General Assembly Session 53 meeting 89

The Acting President

I give the floor to the representative of the Philippines.

Mr. Mabilangan (Philippines)

The Philippines is especially privileged to take part in the commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As one of the original 48 countries that adopted the Universal Declaration, the Philippines reaffirms its abiding faith in that Declaration. It regards the basic human rights and fundamental freedoms contained therein as universal and inalienable. They are inherent in the individual and are indispensable to the dignity and integrity of every human being.

The delegations which are speaking today attest to the value we all attach to human rights. This reflects a shared recognition of what this historic document has done to change the lives of all mankind. It has served as a powerful tool by which Governments have been made accountable and their actions measured.

Since its adoption in 1948, the Declaration has spawned, and continues to give birth to, numerous conventions and declarations. The rights of women, children and individuals who are disadvantaged have increasingly received special focus. This is proof that the Declaration is not only a living document but is equal to the challenges of changing times and circumstances.

Nevertheless, in recent years, questions have been raised about the universality and relevance of the Declaration as new and complex human rights issue have emerged. The Philippines views this development as a healthy sign -- an indication that more and more States are showing an interest in human rights and are willing to spend time on questions that will help in the elaboration and further development of the principles enshrined in the Declaration. In this regard, we commend the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the High Commissioner herself for taking an active part in the debate by providing a forum where questions can be asked and answers formulated.

As we commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration, we must not only take stock of achievements in the field of human rights but also focus on the work that remains to be done. During the first 50 years of the Declaration, emphasis was placed on the promotion of political and civil rights. However, those rights largely remain on paper for the great number of people who are effectively prevented from enjoying those rights because of poverty -- the homeless, the hungry, the disabled and those who have no access to the minimum basic necessities to live decently. Particularly in countries with pervasive poverty, economic rights are as important as civil and political rights.

Therefore, we believe that the next 50 years should be dedicated to the promotion and protection of economic, social and cultural rights and the right to development in order to fulfil the promise contained in the Universal Declaration of social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom. In this regard, it may be opportune to elaborate on article 28 of the Declaration to create a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in the Declaration can be realized and to which everyone is entitled.

Perhaps one of the most important factors for the future of human rights is how well we and our United Nations Organization can meet the challenge of realizing the universality of human rights. Our Organization must itself be more democratic and less prone to politicizing human rights, and it must have the resources it requires to carry out its mandates, nearly all of which, if not all, directly deal with and affect human rights. As individual nations, we must work to make human rights a reality for all. But we can do much more with a United Nations that itself functions with full respect for the basic principles of human rights and which has the resources it needs to do so.

To our mind, there are critical areas that require our particular and committed attention if we are to make human rights a reality for all. One is human rights education. We must continue to make this our priority, for only through an enlightened citizenry can human rights be defended and be made secure. Another is the enhanced partnership with civil society, particularly with non-governmental organizations. The value of their work in human rights cannot be overemphasized.

The fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration comes at a critical juncture. Many parts of the world are in the throes of economic crises that have reversed the fortunes of many States and the successes attained in raising the standard of living of millions of people. Globalization stares human rights in the face. It may be time to view human rights not only in terms of individual rights but also from the perspectives of collective rights and human responsibilities.

Looking back over the 50 years that have elapsed since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, mankind has made substantial strides towards the development of a culture of human rights. As we look ahead to the next millennium, we must be unflagging in our efforts to make human rights a reality for every person, especially for those who have less in life. We must take up the challenge of making the Universal Declaration truly universal.

The Acting President

I call on the representative of Georgia.

Mr. Chkheidze (Georgia)

The adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is one of the most crucial events to mark the history of mankind. Our special meeting today gives us one more opportunity to look back at our deeds, evaluate our achievements, and identify and tackle the root causes of our disappointments.

When we speak about the eradication of poverty, migration, environment, the problems of terrorism and so on, we must always take into account the pivotal element in all those challenges: the human factor and the respect of human rights.

The intensification of activities aimed at the protection of human rights and the strengthening of new and restored democracies, together with the positive achievements realized, have unveiled many a problem whose resolution will require a complex approach. Effective cooperation based on the agreements of the High Commissioner for Human Rights with Governments and with the non-governmental organizations of different countries should be further developed, as should be the human rights education system. Assistance to States aimed at creating and developing national structures must be more systematic and better planned.

As we have repeatedly pointed out, the problems of economic development and armed conflict are strongly correlated with human rights issues. Millions of people have lost their lives during bloody confrontations in different parts of the world, and the rights of a number of individuals are being trampled underfoot and overridden.

The plight of those who have become destitute and who suffer from poverty and economic privation is no less worrisome. Unfortunately, international efforts have not been persistent enough to overcome these factors or to allow us to speak about any considerable achievements in the implementation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

It is regrettable that the effective mechanism for the protection of human rights remains the use of force. That is why it is necessary to work actively to elaborate this mechanism in order to decrease the side effects of its application.

The humanitarian situation of innocent people must be taken into account during the enforcement of sanctions, as well as during the enforcement of peace.

