STATEMENT TO THE FINAL
SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS BY 265 NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS
This statement is made on behalf of 265 non-governmental organisations. It cannot be made on behalf of all non-governmental organisations because we have no authority to do so.
During the 60 years of the Commission on Human Rights, non-governmental organisations have played, in the words of the General Assembly, “an important role at the national, regional and international levels, in the promotion and protection of human rights”. Unfortunately the arrangement made for their participation in the final session of the Commission through a single statement does not allow this important role to be reflected. Non-governmental organisations are very diverse, reflecting the variety and multiplicity of human experiences. They have brought to the Commission the voices of the voiceless and of victims of violations throughout the world. That diversity and those voices cannot be encapsulated in a single statement. With disappointment and a sense of loss, we note that they are missing from the final session of the Commission.
We have decided therefore not to make a single non-governmental statement to assess the work of the Commission. We cannot accept that this is an appropriate way to proceed now or in the future and we urge States to acknowledge this.
We look forward
positively to the establishment of the Human Rights Council. We remind
all States of the terms of the recent General Assembly resolution which
committed the future Human Rights Council to “ensuring the most effective
contribution” of non-governmental organisations to its work “based on
arrangements … and practices observed by the Commission”.
Mr Chairman
We decided to end this statement by inviting all here
today to join us in standing and observing a moment of silence for those who
have suffered human rights violations during the life of this Commission, to
mark with dignity its closing. I have now been
informed that you yourself wish to lead the Commission in a minute's silence
for victims before you close the Commission's work. Although I have not had an
opportunity to consult other signatories to this statement, I defer to your
wish, Mr Chairman, to lead us all in this dignified ending to the Commission.
Signed by,
Action
Adalah, the
Adivasi Unnayan Kendra (Centre for Indigenous Peoples Development),
Bangladesh
Agir Ensemble
pour les Droits de l’Homme, France
AIN O SALISH KENDRA (ASK),
Al Haq,
All
Amnesty International,
Anglican Consultative
Anti-Racism Information
Arab Commission
for Human Rights,
ARC International,
Switzerland/Canada
Asian Legal Resource
Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development
(APWLD),
Asia Partnership
for Human Development (APHD), Thailand
Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development
(FORUM-ASIA),
Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos de España, Spain
Association for Prevention of
Association for World Education,
Association of
Humanitarian Lawyers,
Association of World Citizens,
Australian Council for International Development,
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights,
Bahá’ì
International
Banader Community Council,
Bureau of
International Solidarity (BIS) of Marist Brothers,
Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal
Canadian Voice of Women for Peace,
Center for Women's Global Leadership,
Centre de conseils
et d'appui pour les jeunes en matière de droits de l'Homme, Switzerland
Centre for Conflict Studies,
Centre for Human Rights and Development (CHRD),
Centre for Organisation
Centre on
Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE),
Centre québécois de
formation pour les jeunes en matière de droit humain, Canada
Centro de Derechos Humanos "Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez", Mexico
Centro de Derechos Humanos Agustin Pro-Juarez,
Mexico
Centro de
Derechos Humanos Fray Bartoloméde Las Casas, Brazil
Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS),
Argentina
Centro para
Christian Life
Community of the
CLAT-Nederland Solidarity with trade unions in
Collectif Inter - Associatif pour
Colombian
Commission of Jurists,
Combined Legal Services Group,
Commonwealth
Human Rights
Comunidad
Homosexual Argentina (CHA), Argentina
Conectas Direitos Humanos, Brazil
Conference of
Non-Government Organisations,
Consejo Indio de Sud
Consultative Council of Jewish Organisations,
Coordinadora Nacional de Derechos Humanos, Peru
Corporación Humanas - Centro Regional de Derechos Humanos y
Justicia de Género,Chile
