Commission on Human Rights comes to an End
30/03/06 13:17 Filed in: News
The
Commission on Human Rights met on Monday, March 27th, in Geneva for
its 62nd Session. Normally, the Commission meets for a period of
six weeks to review reports from Special Rapporteurs, engage with
interventions from governments and NGOS, and renew human rights
mandates whose term is about to expire. On this occasion, however,
because of the politics of the evolving situation in regard to the
new Human Rights Council the 62nd Session was brief and procedural.
It lasted all of three hours on Monday.
Two members of the Edmund Rice Network were present, Donal Leader, the Christian Brothers Coordinator for Advocacy and Justice, and Damien Norris from the Edmund Rice Centre in Fremantle.
It was a very orchestrated affair. Five Ambassadors, representing the five UN regional groupings, spoke on the achievements of the Commission during its sixty-year run. All were positive and affirming, with only a few oblique references to the failure of the Commission to advance the human rights agenda because of the intransigence and political obstructionism of governments hostile to human rights scrutiny.
Chris Sidoti, on behalf of the NGOs, gave a very brave speech. His call for a moment's silence to honour the victims of human rights abuses was taken up by the Commission Chairperson, the Ambassador from Peru. This was a very moving moment, albeit tinged with an inevitable cynicism. Looking around the room, one could not but be struck by the irony that many of the countries joining in the act of solidarity are among the world's most egregious human rights abusers.
In his closing remarks, the Chairperson recalled the words of Sergio Veira De Mello, the UN representative who was assassinated in Bagdad in 2003, that we must accept that all countries and governments are on a journey together, even if divided by very wide disparities in human rights observance, towards achieving a world where human rights will prevail universally. Only the acceptance of the truth and reality of this journey can protect us from a paralysing cynicism and despair.
Let us hope that the new Human Rights Council will be effective for the voiceless and the vulnerable in our world.
Let's keep hope alive.
Two members of the Edmund Rice Network were present, Donal Leader, the Christian Brothers Coordinator for Advocacy and Justice, and Damien Norris from the Edmund Rice Centre in Fremantle.
It was a very orchestrated affair. Five Ambassadors, representing the five UN regional groupings, spoke on the achievements of the Commission during its sixty-year run. All were positive and affirming, with only a few oblique references to the failure of the Commission to advance the human rights agenda because of the intransigence and political obstructionism of governments hostile to human rights scrutiny.
Chris Sidoti, on behalf of the NGOs, gave a very brave speech. His call for a moment's silence to honour the victims of human rights abuses was taken up by the Commission Chairperson, the Ambassador from Peru. This was a very moving moment, albeit tinged with an inevitable cynicism. Looking around the room, one could not but be struck by the irony that many of the countries joining in the act of solidarity are among the world's most egregious human rights abusers.
In his closing remarks, the Chairperson recalled the words of Sergio Veira De Mello, the UN representative who was assassinated in Bagdad in 2003, that we must accept that all countries and governments are on a journey together, even if divided by very wide disparities in human rights observance, towards achieving a world where human rights will prevail universally. Only the acceptance of the truth and reality of this journey can protect us from a paralysing cynicism and despair.
Let us hope that the new Human Rights Council will be effective for the voiceless and the vulnerable in our world.
Let's keep hope alive.
New York Meetings
13/03/06 14:24 Filed in: News
Kevin
Cawley (Edmund Rice Christian Brothers North American Province) and
Donal Leader (Coordinator for Advocacy and Justice) engaged in a
series of meetings with congregational NGO representatives. These
were religious men and women who represent their Congregations
through NGO-type structures at the United Nations in New
York.
The discussions were very useful. Many of the questions that have been raised in regard to the value of having an NGO presence at the United Nations were answered satisfactorily. All were adamant that religious congregations belong at the UN. Despite all the criticism that has been levelled at the United Nations, it still remains the only truly international forum where the nations of the world come together. For this reason, the United Nations has great potential for promoting human welfare. Given the commitment of so religious congregations to social justice, the NGO representatives were convinced that investment in a UN presence is an effective strategy for supporting systemic change.
The Presentation Sisters were particularly helpful. They are providing Kevin with badging and accreditation to permit him attend the various Committee meetings were issues are thrashed out by the national representatives. We are very grateful for this assistance. It is one more expression of the historical connectedness between the Presentation Sisters, the Presentation Brothers and the Christian Brothers.
Sister Sharon Altendorff is the Presentation Sisters New York representative. She was very informative on UN matters and went out of her way to provide guidance and assistance.
Thank you, Sister Sharon!
The discussions were very useful. Many of the questions that have been raised in regard to the value of having an NGO presence at the United Nations were answered satisfactorily. All were adamant that religious congregations belong at the UN. Despite all the criticism that has been levelled at the United Nations, it still remains the only truly international forum where the nations of the world come together. For this reason, the United Nations has great potential for promoting human welfare. Given the commitment of so religious congregations to social justice, the NGO representatives were convinced that investment in a UN presence is an effective strategy for supporting systemic change.
The Presentation Sisters were particularly helpful. They are providing Kevin with badging and accreditation to permit him attend the various Committee meetings were issues are thrashed out by the national representatives. We are very grateful for this assistance. It is one more expression of the historical connectedness between the Presentation Sisters, the Presentation Brothers and the Christian Brothers.
Sister Sharon Altendorff is the Presentation Sisters New York representative. She was very informative on UN matters and went out of her way to provide guidance and assistance.
Thank you, Sister Sharon!