What contends that in the United States authority is unjustly used against children who must adapt to adults conceptions of what good children are?

Economic and Social CouncilSubstantive Session 2002New York17 July 2002Statement byMrs. Mary Robinson High Commissioner for Human RightsMr. Chairman,Excellencies,Distinguished members,Colleagues,Before addressing issues raised in my report to ECOSOC, I would like to begin by reporting to you on the 58th session of the Commission on Human Rights, which took place in Geneva earlier this year. As many of you know, it was a particularly difficult session and one that I said at the conclusion calls for deep reflection. This reflection is now taking place within the extended Bureau of the Commission, amongst States and within my own Office, where I have established a high-level task force for this purpose.A number of positive initiatives emerged from this year’s session of the Commission. A new mandate on the right to health was created, which I welcome. Two new working groups were established to follow-up on the World Conference against Racism, including one that will focus on the situation of people of African descent. Another positive development was the Commission’s resolution to recommend an Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture on preventative visits. Although this was not a consensus outcome, I hope, for the sake of those States who want and need such a mechanism, that ECOSOC will forward this text, with approval, to the General Assembly for adoption. Next year a new working group will begin consideration of an Optional Protocol to create an individual petitions mechanism on economic, social and cultural rights. Work will soon begin to draft a treaty on disappearances and the Commission also lent its support to the process dealing with an instrument to protect the rights of persons with disabilities. These were some of the highlights of a Commission that attracted no fewer than 78 dignitaries, reflecting its growing importance as an institution. However, there were also developments that were less welcome. This 58th session of the Commission was forced to operate under extra-ordinary organizational constraints. With no evening or night meetings, the Commission’s extended Bureau had to make drastic adjustments in its work. I trust that this situation will not be repeated in the future. But one benefit to emerge from this experience has been the strengthening of the role and authority of the extended Bureau, which I believe is in the Commission’s long-term interest. One of the most troubling aspects of the reduced meetings was that the burden of cuts in speaking times was felt most by NGOs and the mandate holders of the Commission. It is precisely these inputs which make the Commission so unique and valuable and which set it apart from most other intergovernmental forums. The extended Bureau and regional groups, with the active support of my Office, are considering how to enhance the working methods of the Commission for next year. It is essential that the role of the special mechanisms is restored and that the burden of any reduction in time be shared equitably between States and civil society representatives. As expected, following the tragedy of September 11, the Commission spent considerable time on the issue of terrorism and human rights. It was, unfortunately, less effective in reaching a consensus on how to deal with the issue. The traditional resolution on the issue contained a new provision requesting the Office of the High Commissioner to provide technical assistance to those States who request it. A more ambitious resolution was tabled which sought to create a human rights protection framework to parallel the security focus of the Counter Terrorism Committee. This resolution was subsequently withdrawn. I hope that between now and the next session of the Commission further constructive thought will be given to how the UN human rights system can address this urgent matter.Another focus of attention at the Commission was the terrible escalation of violence in the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel, which led to a Special Sitting during the course of the Commission. The Commission requested me to head a visiting mission to the area, but the necessary agreement of the Israeli authorities was not forthcoming. In all, seven resolutions on the human rights situation in the region were adopted. A number of these enjoyed very broad support, but it was noticeable that as the number of statements and resolutions increased through the course of the Commission, the level of consensus tended to decrease. It will be important for Commission members to give careful thought on how to maximize the value and effectiveness of the Commission’s future deliberations on this grave situation.A particularly troubling aspect for the human rights community this year was the unprecedented questioning of the Commission’s human rights protection role. This was exacerbated by a marked increase in block voting by groups. Regional solidarity is a poor response to evidence of serious human rights violations. Those who are critical of the existing methods of addressing country situations have an obligation to propose credible alternatives. The essential point is that where gross violations are identified, the Commission must have the capacity and the courage to speak out on behalf of victims. In this regard, I was greatly encouraged by the launch of the new African Union in Durban last week, with its emphasis on giving priority to strengthening the administration of justice, human rights, democracy and good governance. I hope that African States will bring to next year’s Commission this new spirit of openness, accountability and honest peer review, and that other States will respond accordingly, including with the resources necessary to realize these goals.I note and welcome the way ECOSOC is offering support for African countries that request it through the proposal for ad hoc advisory groups. Such a group, at the ambassadorial level, can be helpful in ensuring appropriate and well-coordinated international assistance to a country seeking such support. The time may have come for the Commission on Human Rights to take similar innovative steps aimed at strengthening its protection mandate which is so vital to the protection of human rights around the world. Within OHCHR, we have recently moved to ensure that support for the Commission becomes an entire Office activity, rather than the responsibility of one Branch. As we consider how best to strengthen the role of the Commission, it is important that we also think about how better to position it at the heart of the international system. The Commission should not be allowed to become a one-off annual event, subject to its own internal political dynamics. It should, rather, be influenced by, and exert a positive influence upon, all that is happening in the UN system and on the wider international stage. For this to occur, the Commission must enjoy the trust and respect of the international community and this requires that it operate with the highest integrity. In other words, the credibility and effectiveness of the institution is in the hands of its members, whom you elect. In my opening and closing statements to the 58th session of the Commission, I suggested that membership of the Commission brings with it obligations as well as rights, responsibilities as well as privileges. If member States also come to believe this then the Commission will truly be able to realize the great expectations that the international human rights community has of it.Let me now turn to my report for this session, which is before you. Each year, I have brought to the attention of ECOSOC issues of concern in which this body can play a leadership role. This year, my report highlights the plight of persons living with HIV/AIDS, people with disabilities, indigenous peoples and trafficked persons. Each of these groups is often invisible within their own society and their rights are often neglected or ignored. ECOSOC has a significant role to play in advancing the rights of such individuals and groups.Consider for a start the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS. The past year has been marked by an increased appreciation of the role of human rights and the realization of the right to health, specifically, in relation to addressing the HIV/AIDS pandemic. What I would like to see now is fuller integration of human rights obligations into national responses to HIV/AIDS. In this connection, I welcome the Commission on Human Right’s decision to appoint a Special Rapporteur on the right to health. The support of ECOSOC for this significant mandate is important.Consider next the rights of persons with disabilities. In cooperation with the Special Rapporteur on Disability of the Commission for Social Development, my Office undertook a study to evaluate existing standards and mechanisms in the field of human rights and disability. You will find a description of the study in my report. The main thesis of the study is that the process of disability reform, which is taking place worldwide, could be immeasurably strengthened and accelerated if greater and more targeted use were made of human rights norms. For instance, a human rights approach ensures that the rights of persons with disabilities are not forgotten when measuring the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. The commitments made in the Millennium Declaration are of particular relevance to indigenous peoples, another focus of my report. Many of the world’s more than 300 million indigenous peoples are often poorly served by education, health, housing and other services. In some countries, the life expectancy of an indigenous person at birth may be 10-20 years less than for the overall population and infant mortality rates can be up to three times greater than the national average. Ensuring the full participation of indigenous peoples in policy making is one of the strategies needed to address these disparities. The upcoming Johannesburg Summit on Sustainable Development will, I hope, guarantee indigenous peoples a key role in the elaboration and implementation of national plans to address the challenges of sustainable development.The launch of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in May of this year was an important step in ensuring greater indigenous participation within the UN. The Forum, as you know, is an advisory body composed of 16 independent experts, most of whom are indigenous persons themselves, mandated to recommend action that the Council might take to contribute to UN system activities relating to indigenous peoples.An issue that emerged forcefully during preparations for the first session was the absence of financial and human resources to assist with the Forum’s preparatory work. To date, no regular budget resources have been allocated for the secretariat needs of the Forum. The only regular budget costs are associated with the travel and daily allowances of the Forum members and the conference services for the sessions of the Forum themselves. The ECOSOC will need to take decisions concerning the secretariat needs of the new body and recommend that resources are allocated in the regular budget for this purpose. These practical matters notwithstanding, the Permanent Forum offers an exceptional opportunity to address the very real disadvantages faced by indigenous peoples. It has the potential to provide the technical expertise that could also become the starting point for partnership projects between indigenous communities and the UN system. As part of the preparations for the Forum, my Office invited all UN system organizations to meet in January 2002 to make recommendations on how to support the new body. The result was the establishment of an Inter-agency Support Group that will deepen the working relations among the agencies on indigenous issues and analyze the recommendations addressed to the UN system with a view to facilitating implementation. Finally, my report addresses the issue of trafficking in human persons. Through the Millennium human rights goals, States vowed to take measures to ensure respect for the protection of the rights of migrants. Trafficking in human persons is a particularly abusive form of migration. One of the most significant outputs of the OHCHR Trafficking programme is the Recommended Principles and Guidelines on Human Rights and Human Trafficking, which are included in an addendum to my present report ((E/2002/68/add.1). Development of the Principles and Guidelines began in 2000 in response to the clear need for practical, rights-based policy guidance on the trafficking issue. The purpose of these principles and guidelines is to promote and facilitate the integration of a human rights perspective into national, regional and international anti-trafficking laws, policies and interventions. They serve as a framework and reference point for the work of OHCHR on this issue. I encourage States and intergovernmental organizations to make use of the Principles and Guidelines in their own efforts to prevent trafficking and to protect the rights of trafficked persons. As this is the last occasion on which I will address you as High Commissioner, I would like to express my appreciation to the members of ECOSOC for your support and cooperation during the past five years. It has been an enormous privilege and at times a daunting challenge to serve as High Commissioner for Human Rights. I have seen a transformation in the approach to human rights over those five years, in the mainstreaming throughout the UN system of a rights-based approach to our work, in the strong links now made between human rights and human development and in the way that civil societies in every region are learning to use the commitments of governments in ratifying human rights covenants and conventions as a means of securing transparent and participatory decision making on economic and social issues. The major focus over the coming years needs to be on developing and strengthening national protection systems, because it is at national and local level that human rights are either protected or violated. I am very proud of the Office and colleagues I lead and urge you to continue with strong support for my successor and the work of the Office of High Commissioner in the years to come.

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CESCR25th session25 April 2001MorningVenezuelans Feel Protected and Enjoy Constitutional Rights, Delegation Says The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights this morning concluded its consideration of a second periodic report of Venezuela on how that country was implementing the provisions of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The delegation of Venezuela told the 18-member Committee that economic, social and cultural rights were broadly guaranteed to the Venezuelan population; by virtue of the country's Constitution, all Venezuelans felt protected and their rights enshrined in the Covenant were respected. During the last two years, there had been significant economic growth, and the rate of inflation had been brought down. The delegation also said that in the educational sector, the Government had extended educational programmes affecting all citizens. The new Government had also improved health services and had made them accessible to all. The Committee will issue its conclusions and recommendations on the report of Venezuela towards the end of its three-week session which will end on 11 May. Venezuela is among the 144 States parties to the Covenant and as such it must submit to the Committee periodic reports on its efforts to implement the provisions of the treaty. A nine-member Venezuelan delegation was on hand during three meetings to present the report and to answer questions raised by Committee members. When the Committee reconvenes at 3 p.m., it will take up the initial report of Honduras (E/1990/5/Add.40).Discussion In response to questions raised yesterday afternoon, the Venezuelan delegation said that the figure of 40,000 cases of sexually abused children indicated by one of the Experts did not correspond to the reality and the work done to protect them. Venezuela had ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child in August 1999 and its provisions had been incorporated into domestic legislation. In addition, the municipal council, which was composed of public servants and civil societies, had been closely working to implement the rights of children. Children were protected from any form of violence, including sexual abuse. The Yanomami indigenous people had been victims of a series of incidents in the past, the delegation said. The Yanomami people had their own cultural identity and no one should intervene with it. The Government had taken measures to repair past wrongs committed against the Yanomami people. There was a shortage of housing in the country and the Government had taken steps to improve this problem, the delegation said. The Government had provided loans to workers to build their own houses. A programme of urban development had also been implemented to reduce the shortage of housing. The Government had obtained loans from the World Bank to invest in housing construction. During the floods last year, the Government had been busy in transferring the victims to safe areas, the delegation said. The Government had provided shelter and other social services to persons evacuated from the flooded areas. Teenage pregnancy was a social problem and the Government had taken measures to protect youth from such incidents, the delegation said. Clandestine abortions were not carried out because of the absence of a tradition of abortion. The Catholic tradition of the population did not permit the practice of such acts. Clandestine abortions, if found out by the authorities, could lead to penal sanctions. Through schools, sexual education was taught together with the teaching of prevention of violence. In Venezuela, there was intensive social care for teenage pregnancy, the delegation said. A child born of a teenage mother would receive adequate health care and education as it grew up. The Government of Venezuela had made a great effort to reduce maternal maternity which was 20 per thousand in 2000, the delegation said. Similarly, the rate of infant mortality had been reduced to the minimum. Oil spills could damage the environment, the delegation said. Civil cases had been brought against those responsible for spilling oil either on land or in the sea. The cargo ship which had spilled oil in Venezuelan territorial waters had been brought to justice and had paid for the damage inflicted. A legal provision on environmental crimes had also been established by the Government of Venezuela. Experts raised a number of new questions. An Expert said that at least 20 per cent of the Venezuelan population lived below the poverty line and asked what additional measures had been taken by the Government. Another Expert said that according to the report, Venezuela’s indigenous population was one of the groups with the worst living conditions, together with the frontier population and the population of the marginalized areas of the major cities. Had the Government taken supplementary steps to ameliorate the living conditions of these people? With regard to HIV/AIDS, the report had also indicated a reduction in mortality rates relating to AIDS; it also mentioned that the Government was distributing drugs free of charge. Did the Government receive international assistance in obtaining these drugs? What steps had been taken by the Government to clean the oil spills other than punishing those who damaged the environment, an Expert asked. The delegation was also asked if the Government had taken concrete anti-tobacco and anti-alcohol programmes to reduce incidents related to such phenomenon. Many Experts alluded to the situation of health in Venezuela with reference to patients' obligation to buy their own medication and materials in advance to their hospitalization. In response to the questions raised by the Committee members, the delegation said that Venezuela had been through an economic crisis in the past and at present it was in a transition period. With the help of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Venezuela was able to establish a poverty line in order to determine an index on poverty. Poverty was a prime concern to the Government of Venezuela which believed this issue to be related to the international economic situation, the delegation said. The previous legal system had shortcomings with regard to poverty. However, the current situation was in line with the legal system which would deal with the eradication of poverty. The Government had classified poverty as atrocious, critical and extreme. The Government had applied to the international community for assistance in the different sectors of the country's development. The measures taken by the national housing council had reduced the demand for housing, the delegation said. At present, the situation was under control and housing availability had been increased. In 1999, the budget was reformed with an increase in health allocations, the delegation said. In the year 2000, the President had stated that health care would be free of charge. At present, situations had been created in which health care could be received free of charge. In addition, the Government had decentralized health services and had transferred responsibility of hospital management from the federal to the regional states. When the patient hospital service was established in Venezuela, 80 per cent of the population lived in rural areas while 20 per cent lived in urban areas, the delegation said. At present, it was the opposite. With the health care reforms introduced in 5,000 centres, an integral care system had been introduced, modifying the concept of fragmented health service of the past which concentrated on mothers and children. As part of its commitment to the environment, the Government of Venezuela completely avoided the use of leaded petrol in the country, the delegation said. In addition, the Government believed that the environment was not only a national issue but it considered it to be of international concern; thus the Government had taken measures against the degrading situation of the environment. During the last few years, educational and health allocations had been cut down, resulting in the degradation of social services to the population, the delegation said. With the new regime in place, the liberal system of the past had been put to an end with the introduction of increased social security schemes. Responding to allegations of extra-judicial killings in Bolivar region, which was alluded to by one of the Experts, the delegation said it was not true. The forced eviction in the Bolivar area for the purpose of gold mining was also exaggerated. The Government had launched a programme for adult education as a priority task, the delegation said. Every effort had been deployed to reduce the rate of illiteracy in the country. The rate of illiteracy and of persons without any education in Venezuela was 8.9 per cent of the total population aged 15 or older. In addition, about one million students had been introduced in the regular school system. Students were not obliged to produce identity documents or birth registration or certificates of enrolment; they were not compelled to wear uniforms as in the past; and no fee was paid for enrolment. However, 34 per cent of the school-age children were still outside the school system. The highest budget allocation went to education. In order to reduce health hazards attributed to tobacco and alcohol, the Government had taken measures, including campaigns in schools, the delegation said. In addition, a campaign against violence in schools and in the streets had been carried out by the Ministry of Education. Concerning the protection and promotion of indigenous cultural heritage, the Government had progressively began to set up among the indigenous population a bilingual education system in which their culture was reflected, the delegation said. A flexible teaching method had been adopted to facilitate indigenous children attending school. Follow-up questions were raised by Committee members: What progress had been accomplished since the bilingual education system was initiated in 1996? What proportion of the indigenous population participated in the educational system? What was the future plan on the right to education? In response, the delegation said that the Government had decided to give priority to education; and there was no question that cuts in education could be shifted to other non-education areas as it was done under the past governments. Out of the total educational budget, 30 per cent went to university while 70 per cent was allocated to other educational services. The possibility of investing in education had also been opened. For that reason, private schools had been flourishing in the country. The decision to drop enrolment fees had been met with opposition by some head masters who were dismissed consequently, the delegation said. It had been the policy of the Government to provide education without any fee involved in it. Asked if the Government was providing quality education and if it was also implementing the Dakar Framework on Education for All, the delegation said that the Government had used every possibility to provide quality education for all. An educational supervisory system had been established to audit the teaching methods in all schools. With regard to bilingual and multi-cultural education, the delegation said that the task of heading the council for bilingual education had been given to a person of indigenous origin. In addition, textbooks had been revised to fit bilingual education. In conclusion, the delegation said that economic, social and cultural rights were broadly guaranteed to the Venezuelan population. By virtue of the provisions of the Constitution, all Venezuelans felt protected; and their right enshrined in the Covenant were respected. During the last two years, the economic growth had significantly increased and the rate of inflation had been brought down. In the educational sector, the Government had extended educational programmes affecting all citizens. Also during its brief period in power, the Government had improved the health services and had made them accessible to all. The recommendations of the Committee would also help the Government improve the quality of Venezuelan lives.