The creation of the International Criminal Court appears to be a landmark achievement that we can take pride in on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Everybody should know that crimes against humanity will no longer go unpunished and that the culture of impunity will cease to exist.

Georgia has a deep-rooted tradition of tolerance and humanity. The ups and downs of history and instigated conflicts have not been able to erase this tradition, and today we are building and developing our national institutions on the basis of this abiding character of the Georgian people. We have abolished capital punishment and introduced the position of public defender, and the respective commissions of the parliament have grown into a considerable force. In the governmental structures, human rights responsibilities are on the same level as matters of national security.

Despite serious hardships Georgia continues building its State. The number of refugees from the region occupied by the separatist regime exceeds 300,000. Considerable property has been destroyed. Georgia continues taking measures to build confidence between the parties by elaborating mutually profitable economic projects and pursuing a policy of reconciliation. The successful outcome of this policy, together with the will of the Georgian people and the activities of its Government, depends on the assistance of the international community.

In his letter to the world leaders, President Shevardnadze called upon the family of nations to spare no effort in finding ways to resolve the problems of refugees and displaced persons and in tackling the tasks of peace-building and economic recovery. In Georgia we have every prerequisite for attaining these objectives.

The Acting President

I now call on the representative of Mauritania.

Mr. Ould Deddach (Mauritania)

On this fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and of the conference that gave birth to it, let me say that this Declaration is one of the international community's great achievements. The right to development is a universal, inalienable right of human beings. The conference confirmed the indivisibility of human rights, and it recognized the unique cultural, religious and historic particularities of various States and nations. It also decided that human rights were going to be treated on the basis of impartiality, neutrality and cooperation in international relations.

After so many years, this celebration today provides a unique opportunity for the United Nations and its Members to increase efforts to promote awareness of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to enhance the commitments to its provisions, and to assess comprehensively the achievements reached in the implementation of the Vienna Programme of Action and the Vienna Declaration, and to see what remains to be done in this area and to provide for all possible efforts to implement those decisions.

The legislative framework protecting human rights in Mauritania is based on our constitution, which guarantees all citizens equal rights and responsibilities. The second paragraph stipulates:

"The people are committed to these values and they are committed to the Islamic religion and they are committed to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 and to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights."

They are also committed to the international conventions to which Mauritania is party.

The first article of our constitution states that the Republic "guarantees all citizens equality before the law, without any discriminations on the bases of race, origin, gender or social status".

In this framework, we have promulgated laws guided by the constitution and by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights -- laws such as the general employment code and other laws governing parliamentary elections, as well as laws guaranteeing multiple political parties and freedom of the press. We have a human rights commission to promote these values, and it is entrusted with the task of promoting human rights and implementing national strategies to combat poverty. Social expenditures in our country represent 37 per cent of our budget -- that is, nearly double what was recommended by the Social Summit in this regard.

As part of this, we believe that the advancement of women and the fight against illiteracy are very important. We have a secretariat that was established precisely to promote the advancement of women and to combat illiteracy. They are having a direct impact on the family and the child and on our society in general.

My delegation pays tribute to the efforts by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. My Government is prepared to cooperate fully with that Committee as well as with all other human rights bodies. On this basis, my country presented its first report to the Committee last year in implementation of article 9, paragraph 1, of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. We hope that this will be a first stage of a constructive dialogue enabling the Committee to acquire clarification regarding procedures of a legislative, administrative and judicial nature which Mauritania put into effect in the implementation of the provisions of the International Convention.

My country views favourably the holding in the year 2001 of an international conference on the combating of racism, and we invite the Commission on Human Rights to take the necessary steps so that this desired result can be achieved.

We are convinced that we must halt the various violations of human rights that have been witnessed in several regions of the world. At the same time we must prevent the recurrence of racial discrimination and ethnic cleansing, as well as attacks against creeds and religious beliefs. We call for the establishment of an atmosphere of peace, brotherhood, tolerance and of mutual respect in order to establish and promote human rights, which in turn will guarantee the success of collective efforts to establish human rights throughout the world.

The Acting President

At this juncture I would like to inform Members that we still have 58 speakers remaining on the list of speakers. In order to be able to hear all the speakers today -- and, I hope, by the end of the afternoon meeting -- I would like to appeal strongly to speakers, as the President already did yesterday, to respect the five-minute time limit for their statements. I thank you very much for your cooperation.

I now give the floor to the representative of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Mr. Calovski (The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia)

Yesterday, the Republic of Macedonia, like other Member States of the United Nations, observed the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a common standard of achievement for the further promotion and protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The struggle of the Macedonian people for freedom, justice and peace, like that of other peoples, has had a bright and difficult moment in its long history. We have always believed that all human beings are born with equal and inalienable rights and fundamental freedoms, and that it is of crucial importance to promote the development of friendly relations among nations.

