Joint Statement on Prevention 

39th session of the Human Rights Council

Item 3. Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development

General debate

14 September 2018

I have the honour to deliver the Joint Statement on behalf of the core group of co-sponsoring states of the resolution “The role of prevention in promotion and protection of human rights” namely Australia, Hungary, Morocco, Maldives, Poland, Uruguay and my own country Ukraine.

Preventive measures and strategies are progressively gaining in importance as an effective tool of averting preventable threats and emergencies in human rights sphere. Due to the fundamental and overarching nature of prevention a broad interregional dialogue and consideration in a holistic manner is needed.

We welcome the efforts by UN Secretary-General to improve UN action to safeguard human rights around the world, his focus on early responding to human rights violations and significance of preventive approach to this end, in particular, developing a policy framework that identifies basic elements to prevent human rights violations.

The elaboration of an agreed concept of prevention, and applicable guidance endorsed by the United Nations in human rights could assist in providing an adequate level of human rights protection and enhancing well-developed conflict prevention mechanisms of the UN.

Participants of the Expert workshop, organized by the OHCHR in accordance with the HRC resolution 33/6 “The role of prevention in the promotion and protection of human rights” last February, concluded that prevention can encompass four types of measures: prevention addresses the root causes; prevention focuses on a rapid response to the earliest signs; prevention aims to minimize harm once the problem is in full flight; and prevention focuses on minimizing future threats and maximizing conditions that are antithetical to human rights erosion over the longer term.

To make prevention a workable tool aimed at improvement of human rights situations on national level and worldwide, we need concerted efforts by governments supported by NHRI’s, coordinated by appropriate UN machinery and expertise, in close cooperation with civil society. The Human Rights Council has a crucial role to play in achieving this objective.

While noting that several tools could be used for effective prevention, we anticipate the preparation by the OHCHR of a practical toolkit to support States and other stakeholders in the practical application of prevention in the promotion and protection of human rights as it envisaged in the relevant resolutions of the Human Rights Council.

I thank you.