Forced disappearances and minority issues feature as UN Human Rights Council meets

The enhanced United Nations Human Rights Council today discussed forced disappearances, minority issues, and the fundamental freedoms of indigenous people as it continued its second session in Geneva.

Stephen J. Toope, Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Working Group on enforced or involuntary disappearances, highlighted in his report that enforced disappearance was a global problem, a point also emphasized by the Independent Expert on minority issues, Gay McDougall, when she addressed the meeting.

Exclusion, discrimination and racism directed at ethnic, religious and linguistic minority groups continue to fuel social unrest in every region of the world, said Ms. McDougall, according to a Council press release.

Minority rights and policies of inclusion and equality play a vital role in promoting political and social stability, she said, adding discrimination against ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities is often linked to disproportionate levels of poverty in those communities.

Rodolfo Stavenhagen, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people, focused in his report on the gap between many countries’ laws recognizing indigenous peoples and the daily reality of their situation.

The gap in implementation will only be closed once full participation of indigenous organizations and civil society was guaranteed, Mr. Stavenhagen said.

Special Rapporteurs are unpaid and serve in an independent personal capacity, reporting to the 47-member Council on their work.

Representatives from more than 30 countries and groups, including Amnesty International, also spoke during today’s discussions.

In later debates, the Council began discussing reports covering extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and the human rights of internally displaced persons (IDPs).

In his remarks, Philip Alston, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, highlighted that many States fail to comply with their obligation to investigate, prosecute, and punish violations of the right to life in times of armed conflict and occupation.

Walter Kalin, Representative of the Secretary-General on the human rights of IDPs, said three elements are required to ensure the full protection of their rights: a strong normative framework, political will and the capacity to protect, according to a press release from the Council. These discussions are set to continue on Wednesday.

This second session of the Council, set up earlier this year to replace the much-criticized Human Rights Commission, opened yesterday and will run until 6 October.