As the Human Rights Council meets for the first time, human rights defenders and the victims of human rights violations will now look to this new body to provide effective leadership in strengthening human rights protection worldwide. Expectations are high, and an unparalleled number of dignitaries from all regions of the world will mark this historic occasion by addressing the High Level Segment of the Council. Human Rights Watch urges Foreign Ministers to demonstrate their country’s resolve to build a body that can assist states in building their capacity to advance human rights, and that will not flinch from firmly addressing serious human rights violations whenever and wherever they may occur.
Expectations are high, and an unparalleled number of dignitaries from all regions of the world will mark this historic occasion by addressing the High Level Segment of the Council. Initial members of the Council have a particular responsibility to help realize the aspirations of the international community for a Council that is both principled and action-oriented. Observer governments also have a vital role in supporting the development of an effective Council. We urge you to demonstrate your country’s resolve to build a body that can assist states in building their capacity to advance human rights, and that will not flinch from firmly addressing serious human rights violations whenever and wherever they may occur.
We call on all government representatives addressing the High Level Segment of the Human Rights Council to:
• Pledge (or reaffirm pledges made earlier) that your country will ratify all core international human rights treaties to which it is not already a party, lift any restrictive reservations to core treaties, and submit all overdue reports to treaty monitoring bodies;
• Issue or reiterate a standing invitation for visits by all existing special procedures; and
• Affirm your support for the Responsibility to Protect and the important role that the Council has in helping the United Nations system identify situations in which this responsibility is invoked.
In addition to those commitments, we urge representatives from the forty-seven members of the new Council to:
• Vow to use your country’s vote on the Council on a principled basis, relying on objective information concerning the human rights situation under consideration;
• Make a commitment to oppose any no-action motion on country resolutions;
• Support adoption of the draft International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and transmit it to the General Assembly for adoption; and
• Reaffirm your country’s readiness to fully cooperate with the Council and be reviewed under the universal periodic review mechanism, during its term of membership.
By making these commitments to the Human Rights Council, your government will play an important role in helping the Council to fulfil its promise of enhancing human rights promotion and protection throughout the world.
Sincerely,
Kenneth Roth
Executive Director
cc: Permanent Representatives in Geneva
