We are deeply shocked by the escalation of violence in the conflict in Sudan, which has reached unprecedented levels of atrocity, without any of the points in the resolution adopted by this Council on May 11 having led to pacification.
In a written statement submitted to the Human Rights Council at its fifty-second session under item three, the United Villages Organization, which has consultative status at the United Nations, commended the organization of the United Arab Emirates for the climate conference “COP 28”, and the care and attention the country attaches to climate issues, and its endeavour to strengthen international efforts Concerned with climate within the framework of the pioneering and distinguished experience provided by the UAE to achieve climate justice according to an approach based on respect and promotion of human rights, stressing the importance of concerted international efforts to protect the climate and giving utmost importance to sparing countries and human societies all the negative consequences of climate change, and working to enhance the enjoyment of human rights and guarantee the quality of life in developing countries.
Civil society participation is a cornerstone of the Human Rights Council. Given continuing restrictions to civil society participation, including the Council’s adoption of efficiency measures to address the UN’s financial shortfalls; the COVID-19 pandemic2; and the ongoing Strategic Heritage Plan, we call on you to continue to ensure full participation of civil society and that civil society are fully consulted in the making of decisions that affect civil society participation and access to the Council. We are concerned that without such consultation, decisions on issues relating to participation and procedure will be taken without full consideration of all key stakeholders, to the detriment of the Council’s effectiveness.
The statement mentions that scholars have recognized that corruption is a violation of human rights. “Thirteen years ago, CAP-LC states, the Maastricht Center for Human Rights in the Netherlands organized an important conference on corruption as a human rights issue, on October 22–23, 2009. The majority position at the Maastricht conference was that there is indeed a provision in international law that makes corruption a violation of human rights. It is article 2, number 1, of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.” The provision mandates that states should remove the obstacles to the full enjoyment of human rights by their citizens, and there is little doubt that corruption is such an obstacle.
GENEVA 13 July 2021 | 18 organisations and individuals released a letter to all Human Rights Council Member and Observer States condemning the choice of Somalia to replace the abrupt resignation of Sudan from the Vice-President position of the Bureau in June 2021. While Sudan has taken strides to improve human rights, most notably through the repeal of the death penalty for apostasy [the first modern country to do so] Somalia has, on the other hand, made no improvements to merit their new VP position and have rather increased religious freedom or belief violations.
