The United Nations is often seen as an organization of states. Heads of government and foreign ministers speak at its assemblies. Ambassadors and diplomats work in its conference halls.

But the UN Charter is written in the name of "we the peoples." Human security -- the promotion of human rights, the advancement of human safety, the protection of human lives -- is the fundamental guiding principle of the organization.

Ultimately, the United Nations exists for and must serve the needs and hopes of people everywhere.

Without question, the peoples of the world -- particularly those victimized by conflict and oppression, those affected by crime and terrorism, those subject to the darker side of globalization -- need the United Nations. So the United Nations needs to put the security of people -- human security -- at the centre of everything it does.

And without doubt, human security begins with human rights. The United Nations Commission on Human Rights is vital to this task.

This body, devoted solely to debating human rights, setting international standards and overseeing their implementation is indispensable. But the Commission cannot hope to protect human rights for all peoples by acting on its own.

Promoting human security, including truly universal respect for human rights, means working to ensure that every part of the United Nations views its mandate from a more people-centred perspective. It means focussing attention -- and action -- on specific challenges. And it means mainstreaming concern for human rights and human security through all UN organs and agencies.

This month, as President of the Security Council, Canada is trying to broaden the Council's approach to include this human security perspective in both word and deed.

There has been progress.

Issues of direct relevance to the safety of people are before the Council: the plight of war-affected children, the abuse of small arms, the impact of sanctions and the consequences of war economies.

Concrete action is being taken. The protection of civilians is an explicit part of the mandates for the UN operations in Sierra Leone and East Timor, and child protection advisors and human rights units are now regular parts of peacekeeping missions.

But the Council can do more.

This week, Canada will bring forward for Council examination the report of the Independent Inquiry into the Actions of the UN during the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda. This report raises serious issues about the Council's action -- and inaction -- in the face of widespread human suffering, and it provides useful recommendations on how to avoid these tragedies in the future.

But clearly, the Council is often limited by other agendas and political pressures. For example, serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law continue in the brutal armed conflict in Sudan. Despite this, the Council has so far failed to take up proposals to lend its support to peace efforts there and to address the enormous humanitarian suffering that the violence continues to inflict on innocent people.

Canada believes we must use every means possible to ensure that this ongoing conflict that has killed millions and produced the highest number of internally displaced persons in Africa, receives more, not less, scrutiny from the international community.

For this reason, it is imperative that the Commission on Human Rights take a firm stand and express the deep concern of the international community.

Canada has co-sponsored a resolution which condemns bombings of schools and hospitals, the use of landmines against civilians, forced displacements, abduction of women and children, killing of humanitarian personnel and denials of access for humanitarian organizations. We strongly support the High Commissioner's announcement that she will be sending a human rights consultant to Sudan to assess the possibility of a human rights field office.

These efforts need to be complemented by actions at other organs of the United Nations, through the international financial institutions and through renewed efforts of the IGAD [Inter-Governmental Authority on Development] partners to establish concrete benchmarks for progress from all parties toward lasting peace, and with various direct bilateral efforts with the Government of Sudan to seek an end to war and suffering.

Indeed, the Council's shortcomings underline the importance of strengthening other tools at the UN to ensure that there can be no impunity for human rights violations.

The adoption of the International Criminal Court statute, for example, represents a significant step forward in increasing accountability for serious human rights abuses. It provides a concrete way to bring to justice those responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. It now needs to be ratified as quickly as possible. This would send an unambiguous message: violators will be prosecuted.

Earlier this week, the Commission discussed the High Commissioner's report on her mission to Chechnya. We remain convinced that human security cannot be restored in that troubled region without an open and inclusive investigation of all allegations from all sides. To that end, Canada would strongly support the establishment of an independent commission of inquiry and emphasize the importance of participation by international experts in its work.

In Sierra Leone, the international community faces the dual challenge of addressing impunity for gross human rights abuses and providing support to the Lome Peace Accords. Canada is presenting a resolution to the Commission this year which aims at addressing these two challenges and we have offered financial support for the creation of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Constructive dialogue with this Commission and its mechanisms is vital to the credibility of the United Nations, and is especially important in cases where governments deny the existence of problems or challenge the Commission's authority to consider them.

Next week, you will be taking action on the human rights situations in a number of countries, including Cuba, China, Iran, Iraq, Sierra Leone and Sudan. It is important that the international community be allowed to address human rights concerns wherever they occur -- particularly this Commission, which exists for the purpose of giving free and open voice to human rights concerns.

The promotion of human rights, however, involves much more than public expressions of concern. It involves concrete measures to build sustainable human rights capacity. Through our international assistance for human rights and democratic development, our Peacebuilding Program, our International Human Rights Internship Program and the Canadian Human Rights Commission, Canada is taking steps to assist countries, such as Guatemala, Indonesia and South Africa, to build lasting human rights institutions.

I am pleased to report that Canada will reinforce its efforts to build human rights capacity. This year we are establishing a Human Security Fund, a $10 million annual program dedicated to supporting projects to advance human security.

For its part, the Office of the High Commissioner has increased the number of human rights field presences with, for example, the establishment of the Office in Colombia to which Canada was pleased to contribute. Special mechanisms, like the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression initiated by Canada with others, can also point to areas where international help is needed to implement human rights commitments.

