General Assembly Session 58 meeting 73

The President

I declare open the commemorative meetings devoted to the observance of the fifty-fifth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, under agenda items 48 and 117 (d).

Today is Human Rights Day. Yet, on this Day, when we celebrate our entitlement to human rights and fundamental freedoms, countless incidents of human rights abuses will occur around the world.

On Human Rights Day, civilians will continue to be targeted as combatants in war and conflict; refugees and displaced persons will continue to number in the millions; violence against women and children will remain pervasive; human beings will continue to be trafficked into prostitution and slavery; people will continue to be subjected to torture and arbitrary detention; religious intolerance will continue to be a fact of life for many; countries and regions will continue to be ravaged by deadly diseases such as HIV/AIDS; and inequalities in the global economic system will continue to subject hundreds of millions to poverty and misery, particularly in the developing world.

Grave human rights problems, however, must not hinder us from celebrating, on this Human Rights Day, the progress we have made, for indeed it is a day of special significance for the peoples of the world. On this day in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaimed the rights of all humankind and became the centrepiece of our human rights endeavours. It was, then, as it is now, a noble vision and a beacon of hope, calling nations, societies and individuals to work towards the common goal of enjoyment by all of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.

Having as a firm foundation the rights enshrined in the Declaration, the obligations arising from the human rights Covenants and other international and regional human rights instruments, and international and regional human rights institutions and mechanisms, we have made important progress in the field of human rights. The inalienable right of all peoples and human beings to the full range of human rights, including freedom, equality, dignity, social justice, self-determination and the right to be democratically governed, is today unquestionable. Those who violate those rights must know that they cannot expect to do so with impunity.

If there is a group to which I would make particular reference on this Human Rights Day, it is the children -- our future, and our best hope for a world in which human rights and fundamental freedoms are truly respected and protected. Children's rights are set out in the International Convention on the Rights of the Child. We must live up to these standards to provide decent life chances for every child, even as we promote among children the ideals of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

If we are to build a universal culture of human rights -- and I believe that we must -- we must begin with the children. Human rights education must be an integral aspect of the education we give our children. Education and learning, however, is a lifetime process, as is living together in peace. The time has come, therefore, to include human rights education in the curriculums of our primary and secondary schools, and in all our institutions of learning. For it is through human rights education that we will inculcate and reinforce respect, tolerance and friendship, and bring about the realization and protection of human rights across the globe.

However, to live up to our commitments to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms requires us to do much more. We must commit ourselves to uphold the ideals of the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to implement human rights instruments and standards through our parliaments, the courts and national human rights institutions.

It is important that we act decisively over the full range of issues impacting the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms today. The United Nations and the international community as a whole are challenged to devise solutions to seemingly intractable conflicts and war, in the wake of which massive violations of human rights occur. We must strive for a more equitable global economic system, so as to eradicate poverty and hunger. We must cooperate in confronting grave pandemics, such as HIV/AIDS. And we must be particularly vigilant in respect of the rights of vulnerable groups, including women and children.

The exemplary persons and organizations who are today recipients of the 2003 United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights, given on this fifty-fifth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, are strong advocates for international cooperation and for the promotion and protection of human rights. But today's six awardees, among them the very respected late Sergio Vieira de Mello, have been much more. They have been people of action and strong defenders of the rights of humankind, whether in the area of disabilities, peace and security or the equality of men and women. They come from all parts of the world. They encourage and inspire us, both with their words and their deeds.

It is my pleasure to commend and pay tribute to the awardees on this Human Rights Day, a day that affords us the opportunity to recommit ourselves to building a world in the image of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We must embrace this opportunity for the mobilization of conscience around the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the international human rights instruments, to renew our pledge to fight against injustices and gross violations of human rights, wherever they occur, and to strengthen our resolve to intensify international cooperation for the universal realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The Assembly will now begin the ceremony for the award of the United Nations Prizes in the Field of Human Rights for 2003. In accordance with General Assembly resolution 2217 (XXI) of 19 December 1966, six prizes are to be awarded this year to individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The award recipients are the following.

Ms. Enriqueta Estela Barnes de Carlotto of Argentina is the President of the Association of Plaza de Mayo Grandmothers, which was established in 1977 in response to the forced or involuntary disappearance of hundreds of children following the military coup in Argentina in 1976. At that time, many children were either abducted with their parents or born in clandestine detention centres for young pregnant women. In addition to locating missing and kidnapped children and restoring them to their rightful families, Ms. Barnes de Carlotto and the Association have been advocating the rights of the child at both the national and the international levels, so that these abhorrent violations of children's rights will not be repeated.

