IIMA and VIDES Participation in the 42nd Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva
From September 9th to 27th, 2019, the Istituto Internazionale Maria Ausiliatrice (IIMA) Human Rights Office and VIDES International, participated in the 42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council delivering three oral statements on the following: Items 3 & 5 Clustered interactive dialogue on SR Report on indigenous peoples; Item 6 on the UPR outcomes of Costa rica and Nicaragua.
IIMA and VIDES welcomed the Report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples. However, the attainment of the full and equitable enjoyment of the human rights of all indigenous peoples remains elusive. Thus, IIMA and VIDES recommended that States adopt policies that can guarantee indigenous children and youth to have access to free, quality and inclusive education which incorporates indigenous language, history and culture into the school curricula. Likewise, they called on States to prepare educators to enable and empower indigenous children and youth to find their voice and place in society. In addition, IIMA and VIDES asked States to provide funding for school buildings and infrastructures in remote indigenous areas and to promote women’s empowerment through health education, vocational training programs and microcredit projects.
For the UPR outcomes of Costa Rica, IIMA and VIDES, called upon the State to continue its efforts to raise awareness of women’s rights, especially in rural areas through effective empowerment processes..IIMA and VIDES also recommended to the Costa Rican government to guarantee support to poor families especially those belonging to minority groups, to adopt a more comprehensive measure to prevent and eradicate child labor, to increase the education budget and develop educational strategies so as to improve school retention and avoid children school dropouts or repeating a school year.
Likewise, IIMA and VIDES delivered a statement on the UPR outcomes of Nicaragua. They welcomed the State’s acceptance of recommendations related to the rights of children, youth and women. However, to achieve the full enjoyment of those rights IIMA and VIDES recommended to the Government of Nicaragua to set up mechanisms which protect children, young people, and women from discrimination, violence, and marginalization through programs on human rights education, prevention measures, awareness raising campaigns in the family, social and public spheres.
With the Permanent Mission of the Philippines, IIMA and VIDES International organized a Side Event on 25 September 2019 on the theme: “Promoting a Safe and Empowering Environment for all Children and Youth – best practices for child and youth protection and participation through human rights education”. It was funded by Misean Cara and cosponsored by sixteen Permanent Missions and two Non-Governmental Organizations. The event was participated by twenty-six States and many organizations.
At the conclusion of the 42ndsession, the Human Rights Council adopted the plan of action for the fourth phase of the World Programme for Human Rights Education(2020–2024). This phase focuses on youth. The final document affirmed the United Nations Strategy launched by the Secretary-General in September 2018 stating that the United Nations is committed to step up efforts to protect and promote the rights of young people and to support their civic and political engagement, including through human rights education. To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training, the HRC decided to convene a high-level panel discussion on the 48thSession of the Human Rights.
For more information about our side event click here.