Experts discuss challenges in protection of human rights

Representatives from human rights institutions in the Commonwealth have been urged to draw on good practices and learn from each other's strengths and experiences to further the goals of human rights for all.

Speaking at the opening of a three-day Commonwealth Conference of National Human Rights Institutions held at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, UK, on 26 February 2007, Secretary-General Don McKinnon said: "Your function in acting as an independent institution in observing, educating, representing and defending the citizen, is vital to the vision we share for the Commonwealth societies. 

"The central and critical feature of national human rights institutions is independence. I attach great importance to the effective functioning of these institutions and their ability to speak without fear. They are part of the way in which member countries can uphold the Commonwealth's fundamental political values."

Mr McKinnon called on member governments to ratify two 40-year-old United Nations Covenants which give formal expression to social and economic rights, and to civil and political rights.

"These covenants give real shape and momentum to national efforts to reduce poverty and respect human rights, and I am hopeful that those few Commonwealth countries which are yet to ratify them will soon do so. There are 20 that haven't yet done so -- that's 20 too many," he emphasised.

The Secretary-General also urged Commonwealth governments who have yet to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to do so.

The forum has brought together 40 participants from international organisations including the UN and national human rights institutions (NHRIs) in Commonwealth countries to discuss the promotion and protection of human rights.

"The main objective of the conference is to strengthen capacity and promote the network of NHRIs in the Commonwealth, review their activities and determine how to strengthen them," said Rabab Fatima, Head of the Secretariat's Human Rights Unit, which organised the event.

Speaking to Commonwealth News and Information Service on the sidelines of the meeting, Tanzania's Chairman of the Commission for Human Rights and Governance, Justice Robert Kisanga, said: "The greatest issue is to provide an opportunity for institutional officials to exchange views and learn from each other on how to conduct and uphold the protection of human rights in their countries.

"It is in such forums that we can learn different tactics and methods of approaching and making recommendations to governments -- they have a duty to support the human rights institutions in doing their work."

Thirty-five Commonwealth member countries have NHRIs in place, either in the form of commissions or offices of ombudsmen.

Currently, more than 60 national and regional institutions in the Commonwealth deal with human rights-related issues.

The conference, supported by the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation, was partly sponsored by Rights and Democracy, a Canadian non-governmental organisation.

Secretariat Links:

• Human Rights
• Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation (CFTC)
• Speech by Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon