Joanna Weschler from the
Security Council Report was today's first speaker. She emphasized the importance of facing up to human rights issues and also referred to Brazil as one of the new countries that has just joined the Council.
June Ray of
OHCHR opportunities for NGOs in the Global South and provided a review of the Human Rights Council, giving suggestions of how to strengthen
Treaty Bodies. She displayed some charts highlighting the amount of communications responded to by the governments across the continents and explained the amount of work involved in reviewing reports e.g. 150 States parties reports are reviewed each year. Some more figures of interest included the number of recommendations for several countries recently: Bangladesh 296, DRC 294, Guatemala 382, Kazakhstan 312, UK 304. She encouraged participants to keep checking the OHCHR website for updates on a consultation event which invites Stats particpants and other stakeholders to initiate a process of reflection on how to streamline and strengthen the Treaty Bodies system. June also listed 6 thematic priorities drawing specific attention to 'eliminating discrimination, in particular on the basis of race, sex or religion and against marginalised groups'.
DECEMBER 10, 2009 HUMAN RIGHTS DAY
CONTACT: civilsocietyunit@ohchr.org
Up next:
Katrine Thomasen of the
International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), which offers support and services for NGOs who wish to work with the UN and also do their own advocacy work. She discussed civil society engagement with the UN. She stated that the role of civil society is already recognised in the UN Charter and that they are critical to UN relevance and responsive to real human rights issues. Although this process can be resource-intensive, NGOs can use the system to get a response to particular issues, provide input to the agenda and influence the functioning and institutional structures of the UN.
June Ray of the
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) cited opportunities for NGOs in the Global South and provided a review of the Human Rights Council, giving suggestions of how to strengthen Treaty Bodies. She displayed some graphs highlighting the amount of communications responded to by the governments across the continents and explained the amount of work involved in reviewing reports e.g. 150 States parties reports are reviewed each year. Some more figures of interest included the number of recommendations for several countries recently: Bangladesh 296, DRC 294, Guatemala 382, Kazakhstan 312, UK 304.
Next,
Camila Maturana discussed the
International Criminal Court (ICC), giving some brief facts including the types of crimes against humanity that are included in the R
oman Statute. She explained the need for civil society organisations to exert pressure on the ICC and ensure that States who have ratified the treaty have complete compliance with the laws. A Q & A session followed during which issues of peacekeeping methods and how to bring justice upon human rights violators in countries who have not ratified the treaty were debated.
An extremely interesting and information-packed morning!