Geneva Declaration of the V Human Rights Parallel Forum

Geneva / Declaration of the V Human Rights Parallel Forum
2006-04-08 M.A.R. Por Cuba
Geneva, April 6, 2006

The newly created U.N. Human Rights Council presents a historic
opportunity for the international community to better position its human
rights agenda, and to point out to those countries that are violators of
human rights, in search of mechanisms that promote and protect
fundamental freedoms around the world.

The Resolution approved by the U.N. General Assembly on March 15th
includes improvements to the previous Commission and contains positive
reforms, such as limiting membership on the Council to a period of three
years without being eligible for immediate re-election after two
consecutive terms, and that members elected to the Council must
demonstrate a serious commitment to the promotion and protection of
human rights, and directly cooperate with the Council, in addition to
being subject to scrutiny under the periodic evaluation process during
the term of membership.

The possibility that members of the Council which commit “gross and
systematic” human rights violations may be removed by a vote of the
members is a step in the right direction and constitutes progress. The
problem lies in that, along with these reforms, there are phrases and
omissions in the text that give cause for concern. It is worrisome that
membership on the Council is open to all Member States regardless of
their human rights record if they obtain the votes of a simple majority
of the General Assembly’s 191 countries, while expulsion for systematic
abuses of human rights requires the vote of two thirds of a majority.
This is a contradictory measure. It should be the other way around, so
that a vote of two thirds of the majority is required to obtain
membership and a vote of a simple majority is enough to expel a member
from the Council. If the present structure is maintained, it will be
easy for countries that are violators of human rights to obtain a seat
on the Council, and more difficult their removal. Likewise, setting
aside a specific number of seats to geographic blocs by region means
that backroom trading will continue to exist in the new system.

The General Assembly decided “to insure universality, objectivity and
non-selectivity in the consideration of issues concerning human rights
and the elimination of double standards and politization”. However, the
previous affirmation could lead to profound errors, because on many
occasions the so-called “impartiality” is transformed into inaction, and
the “objectivity” in the face of injustice may lead the entity to become
an accomplice of the victimaries. Therefore, we believe that the only
ideal that should guide the decisions of this Council is the
unrestricted respect and adherence to upholding the universal rights of
the human being.

Despite the Council’s acknowledgement “that non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) play an important role at the national, regional
and international levels in the promotion and protection of human
rights”, it fails to mention the need for reforms to the NGOs
accreditation method in the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC),
leaving the rules of procedures the same as previously established. This
decision is a clear indication of the value given to NGOs by the General
Assembly, taking into consideration the lack of NGOs participation in
the 62nd and last session of the UN Human Rights Commission.

We call upon all NGOs and countries that promote and defend respect for
human rights to take the initiative at this critical moment to insure
that progress is made before it is too late, and we reiterate our
commitment to continue working for the establishment and implementation
of all necessary reforms so that the Council may effectively respond to
the spirit and mandate for which it was created. There is too much at
stake, and too little time to achieve it.

Declaration subscribed by the non governmental organizations and human
rights’ activists at the closure of the
V Human Rights Parallel Forum in Geneva, Switzerland on April 6, 2006.

For more information, please contact
Sylvia G. Iriondo
E-Mail: marporcuba@aol.com
Website: www.marporcuba.org

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