Annual Report 2005 Report Annual
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Couverture_ARP.qxd 27.6.2006 11:43 Page 1 annual report 2005 implementation of activities and use of funds annual report report annual 2005 OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ANNUAL REPORT 2005 Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS Palais des Nations - CH-1211 Geneva 10 - Switzerland Telephone: 41 22/917 90 00 - Fax: 41 22/917 90 08 Web site: www.ohchr.org human rights 001-256_ARP.qxd 27.6.2006 11:26 Page 1 ANNUAL report 2005 001-256_ARP.qxd 27.6.2006 11:26 Page 2 OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS Prepared by the Resource Mobilization Unit of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Design and Desktop Publishing by Latitudesign, Nyon Printed by Atar SA, Geneva The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this report do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. 001-256_ARP.qxd 27.6.2006 11:26 Page 3 Table of contents Introduction by the High Commissioner . 5 Technical cooperation activities . 120 AFRICA . 125 Update on Office-wide developments LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN . 137 and achievements . 7 EUROPE, CENTRAL ASIA AND THE CAUCASUS . 146 ASIA AND THE PACIFIC. 153 The Annual Report 2005: A reader’s guide . 9 ARAB REGION . 165 Funding of OHCHR . 11 Thematic human rights challenges . 175 Introduction . 175 United Nations human rights mechanisms. 33 Global projects . 180 Introduction . 33 WORLD PROGRAMME FOR HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION . 180 Support to human rights treaty bodies, STRENGTHENING HUMAN RIGHTS IN PEACE OPERATIONS . 183 the Commission on Human Rights and SUPPORT TO NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS . 185 the Sub-Commission . 35 TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS . 190 Response to allegations of human rights SECRETARY-GENERAL’S STUDY ON VIOLENCE violations: Support to the special procedures . 41 AGAINST CHILDREN . 193 Economic and social issues . 197 Implementation of human rights activities Human rights and development . 201 in the field . 47 Rule of law and democracy . 206 Introduction . 47 Groups in focus . 211 Human rights support for peace-making, MINORITIES. 211 peacekeeping and peace-building activities . 54 INDIGENOUS PEOPLES . 212 BURUNDI . 56 VOLUNTARY FUND FOR INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS . 215 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO . 61 VOLUNTARY FUND FOR THE INTERNATIONAL DECADE UGANDA. 65 OF THE WORLD’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLE . 218 COLOMBIA . 68 VICTIMS OF SLAVERY . 220 GUATEMALA . 74 VICTIMS OF TORTURE . 222 CAMBODIA . 78 Anti-Discrimination . 226 NEPAL . 82 BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA . 85 Strengthening the capacity of OHCHR . 229 SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO . 90 Introduction . 229 EXECUTIVE DIRECTION . 232 AFGHANISTAN . 94 RESOURCE MOBILIZATION . 233 ANGOLA. 97 COMMUNICATIONS AND NGO LIAISON . 235 COTE D’IVOIRE (COMMISSION OF INQUIRY). 102 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT . 237 SUDAN (DARFUR PLAN OF ACTION AND SUPPORT TO UNMIS) . 102 PLANNING, MONITORING AND EVALUATION . 240 SUDAN (COMMISSION OF INQUIRY) . 108 INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY . 242 TIMOR-LESTE (COMMISSION OF EXPERTS) . 109 PUBLICATIONS . 244 IRAQ. 111 TRAINING AND METHODOLOGY . 246 SUPPORT TO THE SIERRA LEONE TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION STAFF SECURITY . 249 COMMISSION (FINALIZATION OF THE REPORT). 113 FOLLOW-UP TO THE SIERRA LEONE TRUTH AND Contingency fund . 250 RECONCILIATION COMMISSION. 114 SUPPORT TO UNITED NATIONS PEACE MISSIONS . 115 Miscellaneous . 251 3 001-256_ARP.qxd 27.6.2006 11:26 Page 4 001-256_ARP.qxd 27.6.2006 11:26 Page 5 Introduction by the High Commissioner There can be no question that 2005 was a seminal year for To give substance to this declaration, the Summit agreed on a OHCHR. It marked the moment at which, for the first time, the number of measures, including the decision to create a Human United Nations human rights Office was able to combine vision, Rights Council – a new and stronger intergovernmental human strategy, personnel, resources and political support into the rights body to replace the Commission – and the commitment beginnings of an effective means by which to seek to address to double, within five years, the resources of OHCHR, acknowl- some of the greatest human rights challenges we currently face edging the vision we had outlined for ourselves in our Plan of in the world today. In the Report you have before you, we seek Action. The first tranche of this increase was duly delivered with to explain to you how this has happened and what more needs the General Assembly’s 2006/2007 budget cycle which provided to be done to enable us to continue down the path on which we OHCHR