CRD (The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders),
Creating
Resources for Empowerment in Action,
CRIN, Child Rights Information
Dana and Qadisiyah Local Community Cooperative, Jordan
Defence of
Children International,
Derechos Humanos del Centro de Asesoria Laboral del Perú, Peru
Dominicans for
Justice and Peace,
Earth
Peoples - Indigenous Peoples Information sharing circle,
ECPAT International,
Egale
Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights,
EIP- Association mondiale pour l'école
instrument de paix, Switzerland
El Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Bartolomé de
Las Casas de Chiapas, Mexico
El Colectivo de Abogados "Jose Alvear Restrepo"
de Colombia, Colombia
European Pride Organisers
Association (EPOA),
FEDEFAM, Argentina
Federation Internationale des Ligues des Droits
de l’Homme, France
Federation of American Women's Clubs Overseas
Inc. (FAWCO),
Federation of Associations of Former
International Civil Servants,
Femmes Africa
Solidarité, Senegal
Fisheries
Union of
Fondation Daniel Mitterrand, France
Foodfirst Information and Action Network (FIAN),
Foro Ciudadano de Participación por
Forum for
Indigenous Perspectives and Action,
Forum Human
Rights,
Foundation for Aboriginal and Islander
Research Action,
Foundation Solidarity in Partnership for One
World in Diversity,
Franciscans
International,
Friedrich Ebert Stiftung,
Georgian
Association of Women in Business,
Global Alternate Information Applications,
Global Network for the Prevention of
Global Rights, USA
Global Welfare Association (GLOWA),
Greek
Haut Commissariat d'Intervention Générale, Cameroon
Homosexuelle Initiative
(HOSI), Austria
Human
Development and Peace
Human Rights Advocates,
KAREK,
Law and
Human Rights
Human Rights Council of
Human
Rights Monitoring Institute,
Human Rights
Human Rights Without Frontiers,
Humanity for Orphans, Youth and Widows Initiatives,
ILGA Europe, Europe/Belgium
IMPARSIAL, the Indonesian Human Rights
Indonesian Legal Aid Society Association,
Information Monitor (INFORM),
Institute
for Planetary
International
International
International Association for Religious Freedom,
International Association for the Defense of
International Association Initiatives of
International Association of Charities,
International Association of Democratic Lawyers, France
International
Association of Schools of
International Association of the
Universities of the Third Age,
International Campaign for
International Commission of Jurists
– Danish section,
International Commission of Jurists,
International Council of Women,
International
Educational Development,
International Federation for the Protection of the
Rights of Ethnic, Religious, Linguistic and Other Minorities (IFPRERLOM),
International Federation of Action by Christians for the Abolition
of
International
Federation of Business and Professional Women,
International Federation of Social Workers,
International
Federation of University Women,
International Federation of Women Lawyers,
International Fellowship of Reconciliation,
International
International Humanist and Ethical
International Initiative for Visibility of
Queer Muslims,
International
Institute for Non-Aligned Studies,
International League for
the Rights and Liberation of Peoples,
International
Lesbian and Gay Association,
International Movement Against
All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR),
International
NGO Forum On Indonesian Development,
International Organization for the
Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination,
International Presentation Association of the Sisters
of the Presentation,
International Progress Organization,
International Rehabilitation
Council for Torture (IRCT),
International
Save the Children
International
Service for Human Rights,
International Volunteerism
Organization for Women Education and Development (VIDES),
International
Women’s Rights Action Watch (IWRAW) Asia
International Working Group on Sexuality and Social
International Youth and Student Movement for
the United Nations,
Inter-religious International Federation
for World Peace,
Justiça Global,
Kingsford Legal
Korean
Sexual-Minority Culture and
L'Association Mondiale pour l'Ecole Instrument de
Paix, Switzerland
Law Association of
Law, Human Rights and Justice (HAK) Association,
Legal Advisory Office for Popular
Organisations (GAJOP),
Legal Aid Office of
Legal Aid Society of
Lesbian and Gay Federation
in
Ligue internationale contre le racisme et l’antisemitisme, France
Lutheran World Federation,
Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers,
Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic, Inc,
Medical Women's International
Association (MWIA),
Mercy
International Association,
MINBYUN-Lawyers
for a Democratic Society,
Minority Rights Group,
Mouvement contre le racisme et pour
l’amitie entre le peuples (MRAP), France
Mouvement Lao pour les Droits de l'Homme, France
Movimiento Nacional por los Derechos Humanos de
Guatemala, Guatemala
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Legal Services
National Association of Community Legal Centres,
National Women's Lobby & Rights Group,
Nederlands Juristen
Comité voor de Mensenrechten, Netherlands
NSW Aboriginal Lands
Nord-Sud XXI,
Switzerland
Odhikar, Bangladesh
Order of Discalced Carmelites,
Organisation for Non-patriarchal Inter-faith
Dialogue Logos, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Organisation Mondiale Contre
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR),
Pan Pacific and
South East Asia Women’s Association International,
Pax
Christi International,
People Who,
People’s Movement for Human Rights
Philippine Coalition for the International
Physicians for Human Rights,
Planetary Association for Clean Energy (PACE),
Prison
Fellowship International,
ProGay
Pusat Komas Community Communication Centre, Malaysia
Rede Nacional
Feminista de Saúde, Direitos Sexuais e Direitos Reprodutivos, Brazil
Reporters Without
Borders/Reporters sans frontières International,
Resources Aimed at the Prevention of Child Abuse and
Rights
Romanian Independent Society of Human Rights,
Rural Initiatives in Sustainability and Empowerment,
Safe Water for Africa Community
Save
School Sisters
of Notre
Sekretariat Anak Merdeka
Shen Yang Ai
Shimin Gaikou Centre (Citizens' Diplomatic Centre for
the Rights of Indigenous Peoples),
Siberian
Human Rights Network "Rights Society",
Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur,
Socialist International Women,
Society for Human Assistance and Development,
Society for Threatened Peoples International,
Luxemburg
Soka Gakkai International, Japan
Soroptimist International, United Kingdom
Suara Rakyat
Susila Dharma International,
SVG-Human Rights Association,
Think
Tibetan Women's
Association of
Transnational Radical
UN
Unescocat - Unesco Centre of
Union
Farmers of
Union
Internationale des
Universal Esperanto Association,
Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, the
Women for Contemporary Society Association,
Women’s
International League for Peace and Freedom,
Women’s International Zionist Organization,
Women’s UN Report Network,
Women’s World
Summit Foundation,
Women's Federation
for World Peace International,
Women's
Federation for World Peace International,
Women's
International League for Peace and Freedom - Australian
World Blind
World Council of Churches,
World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church
Women,
World Federation of Occupational Therapists,
World Federation of the DeafBlind,
World Federation
of United Nations Associations,
World Forum of Civil
Society Networks (UBUNTU),
World
Movement of Mothers, France
World Student Christian Federation.
World
Union of Catholic Women's Organisations,
World Union of Progressive Judaism,
World Vision
International,
World Young
Women’s Christian Association,
Worldwide
Organization for Women,
Yayasan
Zi Teng, Hong Kong SAR, China
Zonta
International,
The statement was endorsed by the following
NGOs who were not able to sign on before the deadline.
3HO
Afro-Asian Peoples'
Solidarity Organization
American Psychological Association,
Arab Lawyers
Asamblea Permanente por los Derechos Humanos (APDH), Argentina
Association
National pour les Jeunne Itutien, Democratic Peoples Republic of the
Australian Catholic and Migrant Refugee
BRESILE PINES FOUNDATION, the
CEDHA,
Comité Permanente por
Congregation of the Sisters of
Disabled
Peoples' International,
El Closet de Sor
Juana
Eyecatcher/Shevolution,
Fundacion
Arcoiris por la diversidad sexual
General Board of Church and Society of the
United
International Bureau for Children's Rights, Canada
International Convention on Human Rights,
International
Lesbian and Gay Law Association,
International
Movement for Peace and Sustainable Development,
International Women's Tribune
Korea Women’s Associations United,
Krisoker Saar
(Farmers' Voice),
Libre
Mouvement
contre le racisme et pour l'amitié entre les peuples
(MRAP)
National Economic and Social Rights
Oficina Juridica para
PEN INTERNATIONAL
Solar Cookers International,
Tuddok to Linubbaran ni
Unescocat-Centre UNESCO de Catalunya,
Unitarian Universalist United Nations
Widows Rights International,
World
Muslim