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Mr. President,
President of the General Assembly,
Secretary General of the United Nations,
High Commissioner for Human Rights,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the Government of India, I would like
to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your election
as the President of this historic first session of
the Human Rights Council. We are confident that
under your able guidance, this Council shall have a
smooth and effective beginning. May I assure you of
our full support in this endeavour.
I feel privileged to be
present here today to witness this landmark moment,
the birth of a new organization, the Human Rights
Council. A few months back, the Member States of the
United Nations demonstrated again their unwavering
commitment to strengthen the UN human rights
machinery when they resolved to create the Human
Rights Council as a subsidiary of the UN General
Assembly. They recognized the need to reform the
international human rights machinery to secure
effective enjoyment by all of all human rights,
including the right to development.
This is a milestone in the long journey that we have
collectively undertaken since the adoption of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. The
Twentieth Century witnessed many upheavals and
instances of denial of human rights. It also
witnessed gradual development of an international
human rights machinery to respond to these
challenges. While there have been some successes, we
are still a long way from realising the goal of
“inherent dignity of man”, as promised in that
Declaration, for many around the world. By
establishing the Human Rights Council, the
international community has reaffirmed its resolve
and commitment to constantly adjust and improve its
framework for addressing human rights challenges.
Mr. President,
People around the world have high expectations from
the new Council. They hope that the new body will
make a real difference on the ground and give voice
to the concerns and aspirations of the
underprivileged. Much has been said in the recent
past about the achievements and shortcomings of the
former Commission on Human Rights. While there is a
clear recognition of the Commission’s tremendous
contribution in the areas of standard setting and
development of human rights norms, it is also
commonly recognised that the Commission’s
credibility and effectiveness suffered because of
politicisation. We now have a new body and it is up
to us to make this body a success, by introducing a
new work culture of cooperation and mutual
understanding and to avoid repeating the mistakes of
the past.
In its first year the new Human Rights Council is to
establish a Universal Periodic Review mechanism,
which should ensure equal treatment of all Member
States and also prevent selectivity and double
standards. While improving and rationalising
mandates, mechanisms, functions and responsibilities
of the former CHR, the HRC should adopt an
even-handed approach in dealing with civil and
political rights on the one hand and economic,
social and cultural rights, including the Right to
Development, on the other. It also needs to work
towards transforming into reality the commitment to
the Right to Development contained in the Resolution
establishing the HRC.
Another major challenge
that the international community is confronted with
today is that emanating from terrorism. Terrorism is
one of the greatest scourges of our times. The
international community should recognize that
terrorism is a direct violation of human rights, in
particular the most basic rights, the right to life
and liberty.
Mr. President,
India has a long tradition of promoting and
protecting human rights. It was privileged to be in
the forefront of the struggle against apartheid
since even before independence.
Our commitment to human rights flows from our firm
belief that in a truly pluralistic society, growth
and welfare of citizens can be ensured only through
a culture of promotion and protection of human
rights. This was the vision of our nation’s founding
fathers who, while very carefully framing our
Constitution, guaranteed fundamental civil and
political rights and also made provisions for the
progressive realization of economic, social and
cultural rights.
Our democratic polity
with an independent and impartial judiciary, free
and independent press, a vibrant civil society and
powerful and independent National Human Rights
Commission provide the basis for nurturing a culture
of respect for and promotion and protection of human
rights in India. These institutions guarantee full
and free enjoyment of human rights by all our
citizens.
India has also taken an important initiative for the
empowerment of women by reserving one-third of all
seats for women in urban and local self-government,
thus bringing over one million women at the
grassroots level into political decision making.
Meanwhile, the right to work is being significantly
realised with the launch of the National Rural
Employment Guarantee Programme earlier this year.
Having said that, Mr. President, India’s commitment
to the promotion and protection of human rights is
not limited only to our domestic concerns. It is
also integral to our foreign policy. We attach great
importance to the work of the United Nations human
rights machinery. We have actively participated in
deliberations on human rights in international fora
for promotion and protection of human rights and
fundamental freedoms for all. India played a leading
role in the historical struggle for decolonization
and abolition of apartheid. We were among the very
few select countries who were members of the former
Commission of Human Rights throughout over 60 years
of its existence.
Mr. President,
The Human Rights Council should emerge as a forum
for voluntary participation and sharing of national
experiences and best practices in the protection and
promotion of human rights. As national governments
shoulder the primary responsibility for the
protection of human rights, the Council should
devise means to provide, upon their request,
technical and financial assistance to enable them to
more effectively address human rights concerns. Only
in this way can we create an environment of trust
and confidence which will encourage those who are in
real need, to come forward and seek assistance to
build up their capacities to harness their resources
for promotion and protection of human rights in
their respective countries.
Mr. President,
We may recall Mahatma Gandhi’s conviction that means
are always as important as ends. This is
particularly relevant in today’s context. We all
agree on the larger objectives to be pursued through
the UN human rights system. However, it is equally
important to ensure that the means for attaining
those objectives do not create confrontation and
divisiveness.
As we look ahead to the future and
craft a vision for a peaceful and humanitarian world
order, I can do no better than recall what our Prime
Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said in a recent speech
and I quote:
“Our nation was built on the foundations of a deep
and abiding commitment to the values of liberal,
social democracy. Pluralism, secularism, multi-culturalism
and the principles of equity, social justice and the
rule of law are core values of our civilization and
the bedrock of our Republic.
If there is an “idea of India” by which India should
be defined, it is the idea of an inclusive, open,
multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-lingual society.
I believe that this is a dominant trend of political
evolution of all societies in the 21st century.
Therefore, we have an obligation to history and
mankind to show that pluralism works”
At the heart of this vision lies the individual, and
our commitment to human rights is a manifestation of
our commitment to guarantee every human being a life
of dignity and freedom.
Thank you.
New Delhi
June 19, 2006 |
