[Human Rights] HRC/14th Session, Interactive Dialogue with UN High Commissioner
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14th Session - Item 2
Interactive Dialogue with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
31 May 2010
Statement by Ambassador Christian Strohal
Permanent Representative of Austria to the United Nations in Geneva
Thank you, Mr President.
Austria fully aligns itself with the statement delivered by Spain on behalf of the European Union. In addition, let me join others in expressing our shock about this morning’s violent incident off the Gaza coast – our condolences go to the families of the victims.
Madame High Commissioner,
We thank you for being here today and for your opening statement also updating us on situations and your activities. We would like to thank you for the comprehensive briefing you gave last week on your annual report with everyone from senior management available. We appreciate the transparent and open engagement with which you and your colleagues conduct your work, which provides an important contribution to further strengthening the support for your Office. This should also contribute to eliminating any remaining mistrust that might still be expressed by some delegations vis-à-vis your work. We are convinced that this is the right track to ensure good cooperation between your independent office and this Council in our common endeavour to promote and protect all human rights everywhere.
Austria agrees with your assessment that the review of the Council will require dedication and energy from us while ensuring that this process in no way divert or impede the Council from fulfilling its mandate of addressing the many pressing human rights issues around the globe. For us the objective of the review is not just to improve the mechanisms of the Council for our daily work here in Geneva but also for the people for which this Council was established: the victims of human rights violations around the world. Trapped in our daily work here we all risk from time to time forgetting this fundamental fact. We share your view that the ultimate goal of the review must be to ensure that the Council fully lives up to its mandate and responsibilities as contained in GA-res 60/251and thus to make the Council more effective in serving the interests of rights-holders everywhere. We look forward to you engaging in the upcoming discussions in this regard.
Madame High Commissioner,
We would further like to thank you for the continued emphasis you put on the fight against all forms of discrimination. We share your view that persons belonging to vulnerable groups in societies, be them minorities, indigenous peoples, migrants, children, women or persons with disabilities, they all disproportionately suffer from marginalization, exclusion and inequality. In this regard we believe it is of particular importance to give these persons a voice and to make them being heard in international fora. We strongly support bodies like the Minority Forum or the Expert Mechanism on Indigenous Peoples of this Council where representatives of these groups, people from the ground, have the possibility to come, participate and speak out about their situation. We will also strongly support all initiatives during the upcoming review that will increase possibilities for victims to participate in Council sessions, panels or briefings and to share their stories with us. What possibilities do you see for your office to support such an increased presence of victims of human rights violations in the work of the Council?
Madame High Commissioner,
Before concluding, I would like to emphasise the importance that Austria attaches to the indispensable work of treaty bodies and special procedures. We are still concerned about the scarce support they get despite continued recognition of this difficulty. We welcome that States increasingly seek assistance from special procedures and extend invitations for country visits. How can their work be efficiently sustained in the longer-term, including the provision of necessary financial resources, taking into account their ever increasing work-load? How can we ensure more systematic follow-up to their recommendations, in particular concerning country visits? Could you outline some concrete measures that could be taken to address these shortcomings?
I thank you.
