Foreign
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, on Monday urged UN Member States to promote a more inclusive post-pandemic recovery to help the world’s most vulnerable recover from the impact of COVID-19.
Bachelet made the call at the opening of the Human Rights Council’s 47th session in Geneva.
Citing a rise in “extreme poverty, inequalities and injustice” in the last 18 months, UN rights chief Bachelet also warned that democratic and civic space had been eroded.
These were all problems that could be addressed if countries embraced the UN Secretary-General’s call for a New Social Contract, according to Bachelet.
The initiative will be supported by a New Global Deal of solidarity, which shares power, resources and opportunities more fairly.
It is in line with a plan for a UN-wide agenda that the UN Secretary-general, António Guterres intends to present to the UN General Assembly in September.
“These are bold steps that place unprecedented emphasis on the power of human rights to ensure sound and inclusive development, sustainable peace, and societies grounded in trust.
“Navigating an inclusive, green, sustainable and resilient future will be the work of this generation of world leaders or their downfall,” Bachelet said.
She acknowledged that many countries were facing “collapsing global trade, falling remittances, turmoil in commodities prices and debt burdens”.
Nonetheless, Bachelet, who is a former two-time President of Chile, also said that it was possible to deliver on economic and social rights by using proven techniques.
She emphasised on using proven techniques to combat corruption and illicit financial flows, deploying progressive fiscal policies and increasing budget transparency, participation and accountability.
“The evidence is conclusive: countries that had invested in social protection have been better able to weather the crisis,” she said.
In addition, she said that a New Social Contract would rebuild public trust “through stronger support for fundamental rights”.
It was vital to establish societies in which policymakers looked first to combat inequalities and promote rights to social protection, health, education, and more, the High Commissioner continued.
As is the tradition on the opening day of a new session of the Council, Bachelet also used her opening statement to highlight her Office’s concerns in more than a dozen countries, from Afghanistan to the Philippines.
Among them, Bachelet reiterated her concerns over continuing violence against civilians in Ethiopia’s Tigray region by all parties to the conflict more than six months since fighting began.
The High Commissioner noted reports of serious violations of international humanitarian law and gross human rights violations and abuses, all linked to clashes between central government troops and forces loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
These included extrajudicial executions, arbitrary arrests and detentions, sexual violence against children as well as adults and forced displacement.
There were also credible reports that Eritrean soldiers were still operating in Tigray and continue to perpetrate violations of human rights and humanitarian law.
Bachelet added that the humanitarian situation remained dire and that an estimated 350,000 people faced famine.
The alert follows repeated warnings from humanitarian agencies that their access is regularly blocked and that an unknown number of people are in need and impossible to reach.
Bachelet also told Member States that an investigation into the situation in Tigray had begun on May 16, in partnership with the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission. (NAN)
– June 22, 2021 @ 08:59 GMT |
Tags: COVID-19: UN urges Member States to promote inclusive post-pandemic recovery
