International Network
Meeting of the High Commissioner for Human Rights with NGOs, 17 June 2009
On 17 June 2009, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mrs. Navanethem Pillay, met with Non Governmental Organizations, including Bice, to share ideas and hear their comments and recommendations on how the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) can move forward.
Her presentation focused on the Durban Review Conference. In 2006, the United Nations General Assembly, in its Resolution 61/49, decided to convene in 2009 a Review Conference on the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action which took place in South Africa in 2001. This Review took place from 20 to 24 April 2009, in Geneva. Mrs. Pillay underlined the need to implement the Outcome document of this Conference. To this end, OHCHR has established an internal Follow-up Task Force to undertake a mapping exercise in relation to the Outcome Document, to identify steps to be taken in the remainder of 2009 as well as for the 2010- 2011 bienium. The Task Force will submit recommendations for the High Commissioner's consideration by the end of June 2009, with a view to mainstreaming ‘racism' issues across the work of OHCHR. Feedback was requested on a proposal to hold theme-based discussions relating to the Outcome Document, and how this might be carried out in a meaningful manner to engage NGOs which are not represented in Geneva. This would assist in translating the Outcome Document into concrete theme based projects, and aim to engage in a regular manner the broader anti-racism constituency.
In addition, the High Commissioner insisted on thematic priorities that her Office has to face namely:
- Elimination of discrimination especially on the basis of race, sex, religion and against marginalized groups;
- Ensuring Human Rights in the context of migration;
- Protection of economic, social and cultural rights to combat inequities and poverty particularly in the context of the global crisis;
- Protection of human rights in armed conflicts;
- Impunity and accountability, protecting the rule of law and democratic societies;
- Progressive development of Human Rights Law.