The Family Protection Project Management Team of Jordan leads a groundbreaking initiative that has helped to lift the taboo on the subject of domestic violence and promote open debate on issues of human rights, equity and gender. The Team of seven men and five women, representing both government and non-governmental organizations, has been responsible for the development and implementation of the Project, which takes a truly holistic, preventative and inclusive approach to tackling the root causes of domestic violence. The Team has also developed a social justice partnership model to address domestic violence in other countries and is providing a useful learning experience for nations around the world.

Ms. Shulamith Koenig of the United States of America is the Executive Director of the People's Movement for Human Rights Education, which she founded in 1988 with the goal of creating a global human rights culture. To that end, Ms. Koenig worked tirelessly and successfully to have the United Nations declare a Decade for Human Rights Education, and has since supported the Decade through the organization of workshops in over 60 countries to promote critical thinking about human rights education as a strategy for human, social and economic development. Most recently, Ms. Koenig initiated the Human Rights Cities project, which is supported by the United Nations Development Programme and will develop 30 human rights cities and train 500 young community leaders as human rights educators, thereby strengthening democracy as a delivery system for human rights.

The Mano River Women's Peace Network of West Africa is a network of women's organizations from Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, established in May 2000 in response to the deteriorating security situation in the West African region. The network has brought an effective, multi-dimensional, coordinated and regional approach to the struggle for human rights aimed at restoring peace and ensuring that women's voices are included at all levels of the decision-making process. In addition to grassroots projects such as the demobilization and reintegration of child soldiers, the Network has been an effective advocate at the highest levels of Government, successfully bringing the heads of State of their three countries back to the negotiating table in 2001 and was a delegate, mediator and signatory to the Liberian peace talks in August 2003.

Mr. Deng Pufang of China founded the China Disabled Persons' Federation in 1988 to act as an international advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities, and is now the Director of the Federation. Mr. Deng's advocacy has significantly improved the living standards and status of persons with disabilities in China. His most significant achievements include the establishment of the China Welfare Fund for the Handicapped in 1984, which now assists over 15 million disabled people on low incomes, and the enactment of China's first law aimed at the protection and promotion of the human rights of persons with disabilities. Mr. Deng has also been instrumental in bringing international attention to the rights of the disabled, and is a strong supporter of the elaboration of an international convention on the rights of persons with disabilities.

A special posthumous award is being given to the late United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello of Brazil. He held many other high-level positions within the United Nations, including, most recently, Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Iraq. He served the United Nations cause tirelessly for more than 30 years, and was killed on duty in Iraq, along with 21 of his United Nations colleagues, on 19 August 2003. Mrs. Annie Vieira de Mello will accept the award on his behalf.

I will now present the awards. I kindly and respectfully request delegations to reserve their applause until the last award has been presented.

I call to the podium Ms. Enriqueta Estela Barnes de Carlotto.

The President

On behalf of the United Nations, I present you this award in recognition of your outstanding contributions to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

I now call to the podium the representative of the Family Protection Project Management Team.

The President

On behalf of the United Nations, I present you this award in recognition of your outstanding contributions to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

I now call to the podium Ms. Shulamith Koenig.

The President

On behalf of the United Nations, I present you this award in recognition of your outstanding contributions to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

I now call to the podium the representative of the Mano River Women's Peace Network.

The President

On behalf of the United Nations, I present you this award in recognition of your outstanding contributions to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

I now call to the podium Mr. Deng Pufang.

The President

On behalf of the United Nations, I present you this award in recognition of your outstanding contributions to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

I now call to the podium Mrs. Annie Vieira de Mello.

The President

On behalf of the United Nations, I present you this award in recognition of the outstanding contributions made by your husband, Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

It is my honour to present to the Assembly the winners of the United Nations Prizes in the Field of Human Rights for 2003.

May I request representatives to remain seated while I escort the recipients of the awards.

Before I give the floor to those on the list to speak this morning, I wish to recognize the presence of Mr. Bertrand Ramcharan, the Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights, who continues to give sterling service, and to wish him all the best as he continues to strive to do yeoman service in this most difficult field. Please give Mr. Ramcharan a round of applause.

The General Assembly will now continue the commemorative meeting.

