United Nations Human Rights Council

The newly established Human Rights Council was created in 2006 and it is the successor of the 60-year-old United Nations Commission of Human Rights. It works towards the protection of universal ideals of human dignity by "providing a forum for identifying, highlighting and developing responses to today's human rights challenges, and acting as the principal focal point of human rights research, education, public information and advocacy activities in the United Nations system". The Human Rights Council has been elevated to a subsidiary body of the United Nations General Assembly, meaning that it responds directly to it. It is composed of 47member states responsible for upholding the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights, and who are empowered to prevent abuses, inequity and discrimination, protect the most vulnerable, and expose perpetrators.

The intrinsic relationship between human rights and democracy is pretty much self-explanatory. It comes clear that in order to implement the far-reaching agenda of the United Nations, ensuring citizens' human rights becomes a crucial requirement.

Additional Resources:

• Human Rights Council Official Website: www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/
• UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights: www.unhchr.ch/udhr/lang/eng.htm
• International Law: www2.ohchr.org/english/law/
• HRC News Focus: www.un.org/apps/news/

Topics:

Topic 1: The Effects of the Financial and Economic Crisis on Human Rights

The international financial and economic crisis inevitably has an impact on human rights. The achievement of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, already an unlikely prospect, is bound to be further complicated by falling foreign direct investments, potentially reduced Official Development Aid budgets, reduced social spending and slower economic growth or even a global recession or depression. For example, alarm bells are sounding that another food crisis, this time mostly the result of reduced production amidst the crisis, may be impending. This and other problems on the social and economic front are likely to make it more difficult for people everywhere to fully exercise their civil and political rights. Furthermore, there is the specter of repressive measures by states in response to spreading social unrest.

In discussing this topic, delegates should address two seemingly simple, yet potentially highly controversial questions: how is the financial and economic crisis affecting the respect for and protection and promotion of human rights, and how are these potentially effects to be remedied? Particular attention should be paid to some of the most important internationally recognized human rights, including but not limited to the right to food, social security and an adequate standard of living, and the right to association and freedom of expression. The Human Rights Council has an important contribution to make in all such debates since it can draw attention to the ultimate effects of any developments and policies; by highlighting the impact on human rights, it can also draw attention to the binding nature of states' commitment to these rights, which must be upheld even in times of crisis.

Topic 2: Measures to Assure the Rights of Asylum Seekers

Asylum seekers are usually known to seek refugee status with asylum claims most commonly based upon political and religious grounds. Many countries grant certain government agencies to determine whether a person is a refugee or not. However, this can lead to abuse in a country with a very restrictive official immigration policy. This implies that the country will not recognize the refugee status of the asylum seekers and consequently treat them as an illegal alien, meaning an individual who enters a country at a place other than a designated port-of -entry, in violation of that country's laws.

Delegates will have to address the question of how to recognize refugees, as defined under Article 1 of the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, from economic migrants, criminals, war criminals and soldiers who continue to pursue armed actions against their country of origin. Subsequently, particular attention should be paid to whether refugees are subject to the same rights and basic help as any other foreigner who is a legal resident, including freedom of thought, of movement and freedom from torture and degrading treatment, as well as economic and social rights and access to medical care, schooling and the right to work. An additional problem relates to the policies applicable in countries with a large number of internally displaced persons - these countries must likewise ensure the human rights of their own people, as long as these continue to abide to the laws of the country they remain in. Finally, the situation of women and children refugees should be attended to, who are more often mistreated than men.

Chairs:

• Mitja Müller, Germany - University of St. Andrews
• Steffen Vollmerding, Germany - Oxford University

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