Human Rights Council adopts seven resolutions and closes twelfth regular session

Source: United Nations Human Rights Council
Date: 03 Oct 2009
Human Rights Council
AFTERNOON

Appoints Experts on Cultural Rights and on Sudan; Extends Mandates of Special Procedures on Cambodia and Somalia; Names President of Second Session of Forum on Minority Issues

The Human Rights Council this afternoon adopted seven resolutions on unilateral coercive measures; the right to development; access to medicine; advisory services and technical assistance for Cambodia; assistance to Somalia in the field of human rights; protection of human rights in the context of HIV/AIDS; and on the impact of the global economic and financial crises on the universal realization and effective enjoyment of human rights. It appointed two experts on cultural rights and on Sudan, extended the mandates of Special Procedures on Cambodia and Somalia, and named the President of the Second Session of the Forum on Minority Issues before adopting its report and closing its twelfth session.

The Council appointed Farida Shaheed (Pakistan) as Independent Expert in the field of cultural rights; and Mohamed Chande Othman (Tanzania) as Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Sudan. It also named Barbara Lee as President of the Forum on Minority Issues for its second session that will take place on 12 and 13 November 2009.

Ambassador Alex Van Meeuwen of Belgium, President of the Human Rights Council, in closing remarks, said that in the last three weeks they had completed a very dense programme of work and had covered a significant number of issues. They had also benefited from the presence of high-level dignitaries. They had been honoured to have the presence of the High Commissioner on several occasions. Many national delegations had come to Geneva to continue a frank dialogue with the Council. He also underscored how much they respected the work of the Special Procedures mandate holders. All of this work and analysis was necessary for the work of the Council. Human rights defenders were also a necessary support in the work of the Council. He encouraged everyone to continue the dialogue on the most sensitive issues.

Under its agenda item on the promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development, the Council adopted five resolutions. In a resolution on unilateral coercive measures, adopted by a vote of 32 in favour, 14 against, and no abstentions, called upon all States to stop adopting or implementing unilateral coercive measures not in accordance with international law and condemned the continued unilateral application and enforcement by certain powers of such measures as tools of political or economic pressure.

In a resolution on the right to development adopted by a vote of 33 in favour, none against, and 14 abstentions, the Council decided to continue to act to ensure that its agenda promoted and advanced sustainable development and the achievements of the Millennium Development Goals and decided to endorse the recommendations of the Working Group on the right to development.
On access to medicine, the Council called upon States, to take steps to ensure that their actions as members of international organizations took into due account the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and encouraged them to apply measures and procedures for enforcing intellectual property rights in such a manner as to avoid creating barriers to the legitimate trade of medicines.

Concerning the protection of human rights in the context of HIV/AIDS the Council invited States, United Nations organs, programmes and specialized agencies and international and non-governmental organizations to assist developing countries, in particular least developed countries and those in Africa, in their efforts to prevent the spread of the epidemic and alleviate and control the detrimental impact of HIV/AIDS on the human rights of their populations.
On the impact of the global economic and financial crises on the universal realization and effective enjoyment of human rights, the Council decided to hold a panel discussion during the high-level segment of its thirteenth session, to discuss and evaluate the impact of the financial and economic crises to the realization of all human rights worldwide.

Under its agenda item on technical assistance and capacity building, the Council adopted two resolutions. It invited the Secretary-General, agencies of the United Nations system present in Cambodia and the international community to make further efforts with the Government of Cambodia in improving democracy as well as ensuring the protection and promotion of the human rights of all people in Cambodia; and decided to extend by one year the mandate of Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia.

On assistance to Somalia in the field of human rights, the Council stressed the need to implement technical assistance and institutional capacity-building programmes inside the country, in cooperation with the Transitional Federal Government at the national and regional levels. It also decided to renew the mandate of the independent expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia for a period of one year, with a view to maximizing the provision and flow of technical assistance to Somalia in the field of human rights, in order to support the Transitional Federal Government and regional authorities to ensure the respect of human rights.

Speaking this afternoon in introductions of resolutions were Egypt on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, Brazil, Japan, Nigeria and Egypt in its national capacity.

Speaking in general comments were Pakistan, France on behalf of the European Union, Brazil and Norway.

Speaking in explanations of the vote before the vote were the United States, France on behalf of the European Union, Egypt, Indonesia and Pakistan.

Speaking in explanation of the vote after the vote was Nigeria.

Speaking as concerned countries were Cambodia and Somalia.

Countries speaking at the conclusion of the voting process were Nigeria on behalf of the African Group, Tunisia on behalf of the Arab Group, Sudan, Algeria, Viet Nam, Thailand, Australia speaking on the behalf of Canada, New Zealand and Australia, Switzerland, Cambodia and Canada.

Speaking at the end of the meeting were representatives of Al-Haq, North-South XXI, Movement against Racism and for Friendship among Peoples and International Service for Human Rights.

The thirteenth regular session of the Council will be held from 1 to 26 March 2010.