We are looking at the observance of the Universal Declaration as an essential part of the activities of the United Nations to promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms. The United Nations efforts to prevent conflicts, to solve the ongoing ones, to strengthen international peace and security and to promote international cooperation in the political, economic and social fields will not have real meaning if they do not enable the enjoyment of all human rights, so clearly defined in the Declaration. It is important, therefore, to reaffirm that all human rights and fundamental freedoms are universal and indivisible, that they all are important, whether political, economic, social, civil or cultural.

We do not see the Universal Declaration as a final achievement or the last document on human rights. In real life, it will be important to reaffirm some of the rights espoused by the Declaration, and some should be further developed and adequately defined. Our actions should result in eliminating all forms of discrimination and should strengthen the dignity and worth of the human person. Our concern that human rights and fundamental freedoms are not fully respected everywhere -- that they are violated -- should strengthen our resolve to do much more in future.

Today, regretfully, all human persons do not enjoy the same standard of living. The gap is huge, and the efforts to narrow it must continue more resolutely. Human solidarity is an absolute necessity. The globalization of international life will not automatically close the gap between the rich and the poor and between the developed and developing countries. Our Organization has the duty to influence future development so that growth could be bigger, democracy stronger, the rule of law a must, international cooperation less burdened with various barriers and conditions, and regional and global integration be enhanced.

In the present period of change, the United Nations should be the locomotive of that change. All human persons should feel themselves equal and worthy citizens of our common globe. All human rights and fundamental freedoms enumerated in the Universal Declaration should therefore be fully observed everywhere and by everybody.

Let me end by quoting a sentence from yesterday's address by the President of the Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Kiro Gligorov, at the Academy on the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Skopje, the capital of my country:

"On the threshold of the twenty-first century, the whole of humanity is faced with an impressive task: to build a world of human rights, a world in which the death penalty will be a matter of the past, a world devoid of torture, where social, civil, political -- all -- human rights will be equal for all, regardless of the social, national and religious affiliation of people. We should all try to contribute to a world in which the respect of human rights will be deeply rooted in the culture of every society and in the minds of all people."

The Acting President

I give the floor now to the representative of South Africa.

Mr. Jele (South Africa)

Yesterday marked an important milestone in the annals of humankind. On that day 50 years ago, the United Nations General Assembly adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In the Universal Declaration, this body reaffirmed in concise and simple language the faith of the peoples of the world in fundamental human rights and in the dignity and worth of the human person.

Until recently, that simple but eloquent phrase had a hollow ring to the vast majority of the people of South Africa. Ours was a political system which stood in stark contrast to the ideals enshrined in the Universal Declaration. Apartheid was a racially based political order which the international community declared a crime against humanity.

Thus, for us in South Africa the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has always been a beacon of hope. It is the one instrument that has carried the hopes and aspirations of our people.

The Declaration opened a new chapter in the field of human rights, particularly as it specifies the universal nature of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, that they are the inalienable rights of all human beings and the responsibility of Governments. Of utmost importance in this stipulation is the intrinsic value it attaches to the right to development, which, South Africa believes, underpins the promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Though underdevelopment should not and must not be invoked to shield or justify human rights violations, experience has also shown that lack of development constitutes an obstacle to the full realization of all freedoms and human rights. There is a compelling need, therefore, to emphasize that the right to development and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms are interdependent and mutually reinforcing.

South Africa views with deep concern current tendencies towards racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance in some parts of the world. In this context, it reiterates the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action on the need for Governments and other bodies not only to condemn such practices, but also to institutionalize measures and programmes against bigotry and new forms of racism. We therefore look forward to the convening and successful outcome of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance not later than the year 2001.

The establishment of national human rights institutions could play a pivotal role in the entrenchment of a culture of respect for human rights worldwide, thus making a major contribution towards the prevention of violations.

In the constitutional democracy that we have established in South Africa, human rights have taken pride of place. They have come to occupy centre stage in our daily lives and in the conduct of external relations with other States. Accordingly, our foreign policy is guided by human rights considerations indicating the kind of influence we wish to exert on the global arena. It is in this spirit that South Africa yesterday lodged with the United Nations our National Action Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.

In lodging this National Action Plan, we have not only committed ourselves to the international community but also to the people of South Africa. Thus, in South Africa, the Plan was launched yesterday to coincide with country-wide celebrations relating to the fiftieth anniversary.

The approved National Action Plan constitutes an integrated and systematic national strategy of government aimed at the protection, improvement and advancement of human rights in my country. Through this measure and as an audit of the human rights situation, the Government seeks to identify areas in need of protection, improvement and advancement. The objective is also to identify and agree on areas of cooperation between government, the private sector, civil society and other role players in the promotion and protection of human rights.

On this auspicious occasion, I wish to announce that my country has also deposited with the United Nations its instruments of ratification relating to the two Covenants that form part of the International Bill of Rights, as well as the conventions dealing with racial discrimination and torture.

Let me state that we in South Africa are painfully aware that much needs to be done to make human rights a living reality for our people. This is a task that my Government takes seriously. Through the Action Plan and the international conventions to which we are party, we intend to strive towards that goal.

The Acting President

I call on the representative of Israel.

Mr. Gold (Israel)

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