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• Experts develop Commonwealth model national plan on human rights

Experts develop Commonwealth model national plan on human rights

22 June 2007

A resource for countries to devise their own plans

Human rights experts from across the Commonwealth met in London from 21 to 22 June 2007 to help draft a model plan to guide member countries, especially small states with limited capacity, in the process of developing their own national action plans on human rights.

While many countries seek to improve their capacity to protect and promote human rights at the national level in accordance with constitutional imperatives and Commonwealth values, they often lack a roadmap on how to do so in a comprehensive and coherent manner, and in a way that co-ordinates the activities of all departments, agencies and donors.

Currently, there is no single and easy-to-use model which Commonwealth countries can use as a basis for their own plan.

Sir Clare Roberts, Commissioner at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and former Attorney-General of Antigua and Barbuda, said: “The model will be an important tool in monitoring and evaluating priorities on the human rights agenda for different countries when they draw up their national plans.”

The document would not attempt to be prescriptive, but will draw on best practices from around the Commonwealth. Its production takes place in the context of the UN Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action 1993, as well as commitments made at the UN Millennium Summit -- Millennium Development Goals and other goals agreed by international consensus.

Rabab Fatima, Head of Human Rights at the Commonwealth Secretariat, pointed out that “at present the main barrier to advancing human rights in many countries is lack of capacity and awareness within ministries as to what is required of them.

“Putting together a model plan is important in the Commonwealth’s efforts to develop a sustainable national framework to realise human rights objectives and ideals. This would firmly raise the human rights agenda in Commonwealth policy discourse and at national level to raise greater awareness and boost capacity.”

Experts noted that national-level protection required structured planning and implementation that seeks to correspond to specific countries’ priorities and circumstances, at the same time fulfilling their obligations according to universally-recognised principles of human rights and Commonwealth commitments.

“We would like to have a no-one-size-fits-all model. Each country has different needs and capacities, certain basic steps and priorities that can be identified and proposed in a model plan, by establishing a committee at the national level to oversee implementation,” stated Robert McCorquodale, Professor of International Law and Human Rights at the University of Nottingham, UK.

“The model will help those countries with lack of capacity to look at their priority areas and use it as a baseline document to harmonise human rights issues. Establishing a model in a consultative way will also guide countries in generating home-grown solutions,” said Bahame Nyanduga, Commissioner, African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

The experts were from all regions of the Commonwealth and represented government, academia, national human rights institutions and regional bodies, civil society, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva.