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Info Service on UN Sustainable Development (Sep25/03) Penang, 9 Sep (Kanaga Raja) — The “glorification of violence” is being coupled with a troubling erosion of international law, and around the world, the long-established rules of war “are being shredded”, with virtually no accountability, Mr Volker Turk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has warned. In his address at the opening of the 60th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council on 8 September, Mr Turk said that: “Human rights – all human rights – are the solid foundations of flourishing societies. They are the bonds of trust between people and their governments.” They are a beacon of hope in the search for a better world that rejects violent conflict, brutality, and injustice, and they help overcome trauma and division, and are the antidote to exceptionalism, supremacy, and contempt for the other, he added. “Human rights provide a compass to steer us through the challenges of our time, from the climate crisis to technological developments,” said the rights chief. And yet, Mr Turk said, “disturbing trends that undercut our rights are gaining ground across the world. Pro-war propaganda is everywhere, from military parades to ramped-up rhetoric. Sadly, there are no Peace parades, or Ministries of Peace.” “The glorification of violence is coupled with a troubling erosion of international law. This law is the foundation of peace, our global order, and our daily lives, from trade rules to the global internet, to our fundamental rights,” the High Commissioner said, noting that “several Governments are disregarding, disrespecting, and disengaging from it.” He underlined that when States ignore violations of the law, they become normalized, and when States apply the law inconsistently, they undermine the legal order everywhere. He said: “It is time for States to wake up, and to act. Around the world, the long-established rules of war are being shredded – with virtually no accountability.” The retreat by some States from multilateral frameworks, institutions and international agreements is another troubling trend, Mr Turk pointed out. “I am profoundly disturbed by the arrest warrants issued by the Russian Federation and sanctions imposed by the United States on judges and prosecutors of the International Criminal Court.” He also said the decisions by Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to leave the Ottawa Treaty on land mines weakens its protection for everyone. “The United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and from global bodies, including this Council and the Universal Periodic Review process, is deeply regrettable,” said Mr Turk. He also expressed concern over “the new trend of disparaging the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, agreed by all countries ten years ago.” The High Commissioner further said that some States are also reducing their regional engagement. In this regard, he noted that Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have left the Economic Community of West African States. Venezuela has declared its intention to withdraw from the jurisdiction of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, while the Russian Federation has left the European Convention on Human Rights, he pointed out. “Gradually, the web of global and regional cooperation carefully crafted over decades for the common good is being weakened. Some States are becoming an extension of their ruler’s personal power.” Mr Turk said global and regional frameworks are far from perfect, but States need to strengthen and reform them – not unravel them. “We cannot return to the outdated thinking and approaches that led to two World Wars and the Holocaust.” He noted that as crises grind on and international law is eroded, global progress on human rights is stalling or even going into reverse. In this regard, the High Commissioner highlighted the situation of human rights in several countries ranging from Syria, Haiti, Nigeria, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran, Venezuela, Ecuador, Afghanistan, South Sudan, to a number of countries across the Sahel region. “International human rights law protects all, including the most vulnerable. Yet attacks on minorities of all kinds are growing, as States roll back commitments to tackle and prevent discrimination,” said the High Commissioner. Excessive use of force and deaths of people of African descent at the hands of law enforcement persist in many States, often rooted in systemic racism, he pointed out. “Indigenous Peoples continue to be denied their rights to land and to free, prior, and informed consent in mining and other commercial projects.” Several countries around the world are cutting crucial programmes that protect women’s rights, including support for survivors of violence and access to sexual and reproductive healthcare, said the rights chief. “Maternal mortality is a leading killer of the most marginalized women and girls. This is a tragedy because it is largely preventable.” Afghanistan, where women’s access to healthcare – among many other human rights – is severely restricted, has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. Four years after the return of the Taliban, the erasure of women and girls from public life is almost complete, Mr Turk underlined. “I am also concerned about recent measures taken by Germany, Greece, Hungary, and other European countries to limit the right to seek asylum. The United States has reportedly reached agreement with several governments, including El Salvador, South Sudan, Eswatini and Rwanda, on deporting third country nationals to places other than their homeland, raising concerns about compliance with international law.” The rights chief underscored that peace and security depend on full respect for human rights, everywhere. “When the Security Council, the General Assembly, this Council or other intergovernmental institutions discuss the human rights situation in a particular country, it is because this concerns us all, in every country.” The United Nations Charter gave birth to a new geopolitical era by enshrining the sovereign equality of States, he said, adding that national sovereignty is the foundation of multilateral institutions and international law. “When States sign international agreements, they are exercising their national sovereignty – not limiting it. And with that sovereignty comes responsibility. Sovereignty does not mean ownership of people.” All governments have a duty to treat all their people – including their political opponents – fairly; to protect them from harm; and to respect their fundamental human rights, said Mr Turk. “When they abandon that responsibility, it affects us all,” he told the Human Rights Council. Multilateral conventions and agreements have won incredible support over the past eight decades – and continue to do so today, Mr Turk pointed out. As sovereign States sign up to them, they guarantee greater freedom and protection for their people, he added. In this regard, the rights chief pointed out that Bhutan, Cameroon, Eritrea and Lebanon recently ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, while Dominica ratified the Convention against Torture, and Bangladesh ratified its Optional Protocol. “And I am pleased to report that some Member States are increasing their engagement with Special Rapporteurs and Treaty Bodies,” he said. “As my update shows, there are coordinated efforts to undermine human rights and the rule of law around the world.” The High Commissioner warned that when States cut ties with the system or try to weaken it – when they isolate themselves – everybody loses. Mr Turk told members of the Human Rights Council: “Therefore, I hope to work with you on a new initiative, through an alliance of Member States, philanthropies, civil society and others, to strengthen the human rights ecosystem and join the dots between abuses and violations, and crisis prevention.” He said that history has shown time and again that no one is safe when human rights are under attack. “Abuses committed against one group are always part of a broader pattern of oppression and lead to the wider erosion of fundamental freedoms.” “Human rights are meant to challenge our assumptions, identify the blind spots, and encourage self-critical reflection, because no one is perfect,” said the rights chief. “Our human rights mechanisms are one of the only parts of the multilateral system that has teeth. I encourage you to use them,” he told the Council. “Together, we must refuse to back down in the face of discrimination, distortion, and lies. Together, we need to safeguard eighty years of progress on freedom, equality and justice,” the High Commissioner concluded. +
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