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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Commonwealth Conference of National Human Rights Institutions

29 June 2000

Human Rights Commissioners, Ombudsmen, Law Ministers and officials from 44 Commonwealth countries gather in Cambridgefrom 4 to 6 July to consider the way forward for the human rights agenda of the Commonwealth.

"Contemporary human rights issues in the Commonwealth" will be the subject of the conference keynote address being delivered by Lord Lester of Herne Hill, a noted Queen's Counsel with long links to the Commonwealth and a renowned commitment to the protection of individual rights.

Among those attending the conference are the Minister of Law of Bangladesh, the Commissioner of the National Commission on Democracy and Human Rights of Sierra Leone, the South African Human Rights Commissioner, the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General responsible to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for the development of national human rights institutions. LeadingCommonwealthnon-governmental human rights organisations will be represented, as will the Organisation of American States and the International Labour Organisation.

The conference, organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat, will consider critical issues including the independence of national human rights commissions (and their selection and appointment), the relationship between government and human rights institutions, and the powers of national institutions to investigate alleged breaches of rights and to provide remedies. Contemporary human rights issues, including the role of national human rights institutions in situations of war and in the promotion and protection of economic and social rights, are also on the conference agenda. 

The Commonwealth Secretariat expects the conference to give great impetus to the well-entrenched work of the Commonwealth in this area and to assist in the expansion of the commitment of the Commonwealth to the promotion and protection of fundamental human rights.  

The conference is to be held at SidneySussexCollege, Cambridge, from Tuesday 4 July until Thursday 6 July. 

Note to Editors: Miss Dianne Stafford, Director of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat, may be contacted for further details at telephone no 020 7747 6410 until noon on Monday 3 July and during the conference at telephone no 01223 338851. Representatives of the media are welcome to attend the opening session and keynote address on "Contemporary Human Rights Issues in the Commonwealth" by Lord Lester of Herne HillQC, on Tuesday 4 July from 9.30a.m to 11.15a.m.Miss Stafford will be available with some conference participants to answer questions during and after the conference.

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ISSUED BY THE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIVISION
Commonwealth Secretariat Marlborough House Pall Mall London SW1Y 5HX United Kingdom
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Email: info@commonwealth.int