I thank the Chairman and members of the sub-committee. I welcome the opportunity to talk about the work of the human rights unit, which I head, in the Department of Foreign Affairs. Given my remit, it could not be more appropriate that I come before this sub-committee.
I have been in my position since April 2008 and this is my first appearance before the sub-committee. I look forward to keeping the sub-committee updated regarding progress on human rights issues that interest it. We in the Department of Foreign Affairs are aware of the interest and engagement of both Houses of the Oireachtas in human rights issues. One example of this is the high volume of parliamentary questions we receive on human rights issues; they act as a useful barometer of issues of concern to Members of the Oireachtas. We in the Department are also aware of the dialogue the sub-committee has with various non-governmental organisations, civil society groups, lobby groups and support groups. We also maintain dialogue with such groups and this is important to us in terms of ensuring a human rights aspect is integrated in the development of foreign policy.
Before making my presentation, I will say a few words on the motion Deputy Higgins put before the sub-committee. It is clearly an issue of deep concern to the sub-committee, the Department and the Minister. I assure the sub-committee that I will report back to the political director and the Minister on the points which have been made. The Department has taken up the issue through our embassy in South Africa and with our EU colleagues. We will continue to closely monitor the case and do all in our power to secure the immediate release of Ms Mukoku who we hope is still alive. Deputy Costello said the seriousness of the matter was reflected in the fact that last week the European Council issued a statement calling for the immediate release of people held incommunicado in Zimbabwe, specifically citing the case of Ms Mukoku. We understand and share members' deep concern about the case.
I was asked to comment on the role of the human rights unit and, specifically, our priorities for 2009. I have provided a note setting out our main responsibilities and will talk about our key priorities for the year ahead. I will make every effort to respond to any questions after my opening remarks.
A number of key priorities have been established for 2009, centred on the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This is a significant milestone which has been appropriately marked in recent weeks by NGOs and others in Ireland. The Department has also considered how to mark the event and how it can help shape our policies. We made a submission to the Minister in that regard and I will be happy to set out some of the initiatives we will take in recognising the anniversary.
We are entering a very interesting period for human rights, with a new US Administration about to take office. There are very high expectations — perhaps too high on the part of some in terms of what it might mean for the engagement of the United States on global human rights issues such as the new UN human rights architecture which has been in place for the past two and a half years and about which I will talk later. Early in 2009 we will hold an NGO forum, an annual event which the human rights unit has organised for the past ten years. It is an important opportunity for the active NGO community to contribute to policy formulation. A concept paper is being developed and we are working on securing a significant keynote speaker. It is hoped that early in 2009 we will be able to make an announcement on the timing and subjects to be considered at the forum.
In an indication of the importance attached by the Department to human rights the Minister has decided that from now on there will be a module on human rights in training programmes for newly recruited diplomats and as part of pre-posting training for staff going abroad. Ireland will chair the human security network, an informal cross-regional group of 11 or 12 countries which view human rights through the prism of human security. For Ireland's chairmanship which runs until the end of May 2009, we have chosen the theme of gender-based violence. A number of events will take place, including a high level conference towards the end of the chairmanship at which there will be an initiative related to the human security network.
The human rights unit is involved in two broad areas, namely, international issues and civil society. The unit services the various international fora dealing with human rights, including the new UN Human Rights Council to which I referred. A new innovation in the human rights architecture is the establishment of a universal periodic review process, whereby the human rights performance of every member of the United Nations will be assessed every four years. We have already held the first three sessions and some 48 countries have been reviewed. The process is still in its infancy but is one we strongly support and would like to be developed. A significant innovation is that it is universal which counters the sense gained of its precursor, the Human Rights Commission, that it was selective in the issues at which it looked. Ireland supports UN mechanisms and we will work hard to ensure they are as effective as possible and that recommendations made are followed up. The third session ended yesterday and the Irish delegation was involved in making recommendations relating to a number of countries, including Israel and Colombia, two countries in which the sub-committee has taken an interest.
The new Human Rights Council provides for a year-round standing committee on human rights which replaces the previous commission which only met once a year. There are three regular sessions of the council and three of the universal periodic review in each year, as well as a number of special sessions, including a recent one on the Democratic Republic of Congo. As I said, there have been eight special sessions of the Human Rights Council in two and a half years, whereas there was a total of three or four in the entire lifetime of its precursor, the Human Rights Commission.
There will be a number of other events in the coming year. In April the Durban review conference will take place to follow up on what was agreed in 2001 in regard to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. We are keen to work with our EU partners and others to ensure this review conference fulfils its purpose. It will not be without difficulties, some of which have been aired. It is important that we all work to ensure the conference will achieve its overarching aim of defeating all forms of racism universally.
I ask the sub-committee to be aware of one other international issue in 2009. It has been decided at the political level that Ireland will run for a seat on the Human Rights Council for the period 2012 to 2015. Since its inception, we have participated as an observer and a non-member. The campaign for our election will be formally launched in 2009. We expect a substantial campaign in the run-up to the elections in 2012.
The second broad area of work to which I referred is civil society. The Department's links with the civil society sector in Ireland are very important to us. The Department and non-governmental organisations have a joint standing committee on human rights, the most recent meeting of which was held yesterday morning. The committee comprises representatives of the main human rights organisations and officers of the Department who serve on the nomination of the Minister. It is normally appointed for two years; the current committee's membership comes to an end at the end of this year. We will shortly be making a submission to the Minister with a view to the appointment of a new committee for the two years ahead.
I know the role of Irish Aid is of interest to the sub-committee. Since publication of the White Paper on Irish Aid, human rights has been identified as a cross-cutting priority issue. In the year ahead the human rights unit will work closely with Irish Aid to identify the scope for greater mainstreaming of human rights considerations.
The human rights unit has a role with regard to Ireland's reporting requirements under the various UN instruments. It also has a co-ordinating role with regard to the ratification procedures for instruments. I can assure the sub-committee that officials in the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the various others which lead on these instruments are determined to make as much progress as possible in the year ahead in implementing and ratifying instruments which have been signed and in ensuring we report to UN treaty monitoring bodies in a more timely fashion. That will be one of our overriding priorities for the year ahead.
These remarks are a supplement to the information note provided for the sub-committee. I will seek to respond to members' questions or comments.
Deputy Michael D. Higgins took the Chair.