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Open-Ended Working Group established by the Commission on Human Rights to consider options regarding the elaboration of an optional protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Third Session, Salle XVII, Palais des NationsMonday 6 February 2006Thank you madam Chair [Ms. Catarina Albuquerque, from Portugal], Distinguished delegates, I am delighted to have the opportunity to open this session as you continue your discussion of options regarding the elaboration of an optional protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. UN reform - security, development and human rights This time last year, I had the pleasure to share with you some of my views on the important work you are engaged in. Since your last session, the United Nations has embarked on a complex and far-reaching process of reform which has important implications for your work. That reform has been rooted in the reaffirmation of the mutually reinforcing relationship between security, development and human rights. As emphasized by the Secretary-General in his report “In larger freedom” and endorsed by Member States at last year’s Summit, development and security are inter-related, and respect for human rights is essential to both. I believe that progress in your discussions has a role to play in promoting security, development and human rights. At the heart of this relationship is the realization that poverty, and other denials of human rights, can greatly increase the risk of instability and violence, that conflict leads to abuse of human rights and sets back development, and that countries respecting human rights are better placed to avoid conflict and to overcome obstacles to development. Improving respect for economic, social and cultural rights is therefore essential to ensuring the contribution of human rights to both development and security. A renewed focus on economic, social and cultural rights is crucial if we are to meet the challenge of reform. In spite of the constant reaffirmation of the interdependence of all human rights, many of our strategies are still based on an unhelpful categorization of rights - between civil and political on the one hand and economic, social and cultural on the other. This categorization of rights has skewed the implementation of human rights, to the detriment of those rights labelled economic, social and cultural and of the wider development and security agendas. The reaffirmation of economic, social and cultural rights as human rights sought from the efforts of this working group will help to redress the unbalanced approach of the past and ultimately reinforce the reform process, providing an opportunity to move beyond simplistic categorization of rights towards an understanding of human rights that focuses on people - their security and development - and their capacity to claim the totality of their rights.JusticiabilityConsideration of an optional protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights raises some significant legal questions - not least the justiciability of such rights. The Plan of Action I issued for my office – our contribution to the reform effort – has called for leadership in protecting economic, social and cultural rights, to reaffirm their legal status and strengthen the recognition of their justiciability. Allow me to share again some thoughts with you on this subject.While some economic, social and cultural rights - such as workers' rights - have long been subject to judicial enforcement, the last ten years has seen an increasingly sophisticated national and regional jurisprudence in relation to other economic and social rights. Court decisions in Argentina, Colombia, India, South Africa and many other jurisdictions have demonstrated how the judiciary can play an important role in providing relief to individuals and in ensuring that governments uphold constitutionally guaranteed economic, social and cultural rights. Judicial and quasi-judicial decisions have improved access to HIV/AIDS treatments for thousands of women to prevent mother-to-child transmission of the HIV virus; restricted the arbitrary eviction of destitute people from housing without support to access alternative shelter; improved water and sanitation services for poorer suburbs prevented widespread hunger through the monitoring of food programmes and reduced the incidence of child labour. Recognition of the justiciability of economic, social and cultural rights often raises the complex question of resource constraints and the appropriate role of the judiciary in this regard. International human rights standards under both Covenants impose on States a series of obligations, some of which have been labelled "negative" obligations - to refrain from certain action - and others "positive" obligations - to adopt specific measures. Resources are needed to implement aspects of all human rights. Ensuring due process in criminal justice proceedings, ensuring free and fair elections or taking appropriate measures to reduce the risk of torture, can require the investment of significant resources by the State. In many cases, the efforts deployed by the State will be progressive and proportional, linked to the availability of resources. Yet this link to the availability of resources does not reduce these rights to aspirations or State obligations to mere policy goals. Nor does the need for progressive realization justify the invidious perception that economic social and cultural rights are luxury goods, to be claimed and enjoyed only by societies that can "afford" them - or again: the assumption that a healthy market economy will automatically ensure their enjoyment. Rather, it requires States to use limited resources "reasonably" and in a non-discriminatory manner - and to be held accountable for doing so.The concept of "reasonableness" of State action is a well-known legal concept and long used in adjudication of civil and political rights. The growing body of jurisprudence at the national and regional levels illustrates that it can be similarly employed to assess the extent to which States respect their obligations in the area of economic, social and cultural rights. Such rights might not be fully achievable for all on an immediate basis, yet they remain rights. The obligations of States in this domain can be fully enforced while taking into account their resource constraints - and judges have an important role to play in this regard. I should also point out that many aspects of economic, social and cultural rights can be respected at little or no additional expense through simple regulatory changes or through the provision of a remedy to an aggrieved individual.Of course, improvements in the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights rely not only on the judiciary but also on an active civil society, a willing government and respect for civil and political rights. We must also remember that the judiciary is not able to solve all - or even the majority - of social problems and that the eradication of poverty requires concerted effort from government, parliaments and other actors as well. Yet the judiciary, in increasing numbers of jurisdictions, is demonstrating that it has a role to play in the wider strategy of upholding human rights and thus combatting social exclusion and promoting development and preventing social conflict - a role that is essential in poorer and wealthier countries alike.These improvements have not occurred in a vacuum and the international human rights system has provided impetus for change. The adoption of the International Covenant in 1966 and the construction of regional human rights systems have encouraged judicial recognition of economic, social and cultural rights. In some jurisdictions, the Covenant itself is given constitutional rank. This has reinforced the legal status of economic, social and cultural rights and given further justification to the consideration of claims by national courts. Indeed, some of the most significant national decisions have referred to provisions of the Covenant in judicial reasoning and some have referred to the General Comments of the Committee of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as a source of useful guidance in interpretation. This indicates an important factor to bear in mind - that the work of the international human rights system can and must have an impact at the national level.Benefits of an optional protocolSeen in this context, the deliberations before this working group have a privileged role. I urge States to consider that the time has come for the adoption of an optional protocol in the form of a communications procedure. This would be an important development in international law: one that promises to help parties to the Covenant honour the commitments they have made at law, complementing remedial avenues under the European, Inter-American and African regional human rights systems, and affirming our deeper commitment to the realization for all people of a life of dignity, free from want. You also have other options before you, such as an inquiry procedure, which merit serious attention. Alternatively, a decision not to have a communications procedure at the international level would also have repercussions. Such a decision could undermine the recognition of human rights as equally important and indivisible – a principle fundamental to the understanding of their relationship to development and security – while also having a chilling effect on the important developments we have seen to date at the national level.Importantly, the elaboration of a possible optional protocol is relevant to the discussion of treaty body reform. As you know, I am calling for States to engage in a serious effort to improve the functioning of the existing system of human rights treaty monitoring bodies including through the consideration of the establishment of a unified standing treaty body. These bodies can and have made an important contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights, but their capacity to assist States can be greatly enhanced. International monitoring should strive to provide maximum opportunities for informed national deliberation and be a source of useful advice and guidance to States in the advancement of human rights protection. It should promote international cooperation, and facilitate full participation of rights holders, providing effective remedies for those whose human rights are violated. Bearing these objectives in mind, an optional protocol will clearly bolster the current system of treaty monitoring. Importantly, it will help to clarify what is - and what is not - required of States, while providing effective remedies to aggrieved individuals. Ultimately, I hope that an optional protocol will be a step towards the dismantling the unduly rigid categories of rights and a move towards a unified vision of civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights. I encourage you to bear the wider context of treaty body reform in mind during your discussions.ConclusionI would like to conclude by recognizing the work of the Government of Portugal that has been so generous in pursuing this objective within the Commission on Human Rights, and in particular I wish to thank the Chairperson, Ms Catarina de Albuquerque, for her excellent stewardship. You have played a vital role in this process.Madame Chair, distinguished delegates,You are at an important juncture in your work. This is the last session of your current mandate, taking place at a crucial time for the UN’s work on human rights. I believe that your work is fundamental to improving respect for economic, social and cultural rights and in consolidating the work of human rights treaty bodies. I encourage you to use the next two weeks to ensure that economic, social and cultural rights are fully integrated into our shared vision of the central role of human rights in the international agenda.

Thank you.

CESCR29th session29 November 2002Issues Conclusions on Reports of the Slovak Republic,Poland, Georgia, the Solomon Islands and EstoniaThe Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights concluded today a three-week autumn session, adopting conclusions and recommendations on reports of the Slovak Republic, Poland, Georgia, the Solomon Islands and Estonia. The five countries are among the 145 States parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and are required to submit periodic reports to the Committee on efforts to implement the provisions of the treaty, which entered into force in 1976. Among positive developments in the Slovak Republic, the Committee noted the emerging of Slovakia as a donor country for development assistance. Among other things, the Committee expressed concern about discrimination against Roma in the fields of employment, housing, health care and education. It recommended, among other things, that the State party formulate and implement a comprehensive national plan of action for the protection and promotion of human rights. Among positive aspects to the fourth periodic report of Poland, the Committee welcomed the establishment in November 2001 of a Government Plenipotentiary for Equal Gender Status with the responsibility of promoting the principle of equality between men and women. It expressed concern, among other things, about a recent increase in xenophobic manifestations and acts of violence against certain minorities, in particular Jews and Roma. Among other things, the Committee recommended that the State party formulate and implement a comprehensive national plan of action for the protection and promotion of human rights. Responding to a second periodic report of Georgia, the Committee welcomed among positive factors the efforts of the country to comply with its obligations under the international human rights instruments to which it was a State party. Among other things, the panel said it was deeply concerned that Georgia had not been able to address adequately widespread and rampant corruption. It recommended, among other things, that steps be intensified to ensure the right to work and the right to just and favourable conditions of work. Among positive aspects to the initial report of the Solomon Islands, the Committee noted the establishment of a technical cooperation agreement between the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Government. Among its concerns, the Committee said that women were inadequately represented at all levels of State decision-making bodies, and that patriarchal attitudes persisted in society. It recommended, among other things, that effective legislative and administrative measures be taken to protect members of the family, particularly women and children, from domestic violence. The Committee termed positive in the initial report of Estonia, among other things, significant steps taken by the country to bring legislation into harmony with international human-rights norms and in particular with the provisions of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Concern was expressed, among other things, that convicted prisoners were required to perform forced or compulsory work, since they faced penalties in the form of loss of privileges, such as early release, for not doing so. Among the Committee's recommendations were that adequate and affordable health care should be accessible and available to everyone; and that efforts should be intensified to control the spread of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. Also during the session, the Committee adopted a General Comment on the right to water, noting that over 1 billion people lacked access to a basic water supply, while several billion lacked access to adequate sanitation, the primary cause of water contamination and diseases linked to water. A general discussion was held before the Committee adopted the text. The Committee also adopted a joint statement with the Commission on Human Rights' Special Rapporteurs whose mandates relate to economic, social and cultural rights, focusing on the Millennium Development Goals and emphasizing that economic, social and cultural rights should be a criteria when establishing tools for measuring progress towards achievement of the Goals. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Sergio Vieira de Mello, addressed the Committee, saying that he well understood the link between the elimination of poverty and hunger and the realization of key economic, social and cultural rights. Nothing less than such realization would do if one wished to have a world that valued human dignity, he said. Also over the course of the session, Committee Chairperson Virginia Bonoan-Dandan suggested that an annual "World Human Rights Report" be published by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to increase public visibility of the Office's activities. The next session of the Committee will be from 5 to 23 May 2003, in Geneva. The Committee is expected to consider reports of Moldova, Luxembourg, Israel, Brazil and New Zealand. Concluding Observations and Recommendations on Country Reports Slovak Republic Among positive aspects to the initial report of the Slovak Republic, the Committee noted an amendment to article 7(5) of the Constitution, pursuant to which the Covenant took precedence over the domestic laws and might be invoked before the courts; the emerging of the State party as a donor country for development assistance; the establishment in 1996 of a Coordination Committee on Women's Issues and of an Equal Opportunity Department in 1999; and the establishment of an Ombudsman's office in 2001 together with the election of the first Ombudsman in March 2002. Among subjects of concern, the Committee cited discrimination against Roma in the fields of employment, housing, health care and education; a large disparity between the wages of men and women; restrictive legislative measures in place concerning the right to strike; a persistent problem of trafficking in women as well as sexual exploitation of women and children in the country; a high rate of tobacco use and alcohol consumption among adults; and a low rate of primary school enrolment and a high drop-out rate at secondary schools among Roman children. The Committee recommended, among other things, that the State party formulate and implement a comprehensive national plan of action for the protection and promotion of human rights; that concrete measures be taken to combat and eliminate discrimination against groups of minorities, in particular against Roma; that effective measures be taken to reduce the unemployment rate, in particular among women, Roma and other disadvantaged or marginalized groups; that recently adopted measures be implemented effectively to ensure equal pay for work of equal value; that legislation on domestic violence be enforced and appropriate measures be taken to give the required assistance to victims of domestic violence; that effective measures be adopted to reduce tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption; and that efforts be intensified to increase the school attendance of Roma children. Poland The Committee noted among positive aspects to Poland's fourth periodic report a range of measures undertaken in accordance with the Committee's previous recommendations. It commended Poland for its ongoing process to bring legislation into harmony with the provisions of the Covenant and for the specific measures it had taken to ensure the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights. It welcomed the establishment in November 2001 of a Government Plenipotentiary for Equal Gender Status with the responsibility of promoting the principle of equality between men and women; the adoption of a Charter of Disabled Persons' Rights; and initiatives undertaken to reduce the consumption of alcohol and tobacco. The Committee expressed concern, among other things, about a recent increase in xenophobic manifestations and acts of violence against certain minorities, in particular Jews and Roma; about high unemployment, which had steadily increased since the consideration of the last periodic report and which currently affected 17 per cent of the active population; about a discrepancy that persisted between law and actual practice with respect to equal remuneration for work of equal value performed by men and women; about a lack of specific regulations against sexual harassment; about the insufficiency of the minimum wage to provide a worker and his or her family with a decent standard of living; about a widespread incidence of child labour in rural areas; about a high number of reported cases of domestic violence; about still-existing legislation containing restrictions on civil servants' right to join trade union and to strike; about a rising incidence of trafficking in women for the purpose of sexual exploitation; and about a high number of people suffering from mental illness. Among other things, the Committee recommended that Poland formulate and implement a comprehensive national plan of action for the protection and promotion of human rights; that it provide information on the Roma population and adopt a comprehensive programme to address the obstacles to the advancement of that population, including measures to ensure effective remedy for cases of discrimination against Roma in employment, housing and health care; that effective protection of the rights for migrant workers and their families be ensured; that sexual harassment be prohibited by law; that efforts be intensified to ensure that occupational safety legislation was properly implemented; that effective measures be taken against trafficking in women, including ensuring that those responsible for trafficking were prosecuted; that the level of poverty be closely monitored; that conditions for permissible forced evictions be specified in law; that the situation of the high level of deaths caused by cardiovascular diseases be closely monitored; and that information on legislation and programmes concerning persons with HIV/AIDS be provided in Poland's next periodic report to the Committee. Georgia Among positive aspects to the second periodic report of Georgia, the Committee noted national efforts to comply with obligations under the international human rights instruments to which the country was a State party; and a growth in agricultural production which had increased national food security. Among subjects of concern, the Committee noted that despite the international assistance the State party was receiving, it had been unable to comply with most of the recommendations in the Committee's previous concluding observations on the State party's initial report; that the Committee was deeply concerned that Georgia had not been able to address adequately widespread and rampant corruption; that the National Ombudsman was not able to function in an effective manner; that there was a deplorable situation for internally displaced persons; that salaries in the country were extremely low; that there was a high unemployment rate, particularly in rural areas and among young persons; that there was a high number of street children; and that there was a difficult situation for persons with mental illness, who, in addition to suffering social stigmatization, often resided in long-term psychiatric facilities where they lived in substandard conditions and received substandard treatment and care. The Committee recommended, among other things, that Georgia take effective measures to combat corruption, and in particular to increase transparency and consultations at all levels of decision-making; that steps undertaken be intensified to ensure the right to work and the right to just and favourable conditions of work; that reform of the social security system be undertaken; that national plans of action on the advancement of women and on combatting domestic violence be implemented; that effective measures be implemented to combat trafficking in persons; that efforts should be made to improve the living conditions of the population; that effective measures be undertaken to improve living and working conditions in hospitals, to ensure adequate wages for medical staff, and to combat actively the practice of informal fees; that particular and adequate attention be devoted to improving the treatment and care of persons with mental illness; that preventive measures be taken against HIV/AIDS; and that measures be undertaken to ensure that access to free primary education was not impeded in reality by additional material costs and by informal fees. Solomon Islands Among positive aspects to the initial report of the Solomon Islands, the Committee noted the establishment of a technical cooperation agreement between the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Government; the establishment of initiatives by the Government in the field of constitutional reform; and programmes strengthening the rule of law, supporting the truth and reconciliation process and strengthening civil society with the assistance of the international cooperation. The Committee considered that the recent economic recession worsened by a high rate of generalized poverty and a subsistence economy, as well as social tension and political instability, had impeded the implementation of economic, social and cultural rights in the country. Among its concerns, the Committee said that women were inadequately represented at all levels of decision-making bodies of the State party and patriarchal attitudes persisted in society; that the country had not ratified the ILO Conventions on economic, social and cultural rights; that the incidence of domestic violence against women was high; that malaria remained a major public health problem; that primary education was not compulsory; and that illiteracy was a grave problem, especially among women. The Committee recommended, among other things, that a national plan of action for human rights be prepared; that all effective measures be taken to prohibit discrimination on the basis of nationality and sex in all fields; that effective legislative and administrative measures be taken to protect members of the family, particularly women and children, from domestic violence; that the problem of malnutrition be addressed; that the country seek international cooperation and assistance with a view to ensuring access to safe water and adequate sanitation; that steps be taken to ensure that all children were able to fully exercise their right to free and compulsory primary education; and that the State party fully integrate human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights, into its poverty-reduction strategies. Estonia Among positive aspects to the initial report of Estonia, the Committee cited significant steps taken by the country to bring its legislation into harmony with international human rights norms, in particular with the provisions of the International Covenant; the establishment in November 2001 of an Office of the Legal Chancellor; a recent reduction in unemployment; the adoption of a Trade Union Act in June 2000; measures undertaken to protect the rights of persons with disabilities; and the continuation of the provision of subsidies to cultural activities. The Committee said it was concerned, among other things, that convicted prisoners were required to perform forced or compulsory work since they faced "penalties in the form of loss of privileges, such as early release", for not doing so; that there was a marked difference in the wages of men and women; that legislation on civil servants contained restrictions on the right to strike; that recent studies suggested that many cases of domestic violence still went unreported; that the incidence of trafficking in women was rising; that existing law authorized work for children between the ages of 13 and 15; and that the drop-out rate was high in primary and secondary schools. Among its recommendations, the Committee urged the State party to intensify its efforts to encourage investment and development in the regions of Estonia that had the highest unemployment rate; that the State party undertake the necessary measures to ensure that the minimum wage was sufficient to secure a decent standard of living for workers and their families; that the necessary measures be undertaken to ensure the lowest level of unemployment benefit was sufficient to secure a decent standard of living; that efforts be intensified to combat domestic violence; that the level of poverty be monitored; that sufficient resources be allocated for the provision of social housing; that adequate and affordable health care be made accessible and available to everyone; that efforts be intensified to control the spread of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis; and that effective implementation of national strategies and measures be ensured to address the problem of alcohol and tobacco abuse. General Comment on Right to Water The General Comment, which was adopted by the Committee at its autumn session, notes that water is a limited natural resource and is a public good fundamental to life and health. The Committee has been confronted continually with the widespread denial of the right to water in developing as well as developed countries, the comment notes. Over 1 billion persons lack access to a basic water supply, while several billion lack access to adequate sanitation, the primary cause of water contamination and of diseases linked to water. The continuing contamination, depletion and unequal distribution of water resources is exacerbating existing poverty, the comment states, and States parties have the duty to progressively realize, without discrimination, the right to water. The human right to water entitles everyone to sufficient, affordable, physically accessible, safe and acceptable water for personal and domestic uses, the text states. While those uses vary between cultures, an adequate amount of safe water is necessary to prevent death from dehydration, to reduce the risk of water-related disease, and to provide for consumption, cooking, personal and domestic hygienic requirements. The right to water contains both freedom and entitlements, the general comment states. The freedoms include the right to maintain access to existing water supplies necessary for the right to water; and the right to be free from interference, such as the right to be free from arbitrary disconnections or contamination of water supplies. The elements of the right to water should be adequate for human dignity, life and health. The adequacy of water should not be interpreted narrowly, by mere reference to volumetric qualities and technologies. Water should be treated as a social and cultural good, and not primarily as an economic commodity. The manner of the realization of the right to water should also be sustainable, ensuring that the right could be realized for present and future generations. The General Comment notes that States parties have a constant and continuing duty, in accordance with the obligation of progressive realization, to move expeditiously and effectively towards the full realization to the right to water. Realization of the right should be feasible and practicable, since all States parties exercise control over a broad range of resources, including water, technology, financial resources and international assistance. The Millennium Development Goals and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights In a joint statement by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the United Nations Commission on Human Rights' Special Rapporteurs whose mandates related to economic, social and cultural rights, the Committee adopted the following text (extract): "The Millennium Declaration sets the United Nations agenda for peace, security and development concerns in the 21st Century, including in the areas of environment, human rights and governance. The General Assembly called upon the whole UN system to assist Member States in the implementation of this declaration. In order to guide the UN system in this task, the Secretary-General prepared a 'road-map' for implementing goals, including Millennium Development Goals and Millennium Human Rights Goals, related to the Declaration. "Recently, during the presentation of his first annual progress report on implementing the Millennium Declaration, the Secretary-General warned that prospects for reaching the Goals on current trends are uncertain, with marked differences between and within regions. He also stressed that insufficient progress was being made in meeting the broader objectives of the declaration, such as human rights, democracy and good governance. "We believe that chances will improve if all UN agencies and governments will adopt a comprehensive human rights approach to realizing the Goals, including the formulation of the corresponding indicators. "Economic, social and cultural rights provide principles and operational strategies to address the problems which are at the centre of the Goals: poverty, hunger, slum dwellers, education, gender inequality and disempowerment of women, child mortality, maternal ill-health, HIV/AIDS, and other communicable diseases, the need for environmental sustainability, including safe drinking water. Economic, social and cultural rights should be a criteria when establishing tools for measuring progress towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The concepts of progressive realization and resource availability enshrined in the International Covenant are important guidelines of any strategy which aims at meeting the Goals. "We encourage all relevant actors, including governments and UN agencies, in their work on the Goals to ensure that the definition of indicators and setting of benchmarks is consistent with the existing voluntary accepted obligations of States to the international human rights instruments." International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights The General Assembly adopted and opened the Covenant for signature, ratification and accession in 1966. It entered into force on 3 January 1976. Article 1 of the Covenant states that the right to self-determination is universal and calls upon States to promote the realization and respect of that right. Article 3 reaffirms the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all human rights and enjoins States to make that principle a reality. Article 5 provides safeguards against the destruction or undue limitation of any human right or fundamental freedom, and against misinterpretation of any provision of the Covenant as a means of justifying infringement of a right or freedom or its restriction to a greater extent than provided in the Covenant. It also prevents States from limiting rights already enjoyed within their territories on the ground that such rights are not recognized, or recognized to a lesser extent, in the Covenant. Articles 6 to 15 recognize the right to work; to the enjoyment of just and favourable conditions of work; to form and join trade unions; to social security, including social insurance; to the widest possible protection and assistance for the family, mothers, children and younger persons; to an adequate standard of living; to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; to an education and to take part in cultural life. States Parties to the Covenant The Covenant has been ratified or acceded to by 145 States: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights The Economic and Social Council established the Committee in 1985. Elected by the Economic and Social Council by secret ballot from a list of persons nominated by State parties to the Covenant, its 18 members are human-rights experts serving in their personal capacity. The Committee is composed of the following Experts: Mahmoud Samir Ahmed (Egypt), Clement Atangana (Cameroon), Rocio Barahona Riera (Costa Rica), Virginia Bonoan-Dandan (Philippines), Dumitru Ceausu (Romania), Abdessatar Grissa (Tunisia), Paul Hunt (New Zealand), Yuri Kolosov (the Russian Federation), Giorgio Malinverni (Switzerland), Jaime Marchán Romero (Ecuador), Sergei Martynov (Belarus), Ariranga Govindasamy Pillay (Mauritius), Kenneth Osborne Rattray (Jamaica), Eibe Riedel (Germany), Walid M. Sa'di (Jordan), Philippe Texier (France), Nutan Thapalia (Nepal), and Javier Wimer Zambrano (Mexico).

