Council should have the mandate to monitor all human rights and all countries as well as to take action in case of emergency outbreaks of human rights situations as proposed by the UN Secretary-General. Furthermore, it should be equipped to give technical assistance and policy advice to states and UN bodies. It must be assured that every member state could be subject to a review on a periodic basis.
We note, however, that in the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annans remarks the result of the summit is something we can work with and use in our efforts to give the United Nations the structure it needs to become more credible.
The establishment of a new Human Rights Council as one of the main UN bodies like the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council is crucial for the future position of human rights in the UN system and it would be a landmark progress for human rights.
The Human Rights Commission, with annual meetings limited to only six weeks has become a forum for the exchange of accusations of human rights violations between the Member States without necessarily resulting in decisions. Several states that blatantly violate human rights have had key positions in the Commission, which is contradictory with the purpose of the Human Rights Commission.
There has been an increasing tendency that too much effort is used to avoid the exposure of human rights violations rather than implementing and strengthening the human instruments that are available for the international community.
The IRCT urges the Member States of the UN to give human rights equal importance to development and security in the future UN System, including the establishment of the Human Rights Council as a principal organ of the United Nations elected directly by the General Assembly.
Its main task must be to evaluate the fulfilment by all states of their human rights obligations and confirm the status of human rights as universal and indivisible.
We are, furthermore, deeply concerned that the reference to impunity has been edited out of the initial draft document during the negotiations prior to the current UN Summit.
It is of utmost importance to make an end to impunity for human rights violations through strengthening national legal systems and international mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court, the existing ad hoc and mixed tribunals, the statement from the IRCT concludes.
Further information: Media Co-ordinator Poul Struve Nielsen, 33 76 06 49 (directly) or 23 34 55 09 (mobile).
The IRCT is an independent, international health professional organisation working for the rehabilitation of torture victims and for the prevention of torture. The IRCT is an umbrella organisation for approximately 200 rehabilitation centres and programmes for torture victims representing all regions of the world.
International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), www.irct.org
Borgergade 13, P.O. Box 9049, 1022 Copenhagen K, Tel: 33 76 06 00, Fax: 33 76 05 00