Mr. De Rivero (Peru)

On behalf of the Rio Group, I should like to pay a tribute to my friend, Sergio Vieira de Mello, for his dedication and sacrifice to promote mankind. We would also like to congratulate the recipients of the prizes, which constitute recognition for work done to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms.

"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights." That is the basic premise proclaimed, on 10 December 1948, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted at the fourth session of the General Assembly. The equality of humanity is thus the basic principle on which is founded the humane treatment of every homo sapiens, regardless of culture, ethnicity, religion, gender or political thought. The Second World Conference on Human Rights, held in Vienna in 1993, universally reinforced that premise and that principle.

A positive normative current to protect those rights was initiated with the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights were adopted. Both legal instruments, among others, determined the universal, indivisible and interdependent nature of all human rights.

That positive normative current in favour of human rights led the international community to work on many normative instruments on human rights relating to such specific topics as women and children, among others, that provide us with a broad framework for action and pull together principles that are likewise universal and interdependent.

In the same vein, we have recently seen significant progress made in this Assembly in the effective defence of human rights through the penalization of crimes against humanity and with the entry into force of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, in which it is recognized that human rights justice has no borders and that it is necessary to combat impunity and violations of human rights globally.

The international community is currently calling for the creation of new international instruments to promote the human rights of disabled persons and to prevent the forced disappearance of people. Moreover, wide consensus has been reached on the importance of answering new threats, such as terrorism, with measures that are congruent with international obligations on human rights.

In this context, the States members of the Rio Group believe that human rights are a universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated group of rights that must be approached and enjoyed without discrimination, selectivity or arbitrariness, and with objectivity. We are making an effort to fulfil in a continuous, permanent and transparent way the obligations arising from the various United Nations human rights instruments. We therefore attach great importance to cooperation mechanisms on this matter, since they provide a way to progress in the long term towards respect for and the protection and promotion of human rights.

To that end, the Governments and societies of the Rio Group attach great importance to democracy as an essential instrument to achieve respect for and protection and universal promotion of the human rights, fundamental freedoms and economic and social rights of all people. It is difficult to promote and protect human rights without democracy. This leads us to the conclusion that there can be no effectively valid indivisibility of human rights without democracy.

The States members of the Rio Group are aware that progress was made in the twentieth century in the protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Nevertheless, we are also conscious that there is still a long way to go in the twenty-first century towards putting into practice many basic principles contained in the international instruments of the United Nations on human rights. That long road should be travelled through the practice of democracy and the strengthening of international cooperation to promote and protect human rights.

Fifty-five years after the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, there are still many populations in the world unable to exercise their civil and political rights. Likewise, half of the global population survives on less than $2 a day, millions of children die every day from preventable diseases, and armed conflicts dominate the reality of many countries, causing massive violations of the human rights of the civil population, particularly by illegal armed groups. In many societies, immigrants are discriminated against and their fundamental rights and freedoms are not respected. More than 1.2 billion people live in precarious and subhuman conditions, with no access to medical attention or education. That situation is unacceptable in the twenty-first century to those who are committed to promoting the effective enjoyment of all human rights without discrimination.

The right to development is also a fundamental human right of individuals and peoples. The United Nations recognized that right in its declaration of 1986. This leads us to the conclusion that there can be no development without human rights. Thus, if they are to reach a significant level of development, people must be able to enjoy their rights.

The Rio Group understands that the exercise of the right to development is not limited to mere economic growth, but involves, above all, a change in the quality of life of the majority of the world's population and is tied closely to the combination of internal and external factors that require corrective actions within and outside States, with cooperation from the international community.

For those reasons, the countries of the Rio Group attach fundamental importance to poverty eradication and to changing the quality of life of peoples through attainment of the consensual Goals of the Declaration of the Millennium Summit, of Agenda 21 and of the Monterrey and Johannesburg Summits. All those Summits reflect nothing less than the broad United Nations consensus in which developing countries' internal policies converge with developed countries' policies of cooperation to improve the quality of life of the world's inhabitants in the twenty-first century, and therefore to ensure human rights.

In conclusion, on the occasion of the celebration of the fifty-fifth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the tenth anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, the Rio Group here reaffirms its commitment to protecting and promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms, not only as a moral imperative, but also as the foundation of freedom and justice for all human beings. In that context, social and economic progress are indispensable conditions to achieve dignity for all.