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Statement by H.E. Ms. Andrea Willi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Liechtenstein at the 54th session of the Commission on Human Rights
30 March 1998
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54th session of the Commission on Human Rights
16 March - 24 April 1998
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Statement by H.E. Ms. Andrea Willi,
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Liechtenstein
Geneva, 30 March 1998
Mr. President
It is a great honour for me to address this august body at such a crucial moment for our common cause of human rights. The coincidence of two big anniversaries provides us with a unique opportunity to build our plans for the future on the achievements of the past. We are gratified that the human rights year has already been marked by a major achievement, the finalization of the work on the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. We wholeheartedly welcome this event which took place after a very lengthy and complex process of negotiations and are confident that this text will contribute to improving the situation of individuals worldwide which strive to contribute to the promotion and protection of human rights. The field of human rights is one of the priority areas of our foreign policy, and we have been making efforts to contribute to the promotion and protection of human rights in our own regional as well as in the United Nations context. We will continue this commitment on the basis of the interrelated and mutually reinforcing nature of all human rights, in accordance with the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action.
Mr. President
Both the Universal Declaration, which forms today part of international customary law, and the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action reflect the consensus of the international community on human rights issues and are therefore cornerstones for the United Nations activities in this field. It is our task to find creative and effective ways for implementation, because a look at the global situation makes it dramatically clear that much remains to be done, in all parts of the world. The plight of refugees and internally displaced persons, the vast majority of which are women and children, has increased over the past few years, and concerted efforts by the international community are required to prevent the causes for such massive population movements, among which human rights violations play a primary role. Liechtenstein has consistently supported the work done by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Committee of the Red Cross, and we expect our law on granting asylum, drafted in cooperation with the UNHCR, to enter into force in the course of this year.
Mr. President
We are very grateful to the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mrs. Mary Robinson, for her dynamic and courageous input to the human rights year. We particularly welcome the special emphasis she is giving to the implementation of the right to development, because we agree with her that this issue is of decisive importance for the future of human rights.
Mr. President
One of the significant achievements of the Vienna Conference was the special emphasis which the Declaration and Programme of Action put on the human rights of women. It was in 1993 that the world community affirmed that women's rights are human rights. Five years after Vienna, a reaffirmation and further development of this commitment is urgently needed to make the human rights year also a year for the human rights of women. The conferences of Vienna and Beijing have created an important momentum which has translated into concrete
action by different intergovernmental bodies. At the same time, we have to acknowledge that many shortcomings remain. The full integration of a gender-perspective into all areas of the human rights activities of the United Nations is an important measure which should have sustained long-term effects. But we also have to make targeted and concrete efforts to improve the situation of women worldwide and to advance the cause of women's rights. On the governmental side, the complex phenomenon of violence against women should be given special emphasis. We are very grateful for the valuable work done by the Special Rapporteur of the Commission, Mrs. Radhika Coomaraswamy, and have taken note with interest of her recent proposal to elaborate a legal instrument on the elimination of violence against women.
Mr. President
It seems to us of crucial importance that the United Nations both act as a policy - making body in this area and set an example through its own practice. We are glad that the representation of women in the secretariat is constantly growing and we express our hope that this positive trend continues and even increases. We have on several occasions stressed the need for enhanced representation of women in decision-making positions in the context of preventive diplomacy, peacekeeping and peace-building, because we are of the view that this would be a very important contribution both to women's rights and to the maintenance of international peace and security.
Mr. President
In 1948, the United Nations also adopted the Convention on the Prevention and the Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, just a day before the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Over the past few years, we have not only witnessed the recurrence of this heinous crime, but also painfully been reminded of the incapacity for effectively preventing and prosecuting it. A very significant contribution to the human rights year would therefore be the adoption of a statute of an International Criminal Court in Rome, which enables prosecution of the most serious crimes over which universal jurisdiction already exists, and the interruption of the vicious circle of crime and impunity. We remain committed to the establishment of an effective and independent International Criminal Court.
Mr. President
Liechtenstein has introduced a few years ago an initiative on the right of self-determination, aimed at contributing to the prevention of conflicts within States, of which we have witnessed so many in the recent past. We remain convinced that a framework for a constructive dialogue between States and communities living within States would have a significant potential to defuse tensions and thus contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security as well as to the promotion and protection of human rights. The situation in Kosovo, characterized by violence on all sides and indiscriminate use of force against civilians, is only one example of a situation where too much time has elapsed with too little being done. We hope that the international community will come to realize the benefits and indeed the necessity of a proactive and preventive approach to such situations.