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Economic and Social Council2002 Substantive Session15 July 200223rd and 24th Meetings (AM & PM) Adopts Resolution without a Vote;Also Opens Three-Day Humanitarian Segment of 2002 Session The Economic and Social Council today, following last week’s consideration on strengthening its work, decided to consider creating, at the request of any African country emerging from conflict, a limited but flexible ad hoc advisory group to examine the humanitarian and economic needs of the country concerned. Also today, it opened the humanitarian segment of its 2002 substantive session. Acting without a vote, the Council adopted a resolution by which such an advisory group would prepare recommendations for a long-term programme of support through the integration of relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction and development into a comprehensive new approach to peace and stability. It would be drawn from the Council's membership and its observer States, including representation from the country concerned. Also, by the text, the Council would encourage close cooperation between the group and the Security Council’s Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa, in areas related to the fulfilment of such a group's mandate. It would invite multilateral institutions, particularly the African Development Bank, the African Union and African subregional organizations to cooperate fully with such an ad hoc group. Following action on the draft, Council President Ivan Simonovic (Croatia) opened the humanitarian segment, emphasizing that over the next three days the Council would consider ways to strengthen the coordination of United Nations humanitarian assistance for victims of natural disasters and complex emergencies. Attention would be given to vulnerable groups and transition from relief to development. Kenzo Oshima, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, introduced the Secretary-General’s report on strengthening United Nations’ coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance. He stressed that coordination was the core element in ensuring assistance. International donor support was also critical. Without a clear understanding of available resources and how to best use them, the response to crises was difficult to organize. He said that the events of 11 September had had a profound impact on the work of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), by emphasizing the need for greater integration within the United Nations system, closer collaboration with non-governmental organization partners and coherent strategies with governments. The OCHA and other humanitarian agencies had worked more closely with their development colleagues and, where necessary, with the political and peacekeeping departments. The United States representative endorsed the need for what the Secretary-General called a "culture of protection", adding that that depended in part upon a “culture of training” within the United Nations specialized agencies. Enforceable codes of conduct, rigorous oversight and monitoring of assistance programmes, and effective mechanisms for reporting the abuse of power were among the pillars upon which the “culture of accountability” stood, he added. While the Russian Federation supported the Secretary-General's proposals for strengthening cooperation with national governments during humanitarian and natural emergencies, that country’s representative worried that there was no international guidance concerning internally displaced persons, one of the most vulnerable groups. Humanitarian operations providing assistance to internally displaced persons should be implemented in accordance with certain key principles -- respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and political neutrality, with the prior approval of their country of origin. Also participating in the debate were the representatives of Japan, Mexico, Denmark (on behalf of the European Union), Azerbaijan, Venezuela (on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China), Ecuador, Egypt, Pakistan, Australia, Norway, Guatemala, Chile, Qatar, China, Brazil, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Canada, Peru, Republic of Korea, Dominican Republic, India, Malawi, Uganda, Turkey and Argentina. The observer for Switzerland also spoke. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees spoke, as well as the representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Food Programme (WFP). The Economic and Social Council will meet again at 10 a.m. Tuesday, 16 July, when it will hold two panel discussions. Background The Economic and Social Council met this morning to begin the humanitarian segment of its 2002 substantive session. Over the next three days, the Council will consider, among other related topics, special economic, humanitarian and other disaster relief assistance. It is also expected to take action on a draft resolution on strengthening the Council, building on its recent achievements, to help it fulfil the role ascribed to it in the Charter as contained in the Millennium Declaration. By that draft, on an Ad Hoc Advisory Group on African Countries emerging from conflicts (document E/2002/L.12), the Council would decide to consider creating, at the request of any African country emerging from conflict, a limited but flexible ad hoc advisory group at the ambassadorial level. According to the text, such a group would be created in consultations with regional groups and the national authorities of the country concerned, drawn from the membership of the Economic and Social Council and its observer States, including representation from the country concerned, and take into account the need to include countries that could make positive contributions to the objectives of such a group. The Council would also decide that the group would examine the humanitarian and economic needs of the country concerned, review relevant programmes of support and prepare recommendations for a long-term programme of support, based on development priorities, through the integration of relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction and development into a comprehensive new approach to peace and stability. The group would provide advice on how to ensure that international assistance in supporting the country concerned was adequate, coherent, well coordinated and effective, and that it promoted synergy. Also by the text, the Council would urge such a group to make maximum use of existing mechanisms and coordination structures, as well as intergovernmentally approved and other relevant documentation. It would also encourage close cooperation between the group and the Security Council's Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa in areas related to the fulfilment of such a group's mandate. It would invite multilateral institutions, particularly the African Development Bank, the African Union and African subregional organizations and other relevant actors to cooperate fully with such an ad hoc group. The text would also have the Council encourage all Member States, particularly donor countries, to contribute to the work of such an ad hoc group. It would also request the Secretary-General and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), as well as other agencies, to assist such an ad hoc advisory group in accomplishing its mandate, and would invite the Bretton Woods institutions to cooperate to that end. The main thrust of the Council’s work today will be to consider ways to strengthen the coordination of United Nations humanitarian assistance to victims of natural disasters and complex emergencies, with particular attention to reaching vulnerable groups, and the transition from relief to development. The relevant report of the Secretary-General (document A/57/77-E/2002/63) will guide the deliberations. That report contains an analysis of the causes and effects of humanitarian emergencies, highlighting the regional repercussions of humanitarian crises and the coordination mechanisms and tools adopted by the United Nations and its humanitarian partners to address them. It also underlines the particular efforts required to strengthen assistance to specially affected groups such as internally displaced persons (IDPs), children, women and the elderly. It details the finding of an independent review of the Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP). The report opens with a brief examination of developments and emerging themes in humanitarian assistance operations during 2001-2002. The difficult events that took place during that period -- highlighted by a series of natural disasters in the Horn of Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Afghanistan -- underlined the need for a more concerted, innovative and effective response to humanitarian emergencies around the world. Further, the 11 September terrorist attacks on the United States had left little doubt that the world could not isolate itself from events in war-affected regions of the globe. The fact that the perpetrators of the attacks emerged from an environment characterized by protracted internal conflict only served to underscore the need to strengthen international cooperation in conflict resolution and prevention. The report notes that the regional repercussions of natural disasters and complex emergencies had been recognized for some time. In Africa, Asia and south-eastern Europe, civil wars had forced massive population movements both within and across borders, placing great socio-economic burdens on receiving communities. The Secretary-General says that the impact of natural disasters rarely respects national boundaries. For example, the effects of the widespread 1998 drought in the Horn of Africa affected six other countries in the region. The response to natural disasters could be further complicated when such events take place within the context of armed conflict. Overall, the complex nature of humanitarian emergencies required a range of solutions whose success is dependent on strong cooperation and support from governments and regional organizations. The report goes on to examine the issue of reaching the vulnerable, within the broad challenges to securing safe and reliable humanitarian space for bringing assistance to those affected by humanitarian emergencies. It also underlines the particular efforts required to strengthen assistance to specially affected groups. While the responsibility for ending their suffering lies primarily with the Member States involved, to a varying degree it also lies with the wider international community. The report also notes that safety and security of humanitarian staff continues to be a chief concern in reaching the vulnerable in armed conflicts. In exploring the issue of the transition from relief to development, the Secretary-General emphasizes the importance of early, integrated planning and the need to ensure that transitional programmes contribute to reducing the risks and impact of future natural hazards. Transition from relief to development is more than an economic process. It involves institutional change that engages the full participation of society and establishes the basis for stability through recognition of the human rights of civilians. It is important to ensure that the way aid is provided does not weaken or destroy existing coping mechanisms. The recommendations of the report revolve around the need to enhance regional capacities to respond to humanitarian emergencies, promote a "culture of protection" and adequately plan for the transition from relief to development. The recommendations on the CAP focus on the need to strengthen humanitarian strategies and resource mobilization efforts, with increased support from non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Effective humanitarian assistance also requires the engagement of local communities, institutions and structures. Too often, those were ignored when their capacity had been reduced by crisis. The report also urges support for efforts to develop guidelines to expedite the work of international urban search and rescue operations. Another document before the Council, the Secretary-General's report on assistance to Mozambique (document A/57/97-E/2002/76), describes follow-up initiatives undertaken in response to the 2000 floods, preparation for and response to the 2001 floods and other United Nations assistance initiatives in support of the country's Government. The report also gives a brief description of Mozambique's geography, noting that the country spans both tropical and temperate zones, giving it variable weather, so that it is not uncommon to have local floods and droughts in different parts of the country in the same year. The high vulnerability to climactic changes often has tremendous impact on the people, livestock, property and physical infrastructure. The country was relatively prepared for the floods of 2000 and 2001, but international help was crucial and effective because the United Nations worked hand in hand with the Government. The report concludes that by assisting in coordination, resource mobilization and the delivery of goods and services, the Government and the United Nations and its partners were able to intervene quickly and effectively to reduce the loss of life caused by floods and cyclones in 2000 and 2001. While future improvements were needed, lessons learned have allowed for partners to be better coordinated and for preparation and response initiatives to be mainstreamed into United Nations planning. The government-managed reconstruction programme has demonstrated clear positive results, and while rehabilitation and resettlement efforts are still under way, national and regional assessments and monitoring continue. Action on Text Immediately upon the meeting’s opening this morning, the Council adopted without a vote the draft resolution entitled “Ad Hoc Advisory Group on African Countries emerging from conflicts”. Speaking after the vote, the representative of Denmark, on behalf of the European Union, expressed her support for the establishment of the ad hoc advisory group. Such a group should be small and effective. The flexible, time-limited approach seemed like a workable way ahead. If it succeeded, the Council would have taken a major step towards filling one of the most critical gaps at the end of a peacekeeping mission and between relief and long-term reconstruction and development. Together with the Security Council, she said, the Economic and Social Council could contribute to the integrated and complimentary approach to conflict, peace and development in Africa. She added that the Union looked forward to reviewing the implementation of the mechanism. The representative of Venezuela, speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, hailed the establishment of the ad hoc advisory group as historic in the Council’s work. The Council sought to ensure the participation of all to reinvigorate compliance with the mandates set out in the United Nations Charter in the economic, and social and cultural spheres. He said that adoption of the resolution represented an innovative response to the search for solutions to the conflicts in Africa. The special consultative body would greatly benefit Africa, and the Group of 77 and China would spare no effort in promoting its creation and subsequent work. Opening of Segment The President of the Economic and Social Council, IVAN SIMONOVIC (Croatia), said the Council had an important role to play in areas that lay at the heart of peace-building. The Council’s mandate and coordination functions encompassed the entire United Nations system. Its recently enhanced cooperation with the Bretton Woods institutions, as well as its capacity to engage other stakeholders, such as NGOs and the private sector, provided great potential to mobilize key players. Establishment of the new ad hoc group was an opportunity to test all that in practice. He said that during the course of the substantive session, participants had tried to give new impetus to a more ambitious and efficient Council. Forward-looking agreements were being negotiated, including in relation to coordination of United Nations humanitarian affairs. Complementarity of the Council’s work should be kept in mind. Enhancing disaster preparedness and recovery, and the response to complex emergencies, as well as the integration of perspectives on relief and development, were part of the larger but same picture, he said. Hopefully, the Economic and Social Council would strive to design a timely response to humanitarian and other emergencies and enhance its readiness to react to such situations throughout the year. Economic and Social Council Vice-President JASSIM MOHAMMED BUALLAY (Bahrain) said that, to conclude the segment, the Council membership had opted for a draft resolution rather than agreed conclusions. A facilitator had been designated and the draft resolution was being worked on. A series of informal consultations had been undertaken so that the resolution could be completed as soon as possible. In a parallel exercise, informal briefings had been organized on various subjects, including preparedness and the protection of civilians in armed conflicts. In terms of priorities, it was necessary to start the segment with the Secretary-General’s report. Introduction of Secretary-General’s Report KENZO OSHIMA, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, introduced the report on strengthening the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance (document A/57/77-E/2002/63). He emphasized coordination as the core element that brought together the various stakeholders and ensured that assistance reached those in need. He had concentrated on working with affected developing and disaster-prone countries, and had been engaging in a systematic dialogue with the Group of 77 on various issues. He said that donors were another important element of coordination, with which he had also had constructive discussions. Indeed, international donor support was a critical ingredient in humanitarian activities. Without a clear understanding of the available resources and how best to use them, the response to crises was difficult to organize. His office had worked with the donor community to establish mechanisms to enhance coordination, especially in the context of the CAP. The events of 11 September and their aftermath had had a profound impact on his work, he said. They had further emphasized the need for greater integration within the United Nations system, closer collaboration with NGO partners and coherent strategies with governments. Under the Secretary-General’s leadership, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the humanitarian agencies had worked more closely with their development colleagues and, where necessary, with the political and peacekeeping departments. He said there had been new opportunities to resolve some of the longer-running complex humanitarian emergencies in Afghanistan, Angola, Sri Lanka and other countries. Developments in the ways in which the humanitarian community responded to crises had been encouraging. The Secretary-General’s report focused on the importance of reaching the vulnerable in emergencies and supporting them through the transition from relief to development. Reporting on his recent mission to southern Africa, he said the impact of drought in Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia was placing more than 12 million people at risk of hunger and long-term destitution. He was also shocked at the extent to which HIV/AIDS had “robbed” the region of key human resources in the vital economic sectors, and was seriously undermining the economic and social base needed to cope with the crisis. Nevertheless, effective regional coordination among the affected countries, coupled with timely support from the humanitarian and donor community, could help avert a major crisis. Continuing, he said that that window of opportunity was limited; there might be only a few months left to mobilize needed resources and mount a major humanitarian assistance effort for the subregion in order to avert a famine there. His subsequent mission to Angola had left him with a sense of hope for the future, but he was acutely aware of remaining challenges. As a result of that long-running conflict, more than one quarter of the population had been forced from their