Mr. Chairman,
As highlighted in the report submitted by Ms. Jilani, the Observatory also points out in its 2006 Annual Report the worldwide upsurge in repression against activists engaging in the defence of economic, social and cultural rights. Not only trade union rights were once more flouted, or non-existent, in many countries, especially in Asia (China, South Korea), the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates) and Djibouti, but trade union leaders were also often the victims of violence, generally committed by private security companies, and often with the complicity of local and/or national authorities. For instance, many were assassinated in Colombia and in the Philippines. Likewise, social protest movements in Latin America were subjected to a repression and use of force that have been more and more disproportionate, while those who protested against precarious living conditions, linked in part to corruption and economic mismanagement, were subjected to severe repression (Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe).
In this context, defenders of the rights of indigenous peoples (Colombia, Chile, Ecuador), land rights (Brazil, Philippines) and the right to protection of the environment (India, Guatemala, Honduras, Thailand) were particularly targeted.
Defenders of the rights of minorities and of the rights to health, housing and land also continued to pay a heavy price for their activities in favour of the disadvantaged, and their opposition to powerful interest groups, especially in Asia (Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Thailand, Vietnam).
Organisations defending lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) minorities’ rights were still considered as a risk for society, which fostered numerous acts of reprisals against LGBT rights defenders who remained highly discriminated and whose work in favour of human rights was rarely acknowledged (Argentina, Honduras, Jamaica, Nigeria, Russian Federation, Salvador, Turkey, Uganda).
Finally, women human rights defenders were subjected to attacks on more than one front. As the main defenders of women’s rights in countries where these rights are denied on cultural, social or religious grounds, these women defenders were generally on the frontline.
1/ In this context, Ms. Jilani, did you observe any differentiated treatment by State actors towards human rights defenders working in the field of economic, social and cultural rights, not only because of the activities, but also the rights they defend?
2/ Moreover, when you denounced acts of reprisals against this category of defenders, did States cooperate fully with your mandate or did you observe a specific reluctance from their side?
3/ Ms. Jilani, in your report, while stressing that defenders should be able to fully participate in the work of the Human Rights Council, you deplore that the space dedicated to NGOs within the Human Rights Council has somehow been reduced. Which concrete proposals would you make in order to enhance the participation of defenders from all over the world in the Council’s work?
4/ In 2006, you were not able to carry out country visits in the field - are any visit planned for 2007?
5/ Finally, did you receive further information since the finalisation of your report on the situation of human rights defenders in Brazil?
Thank you Mr. Chairman.