A
20-20 Human Rights Vision
Statement
by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay for Human Rights Day,
10 December 2013
Twenty
years ago, a historic document was adopted in Vienna. It crystallized the
principle that human rights are universal, and committed States to the promotion
and protection of all human rights for all people, regardless of their
political, economic and cultural systems.
Among
many other significant and ground-breaking achievements, the Vienna Declaration
led to the creation of my Office - the Office of the High Commissioner for Human
Rights.
Since
then, there have been many advances - indeed more than people perhaps realize.
The
fundamentals for protecting and promoting human rights are largely in place:
these include a strong and growing body of international human rights law and
standards, as well as institutions to interpret the laws, monitor compliance and
apply them to new and emerging human rights issues.
The
key now is to implement those laws and standards to make enjoyment of human
rights a reality on the ground. The political will, and the human and financial
resources, to achieve this are too often lacking.
The 20
years since Vienna have also, unfortunately, seen many setbacks and a number of
tragic failures to prevent atrocities and safeguard human rights.
In
several instances where deplorable, large-scale violations of international
human rights law were occurring, the international community was too slow, too
divided, too short-sighted - or just plain inadequate in its response to the
warnings of human rights defenders and the cries of victims.
The
Vienna Declaration should be viewed as a blueprint for a magnificent
construction that is still only half built.
The
conduct of States is more scrutinised than ever, and the expansion of civil
society organizations and individual human rights activists over the past 20
years has been truly remarkable. Along with independent national human rights
institutions, these are the bedrock of human rights development at the national
level. But, it is a matter of deep concern that they are also facing increasing
harassment and intimidation in many countries.
Women
continue to suffer discrimination, violence and persecution. So do ethnic,
racial and religious minorities, and migrants, as well as individuals because of
their sexual orientation. This shows how far we still have to go.
Internal
conflicts continue to produce horrendous and widespread human rights abuses.
Peaceful protests by people exercising, and calling for, their legitimate rights
are being ruthlessly crushed by authorities virtually on a daily
basis.
Changing
and shifting populations, fuelled by rising poverty, refugee movements and
volatile global economics, make countering 'fear of the other' a priority.
And
complex new challenges continue to emerge, such as climate change and global
terrorist movements.
The
way we operate in this world is also changing at breakneck speed.
Modern
technologies are transforming the way we do human rights work. In 1993, the
World Wide Web was just four years old, and its future use and reach could
barely have been imagined, nor how fundamentally the Internet would affect our
lives. Together with social media and IT innovations, these technologies are
dramatically improving real-time communications and information-sharing. They
are also magnifying the voice of human rights defenders, shining a light on
abuses, and mobilizing support for various causes in many parts of the world.
But we
have also seen how new technologies are facilitating the violation of human
rights, with chilling 21st Century efficiency. In breach of
international law, mass electronic surveillance and data collection are
threatening both individual rights, and the free functioning of a vibrant civil
society.
A
Tweet or Facebook post by a human rights defender can be enough to land him or
her in jail. Drones can be, and are being, used for positive purposes. But armed
drones are also being deployed, without due legal process, for the remote
targeting of individuals. So-called "Killer robots" - autonomous weapons systems
that can select and hit a target without human intervention - are no longer
science fiction, but a reality.
Their
likely future deployment poses deeply troubling ethical and legal questions.
Continued
vigilance is needed to ensure that new technologies advance rather than destroy
human rights. No matter the scale of these changes, existing international human
rights law and international humanitarian law governing the conduct of armed
conflict remain applicable.
States
must ensure that they are applied.
At the
international level, a huge amount of work remains to be done to transform human
rights from abstract promises to genuine improvement in the daily lives of all
people, especially those who are currently marginalized or excluded.
The UN
Human Rights Office will continue to work with all our partners to try to
prevent human rights breaches from occurring. We will continue to be vocal about
human rights violations. We will continue to ask States to do their part - the
biggest part by far - to ensure that the tragic mistakes of the past are not
repeatedand that the human rights of all are protected and promoted.
We can
- and we must - do better.
The
vision and goals formulated 20 years ago in Vienna are still valid. They are
still worth fighting for now - over the next 20 years - and beyond
