Measures to address reprisals against civil society actors and human rights defenders, the frightening increase in missing persons and the impact of unilateral coercive measures on already lagging economies were among topics addressed today by the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural), as it held a debate on the promotion and protection of human rights.
The representative of Ireland, speaking on behalf of 78 countries and the European Union, in its capacity as observer, stressed that the world owes a debt to civil society actors and human rights defenders who cooperate with the United Nations in exposing human rights abuses. Condemning all acts of intimidation or reprisal committed against those who have come forward, he said countries must promote a safe environment for civil society, emphasizing that all reprisals by State or non-State actors must be reported.
Addressing missing persons, the representative of Cyprus said that following Türkiye’s military invasion on her country, some 50 per cent of missing persons in Cyprus are still unknown. She urged the Government of Türkiye to fully disclose all information from its military archives, ensuring that the Committee of Missing Persons has unhindered access to all military areas in the occupied part of Cyprus.The representative of Türkiye rejected baseless allegations against her country. Noting that atrocities against Turkish Cypriots are well documented in archives, she opposed the view of invasion and occupation, referring to the legitimate intervention of the island, carried out according to the Treaty of Guarantee. On missing persons, she said Greece’s delegate opted to ignore Turkish Cypriots that went missing between 1963 and 1974 due to the systematic ethnic cleaning campaign against them.
On unilateral coercive measures, China’s delegate, speaking on behalf of 25 countries, stressed that they exacerbate hardships and humanitarian challenges in developing countries. Noting that their imposition during the ongoing COVID‑19 pandemic impedes targeted Governments from accessing and delivering necessary goods and life-saving assistance, he called on States to cease such practices.
In a similar vein, the representative of South Africa defined unilateral coercive measures as attempts by powerful States to coerce others, disregarding their far-reaching impact on the population of these countries. Several delegates pointed to human rights violations in Ukraine following the Russian Federation’s invasion, stressing the importance of accountability. The Ukrainian representative highlighted work by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, which concluded that an array of war crimes, violations of human rights and international humanitarian law have been committed there.Calling on all partners to enhance efforts to bring perpetrators to justice, he welcomed Human Rights Council country visits to document human rights violations suffered in his country, stressing the importance of continuing a monitoring presence there.
Highlighting her country’s centuries-long tradition of good neighbourly coexistence with a plethora of cultures and religions, the Russian Federation’s delegate condemned the aggressive Russophobia unleashed in recent months by many Western States. Further, countries of the European Union have introduced visa restrictions on Russians, subjecting them to collective punishment, while the most despicable and radical figures in the West are openly flaunting their plans to destroy the Russian identity, she said.
Speakers also emphasized the need to understand and respond to early warning signs in preventing atrocity crimes, and the impact of climate change on human rights, particularly in small developing States.They also underscored the importance of decriminalizing all sexual orientations and gender identities globally as well as to respect the bodily autonomy of women and girls.
Also speaking today were the representatives of Costa Rica (on behalf of the Group of Friends of the Responsibility to Protect), Timor-Leste (on behalf of the LGBTI Core Group), Czechia, on behalf of the European Union, in its capacity as observer, as well as other countries, Belize (on behalf of the Caribbean Community), Liberia, Liechtenstein, Dominican Republic (on behalf of the Central American Integration System), Venezuela, Singapore, Switzerland, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Philippines, Colombia, Mexico, United Kingdom, India, Israel, Honduras, Malaysia, Thailand, Qatar, Armenia, Austria, Cameroon, Belarus, Cuba, Greece, El Salvador, Argentina, Belgium, Czechia, Mauritania, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Uruguay, Burkina Faso, United Arab Emirates, Norway, Kuwait, Sweden, Nigeria, Rwanda, Algeria, Mozambique, Panama, Brunei Darussalam, Guatemala, Republic of Moldova, Australia, Zimbabwe, Viet Nam, Timor-Leste, Nepal, Syria and Chile. An observer for the Holy See also spoke.
Source: UN General Assembly