An Encompassing Social Agenda
Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural)
By Vikram Sura with V. Maria Morgan

Ambassador Fuad Mubarak Al-Hinai, Permanent Representative of Oman and Chairman, Third Committee. (Chronicle Photo)

In the final two meetings of the Third Committee, two texts sparked a heated debate. One was the draft resolution on the impact of globalization on human rights, which was later adopted by the General Assembly by a vote of 116 to 44, with 9 abstentions. The representative of Belgium, who was also speaking on behalf of the European Union, argued that globalization was not the source of all evil, and violation of one right did not mean violation of all rights. The right to be free from torture, for example, had nothing to do with globalization, he said.

The Canadian representative, speaking also on behalf of Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein, also voted against it. Explaining his delegation’s position, he said the resolution did not recognize the complexities of globalization and did not realize the importance of domestic measures that needed to be in place in order to enjoy the benefits of globalization. The United States said it did not accept the premise that the net effect of globalization was poverty and that it negatively affected the enjoyment of human rights.

From the other side of the divide, Egypt said the impact of globalization on human rights was not about indicting or praising globalization. The resolution simply made sure that it was a fair force for all countries. The delegations from Libya and the Sudan both agreed with Egypt on this point.

Boys reading books outside their classroom in Chiapas, Mexico. (UN Photo) 55 Years of the Third Committee Then and Now ... in 1947 Immigration - In the wake of the Second World War, the Assembly recommends that Member States adopt measures for the early return of repatriable refugees and displaced persons to their countries of origin. Freedom of information - The Assembly resolves “to formulate... rights, obligations and practices which should be included in the concept of freedom of information”. Mastication of Coca leaves - The Assembly adopts a resolution, at the request made by the Government of Peru, that a committee of experts be sent to study the effects on the inhabitants in the Andean region of chewing coca leaves. Entry into force of the protocol on narcotic drugs - The Assembly resolution desires complete transfer from the League of Nations to the United Nations of the powers and functions relating to the control of narcotic drugs. Exchange of workers - The Assembly “urges Members to facilitate maximum possible exchange of workers … to study on the spot the economic and social problems confronting their comrades in other countries”. ... in 2001 Human rights and terrorism - The Assembly reiterates its condemnation of acts, methods and practices of terrorism in all its forms, as activities aimed at the destruction of human rights and democracy, threatening the territorial integrity and sovereignty of States. It urges the international community to cooperate at the regional and international levels in fighting. International drug control - The Assembly calls upon Member States to strengthen their national and regional efforts to curb the abuse of illicit drugs among their population, targeting children and young people, by implementing the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Declaration on the Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction. Promotion and protection of the rights of children - The Assembly calls upon Member States to take measures to address obstacles that affect the achievement of the goals set forth in the Beijing Platform for Action, including strengthening national mechanisms to implement policies and programmes for the girl child. It urges States to enact and enforce legislation to protect girls from all forms of violence, including female infanticide and female genital mutilation. It welcomes the convening of the Second World Congress against Commercial Exploitation of Children, at Yokohama, Japan. Source: UN Yearbook 1947-1948

The second text, on terrorism and human rights, was adopted by the Assembly by a vote of 102 to none, with 69 abstentions. Those who abstained argued that terrorist acts were not violations of international human rights law. In the Committee, the representative of Canada, who abstained, said that to equate the two weakened the protection of human rights. Terrorist acts are criminal acts and should be prosecuted under national and international criminal law, he said.

The Committee’s work programme during the 56th session included an all-encompassing social agenda. Crime prevention and criminal justice, international drug control, advancement of women, refugees and displaced persons, the rights of children, indigenous people, elimination of racial discrimination, the right to self-determination and diverse human rights questions were only a few.

The Assembly adopted without a vote 53 of the 70 texts the Committee recommended for adoption.

Globalization also figured prominently in the Committee’s debates. The representative of the World Bank said that there were conceptual differences in approaching the definition of globalization. At the Bank, he said, based on the testimony of poor people themselves and changes in thinking about poverty, the definition of poverty had been expanded to include not only low incomes and low consumption, but also human and social development. He noted that in the last year, the Bank had said three core elements were needed to eradicate poverty: opportunity; empowerment; and security.

Two texts - relating to protection of and assistance to internally displaced persons, and protection of migrants, human rights and mass exoduses - were adopted without a vote by the Committee as well as the Assembly.

The resolution on human rights and cultural diversity reaffirmed the universality, indivisibility, interdependence and interrelatedness of all human rights. It also stated that specific cultural and religious backgrounds had to be borne in mind while applying human rights. However, the representative of Chile said that though her delegation joined consensus in the Committee, it felt that specificities should not be used as a pretext for the protection of human rights.

Continuing the debate on human rights issues, the Committee, while discussing a text on the protection of and assistance to internally displaced persons, requested the Secretary-General to provide his Special Representative on internally displaced persons with all necessary assistance to carry out his mandate effectively from within existing resources. The text also encouraged the Special Representative to continue to seek the contribution of States, organizations and institutions to put his work on a more stable basis.

The text on human rights and mass exoduses stressed the importance of adherence to international humanitarian, human rights and refugee law, in order to avert the mass exodus of refugees and provide protection to them and to internally displaced persons. The Committee also reaffirmed the need for Governments, intergovernmental bodies and relevant international organizations to intensify their cooperation and assistance in worldwide efforts to address human rights situations that lead to, and the serious problems that result from, mass exoduses of refugees. The text also emphasized the responsibility of all States and international organizations to cooperate with all, particularly developing countries, affected by mass exoduses.

Under the same cluster of refugee-related issues, the Committee discussed the text on human rights and cultural diversity and urged all international actors to build an international order based on inclusion, justice, equality and equity, and to reject all doctrines of exclusion based on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

On assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons, another resolution urged the international community to share the burden of refugee programmes and to generously fund the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

It also took into account the increased need for programmes in Africa and to ensure that the region received a fair and equitable share of the resources designated for refugees.

Another text on assistance to unaccompanied refugee minors urged UNHCR, all UN agencies and other international and non-governmental organizations concerned to take appropriate steps to mobilize resources commensurate with the needs and interests of these refugee minors and for their reunification with their families.

The Committee, as well as the Assembly, adopted all the above-mentioned texts without a vote.

Heaving a pull-cart in India. (UN Photo)

The Committee also dealt with questions on ageing, discrimination against women, rights and dignity of disabled persons, rights of ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, and self-determination of the Palestinian people. Except for the last issue, the Committee and the Assembly adopted the resolutions without a vote.

The text on self-determination of the Palestinian people, which was adopted by the Assembly by a vote of 161 to three, with one abstention, reaffirmed the right to an independent Palestinian State. The representative of Israel, explaining his delegation’s vote, said that self-determination for Palestinians could be achieved through negotiations. He added that there should be a resolution that did not seek to prejudge the outcome of negotiations, whereas the Observer for Palestine said that, for the first time, the number of co-sponsors of the resolution had surpassed 102. The overwhelming vote was a very important step towards the major goal of the Palestinian people, he said.

The Committee postponed its debate on racial discrimination as the final document of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, held in Durban in August/September 2001, was yet to be finalized.