In order for the human rights system to work in a credible fashion, requests for visits by the special mechanisms cannot go unanswered. To enable states to better assess the work of the special mechanisms, this week Canada is releasing its third annual report, For the Record, a compendium that brings together all the human rights reporting from the mechanisms and treaty bodies.

The Secretary-General's Millennium report speaks of the three challenges that face us: ensuring freedom from fear, freedom from want and a sustainable future. To meet these challenges there can be no question of choosing between economic, social and cultural rights, and civil and political rights. We need to place development at the service of human rights, and human rights at the service of development. Canada will continue to take a lead role in debt relief and poverty reduction for the poorest of the poor countries.

We do this because the Universal Declaration of Human Rights sets a common standard for all peoples. But all too often people are marginalized from decision making; have unequal access to food, water and housing; or are targets of hate because they have disabilities, speak a different language, practise a different religion, or have a different sexual orientation. Groups that are more susceptible to human rights abuses need greater consideration by the international community.

That is why the World Conference Against Racism, to be held in South Africa next year is so important. It will help raise awareness in the international community of discrimination on the grounds of race -- a phenomenon that unfortunately occurs in every country of the world.

The rights of the child, both nationally and internationally, are a priority for Canada's human security agenda. This Commission is making concrete progress in moving these forward. The adoption of two Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child will be an important first step in eradicating the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, as well as protecting children from the devastating impact of war.

The Commission's work provided the foundation. Early entry into force of these new instruments and concrete plans for their implementation are now urgently needed to make them truly matter in the lives of the children they are intended to help.

That is the motivation for Canada's actions to address the plight of war-affected children. Later this month in Accra, I and the Foreign Minister of Ghana will co-host a Conference on War-Affected Children in West Africa, in an effort to catalyze initiatives in a region where children are particularly vulnerable to the ravages of war.

In September, Canada will host an International Conference on War-Affected Children that will bring together ministers and experts, NGOs and the private sector, militaries and youth to develop a common approach and a global agenda for action to protect war-affected children.

In their defence of human rights, NGOs often themselves become vulnerable to human rights violations. We worked for many years to achieve consensus on the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. At the time of its adoption, the Declaration was welcomed by states from all regions of the world.

This broad support must now be sustained through the creation, by this Commission, of a mechanism to ensure that human rights defenders have someone to speak out to defend them when they are prevented from speaking out in defence of others.

Over a decade ago, Canada was proud to be among the leaders in initiating the Declaration. I would now urge Commission members to give the mechanism their strongest possible support.

We have come a long way in this Commission in recognizing that the human rights of women must be part and parcel of every discussion on human rights. Although the human rights of women are now firmly on the agenda of the Commission, there is still a long way to go before we can say that they are integrated into the work of the entire UN system.

In every field of UN endeavour -- peacekeeping missions, development assistance, programs for refugees or the internally displaced -- the human rights of women should be an integral part of both policy and practice.

That is why Canada introduced into this Commission a number of years ago the first resolutions on the human rights of women. We are continuing this work. Last week we raised the issue of the violation of the human rights of women and girls in Afghanistan during the Security Council's discussion last week on the situation in that country and received unanimous support for a condemnation of existing practices by the Taliban.

Later, the Commission will be discussing the human rights of Indigenous people -- a matter of urgency and concern to Canada, based on our own past of neglect. Canada is addressing our own situation through the implementation of "Gathering Strength", Canada's Aboriginal Action Plan which is a joint plan to renew partnerships, strengthen Aboriginal governance, and support economic development and stronger, more self-sufficient Aboriginal communities. We have begun to establish the climate of trust and mutual responsibility that is needed for joint progress on the challenges ahead through, for example, the landmark Nisga'a Treaty and the creation of Nunavut, a new territory in Canada's north.

These same principles and goals apply in the consideration of indigenous issues within the United Nations and especially at the Commission. Canada remains committed to the adoption of a strong and effective Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples during the International Decade.

In particular, we support the creation of a permanent forum at the United Nations which will serve as an advisory body on indigenous issues. To this end, we urge the Commission to approve the resolution which is being prepared along the lines of the proposal developed in partnership with Indigenous people.

The ultimate obligation for respecting human rights rests with us -- the member states. The Commission on Human Rights provides an opportunity for frank and open debate about human rights violations around the world. Frank debate requires that countries examine human rights not only in other parts of the world but also at home.

Canadians attach great importance to this country's continued membership in the Commission. Our approach to human rights is firmly anchored in values fundamental to Canadians. These values are reflected in our democratic institutions and practices, in our multicultural society, in our federal and provincial human rights commissions, in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and in our traditions of peace, order and good governance. I am proud of this. But we are not perfect. No state is.

That is why it is our collective duty here to ensure that the Commission cannot only continue its work but also improve it. Our job at the Commission is to review progress made and to identify the work that remains to be done.

As Foreign Minister, I have made human security a cornerstone of Canada's foreign policy. Human security rests on a foundation of respect for human rights. This means an active and responsive Commission on Human Rights. Canada has been and remains committed to this objective.

Thank you.

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