MR. AXWORTHY - ADDRESS TO THE UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS - GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
98/24 CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY
NOTES FOR AN ADDRESS BY
THE HONOURABLE LLOYD AXWORTHY
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
TO THE UNITED NATIONS
COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
GENEVA, Switzerland
March 30, 1998
This document is also available on the Department's Internet site: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca
At this time, and in this place, it is fitting that we celebrate the 50th
anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by asking how we
can strengthen and adapt the UN human rights system in an era of unprecedented
global change. It is true that the UN has developed impressive human rights
credentials and tools over the last 50 years. But are these enough to meet the
profound underlying changes that we face?
Human Rights in a Changing World
The breakdown of the old bipolar world order has created new possibilities to
promote and protect human rights. Globalization has opened up borders to new ideas
and information, providing opportunities to build a universal culture of human
rights. Democracy has taken root in the majority of the world's states, and civil
society is thriving. The conditions are there to achieve progress on human rights
unimagined by those who drafted the Universal Declaration in 1948.
At the same time, human rights violations continue in many parts of the world:
political dissidents are being jailed, people are being tortured and internal
conflicts are claiming innumerable civilian lives. Globalization has a dark side:
transnational organized crime, terrorism, environmental pollution, hate propaganda
distributed over the Internet, and growing global economic inequities.
In short, although recent years have seen impressive progress, there is still a
significant gap between respect for human rights on the ground and the lofty
principles set out in the Universal Declaration 50 years ago.
The UN Human Rights System at 50
I see this 50th anniversary as a defining moment that can either build on the
momentum of the past few years, or stall our advance. It is not just a milestone,
but also a crossroads.
At this crossroads, we should take the road that leads toward full implementation
of the standards that we have set over the last 50 years. We should ensure that
our words and our written agreements produce real, concrete improvements to the
application of human rights standards on the ground. This is not to say that there
are no more standards to be set -- but simply that implementation requires greater
attention than has been accorded to date.
To meet this fundamental test of translating standards into action, Canada has
planned a number of forward-looking events to mark the 50th anniversary of the
UDHR. From June 22 to 24 we will sponsor, in co-operation with an NGO consortium,
a conference for NGOs [non-governmental organizations] from across the globe to
review progress in implementing the VDPA [Vienna Declaration and Program of
Action]. Our aim is to ensure that civil society is able to provide the strongest
possible input into the UN's five-year review of the VDPA.
This conference will also mark the official unveiling of a major implementation
initiative that Canada has funded: a global human rights report based solely on
information from UN sources, organized by country and by theme. We believe that
this will be an invaluable guide for the implementation of human rights
commitments, because it will place on record all UN recommendations in a more
accessible form. It will also provide a broad overview of human rights
developments, as seen by the UN's independent experts and human rights bodies.
This initiative is a response to the recommendations of an international
conference held last year at York University in Canada, which looked ahead to the
international human rights treaty system in the next century.
In September, Canada will sponsor a conference in Montréal on human rights and the
Internet. New information technologies have already demonstrated their potential
for good and for bad -- for publicizing human rights abuses, or for spreading hate
propaganda. The conference will look at ways that we can use new technology
creatively, to defend and promote human rights worldwide.
As we look ahead to the next 50 years of the UN human rights system, it is only
appropriate that our young people should be involved in the celebrations. Through
our program of international youth internships, Canada will place 50 young
Canadians in human rights-related positions in over 20 countries around the world
this year, in addition to 55 placed last year. Many of them, through placements
with bodies such as the Canadian Resource Bank for Democracy and Human Rights and
the United Nations Association in Canada, will be seconded to UN and UN-related
agencies, and to field operations in a variety of UN activities.
Renewing Our Vision of Human Rights
I spoke of adapting and strengthening UN institutions in an era of change; an era
in which we grapple with issues ranging from labour standards to children's
rights, impunity to peace-building, military expenditures to the export of small
arms or landmines -- complex, cross-cutting issues that have an undisputed human
rights dimension. To address them effectively, I believe that we must start
viewing human rights through the more comprehensive lens of human security, and,
following the lead taken by the Secretary-General within the UN, integrate human
rights concerns more fully into other aspects of international relations.
A human security approach calls not only for remedial action to address existing
abuses, but also for preventive measures to address their root causes, including,
as the High Commissioner noted, greater attention to the human right to
development.
The link between human rights and human security is particularly clear in cases of
conflict or the threat of conflict. Human rights abuses are often the early
warning signal of emerging conflict. In countries torn by interethnic strife,
ensuring respect for the human rights of every sector of the population is the key
to building sustainable peace. Conversely, states that respect human rights and
the rule of law are less likely to go to war with one another, unleash waves of
refugees, create environmental catastrophes, engage in terrorism, or break their
commercial commitments. Global stability and peace are intimately linked with
respect for international human rights.
A key element of healing war-torn societies is restoring the rule of law and
ending impunity. This is why the timely establishment of an independent and
effective International Criminal Court, with inherent jurisdiction over the "core"
crimes of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, is so important. If
there is no impartial means to uncover truth and administer justice in the
aftermath of war, nations will find themselves plunged into continued cycles of
violence.
To be truly independent and effective, the Court must have a constructive
relationship with the United Nations, particularly the Security Council, in which
its independence and impartiality are preserved. Proceedings of the Court should
not be "triggered" only by a state complaint or a Security Council referral;
prosecutors should also be able to initiate proceedings. Above all, the Court
should focus firmly on providing justice for the victims of conflict,
incorporating considerations of gender and the rights of children.
