HRC- March 14th (Afternoon)-LR

Human Rights Council Regular Meeting
Wednesday 14 March 2007, 3pm-6pm

High Commissioner annual report and interactive dialogue

The High Commissioner, Mrs. Louise Arbour, presented her annual report. An interactive dialogue followed her presentation. The report gave an overview of the activities of the High Commissioner’s Office.

Before moving on to this, Mrs Arbour, mentioned two crucial aspects of the institutional reform: the UPR and the review of the mandates of special procedures and their working methods. The High Commissioner said that in analysing each situation in an impartial manner on the basis of objective criterias the UPR shall answer the criticism of selectivity which were made in the past to the Commission. Mrs Arbour said that she believe that it would be important to involve civil society, NGOs and national institutions for human rights in the process. These bodies would be best placed to reveal violations of human rights, to judge progress accomplished and propose corrective measures if necessary.

Mrs Arbour then gave some information about the activities of her Office. The national offices have been complemented by regional presences (for e.g.: in Panama, the Office is currently negotiating the opening of new regional bureau in central Asia, western Africa and north Africa and a centre for formation and documentation for South East Asia and the Arab countries in Qatar). In the annual report there are also a report on the operations of the Office in Uganda, Guatemala and Nepal.

Mrs Arbour then talked about two essential topics: economic, social and cultural rights and the question of equal rights for women.

Mrs Arbour said that her Office attach great importance to the fight against poverty and work with several partners, including the World Bank, to identify appropriate measures to implement the right to development. The Office try to demonstrate the intimate link between extreme poverty and human rights violations. Mrs Arbour underscored that poverty is not purely a question of a lack of income or material goods but it is also a lack of opportunity and security. Moreover poverty is a question of power in the public sphere as well as in the family.

Mrs Arbour ended saying that women are particularly vulnerable not only to the violations of their economic, social and cultural rights but also to poverty, discrimination and violence. The High Commissioner said that she has taken the commitment of putting the question of women’ rights at the centre of the work of her Office.

For the interactive dialog please refer to the extranet.