homes. Many had long been beyond the reach of humanitarian assistance. In Afghanistan, he said, the humanitarian situation was of great concern, and tens of thousands of people remained vulnerable. Only coordination could ensure that all parts of the country continued to receive assistance in accordance with need in that rapidly changing environment. The establishment of a new transition authority added the new challenge of ensuring that relief efforts supported the process of capacity building. Within the framework of the United Nations Mission there, he had been able to provide relief in accordance with humanitarian principles and in a way that allowed for a more effective link with United Nations development partners. In the area of natural disasters, last year alone the lives of 170 million people worldwide had been disrupted, he said. While it was important to improve the United Nations response, 80 per cent of the response was from the local community or the affected country as a whole. He was committed to working hard to support national and local capacities in that regard, which was why he had increased the number of regional disaster response advisers, who would be working closely with regional and national organizations towards that goal. He also reported on his review of humanitarian funding patterns to identify the reason for potential imbalances. The review had found a declining trend in the share of global humanitarian assistance that was channelled through the CAP, although that process was still perceived as providing the common framework of humanitarian assistance, for which he urged greater donor coordination. In order to comply with the Council’s earlier request that his office provide a total picture of humanitarian needs and assistance flows, financial information should be provided by all humanitarian partners, including governments and NGOs. Statements YOSHIYUKI MOTOMURA (Japan), referring to the recent tenth anniversary of General Assembly resolution 46/182, which set the guiding principles for coordinating United Nations humanitarian activities, stressed the need for strict adherence to those principles. As Japan had centuries of experience in coping with natural disasters, it attached great importance to that issue. He supported the efforts to expand developing countries’ participation in United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) teams, with a view to enhancing national response efforts. In that connection, the Government of Japan was considering participating in UNDAC and was preparing to train UNDAC experts in cooperation with OCHA. Also of great importance were the Guidelines for the Search and Rescue of the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group and their ongoing review. Disaster-risk assessments should be integrated with reduction strategies in national and regional planning. Among other urgent issues that must be addressed by the international community, he also singled out protection of civilians in armed conflict. Supporting the idea of a “culture of protection”, Japan was working with OCHA towards convening regional workshops on that matter. His Government was also concerned about the plight of IDPs who now numbered more than 50 million all over the world, as well as allegations of sexual abuse that involved humanitarian workers. He went on to say that the international community must make every effort to ensure a seamless transition from relief to development. His Government highly appreciated the assistance programme for the Afghan people, which had been set up a few months after the launching of the donor alert on the humanitarian needs in and around Afghanistan. A more active involvement by international financial institutions should be sought to enhance efforts to facilitate transitions. For its part, the Government of Japan was determined to continue to do its utmost to ensure funding for humanitarian activities, including those in response to “forgotten crises”. The basis of the humanitarian activities was a shared sense of responsibility on behalf of the international community, and action should be taken for the sake of the vulnerable on the ground and humanitarian personnel working under extremely difficult conditions. ALEJANDRO NEGRIN (Mexico) said his country had developed a three-pronged approach to humanitarian assistance, including the consolidation of a national civilian protection system backed by a national fund. The Secretary-General’s report offered a solid basis for ensuring coordination throughout the United Nations system. Several aspects of the report stood out, including the need for prevention and an early warning system, and targeted attention to vulnerable groups. Mexico was interested in strengthening the legal framework in national disasters. Focusing on armed conflict must also be a priority, he said. The fallout of armed conflict was not only devastating but also on the rise. More than 200 million people had been affected by natural disasters, and more than 30 million by armed conflicts. Some 90 per cent of lives lost were in developing countries. The UNDP had provided ample proof of the connection between natural disaster, armed conflict and the situation in the developing countries. He was concerned that the Council had not reached agreement on the issue in the last two years, and that there was a trend to treat the item as one of secondary importance. The draft resolution had been the subject of difficult negotiations. New phenomena for which there was no legal agreement must be included in the draft. He was confident that consensus could be reached this year. ELLEN MARGRETHE LØJ (Denmark), speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated States, welcomed the decision to conclude by adopting a resolution to provide guidance for the work of the United Nations in the humanitarian field. The ongoing operation in Afghanistan had underlined the radically changed conditions under which humanitarian assistance often had to be delivered today. It was essential to ensure that resources were employed effectively. Overall coordination of international humanitarian assistance efforts should continue to be the responsibility of the United Nations, as envisaged in resolution 46/182. She endorsed the emphasis on crisis prevention and the need to address root causes before full-scale crises developed. More should be done to close the gap between emergency relief and longer-term development. In some cases, a clearer division of work and strengthened cooperative arrangements among agencies were necessary. The importance of national capacity-building could not be overestimated. Everything should be done to engage the full participation of the international community and local structures, and to establish the basis for stability through the promotion of human rights. The European Union welcomed the emphasis on the need to strengthen the regional aspect of disaster management, and fully shared the Secretary-General’s views on the importance of improving work in the areas of contingency planning, early warning, prevention and preparedness. The rapid deployment mechanism -– the United Nations Disaster and Coordination (UNDAC) system –- was indispensable for coordinated response in sudden emergencies. The Union was currently developing a civil protection capacity to strengthen its civil crisis management capacity. It recognized the need for standards for emergency humanitarian response, particularly search and rescue operations. The Union supported efforts within the United Nations system to ensure that the needs of IDPs were met in an effective and comprehensive manner, she said. The Union also welcomed increasing attention to the specific protection and assistance needs of especially vulnerable groups such as women, children, the elderly and the disabled. The Union played a prominent role in international efforts to relieve humanitarian needs everywhere in the world. In 2001, European Union members had supplied over 1 billion euros. The Union actively supported efforts to strengthen the CAP as the prime tool for strategic planning and coordination. The question of resources was of the essence. The international community had to address the lack of sufficient financial resources. The uneven pattern of funding between the CAP and between sectors within appeals raised a number of legitimate questions, she added. Part of the answer could be improved donor coordination to ensure more balanced support for humanitarian crises globally. The existing humanitarian financial tracking system did not give an adequate picture of the totality of humanitarian needs and assistance flows. The Union was ready to consider the need for establishing a more comprehensive system for financial information and analysis as a means to improve humanitarian coordination. It was also imperative, however, to underline the obligations of the United Nations system. Irrespective of progress achieved, more should be done to ensure greater transparency and accountability and to substantiate results achieved through such measures as stepped-up efforts in the area of monitoring and evaluation. YURI BRAZHNIKOV (Russian Federation) said that nowadays, particularly after the tragic events of 11 September, the need to forecast emergencies and ensure preparedness and swift response from both national and international humanitarian agencies was increasing dramatically. He supported the proposals set forth in the Secretary-General’s report for strengthening cooperation with national governments in cases of emergencies resulting from humanitarian crises and natural disasters, as well as the strengthening of OCHA’s presence in regions prone to natural calamities. At the same time, he continued, the fundamental principles of humanitarian assistance –- neutrality, impartiality and humanity –- should remain unchanged. He said that IDPs were one of the most vulnerable groups, often in need of support during times of crisis. The issue was complicated and sensitive, as there was no international document that dealt directly with such populations. Furthermore, there was not even an internationally agreed definition of IDPs. At the same time, the United Nations had build up considerable experience dealing with IDPs, and the Russian Federation supported the established practice of providing relevant assistance on behalf of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other humanitarian agencies. He stressed that humanitarian operations providing international assistance to IDPs should be carried out in accordance with fundamental principles, namely, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of States and lack of political bias. Another crucial requisite for providing such assistance was prior approval by the States of which the IDPs were nationals, as well as consent of relevant governing United Nations bodies. The Russian Federation believed that national governments were responsible for provision and protection of IDPs. He said another burning issue was the need to examine the transition from humanitarian assistance to reconstruction and development. The foremost opportunity to address that issue was the case of assistance to Afghanistan. Efficient transition was one of the prerequisites for the success of international efforts in peace-building and national reconciliation. It was crucial, therefore, to ensure coordinated efforts by participants in the process -- including United Nations agencies and funds, as well as the Bretton Woods institutions -- to perhaps have a "standby capacity" similar to OCHA's. It could be used without waiting for a reaction from the donor community, which was often late or inadequate. MAKHMUD MAMED-GULIYEV, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, said that, while recognizing the devastating consequences of all kinds of humanitarian crises, it was important to pay particular attention to those caused by armed conflicts resulting in forced displacement, human suffering and the emergence of economic, social and ecological problems. He said the issue of IDPs was of particular complexity. The Assembly had expressed deep concern at the alarmingly high numbers of displaced persons throughout the world -- roughly estimated at some 50 million -- not receiving adequate protection and assistance. To adequately address that problem, work should be done on different levels, including ensuring timely humanitarian assistance and further enhancing the international legal framework. However, the ultimate solution for all IDPs was the settlement and resolution of the conflicts that had caused them to flee their homes in the first place. Along with the positive steps taken by the international community on behalf of IDPs, he mentioned the establishment of an inter-agency Unit on Internal Displacement as a welcome step that should ensure a more comprehensive approach among all relevant actors. The Secretary-General's report noted that the Unit would provide support in the coming years to a number of protracted or “forgotten” crises of internal displacement, in countries such as Angola, Burundi, Indonesia, Nigeria and Somalia. He said that women and children were among the most vulnerable categories of civilians requiring assistance during humanitarian emergencies. Women and children were often targeted for violence and abuse. For that reason, Azerbaijan had submitted the resolution on the release of women and children taken hostage in armed conflicts, adopted this year by the Commission on Human Rights. He said one of the most important tasks before the international community was to enhance international cooperation both in conflict prevention -- including early warning -- and conflict settlement. ADRIANA PULIDO SANTANA (Venezuela), speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, said that the guiding principles laid out in resolution 46/182 (1991) –- neutrality, impartiality and humanity -– should be the basis for response to humanitarian emergencies. Those principles were central to the efficient and effective delivery of humanitarian assistance by the United Nations and other humanitarian actors working in the field. She said it was important to remember that women, children and elderly persons continued to be among the most vulnerable groups during humanitarian emergencies, and it was important to take that issue into account during the planning phases of humanitarian assistance programmes. She said it was also important to highlight that, in accordance with those principles, the primary responsibility to initiate, organize and implement humanitarian assistance lay with the affected State. It was, therefore, imperative to enhance capacity-building at both local and national levels to ensure better coordination and closer cooperation with the United Nations system and humanitarian organizations. It was equally important to highlight that States whose populations were in need of humanitarian assistance were called upon to facilitate the work of humanitarian organizations in implementing that assistance, particularly delivery of food, medicines and shelter. The nature of emergencies was different today from that of previous decades, she said. And despite efforts to address that change -– particularly the emergence of internal conflicts –- the challenge of coordinating humanitarian activities within the United Nations system and of addressing complex emergencies in a timely, adequate manner remained to be met. Another serious issue was funding for rapid response. In that regard, the Group of 77 supported the Secretary-General's concept of a global humanitarian financial tracking system, which would significantly improve the coordination and accountability of humanitarian assistance. She said the Group was also concerned that, despite efforts to improve the CAPs, there had been a drastic decline in the flows of humanitarian assistance. That situation should be reversed swiftly. Funding was also a challenge when considering the transition from relief to development. That issue was intimately related to the building of national capacities of countries affected by humanitarian emergencies or natural disasters, in order to be able to respond adequately. Investment in development activities that allowed promotion of self-reliance and stability in affected countries should be considered during the planning phases of humanitarian assistance programmes. LUIS GALLEGOS (Ecuador) said that climate change had become the main factor responsible for the growing frequency and intensity of natural disasters. At the same time, the level of vulnerability of populations had also increased, with poverty being the main cause of greater exposure to natural risks and hazards. He said that, while massive losses caused by natural disasters greatly undermined opportunities for economic development, the negative social impact was even more harmful. Since humanitarian assistance and reconstruction efforts absorbed a significant amount of resources, the poor were always the most adversely affected by natural disasters and the most vulnerable to greater hardships and even fewer opportunities. Although humanitarian assistance and disaster response were unavoidable in international cooperation, disaster response and relief actions, in general, were not enough. Consequently, he said, efforts to reduce vulnerability and the causes of natural disasters should constitute a priority and should be supported by an effective flow of international cooperation. When addressing disaster-risk reduction, it was particularly important to consider the transboundary nature of natural hazards in order to develop and implement regional and international understanding of the causes of natural hazards. The result would be capacity-building, transfer of sound technologies, access to relevant information, as well as the development of early warning systems to detect, monitor and submit alerts about natural hazards and vulnerabilities which could affect neighbouring societies. IHAB GAMALELDIN (Egypt) said one of the major challenges facing the international community was providing humanitarian assistance to those who needed it. In that endeavour, all parties to an armed conflict must fully respect the rights of civilians and international humanitarian law. Supplying humanitarian assistance to civilians must take place with the agreement of the country concerned. Full respect must be guaranteed for the sovereignty and political independence of States. While appreciating the difficulty of dealing with the range of problems in countries without a central government, Egypt called upon the General Assembly to assume its role and take action in those cases. He welcomed the fact that the humanitarian segment was focusing on access to vulnerable categories, including women and children. Civilians must not be used as scapegoats to obtain political objectives. The reaction of the international community should not be dictated by double standards. He supported the Secretary-General’s concept of a culture of protection. He called on the international community to spell out and apply that concept, together with respect for the mandates of the various United Nations bodies. Egypt called on the international community to intervene in coping with the humanitarian disaster of the Palestinian people. Israeli practices had led to a humanitarian disaster in the Palestinian territories, resulting in total destruction of their political and economic foundations. Buildings and homes had been destroyed, and natural resources polluted and gutted. Collective sanctions had been imposed on the Palestinian people. A just peace in the Middle East was the only way to guarantee a better future for the Palestinian and Israeli peoples. He hoped the march towards peace in the Middle East would regain the momentum it had lost. He expressed appreciation for the efforts of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in organizing assistance for some 4 million Palestinian refugees. He asked donor countries to provide more financing to assist the Palestinian people. They must adopt a strict position regarding practices which prevented the arrival of assistance. The same applied to Syrian citizens in the occupied Syrian Golan. Egypt asked OCHA to coordinate with UNRWA in monitoring the situation of civilians under foreign occupation. The Secretary-General’s report, submitted last year, should have included