UN movea to introduce defender for rights activists<\/p>\n
GENEVA (AFP): The United Nations rights body voted
\noverwhelmingly on Wednesday to give human rights defenders their
\nown defender.<\/p>\n
Fifty of the 53 members of the UN Human Rights Commission
\nvoted at the body's annual session here to appoint a special
\nrepresentative whose job will be to protect the rights of
\ndefenders of human rights.<\/p>\n
Three countries abstained in the vote -- China, Rwanda and
\nCuba -- saying a new mandate for a special representative
\noverlapped with existing mechanisms within the commission.<\/p>\n
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan will appoint the first
\nrepresentative for a three-year period. The nomination could be
\nmade within weeks, officials said.<\/p>\n
Antoine Bernard of the International Federation of Human
\nRights said the decision set up "the most important mechanism
\ncreated by the commission for decades."<\/p>\n
"It's the first time a group of countries has dared to take
\nthe initiative for such a mechanism. Until now they were
\nhesitating for fear that it would not pass," he told AFP.<\/p>\n
The Moroccan representative presented the resolution, which
\nwas supported by the European Union, Canada, the United States,
\nseveral eastern European countries, as well as Australia and some
\nAfrican and Latin American nations.<\/p>\n
The resolution outlined the main principles for the role of
\nthe special representative, who is tasked with obtaining
\ninformation concerning the situation of human rights defenders
\nworldwide, holding direct contacts with governments and
\nrecommending effective strategies for better protecting human
\nrights.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/un-movea-to-introduce-defender-for-rights-activists-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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