GENEVA, Switzerland, May 23, 2016/APO (African Press Organization)/ —
Humanitarian action that places human rights at its center is key to ensure protection for all victims, today said a group of rights specialists from the largest body of independent experts* in the United Nations Human Rights system.
In a statement addressed to the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit, 44 Special Procedures’ experts urged all participants gathering next week in Istanbul (23-24 May) to ensure that human rights are integrated into all aspects of the conference, including national commitments to improve the protection of all those affected by conflict, disaster and displacement – some of the world’s most vulnerable people.
Many conflicts could be avoided through greater attention to human rights by national and international actors before violence breaks out, saving countless lives and avoiding the need for costly humanitarian action, they noted referring to recent conflicts in which widespread violations of human rights have been witnessedThe experts also expressed deep concern about the downgrading of attention to human rights in some emergency settings and conflicts: “It is in crisis and conflict that individuals and communities are most at risk and in need of protection. Yet it is often at these times that we see human rights violations taking place with impunity and attention to human rights weakened or neglected.”
“The objective to ‘leave no-one behind’ requires special attention to those who may be in particular situations of vulnerability they noted, including children, youth, minorities, indigenous peoples, migrants, internally displaced persons, refugees, stateless persons, persons with disabilities, members of the LGBTI community, older persons, and women and girls exposed to multiple threats,” the experts said.
“Those whose lives and homes have been shattered must have their immediate needs met, but they are given hope for the future in their own countries through the knowledge that their rights and dignity will be fully respected during and in the aftermath of crisis,” they stressed.
The Summit offers a unique opportunity to give greater attention to human rights by all actors at every phase – from prevention measures to emergency assistance and recovery, the UN experts noted. They called for “better enforcement of international humanitarian law and international human rights law and standards as a high priority for all States and the international community.”
“Understanding and addressing the adverse impact of both domestic policies and external international action are effective ways to address the root-causes of humanitarian crises,” the human rights experts said.
(*) See the full statement by the Special Procedures’ human rights experts: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=19997LangID=E