an analysis of efforts by the United Nations in that area and the humanitarian situation in the occupied territories. Internally displaced persons were not a separate category and should be covered by the protection afforded under the Geneva Conventions. While protecting displaced civilians was the responsibility of governments, the international community must assist those governments. WILLIAM J. GARVELINK (United States) said that the attacks of 11 September had revealed that events in one part of the world could transform the lives of people on the other side of the globe. Decades of unresolved conflict, poverty, and natural disasters had eroded civil society in Afghanistan and turned that country into a breeding ground for terrorists and extremists. The response of the United States and the civilized world to the humanitarian crisis there, over the past year, had demonstrated compassion and generosity, as well as the value of coordination in an extremely complex emergency. He said that effective humanitarian response required the coordination of early warning mechanisms, sharing and analysis of information, continuous needs assessment, coordination between the international community and the military as appropriate, and adequate resources. In Afghanistan, the United States and many other donors were not only meeting a large proportion of the most immediate needs, but also fostering self-reliance among the Afghan people through the Immediate and Transitional Assistance Programme. That Programme was the most comprehensive effort to date linking the emergency phase of a crisis to recovery, rehabilitation, and long-term development, he went on. In Afghanistan, good governance, rule of law and respect for human rights would be the lynchpin in that transition. But while Afghanistan might be the most visible challenge to the humanitarian community, other crises were equally compelling. In Somalia, warlords and extremists operated with impunity. The Sudanese Government still restricted access to many areas in need, and in Liberia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, civilians were cut off from aid because of instability and fighting. In all such places, government authorities had the primary responsibility for providing for their people and protecting their rights. He said his country strongly endorsed the Secretary-General’s report on the need for a “culture of protection”, based on respect for fundamental human rights and with the legal and physical security of the individual at its core. Every humanitarian worker was responsible for such protection. While the majority took that mission to heart, many lacked adequate training or preparation. A “culture of protection” depended in part upon a “culture of training” within the United Nations specialized agencies. Allegations of sexual exploitation of refugee and displaced children in West Africa exposed worldwide systemic problems in the humanitarian community. Enforceable codes of conduct, rigorous oversight and monitoring of assistance programmes, and effective mechanisms for reporting the abuse of power were among the pillars upon which the “culture of accountability” stood, he said. Concerning shortfalls in donor response to the CAPs, his country called upon other Member States to do their fair share, particularly with regard to food aid. His country was committed to improving the Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeals Process. Strengthening coordination in complex emergencies and natural disasters was in the best interest of all.He said the United States supported the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group in its effort to promote international standards for the coordination and mobilization of search and rescue teams. The Group’s work and the development of operational guidelines for international search and rescue were essential to enhancing disaster-response capabilities. MASOOD KHALID (Pakistan) said more than 215 million people around the world had been affected by natural disasters in the past decade. Many more millions were displaced as the result of armed conflicts and post-conflict situations. Most humanitarian catastrophes lingered in the poorest regions of the world. Besides impeding the socio-economic development of affected countries, disasters had further eroded their capacity to absorb such shocks, posing a formidable challenge to the international community and the United Nations system. It was strange that, while the United Nations system maintained the necessary expertise to cope with humanitarian emergencies, a shortage of resources often derailed disaster-management efforts. The CAP was losing more of the “market share” of humanitarian funding from donors. In real terms, in 2001, the CAP had lost some 10 per cent of “market share” or some $560 million. While “new emergencies” were being tackled, “old emergencies” were often neglected in terms of resource allocations. The situation in Afghanistan and crisis-prone countries in Africa was a case in point, he added. Apart from IDPs, many millions were forced to seek refuge in neighbouring countries. A comprehensive assessment of such situations was needed. Countries hosting large numbers of refugees bore high costs in terms of economic, social and environmental damage, and needed support. Humanitarian relief assistance should be coupled with a development perspective to repatriate refugees. A conducive environment was needed to encourage their safe return home. Peace and security was the first prerequisite for such an environment. Another important aspect of addressing complex humanitarian emergencies was capacity- building. Unhindered access to affected areas, in consultation with host governments, was an important requirement for effective humanitarian efforts. Based on Pakistan’s experience, he proposed that United Nations country teams promote contingency planning for all possible risks related to complex humanitarian crisis or natural disasters in consultation with and in support of the host governments. A well defined strategy to meet natural disasters must be maintained. An emergency reserve fund must be created. Transition from relief to development was a crucial process in any complex humanitarian or natural disaster crisis. The humanitarian and development community could facilitate direct participation of local communities and populations in the identification and implementation of humanitarian and transitional programmes. Countries affected by hosting refugees should be compensated through a greater allocation of development aid. MARK PALU (Australia) welcomed the emphasis in the Secretary-General's report on the capacities of women as agents for change, rather than on their vulnerabilities or simply as beneficiaries of humanitarian assistance. He was also pleased to see the recognition that much more needed to be done to reach women affected by crises and to actively support their own capacity to contribute to the response. It was essential that gender integration should occur at the earliest stages of all peace-building activities, disaster preparedness and recovery programmes, and that there should be greater emphasis on capacity and competence building for women. Every effort should be made to raise awareness and provide specific training about the need for gender mainstreaming. In addition, he was pleased to see the emphasis on the transition from relief to long-term development. Australia's Humanitarian Programme Strategy for 2002-2003, developed in response to the growing incidence of crises in the Asia-Pacific region, aimed to reduce the traditional distinction between development and humanitarian assistance. The Government also recognized that the transition from emergency to recovery assistance required a significant shift in approach. He supported the involvement of the UNDP and other development agencies from the early stages of a crisis response, including formulation of a CAP, to ensure policy coherence and integration of recovery programming and peace-building perspectives into emergency responses. His delegation supported the use of the CAP mechanism as an ongoing strategic planning and monitoring tool, as well as a resource mobilization mechanism, and had actively participated in the recent CAP review. He was particularly concerned about its findings on the lack of progress in prioritizing projects to include in the appeal, that projects were still not properly screened and that agencies were still struggling to separate wider humanitarian needs from narrower institutional ones. It was imperative that the CAP be seen not simply as a fund-raising exercise but as a full strategic planning tool. HANS FREDRIK LEHNE (Norway) said the growing number of humanitarian emergencies and of IDPs had severely impacted the resources needed to respond to them effectively. More human suffering and deprivation cost more to alleviate. Alas, the international community had not responded accordingly. Indeed, collective efforts appeared out of tune with real needs. It was vital, therefore, to provide sustained adequate financial commitment from donors and to further improve coordination by the United Nations system. He said humanitarian assistance was not a solution in itself: it was no substitute for political action. The international community must strive to take political action to remedy crises and disasters not only after they occurred, but to prevent them from occurring. Still, Norway continued to support the CAP as a means of improving the coordination of humanitarian assistance and avoiding duplication and waste of scarce resources. While welcoming the progress made so far in that process, he said there were still considerable challenges to be met. Namely, it had become apparent that it was difficult to meet the requirements stipulated in the appeals. There was reason to fear that persistent underfunding could undermine the ability of the CAPs to serve as a strategic planning instrument, he said. The tendency of donors to favour bilateral assistance, especially at the expense of multilateral funding, further reduced the cooperation possibilities of the CAPs. It was crucial for the United Nations to work more closely with NGOs and other agencies like the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to help strengthen local capacities. Norway shared the view that, whenever possible, international efforts to prepare for and deal with humanitarian emergencies must increasingly be seen as complementary to those of local actors. Norway encouraged NGOs to relate their activities to the CAPs. He said strengthening local organizations and networks was also important when addressing the issue of gaps in funding. Over the years, there had been many examples of a protracted crisis dropping off the media radar and subsequently losing the interest of the international community. If lasting progress was ever to be achieved, more attention should be paid to the difficult period between the receipt of humanitarian assistance and the arrival of longer-term aid. For its part, Norway had established a specific budgetary allocation this year for such "gap" projects. Countries emerging from conflict were likely candidates for funds from that allocation. GERT ROSENTHAL (Guatemala) said that in an ideal world there would be no need to talk about humanitarian assistance. The need for humanitarian assistance was on the rise, which was why humanitarian assistance was a core United Nations activity. The Secretary-General’s report contained lucid proposals and Guatemala subscribed to most of them. Guatemala had a direct interest in the topic. Central America, in general, and Guatemala, in particular, were prone to natural disasters, chiefly earthquakes and hurricanes, which had taken a heavy human toll in the past decade. Widespread violence, moreover, had resulted in displaced persons and a long-lasting humanitarian emergency. Following years of trial and adaptation, the United Nations had now developed the necessary tools to forge a response to humanitarian emergencies, he said. The basic principles contained in the annex to General Assembly resolution 46/189, while not legally binding, had gained credence by reason of their high moral value. While primary responsibility for meeting the needs of victims of natural disasters fell upon States, the international community was duty-bound to support them in the exercise of that responsibility. The international community, acting in conformity with international law, might also deal with situations that could not be addressed at the national level. He concurred with the Secretary-General that in protecting civilians it was important to observe the rules of international humanitarian law, human rights norms and the rights of refugees. The main challenge was to cover the needs of the most vulnerable groups, such as IDPs, women and children. On the question of transition from relief to development, humanitarian programmes designed to protect persons should seek to reduce threats to their safety, he said. To ensure long-term well-being, relief and assistance should be linked -- from their initial stages -- with development plans. He supported the Secretary-General’s view that the donor community should associate its contributions within a single track through the CAP, but he was concerned with the reduction in humanitarian assistance channelled through that process. Coherence was needed for the Organization to identify threats and respond appropriately. Coherence must be reinforced through an association between the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council, which must do all it could to guarantee a rational apportionment among various tasks. JUAN GABRIEL VALDES (Chile) said his delegation was concerned at the steady reduction in aid being given through the CAP. That mechanism continued to be the most valuable and efficient machinery to deliver necessary funds to vulnerable populations during complex emergencies. He added that the trend towards bilateral donation of funds, bypassing the CAP, was most troubling and made it difficult to follow up humanitarian financing and monitor efficiency. His delegation was also concerned that not enough attention had been given to the process of transition from humanitarian assistance to development. Indeed, it was not sufficient or humane to provide initial emergency aid and then not help them with long-term assistance. He highlighted the five-year plan for assistance to Afghanistan as a model for such programmes, now and in the future. He said that humanitarian crises were important and worthy of attention, whether they were related to conflicts or not. The importance and safety of civilians should not be determined solely by where they were located. Chile was also concerned that climate change would continue to exacerbate the number of extreme events that would cause natural disasters. A further concern was the increase in domestic conflicts that resulted in serious humanitarian complications, most notably, the increased number of IDPs. More attention should be paid to the fact that women and children were increasingly becoming the targets of violence, particularly in the Palestinian occupied territories, Israel and the Sudan, among others. RUUD LUBBERS, United Nations High Commissioner for Rufugees, said close cooperation with the Department of Political Affairs and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations was key for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Recent peace-building operations in places such as Afghanistan had seen an increasing trend of bringing together political, military, humanitarian and development actors to address crisis situations in an integrated way. With its extensive field presence, the UNHCR often worked in partnership with the two departments in conflict prevention, conflict resolution and on activities to ensure sustainable peace. UNHCR’s work also involved cooperation with the United Nations development pillar –- the UNDP and the United Nations Development Group. With a presence in many volatile regions, the UNHCR was well placed to make more proactive contributions to early warning and prevention. He said Afghanistan had shown that there was a need to find a more effective way to address the transition from emergency relief and longer-term development. To achieve that, the United Nations needed to come up with an innovative approach that was neither “humanitarian” nor “development”, but that was unique. In post-conflict situations, the World Bank, the UNDP and the international community had already come up with such an approach for addressing the issue of ex-combatants -- “DDRR” or demilitarization, demobilization, reintegration and rehabilitation. He had, therefore, proposed the concept of the “four Rs” –- repatriation, reintegration, rehabilitation and reconstruction. In cases where local integration of refugees in countries of asylum was a viable option, he proposed the concept of “Development through Local Integration”. Rather than seeing refugees as a burden, host governments and the international community recognized that refugees could be agents of development. Given the organizational structures of the World Bank, UNDP and UNHCR, he proposed joint ventures on a country-by-country basis. The next step was to work on concrete programmes. The UNHCR had initially identified eight possible flagship programmes and would start focusing on the most promising. Regarding internally displaced persons, he said the United Nations system in recent years had sought to strengthen its response to internal displacement through an inter-agency collaborative approach. While some progress had been made in terms of coordination, there was still a lack of predictability and consistency. UNHCR’s policy on involvement with IDPs had been communicated to its partners and endorsed by the General Assembly. Through greater predictability, the UNHCR could ensure a more proactive United Nations response. He intended, therefore, to inform the Secretary-General and the Emergency Relief Coordinator of situations where the UNHCR already had a substantial role in supporting IDPs and where his Office was likely to play a significant role in the future. He would provide that information in the middle of each year, as soon as the budget for the next year had been finalized. On humanitarian coordinators, he said good coordination depended on strong leadership on the ground. It was clear that the humanitarian coordinator system needed to be strengthened. In situations where there were large humanitarian operations and where a particular United Nations agency had a presence in a country, the representative of that agency should be available to be the humanitarian coordinator. The UNHCR would indicate its availability in a timely manner, country by country. He also supported ongoing efforts to strengthen the CAP. He had two worries, however. First, the UNHCR should not be seen as a purely humanitarian agency, as its work was not limited to short-term emergency relief programmes. It was important to ensure that the CAP contained adequate plans to unite relief and transitional programmes, including in the area of resource mobilization. Second, it was necessary to ensure that United Nations’ investment in joint planning was matched by greater financial support from donors. Good planning did not mean much if the plans could not be implemented. He welcomed greater involvement by donors both in assessing needs and following up to ensure that those needs were met. ABDULLAH EID SALMAN AL-SULAITI (Qatar) said natural disasters such as drought and desertification had afflicted many countries throughout the world, causing destruction to infrastructures and populations. Various countries continued to suffer from civil wars and regional conflicts resulting in the displacement of people. Many marginalized people had suffered, in particular, the most vulnerable segments of society. Terrorism had assumed very serious proportions in the world, both regionally and internationally. Development had to go hand in hand with relief. Disasters -– natural or manmade –- afflicted the most vulnerable segments of society. True development was based on human development, he said. That concept had been adopted by the UNDP and had spread throughout the world. Having seen how bankrupt development efforts had been, it was good that the international