HRC52 - Item 10: Technical assistance and capacity-building

UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

52^nd Session

(27 February to 4 April 2023)

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Item 10

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Statement by

H.E. Ms Anna JARDFELT

Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Sweden

on behalf of the European Union

Geneva, 3 April 2023

- CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY –

UNITED NATIONS

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

52^nd session

(27 February – 4 April 2023)

EU Statement

Technical assistance and capacity-building (Item 10)

Speaking time – 2’30’’

President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union.

The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina* align themselves with this statement.

The EU appreciates the reports presented to the Council by the High Commissioner. The EU wants to express our full support for the Office for the High Commissioner of Human Rights, including its important role in delivering technical assistance and capacity building.

The EU highly appreciates the invaluable work of the OHCHR and its active engagement and dialogue with States and all other relevant stakeholders. We call upon all States to cooperate with the Office, including by providing it with unrestricted access to monitor and report on human rights situations on the ground. At the same time the EU would like to reiterate that due cooperation with OHCHR and other UN Human Rights mechanisms does not replace duty-bearers’ obligation to abide by international human rights standards.

Adequate, predictable and sustainable funding is a prerequisite to ensure OHCHR’s capacity and ability to deliver on its mandate and independently exercise its functions. The EU and its member states will continue to support the office but also want to encourage all States to do the same. Scaled up financing to OHCHR, both in terms of a broadened financing base and increased voluntary contributions from existing donors, flexible funding in particular, is key to making sure the OHCHR can continue to fulfil its important mandate going forward.

The EU welcomes the active engagement by the Philippines in the implementation of the UN Joint Programme, which was signed in 2021 and which the EU supports financially. The EU calls on the Philippines to ensure the continuation of the UNJP, including dedicated reporting on progress achieved in its implementation and on technical cooperation. The aim is to achieve tangible progress on the remaining issues of concern and shortcomings, as identified in the report issued by the UN High Commissioner in September 2022, including as regards accountability for human rights violations and abuses, such as drug-related killings. In this respect, the EU calls on the Philippines to ensure effective, impartial and transparent investigations, including through cooperation with the International Criminal Court, and to strengthen accountability mechanisms. The EU also calls on the Philippines to take further steps to protect civic space, human rights defenders, and journalists, ensure a human rights-based approach to counter-terrorism and drugs control, and to guarantee the continued independence of the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines.

The European Union welcomes Georgia’s commitment to implementing its obligations under international human rights law through the ongoing cooperation with OHCHR. We also welcome progress in strengthening the legal and policy framework on gender equality and violence against women. We recall that ensuring a safe and enabling environment for human rights defenders, civil society and independent media remains a key issue in ensuring a functioning democracy. The EU notes the ruling party’s withdrawal of the proposed ‘foreign influence’ legislation. Under international law, States have the duty to respect, protect and fulfil a safe and enabling environment for civil society, both online and offline, as well as freedom of expression and of the media. The EU encourages Georgia to strengthen the rule of law, the independence, integrity and accountability of the judiciary in line with the EU-accession process. It also encourages Georgia to swiftly formulate the Action plan supporting the implementation of the Human Rights Strategy 2023-30.

We remain steadfast in our support for Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty within its internationally recognised borders.  The EU reiterates its call for allowing OHCHR and international and regional human rights mechanisms immediate and unimpeded access to Abkhazia and South Ossetia, to allow the High Commissioner to fully implement his mandate and to conduct an independent assessment of the human rights protection needs of the population in these areas. We are seriously concerned about the lasting human rights violations committed therein reported by the High Commissioner and echo his calls for accountability.

The EU expresses its full support to the work of the Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine. We reiterate our strongest condemnation of the grave and massive violations and abuses of international human rights law and violations of international humanitarian law committed in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. These atrocities include attacks on civilians and energy-related infrastructure, wilful killings, unlawful confinement, torture, rape, and other sexual and gender-based violence, as well as unlawful transfers and deportations of children. Many of these amount to war crimes. The EU encourages all efforts to ensure full accountability for all violations committed in connection with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, including the crime of aggression. All victims deserve justice. In this context we welcome Ukraine’s cooperation with the various human rights mechanisms, including the High Commissioner for Human Rights and those of this Council. We urge Russia to do the same.

The EU welcomes the initiative taken by Haiti to introduce a draft resolution under item 10 to strengthen the cooperation between the OHCHR and the government of Haiti, including through the designation of a dedicated expert, given the high level of human rights violations and abuses in the country.

The EU also follows closely the human rights development in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Libya, Mali on which we have commented in detail during the interactive dialogues.

Thank you.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.