I thank you.
16 March - 24 April 1998
Check against delivery
Statement by H.E. Ms. Andrea Willi,
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Liechtenstein
Geneva, 30 March 1998
Mr. President
It is a great honour for me to address this august body at such a crucial moment for our common cause of human rights. The coincidence of two big anniversaries provides us with a unique opportunity to build our plans for the future on the achievements of the past. We are gratified that the human rights year has already been marked by a major achievement, the finalization of the work on the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. We wholeheartedly welcome this event which took place after a very lengthy and complex process of negotiations and are confident that this text will contribute to improving the situation of individuals worldwide which strive to contribute to the promotion and protection of human rights. The field of human rights is one of the priority areas of our foreign policy, and we have been making efforts to contribute to the promotion and protection of human rights in our own regional as well as in the United Nations context. We will continue this commitment on the basis of the interrelated and mutually reinforcing nature of all human rights, in accordance with the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action.
Mr. President
Both the Universal Declaration, which forms today part of international customary law, and the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action reflect the consensus of the international community on human rights issues and are therefore cornerstones for the United Nations activities in this field. It is our task to find creative and effective ways for implementation, because a look at the global situation makes it dramatically clear that much remains to be done, in all parts of the world. The plight of refugees and internally displaced persons, the vast majority of which are women and children, has increased over the past few years, and concerted efforts by the international community are required to prevent the causes for such massive population movements, among which human rights violations play a primary role. Liechtenstein has consistently supported the work done by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Committee of the Red Cross, and we expect our law on granting asylum, drafted in cooperation with the UNHCR, to enter into force in the course of this year.
Mr. President
We are very grateful to the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mrs. Mary Robinson, for her dynamic and courageous input to the human rights year. We particularly welcome the special emphasis she is giving to the implementation of the right to development, because we agree with her that this issue is of decisive importance for the future of human rights.
Mr. President
One of the significant achievements of the Vienna Conference was the special emphasis which the Declaration and Programme of Action put on the human rights of women. It was in 1993 that the world community affirmed that women's rights are human rights. Five years after Vienna, a reaffirmation and further development of this commitment is urgently needed to make the human rights year also a year for the human rights of women. The conferences of Vienna and Beijing have created an important momentum which has translated into concrete
action by different intergovernmental bodies. At the same time, we have to acknowledge that many shortcomings remain. The full integration of a gender-perspective into all areas of the human rights activities of the United Nations is an important measure which should have sustained long-term effects. But we also have to make targeted and concrete efforts to improve the situation of women worldwide and to advance the cause of women's rights. On the governmental side, the complex phenomenon of violence against women should be given special emphasis. We are very grateful for the valuable work done by the Special Rapporteur of the Commission, Mrs. Radhika Coomaraswamy, and have taken note with interest of her recent proposal to elaborate a legal instrument on the elimination of violence against women.
Mr. President
It seems to us of crucial importance that the United Nations both act as a policy - making body in this area and set an example through its own practice. We are glad that the representation of women in the secretariat is constantly growing and we express our hope that this positive trend continues and even increases. We have on several occasions stressed the need for enhanced representation of women in decision-making positions in the context of preventive diplomacy, peacekeeping and peace-building, because we are of the view that this would be a very important contribution both to women's rights and to the maintenance of international peace and security.
Mr. President
In 1948, the United Nations also adopted the Convention on the Prevention and the Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, just a day before the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Over the past few years, we have not only witnessed the recurrence of this heinous crime, but also painfully been reminded of the incapacity for effectively preventing and prosecuting it. A very significant contribution to the human rights year would therefore be the adoption of a statute of an International Criminal Court in Rome, which enables prosecution of the most serious crimes over which universal jurisdiction already exists, and the interruption of the vicious circle of crime and impunity. We remain committed to the establishment of an effective and independent International Criminal Court.
Mr. President
Liechtenstein has introduced a few years ago an initiative on the right of self-determination, aimed at contributing to the prevention of conflicts within States, of which we have witnessed so many in the recent past. We remain convinced that a framework for a constructive dialogue between States and communities living within States would have a significant potential to defuse tensions and thus contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security as well as to the promotion and protection of human rights. The situation in Kosovo, characterized by violence on all sides and indiscriminate use of force against civilians, is only one example of a situation where too much time has elapsed with too little being done. We hope that the international community will come to realize the benefits and indeed the necessity of a proactive and preventive approach to such situations.
I thank you.