I am following the progress of these negotiations closely, and would encourage my
colleagues in other member states to give their attention to this very important
exercise. The international community must not wait for another catastrophe before
establishing a permanent body able to respond to the widespread atrocities that so
often occur in armed conflict. As the century draws to a close, the creation of
the Court would be an important and fitting accomplishment. We must not allow
those who are wedded to an outmoded world view to delay us in this task.
The Human Perspective: The Campaign to Ban Landmines
The campaign to ban landmines is a clear example of how we can bring new
approaches with a human focus to bear on the traditional international security
agenda. For the first time, a majority of states agreed to ban a weapon that was
part of the military arsenal of nearly every nation. Why? Because, with the
communications revolution, the human cost of landmines had become increasingly
visible.
Banning landmines could no longer be seen primarily as question of disarmament,
where the focus was on the weapon itself. Instead, we began to see this as a
question of humanitarian law, which takes account of civilians and the horrible
impact that these weapons have on their lives. Humanitarian law put a human face
on the landmines crisis.
Married to this new way of seeing landmines was a new approach to international
diplomacy, based on the exercise of "soft power" -- a coalition of the willing,
including governments and civil society as equal partners, united around a set of
core principles. This coalition built support for a total ban on anti-personnel
mines with unprecedented speed and success.
I see this shift from a disarmament focus to a humanitarian focus as part of a
larger trend to look at security issues from the perspective of the human being --
to focus on human security. Small arms proliferation, child combatants, excessive
military expenditures and peacebuilding must also be addressed from this human
perspective. International humanitarian law, with its focus on the civilian cost
of conflict, and international human rights law, with its focus on core standards
of human dignity, are the keys to transforming the traditional security agenda. A
"soft power" approach can, I believe, help us to achieve our goals under this new
security agenda. Seen from this perspective, a number of key themes clearly emerge
as priorities.
A Thematic Approach
Children's rights are a particularly high priority for Canada. We have been
working hard on the two Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the
Child, and hope to see them completed soon. At home, we have amended our Criminal
Code to allow for the prosecution of Canadians who engage in commercial sexual
activities with children while abroad. We hope that other countries, recognizing
the importance of reducing the demand for this despicable trade, will follow suit.
Another priority for Canada is the adoption of a strong and effective Declaration
on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples during this, the International Decade of the
World's Indigenous People. As a demonstration of Canada's commitment to activism
in promoting indigenous interests and to developing new partnerships with the
Aboriginal peoples of Canada, we have appointed our first ever Counsellor for
International Indigenous Issues, Mr. Blaine Favel.
On the rights of persons with disabilities, the need is, above all, for a new way
of looking at the issue. It is essential to recognize that this is not simply a
social development issue; it is, fundamentally, a question of human rights. Until
we acknowledge the need to analyse our mainstream policies and programs from the
perspective of persons with disabilities, both at home and within the UN, we are
denying their claim to full participation.
This concept of "mainstreaming" also underpins Canada's long-standing commitment
to promoting the human rights of women. If we are to make the statement "women's
rights are human rights" more than mere words, we must take action at home. When
developing policies and legislation, we must integrate gender equality and respect
for human rights from the start in all we do. That is what "mainstreaming" is all
about.
Violations of the rights of women remain all too frequent. In Afghanistan, the
most basic rights of women and girls -- the right to work, to education and to
proper health care -- are routinely denied, not as matter of neglect, but as a
result of policy. Most recently, the Taliban have imposed new restrictions on
expatriate Muslim women working in Afghanistan. These women are essential to
humanitarian relief efforts in that country. Restrictions on their ability to work
will put at risk the lives of thousands of the most vulnerable Afghanis, in
particular women and children. The international community must speak out, and
show women in Afghanistan that they are not alone.
Mobilizing and empowering all segments of society -- including children, indigenous
peoples, those with disabilities and women -- is key to implementation of human
rights. So, too, is an enhanced partnership between states and civil society.
Full participation by the non-governmental community, including at the Commission
and throughout the UN system, is central to the promotion, protection and
implementation of human rights. Equally essential as a foundation for the work of
NGOs is recognition of their right to defend human rights. For this reason, Canada
is strongly committed to seeing final adoption of the Draft Declaration on Human
Rights Defenders at the 53rd session of the UN General Assembly. It seems to us
particularly appropriate, and symbolic, to adopt the Declaration in this
anniversary year.
When the Secretary-General spoke to this Commission, he sent a strong message that
human rights are universal. They are limited to no continent. They are the concern
of all levels and sectors of society. They are an obligation of all governments.
In pursuing this goal of universal respect for human rights, an open and co-operative approach is essential. If we wish to see standards implemented, we must
work together to ensure that member states have the capacity to do so.
Developing countries -- particularly those struggling with the aftermath of
conflict, the effects of globalization, or a sudden transition to democracy -- need
help in building their own human rights institutions and human rights capacity.
Developed countries can also take measures at home that help to stem human rights
abuses elsewhere, by cutting off exports of arms to countries riven by internal
conflict, or by prosecuting citizens who exploit child prostitutes in other
countries, for example.
Conclusion
Building respect for human rights is one of the most challenging tasks facing the
international community as we approach the end of the century. We have come a long
way, certainly, and that is cause for celebration. But there is still a clear and
pressing need for sustained action, bilaterally and multilaterally.
By taking a comprehensive, co-operative and flexible approach, which places human
rights within a broader nexus of human security issues and applies the principles
of international human rights, we can create the conditions needed to bring the
Universal Declaration into the next 50 years with renewed vigour. Above all, we
can narrow the gap between the principles that the international community set
down in the Declaration half a century ago, and the reality of human rights around
the world today.
Thank you.