community had taken that idea on board. Development was a complex process that had to be seen in a more general context. When certain social segments of society were emphasized at the cost of others, the process of development was incomplete. Protecting basic human rights was essential to social progress. Modern societies were marked by diversity. The most vulnerable and the marginalized must be mainstreamed into the process. Disregarding the needs of certain groups could lead to division and conflict. ZHANG YISHAN (China) said the basis of humanitarian assistance activities was to protect such vulnerable groups as IDPs, women, children, the elderly and the disabled, so that their ability to withstand crises was enhanced. China believed that, in the process of providing humanitarian assistance, the United Nations agencies and the international community would act in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the guidelines outlined in General Assembly resolution 46/182, and, further, that such assistance should be undertaken with the approval of the concerned countries. He said that, although the CAP, as a coordination, strategic planning and advocacy tool, had played an important role in raising funds for humanitarian assistance, the proportion of the funds raised in overall humanitarian assistance funding had declined by up to 40 per cent. China was concerned over the issue and hoped that further efforts would be made to strengthen work in that regard. LUIZ TUPY CALDAS DE MOURA (Brazil) said he attached great importance to the contribution that could be made through the collaboration of various United Nations organs, with a view to producing a synergy in the realm of humanitarian assistance. Particularly worrisome had been the decline in the proportion of humanitarian assistance channelled through the CAP. The most telling consequences had been the weakening of coordination and emerging imbalance in humanitarian assistance, including the lack of support for “forgotten emergencies”. He said that ignoring the funding gap between relief and development risked treating only the symptoms of the “disease”, while its root causes remained untouched. International assistance was key and could make a huge difference in mitigating damage and reducing the need for post-disaster aid and reconstruction and post-conflict peace-building. A true culture of protection required access for humanitarian personnel to those in need, assurance of their safety and security, and a solution to the question of IDPs. It was extremely important to strengthen the advocacy efforts of the United Nations system and act to halt abuses and punish the perpetrators. Humanitarian workers and the civilian population bore the brunt of the highly complex environment of today’s conflicts, he continued. Such personnel were increasingly targets of deliberate or random violence. Their safety and security must, thus, continue to be a matter of high priority in the United Nations system. Member States that had not done so should consider becoming parties to the 1994 Convention on Security of United Nations and Associated Personnel. Efforts should also be stepped up to protect the millions of IDPs. The use of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement by an increasing number of States should be encouraged. TONI FRISCH, observer for Switzerland, encouraged OCHA to strengthen its efforts at consciousness-raising about dire and complex humanitarian situations. That agency’s work should be emphasized throughout the United Nation and among all donor countries and Member States. His delegation was particularly mindful of efforts to coordinate the work of humanitarian agencies to improve the effectiveness, quality and promptness of humanitarian activities in the field. Turning to the CAP, he said that mechanism should help prioritize and provide for better coordination and dialogue among donors as they made decisions about humanitarian operational planning. Such planning should take place in conjunction with the authorities of the countries concerned. Switzerland reaffirmed its commitment and devotion to all humanitarian staff working in often precarious and dangerous situations. He added that the international community must train its workers in the field. Switzerland was also concerned that children, women and the elderly and other vulnerable groups were most affected by displacement or other violations of human rights. He stressed the importance of the 1951 Guiding Principles on Internally Displaced Persons in that regard. Further, the mutual and impartial nature of all humanitarian action should be consistently stressed. Switzerland supported the proposal of the Secretary-General to promote a “culture of protection”, as well as the protection of vulnerable populations and natural resources. MAHBUB-UZ ZAMAN (Bangladesh) noted the increase in the past decade of the number of people affected by natural disasters and the increasingly regional nature of wars, as well as the emergence of special situations, such as the one in Afghanistan. All of that had changed the extent and nature of humanitarian interventions, requiring strengthened coordination of the humanitarian assistance mechanisms at the global and national levels. He said that Bangladesh, given its unique geographical location and climatic conditions, had always been subjected to natural disasters. Floods and cyclones had lashed its shores with relentless regularity. Over the years, through a mix of policy planning, national resilience and the proper utilization of external support, the country had largely been able to control the damage. A national policy on disaster management had been formulated, taking into account the linkages among environment, disaster and development, as well as the conservation, management and utilization of natural resources. A ministerial disaster Management Coordination Committee monitored implementation of related projects and policies. Regionally, the South Asian countries had agreed to devise mechanisms in early warning, disaster preparedness, and land and water conservation. Those capacities, once developed, would require United Nations support. The arsenic contamination of drinking water required a coordinated approach and international support. Ironically, the success in tube well water distribution was now adversely affecting more than 35 million people. The emerging situation clearly deserved priority attention. Outlining proposals of key concern to Bangladesh, he highlighted the need to coordinate disaster assistance at the national levels, as well as a shift from the ad hoc nature of planning to long-term strategies. Also critical was reversing the downward flow in resources and reaching the vulnerable and affected groups through targeted interventions. He also stressed broadening the participation base. Disaster-accentuated poverty and governments alone could not solve the complex problems associated with poverty. Early forecasting of disasters could also greatly reduce the loss of lives and property. For its part, the United Nations should strengthen its analysis capabilities in predicting impending disasters and conflicts. Ms. LARUSDOTTIR, World Health Organization (WHO), said that in this "year of September 11" new players and new concerns entered the humanitarian arena, bringing new responsibilities to the international community. More complex emergencies turned chronic. The poorest and most disease-ridden communities continued to need, and often failed to receive, substantial relief. While polio was being eradicated, people continued to die of measles, pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria. The cessation of hostilities in Angola demonstrated the magnitude of the humanitarian needs of newly accessible populations. He said that the escalation of violence in the West Bank further brought to the fore the pressing needs for humanitarian relief. That ran parallel to the ambitious challenge of assisting Afghanistan on the way to national recovery, while responding to the Afghan people's persisting, large needs for survival and dignity in the face of man-made and natural hazards. Poverty remained a major factor of vulnerability, and well known seasonal hazards, such as floods, returned. Food shortages were recurring in southern Africa, which interacted with structural poverty, political instability and the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS in a new humanitarian crisis that threatened at least 60 million people and could lead to an excess mortality of 30,000. Developing countries rightly expected WHO's work for humanitarian action to contribute to the recovery and further development of local and national capacities in health, he said. The WHO had defined a set of "core commitments" in an emergency for which it could be held accountable. It represented a priority list of what the health partners must ensure for the survival of people in a crisis and, therefore, a model of preparedness plans. Around those priorities, the WHO promoted institutional capacities and linkages in Member States and partner agencies. Coordination was essential, even if difficult, and there was great demand for quality standards and accountability. The WHO was ready to offer those for all. But, prevention was better than cure, and greater resources should be put into longer-term programmes that promoted sustainable, healthy livelihoods, and not mere survival. JEAN-JACQUES GRAISSE, Deputy Executive Director, World Food Programme (WFP), said that collaboration and effective coordination between diverse humanitarian actors was both an operational necessity and a moral imperative for providing an effective humanitarian response in a crisis. The WFP mobilized food aid in emergency and protracted crisis situations to save lives, alleviate hunger, and enable poor, food-insecure people to make investments that helped them in the longer term. In 2001, the WFP assisted 77 million people in 82 countries, including 8 million IDPs and 3 million refugees. He said the Programme’s experience as a front-line humanitarian actor in many emergencies clearly illustrated the benefits of enhanced coordination. United Nations’ capacity to foster greater coordination of humanitarian assistance had improved considerably in the past 10 years. The WFP had been promoting coordination between humanitarian assistance partners, such as United Nations’ agencies, NGOs, the ICRC, and donors as an absolute necessity. It also participated fully in country team discussions at the field level and was contributing to new and innovative approaches to coordination. Indeed, he continued, in the midst of crises, better coordination could clearly improve the effectiveness of the humanitarian response, and useful mechanisms, such as the CAP and others, deserved continued support. Enhanced preparedness measures, which would help avoid humanitarian crisis, were meaningless, however, without the accompanying resources for early action. In many cases, donor resources arrived too late to avert crises. Often, resources were earmarked for certain emergencies based on the media profile of the crisis or political concerns, rather than humanitarian need. The result could be tremendous human suffering and massive economic costs. YOUSSOUFOU OUEDRAGO (Burkina Faso) said special economic, humanitarian and disaster relief was crucial in this era of increased natural disasters, armed conflict and the spread of HIV/AIDS. Armed conflicts were also forcing the massive displacement of civilians in various regions around the globe. All those scourges were causing unprecedented challenges for States, as well as dangerously affecting their economic and development processes. The deleterious affects were particularly serious, because they went beyond national borders. Given all that, international solidarity must be strengthened to support those in need, particularly such vulnerable groups as women, children and the elderly. The agencies and funds of the United Nations, as well as other humanitarian actors, must reinforce their presence in various parts of the world where humanitarian situations were precarious. Further, those agencies must assist national government efforts to ensure the safety of civilian populations. He said his Government had in place a national rehabilitation and re-emergence plan that operated nationwide to address many problems. In recent years, the Government had initiated an emergency food aid programme to offset the ill-effects of several consecutive poor harvests. In order to minimize the effects of natural disasters, Burkina Faso had focused on providing information -– teaching people how to deal with disasters -– and rehabilitation. The international community should encourage the protection of vulnerable populations, with the help of local and community organizations. He urgently appealed to donors to make CAP a real mechanism to mobilize resources that did not have political or strategic attachments. NORMAN MACDONNELL (Canada) said complex emergencies and natural disasters were affecting the lives of millions of people. Gaining and maintaining access to those in need was, perhaps, foremost among the frustrations currently facing humanitarian actors. It was not acceptable that in many environments the United Nations and its humanitarian partners were present, but unable to reach vulnerable populations. Often, he continued, that was a result of policies and actions enforced by the authorities controlling a given territory. Sovereignty implied responsibility by affected States for their civilian populations. There were also obligations under international law to ensure access for humanitarian assistance to those in need, including facilitating the safe and unhindered movement of humanitarian personnel. Canada supported the view that where States or governments did not have the means to meet their responsibilities in that regard, they should seek the support of the United Nations and its humanitarian partners. He said, during the last three years, important progress had been made in increasing international advocacy and support of war-affected and vulnerable populations. The issue of humanitarian access was a key element of those efforts, and was buttressed by the Secretary-General’s call to develop a culture of protection. Canada had made the protection of civilians a foreign policy priority and urged other States to do likewise. All should commit to collective action and focus on the implementation of existing international law, resolutions and recommendations. He said it was important to ensure an effective transition from relief to development, with emphasis on reconciliation. While that view had been expressed often throughout the United Nations system, it had proved difficult to translate into concrete action. There was still a long way to go to create flexible funding and institutional mechanisms that supported transition periods and root causes. Whether in the context of a natural disaster of armed conflict, the failure to put in place mechanisms to facilitate the transition from the outset of the crisis could be damaging for affected populations. Moreover, transitions which led to sustainable peace and development relied heavily on grass-roots involvement. Resident coordinators and agencies on the ground must tap into and enhance local capacities at the outset of any emergency and maintain that dialogue throughout the crisis and afterward. MARCO BALAREZO (Peru) said that domestic internal violence and its consequences, and natural disasters, such as El Niño, which had affected his country, were signs of tragedy in the current era. Conflicts had killed hundreds of thousands of people, and displaced approximately 20,000 more in the past year; more than 80,000 had died as a result of natural disasters. Dealing with those consequences was very difficult. The common denominator seemed to be that women, children, adolescents and the elderly were the most affected groups. He said that dealing with such phenomenon required a timely and effective response by the international community, particularly the United Nations. In the case of natural disasters, frequently prevention, such as the development of early warning systems and contingency plans, was less expensive than humanitarian action itself. The Economic and Social Council, as well as the General Assembly, must give priority to preventive efforts when dealing with conflicts. Such efforts must be approached from a structural standpoint, namely, dealing with the root causes of poverty, social marginalization and economic weakness. The results in Afghanistan were a specific example of peace-building flowing from humanitarian assistance. There should be a coordinating body within the United Nations to deal with the consequences of humanitarian and natural crises. In the context of the “culture of protection”, humanitarian staff must do their jobs without having to risk their lives. The establishment of the new advisory group would support the work being carried out in the field. SON SE-JOO (Republic of Korea) said the increasing frequency of natural disasters and complex humanitarian emergencies, paired with the decreasing capacity of developing countries to absorb the economic shock of such events, would continue to challenge United Nations humanitarian assistance operations in the coming years. It was important for the international community to bolster its resources and enhance coordination to minimize the tragic consequences of each humanitarian crisis. He said, since natural disasters did not recognize national boarders and conflicts had become increasingly regional in scope, humanitarian assistance now required a more regional approach. His delegation welcomed efforts to strengthen regional structures and supported the strengthening of OCHA’s regional presence and building local capacities. The smooth transition from emergency relief to comprehensive humanitarian development was crucial in instituting a framework that would support and sustain a nation during that susceptible phase. Support for the vulnerable, such as internally displaced persons, women, children and the elderly, was essential during such transitions. It was, therefore, important to ensure and enhance the participation of local community actors, he said. He strongly encouraged the engagement of the private sector in the transition from relief to development. Not only did that sector represent virtually untapped wealth or resources and synergies, it was also responsible for investment and job creation that could help sustain a nation through such difficult transitions. RAMON BLANCO DOMINGEZ (Dominican Republic)said the Council’s current debate provided his delegation the chance to formally voice the major concerns of island nations, particularly those in the Caribbean, which were all very vulnerable to cyclical natural phenomena that regularly caused devastating natural disasters. Despite the elaboration of disaster prevention and relief strategies, supplemented by the experience of local populations, social and economic pressures obliged people in geographically unstable areas to live in inadequate housing. All that contributed to why such disasters were increasingly causing massive losses of life, as well as consequences that rolled back broader economic and social development efforts. He called on the international community to recognize the need to provide and promote the sharing of scientific and technological advances to developing countries and international humanitarian agencies to help offset the effects of natural disasters. He said it was often national governments and national organizations that first and sometimes solely responded to natural disasters. The international community must do away with the bureaucratic red tape, which delayed immediate international response in almost every case. He said that natural disasters were a complex problem without borders. In that regard, there was a need to enhance regional and international commitments for cooperation that would include United Nations agencies, civil society and private sector actors, and provide a basis for dealing with major calamities that regularly affected poor island nations. The international community must make available to countries fresh and “untied” resources for the prevention, early detection and mitigation of natural disasters and the promotion of sustainable