Written answers

Tuesday, 6 July 2010

Department of Foreign Affairs

Human Rights Issues

10:00 am

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 400: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which he, through the EU or UN, has identified the most blatant known worldwide human rights abuses; the ongoing or proposed action to deal with these issues at the specific locations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30182/10]

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Unfortunately, no part of the world is totally free from human rights abuses. As has been stated on previous occasions, in response to similar Questions, it is not the policy of the Government to draw up a 'league table' of countries deemed guilty of the most blatant human rights abuses. The complexity and specificity of individual country situations could render such an exercise difficult and probably of little value. Ireland, both bilaterally and in association with the EU and other like-minded partners, makes frequent and numerous interventions with regard to human rights concerns in the countries which have the most serious human rights abuses.

Human rights concerns remain central to our foreign policy. Together with our EU partners, Ireland closely monitors the human rights situations in many countries throughout the world, on the basis of information obtained from a variety of sources including both official channels and non-governmental/civil society organisations.

Where and when the situation warrants, we make known our concerns about human rights violations to the Governments in question. We do this bilaterally, through the EU, or through action at the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council.

We support the use of the full UN human rights machinery in responding to human rights abuses, including supporting the role of UN Treaty Monitoring Bodies, Special Procedures and Mandate Holders and the convening, where appropriate, of Special Sessions of the UN Human Rights Council. At these UN bodies, the EU regularly makes statements on the human rights situations in a number of countries from all regions. Ireland is fully associated with these statements. The EU also introduces or supports resolutions dealing with specific countries.

The Universal Periodic Review mechanism is one example of how Ireland and the international community can bring pressure to bear on those responsible for human rights violations. Ireland has engaged proactively with this UN Human Rights Council mechanism since its creation in March 2006. At the eighth session of the UPR, which took place in Geneva, from 3-14 May 2010, Ireland made a number of interventions, raising issues such as gender based violence, the right to education, the death penalty, independence of the media, freedom of expression, religious freedom, freedom of assembly, the role of National Human Rights Institutions and the protection of human rights defenders within the States under review.

The EU has adopted Common Positions on certain countries, which attach priority to promoting human rights, democracy, good governance and the rule of law. In addition, the EU conducts human rights dialogues with a number of countries and also raises human rights concerns as part of political dialogue meetings.

Together with our EU partners, Ireland has been a consistent and strong supporter of the International Criminal Court, recognising it as an essential means of combating impunity for the most serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law. The Court's Prosecutor has opened investigations into a number of country situations and we will continue to monitor this work closely.

The risk of human rights violations is greater where political, economic and administrative systems are weak. Development is essential to allow people the full enjoyment of their human rights, and this is a key concern for Ireland's development co-operation programme. Irish Aid supports specific actions designed to promote human rights, including strengthening government systems and in-country human rights institutions, in particular through legal training. Support is also provided for legal aid programmes targeted at victims of human rights abuses. Irish Aid has a specific focus on governance in several programme countries.

The Government will continue to avail of all the above-mentioned mechanisms and instruments as a means of highlighting violations of human rights and furthering their protection.

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