with an appropriation of US$ 85.6 million correspon- have embarked. ding to an increase in 91 new regular budget posts and related activities. These moves constituted a remarkable statement of Indeed, I am confident that we will look back on 2005 as a land- intent on the part of the international community and we will mark year in the steady embrace of the centrality of human be looking to the Member States to continue this process until rights in our international discourse: much as 1948, and the our regular budget funding has, indeed, been doubled. signing of the Universal Declaration, was, or 1993 and the artic- ulation of the Vienna Declaration, or even, I suspect, 1998 and Many challenges lie ahead. In particular, it is imperative that the the adoption of the Rome Statute. In 2005, the Member States of new Human Rights Council is able quickly to prove itself adept the United Nations agreed on an outcome to their gathering at at addressing, constructively and speedily, human rights viola- the World Summit in New York. This document, in unambiguous tions that occur the world over. I believe that the structure of the terms, declared that the promotion and protection of human Human Rights Council is a marked improvement over that of rights is central to the purpose of the United Nations: that the the Commission. It is, however, only a structure to which Mem- pursuit of development and the maintenance of peace cannot be ber States will have to give meaningful life and purpose. Within achieved without ensuring respect for all human rights. In other our capacity, my Office stands ready to assist, however we can, words, the days are now over when human rights can be seen as to make this Council the success it must be. an afterthought or at best a sideshow. 5 001-256_ARP.qxd 27.6.2006 11:27 Page 6 INTRODUCTION BY THE HIGH COMMISSIONER Secondly, the task of equipping OHCHR to implement fully the ways to support the treaty bodies and the Human Rights Council mandate accorded to it has only just begun, remarkable though has only one goal in mind: how best we can seek to address the I believe these early strides to have been. OHCHR’s donors have many violations of human rights which continue to take place again manifested their commitment in helping us realize our throughout the world. goals and achievements. In 2005, voluntary contributions amounted to US$ 73.9 million. With this support we have I am acutely aware that when it comes to human rights our launched the implementation of a comprehensive human rights rhetoric continues to outstrip reality. As long as we remain work programme and I am extremely grateful for this. Voluntary aware that this rhetoric articulates only an aspiration that is fine. contributions will remain a vital source of funding for OHCHR Danger lurks when we come to believe that such rhetoric is and we will have to continue to rely on this support in future. descriptive of reality. For it is not. Together with the substantial increase in regular budget fund- ing, this funding source will help address what has, in the past, I commend this Report to you as a record of how far the Office been a significant under-resourcing of the United Nations of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has come this past human rights programme. year in seeking to contribute to the greater respect of human rights and as an indication of how much further we all need to go. I will It can be all too easy to focus on institutional change as if, some- continue to rely on your support to advance our common how, reform is an end in itself. My colleagues and I do not make human rights agenda and ensure that we make a difference in the that mistake. In our Plan of Action, we listed six human rights lives of those who continue to suffer from human rights abuse. challenges we believe constitute the greatest threats to human security: poverty; discrimination; armed conflict and violence; impunity; democratic deficits; and weak institutions of state. There is no country in the world not affected by one or more of these. Everything we do, from strengthening our senior man- agement; to building up our thematic expertise; to the opening of field offices; to the development of partnerships both nation- Louise Arbour ally and within the United Nations system; to seeking better United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights 6 001-256_ARP.qxd 27.6.2006 11:27 Page 7 Update on Office-wide Developments and Achievements A simple description of activities implemented by OHCHR in of Action and made concrete recommendations by outlining the 2005 in this Annual Report cannot do justice to the magnitude relevant policy, operational, workflow, structural and resource of the work and achievements of the Office over the past year. implications. OHCHR senior management then reviewed and Indeed, 2005 marked a turning point in the history of OHCHR approved many of these recommendations.