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43rd session of the Human Rights Counci : H.E. Ms. Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger
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Statements | UNITED NATIONS
43rd session of the Human Rights Council : H.E. Ms. Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger
Teleprompter
[Other language spoken]
President of the General Assembly, Mr Secretary General of the United Nations, Madam Director General of the United Nations Office in Geneva, **** Commissioner, your Excellencies, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, it is a privilege and a great honour for me to open the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council.
This first session of the year is in many ways the main session of this Council, which in its turn is the most important forum of the United Nations human rights pillar.
This Council and its work are followed by more people all over the world than we are sometimes aware of, in in particular by those whose lives and whose best hopes depend on it, who trust that the Council will make sure that they do not sink into oblivion and that the problems they face will one day result in a happy end.
During the next 4 weeks, we should be guided by the impact this Council has on the ground for the people who suffer from conflict, crisis and terror, whose rights are infringed, whose freedoms are not respected, whose needs are not met, and for those who defend them, sometimes at the risk of their own lives.
This year we are honoured to welcome the participation of a record number of 100 dignitaries, a number which in itself underscores the importance they all attach to the Human Rights Council and to the Human Rights Pillar of the United Nations as a whole.
We will be listening to statements by the President of the 74th Session of the General Assembly, His Excellency Mr Tiani Mohammed Bande.
The Secretary General of the United Nations is Excellency Mr Antonio Guterres, the **** Commissioner for Human Rights.
Mrs Michelle Bachelet, the Federal Council and head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland is Excellency Mr Ignacio Cassis, representing the host country.
I wish to take this opportunity to extend a very warm welcome to all delegations and other stakeholders to participate in this Council.
It is a special pleasure in this context to welcome 10 delegates from least developed countries and small island states whose participation has been made possible by the general support of the Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund and it's 28 donor countries.
We look forward to hearing their voices.
Your excellence is distinguished.
Delegates, Let me take this opportunity to make a few housekeeping remarks before I sit the floor to today's **** level speakers.
It is in everybody's best interest that this Council lives up to its full potential and does what it is mandated to do, protect and promote human rights in the best conceivable way.
In times of increasing challenges and decreasing financial means, the efficiency of the Council is paramount.
I'm therefore pleased to say that the number of eminent ambassadors present in this room have accepted to be Co facilitators, focal points and advisors for some of the work strands we were entrusted with at the end of last year.
These include rationalising initiatives, including their frequency and outcomes, addressing the challenges faced by small delegations, for example by the use of modern technology, strengthening and optimising the Universal Periodic Review and, of course, implementing the efficiency measures agreed last December.
I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that the campaign of the UN to favour gender equality recently resulted in a code of conduct meant to prevent harassment, including sexual harassment, at UN events.
The Director General has pledged to implement this code of conduct here in Geneva in order to make sure that all meetings are held in an inclusive, respectful and safe environment.
EUNUCH will distribute more information on this during the session.
As for myself, I am pleased to let you know that one of the lady ambassadors here in Geneva has kindly accepted to serve as a gender focal point for the Human Rights Council.
Having said that the Council must provide a safe environment, I would like to add that this also applies to the active participation by representatives of civil society and national human rights institutions.
As President of the Council, I can assure you as of now that I will follow up on all allegations that I may receive concerning acts of reprisal and intimidation committed against persons because of their participation in the work of the Human Rights Council, its mechanisms and procedures.
I call on everybody to take all necessary measures to prevent such acts in the 1st place and ensure adequate protection against them in case they were to happen.
Your Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, I now have the honour to give the floor to the President of the 74th Session of the General Assembly.
Excellency, you have the floor.