development. VIJAY THAKUR SINGH (India) said that the United Nations was based on the premise that the nation State was the most legitimate expression of political authority, the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and the understanding that the human condition could be improved by cooperation among Member States. That foundation needed to be strengthened. Any weakening would be a recipe for chaos and lawlessness in inter-State relations, and would certainly be counterproductive to efforts to promote a culture of protection. She expressed regret over the fact that the strengthening of the CAP had been accompanied by a decline in the resources available in proportion to the levels of need, as well as a steady decline in the proportion of humanitarian assistance channelled through CAP. She was worried that, without any significant increase in humanitarian funding, the transition from relief to development would need to draw more money from traditional development budgets. The report, she said, had dealt, in some detail, on the illicit trade in natural resources and its effect on humanitarian assistance. A mandatory system for marking and tracing small arms and light weapons would save more innocent lives than elaborate controls for trade in minerals and natural resources. Also, the Secretary-General’s report had referred to the guiding principles on internal displacement as legal principles. Those principles were not negotiated in an intergovernmental process, but drafted by a team of technical experts and NGOs. The results of such a process did not qualify as legal principles. ISAAC C. LAMBA (Malawi) noted that reports of missions of the WFP and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe warned that some 12.8 million people faced serious food shortages until the region’s next main harvest in April 2003. He was greatly interested, therefore, in devising a solution that was focused and forward-looking to face the challenges of Malawi and other countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. He said his country was hardest hit with more than 3 million people requiring emergency food aid over the next 12 months. More than 80 per cent of Malawians were directly engaged in agricultural activities as their main livelihood. Maize was the preferred staple, comprising 80 per cent of the diet, and lack of maize generally meant a lack of food. Current maize prices were still 60 per cent above the price at this time last year, and traditional coping strategies had eroded. At the same time, more than 65 per cent of Malawians lived below the poverty line, against the backdrop of one of the world’s highest HIV/AIDS rates. Nationally, he continued, the Department of Disaster Preparedness, Relief and Rehabilitation was established to coordinate and facilitate disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness. The Department has made a good effort, but the question of capacity should be addressed urgently, if the move from relief to development was to be realized. In that regard, his country called on the international community to render technical and financial support. Other national initiatives focused on community empowerment to enhance household coping mechanisms through such programmes as the Cash for Work, Food for Work, and Public Works Programme. The Secretary-General’s report raised an important point relating to advanced regional-level contingency planning and the need for greater regional information sharing and cooperation, he said. He agreed, and would also like to see continued improvement of the CAP, with more NGO involvement. The decline of humanitarian assistance was a cause for serious concern. Innovative strategies must be devised that would reverse that trend. He commended the efforts of the ICRC and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in the development of an international disaster-response law. HAROLD ACEMAH (Uganda) said primary caretakers in the field have to be equipped to save lives and property, especially since they provided the most immediate assistance. Information on impending disasters should be accessible to all stakeholders and should be handled with care and transparency, so that interaction was geared towards more effective action. Access to information, especially at the local level, should stop being a problem, as should the misuse of that information. Both governments and the United Nations should build effective information storage systems for future use in a structured manner so that critical decisions were made expeditiously. He drew attention to the fact that HIV/AIDS had become a compounding factor of vulnerability, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Further, he noted that the number of vulnerable societies was increasing as human activity interfered with the balance of nature. There were some natural disasters beyond the control of mankind, but questionable activities only increased the likelihood of such disasters occurring. It was evident that most developing countries had limited budgetary capacity to set up disaster-management mechanisms and, thus, increasingly relied on United Nations agencies and the donor community to provide critical input, he said. That called for the strengthening of the guidelines to coordinate action. The CAP needed improvement and adequate funding to enable humanitarian assistance to be transmitted through it. Bilateral assistance was welcome, but it must reach the vulnerable. He called for the transformation of emergency assistance into long-term development assistance. ALPER COSKUN (Turkey) said that, as stated in the Secretary-General’s report, it was essential to strengthen the response to both natural disasters and complex humanitarian emergencies. Following massive earthquakes in 1999, Turkey and Greece had established a joint disaster-response unit to provide timely and effective humanitarian assistance, when needed. The unit was also intended to reinforce and expand the existing standby capacity of the United Nations, and talks with OCHA to finalize a memorandum to that end were in their final stage. Among the lessons drawn from the 1999 earthquakes was the recognition of the need to strengthen international urban search and rescue assistance, and Turkey had actively participated in recent discussions among interested parties on that matter. Afghanistan had proven to be one of the greatest challenges before the international community, he continued, where natural disasters and complex emergencies presented themselves together. The rapid mobilization of international support for that country was phenomenal, yet the journey had just begun. The United Nations involvement in Afghanistan must be efficient, coordinated and results-oriented. An effective transition from relief to development was most important, not only in Afghanistan, but in similar situations, as well. Naturally, such a transition could only be made possible with effective and sustainable funding mechanisms. The Secretary-General’s report contained very valuable elements, he said, and his country applauded the efforts to strengthen regional response and local capacity building for natural disasters. Emphasis should also be placed on enhancing contingency planning, early warning, prevention and preparedness. In focusing on the vulnerable, and, in particular, on such affected groups as women, children, the elderly and disabled, the report made a valuable contribution to the promotion of a “culture of protection”. An indispensable part of that culture was no doubt related to the safety and security of humanitarian staff, which continued to be a source of concern. LUIS E. CAPPAGLI (Argentina) associated himself with the statement made on behalf of the Group of 77. The Secretary-General’s report contained an accurate assessment of the situation in the field and reflected appropriately the main concerns of the humanitarian community. The number and complexity of humanitarian crises required a coordinated and integrated approach, including improving current mechanisms and creating new ones, as needed. The United Nations system should continue to follow a flexible approach in devising institutional tools to address the changing nature of those crises. He said that practical steps should be taken at the United Nations to enhance cooperation between the Economic and Social Council and the Security Council, within their respective mandates, bearing in mind the humanitarian and socio-economic dimensions of many armed conflicts. At the intergovernmental level, it was essential to try to bridge the different political perceptions with a new understanding based on placing the needs of human beings at the centre of the humanitarian debate. Strategies for peoples affected by armed conflicts should be considered from the perspective of transition from relief to development, and include adequate assistance. It had been agreed that the primary responsibility for the protection of and assistance to populations affected by humanitarian crises rested with governments. States must also facilitate the work of humanitarian agencies and ensure access to victims. Even when States were unwilling or unable to meet their responsibilities, the international community should not be indifferent to humanitarian need. He expressed his highest appreciation to OCHA and the other United Nations’ agencies for their work in the field, and reiterated his concern for the safety and security of humanitarian workers.

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Security Council4151st Meeting (PM)2 June 2000 The Security Council this afternoon requested the Secretary-General to establish for a period of six months an expert panel on the illegal exploitation of natural resources and other forms of wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which should produce recommendations on the matter. According to a statement read out by Council President Jean-David Levitte (France), the mandate of the panel should include collection of information on all activities on illegal exploitation of natural resources and other forms of wealth in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including those in violation of the sovereignty of that country, and research and analysis of the links between such exploitation and the continuation of the conflict. The Council requested that, once established, the panel should submit to it a preliminary report with initial findings after three months and a final report with recommendations at the end of its mandate. Also by the presidential statement, the Council stressed that the expert panel, which will be based at the United Nations Office in Nairobi, might receive logistical support from the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) and make visits to various countries of the region. The Council also underlined that the panel might call upon the technical expertise of the Secretariat and the specialized agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations, as required. The Secretary-General was requested to appoint to the panel, which should consist of five members, including the Chairman, candidates with professional expertise, impartiality and knowledge of the subregion. The Chairman of the panel should be an eminent personality with the necessary experience. Voluntary contributions to support the panel would be welcomed. The meeting, which was called to order at 2:01 p.m., was adjourned at 2:05 p.m. Presidential Statement The full text of the statement, which will be issues as document S/PRST/2000/20, reads, as follows. "The Security Council recalls the letter from the Secretary-General of 18 April 2000 (S/2000/334) and the letter from its President of 28 April 2000 (S/2000/350). The Council also recalls the letters from the Permanent Representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the United Nations to its President of 26 April 2000 (S/2000/362) and of 1 June 2000 (S/2000/515). The Security Council welcomes the recommendation made by its mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, contained in paragraph 77 of its report of 11 May 2000 (S/2000/416), to proceed with the early establishment of an expert panel on the illegal exploitation of natural resources and other forms of wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Security Council requests the Secretary-General to establish this panel, for a period of six months, with the following mandate: -- To follow up on reports and collect information on all activities of illegal exploitation of natural resources and other forms of wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including in violation of the sovereignty of that country; -- To research and analyse the links between the exploitation of the natural resources and other forms of wealth in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the continuation of the conflict; -- To revert to the Council with recommendations. The Security Council stresses that in order to implement its mandate, the expert panel, which will be based at the United Nations Office at Nairobi, may receive logistical support from the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) and make visits to various countries of the region, making contact during its visits with diplomatic missions in the capitals concerned, and, if necessary, to other relevant countries. The Security Council requests the Secretary-General to appoint the members of the panel, in consultation with the Council, on the basis of candidates' professional expertise, impartiality, and knowledge of the subregion. The Council stresses that the Chairman of the panel should be an eminent personality with the necessary experience and decides that the panel will consist of five members, including its Chairman. The Council underlines that the panel might call upon the technical expertise of the Secretariat and of the funds and programmes and specialized agencies of the United Nations, as required. Voluntary contributions to support the panel would be welcomed. The Security Council requests the Secretary-General to report to it on the steps taken to establish the expert panel. The Council requests also that the expert panel, once established, submit to the Council, through the Secretary-General, a preliminary report with initial findings after three months and a final report, with recommendations, at the end of its mandate."

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11 December 2000 Following is the text of Secretary-General Kofi Annan's address at the opening of the signing conference for the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, in Palermo, Italy, on 12 December: It is a special pleasure for me to join you for a conference that marks a milestone in the global struggle for the rule of law. This signing conference for the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime is evidence of the will of the international community to answer a global challenge with a global response. If crime crosses all borders, so must law enforcement. If the rule of law is undermined not only in one country, but in many, then those who defend it cannot limit themselves to purely national means. If the enemies of progress and human rights seek to exploit the openness and opportunities of globalization for their purposes, then we must exploit those very same factors to defend human rights, and defeat the forces of crime, corruption, and trafficking in human beings. One of the starkest contrasts in our world today is the gulf that exists between the civil and the uncivil. By civil I mean civilization: the accumulated centuries of learning that form our foundation for progress. By civil I also mean tolerance: the pluralism and respect with which we accept and draw strength from the world’s diverse peoples. And finally I mean civil society: the citizens’ groups, businesses, unions, professors, journalists, political parties and others who have an essential role to play in the running of any society. Arrayed against these constructive forces, however, in ever greater numbers and with ever stronger weapons, are the forces of what I call "uncivil society". They are terrorists, criminals, drug dealers, traffickers in people, and others who undo the good works of civil society. They take advantage of the open borders, free markets and technological advances that bring so many benefits to the world’s people. They thrive in countries with weak laws and institutions. And they show no scruple about resorting to intimidation or violence. Their ruthlessness is the very antithesis of all we regard as civil. They are powerful, representing entrenched interests and the clout of a global enterprise worth billions of dollars. But they are not invincible. The Millennium Declaration adopted last September by the heads of State meeting at the United Nations reaffirmed the principles underlying our efforts, and should serve to encourage all who struggle for the rule of law. It stated, and I quote, that "men and women have the right to live their lives and raise their children in dignity, free from hunger and from the fear of violence, oppression or injustice". I believe these words resonate throughout the world, but perhaps especially here in Palermo. At great cost to their lives and livelihoods, the people of Palermo have succeeded in effectively countering the organized criminality that tarnished the name of their beautiful city for many years. Their success is testimony to the fact that the forces of "uncivil society" can be defeated. The fact that we are holding this Conference in Palermo is a tribute to this great achievement. At the Millennium Summit, world leaders proclaimed freedom -- from fear and from want -- as one of the essential values in the twenty-first century. Yet, the right to live in dignity, free from fear and want, is still denied to millions of people around the world. It is denied: -- To the child who is working as an indentured labourer in a sweatshop; -- To the father who must pay a bribe to get medical care for his son; -- To the woman who is condemned to a life of forced prostitution. I believe the trafficking of persons, particularly women and children, for forced and exploitative labour, including for sexual exploitation, is one of the most egregious violations of human rights which the United Nations now confronts. It is widespread and growing. It is rooted in social and economic conditions in the countries from which the victims come, facilitated by practices which discriminate against women, and driven by cruel indifference to human suffering on the part of those who exploit the services that the victims are forced to provide. The fate of these most vulnerable people in our world is an affront to human dignity and a challenge to every State, every people, and every community. I therefore urge the Member States not only to ratify the Convention, but also the Protocol on trafficking which can make a real difference in the struggle to eliminate this reprehensible trade in human beings. Criminal groups have wasted no time in embracing today's globalized economy and the sophisticated technology that goes with it. But our efforts to combat them have remained up to now very fragmented and our weapons almost obsolete. The Palermo Convention gives us a new tool to address the scourge of crime as a global problem. With enhanced international cooperation, we can have a real impact on the ability of international criminals to operate successfully, and help citizens everywhere in their often struggle for safety and dignity in their homes and communities. The signing of the Palermo Convention is a watershed event in the reinforcement of our fight against organized crime. I urge all States to ratify the Convention at the earliest possible date, and to bring this Convention into force as a matter of urgency. I would like to express my appreciation to the President and the Republic of Italy, to the Government of Italy, to the Region of Sicily and its Assembly, and to the Municipality and people of Palermo for hosting this historic event. And I would like to thank all of you who are participating in this historic meeting. By lending your voices, individually and collectively, to the global effort against organized crime, you make an important statement -- a declaration that we will not accept a world where we must raise our children in fear.

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