Mohsen Ghanei*

 

The United Nations, with its three pillars of peace and security, development and human rights, has historically seen human rights as a somewhat neglected aspect. Regrettably, yet international community is overwhelmed by double standards in the application of international law and the Charter of the United Nations (hereinafter referred to as the Charter). Having said that, in order to overcome the new global challenges against humanity and achieve sustainable development, there is no other way for international community than to strengthen international cooperation, multilateralism approach, genuine respect for promote and protection of human rights and avoiding of unilateralism in all of its forms and aspects. In this vein, multilateralism continues to be the most successful approach for tackling the emerging challenges facing the current international community. However, genuine multilateralism must be established on inclusiveness rather than exclusion, cooperation and collaboration rather than confrontation, and the rule of law instead of the rule of hegemony and bulling behaviors. Moreover, the commitment to promoting international cooperation and enhancing genuine cooperation among Member States in the field of human rights set forth in the Charter of the United Nations, in particular Article 1, paragraph 3 thereof, and relevant provisions of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (hereinafter referred to as the VDPA), adopted at the World Conference on Human Rights on 25 June 1993. Furthermore, at the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance held in Durban, South Africa, from 31 August to 8 September 2001, in the Durban Review Conference held in Geneva from 20 to 24 April 2009, and the political declarations of the high-level meeting of the General Assembly to commemorate the tenth and twentieth anniversaries of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, the role in the enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights was well highlighted.

 

As it has rightly reflected in the final document and declaration adopted at the Eighteenth Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, held in Baku on 25 and 26 October 2019, South-South cooperation is a collective endeavor among peoples and countries of the South based on the principles of solidarity and on the premises, conditions and objectives that are specific to the historic and political context of developing countries and to their needs and expectations for the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals, and that South-South cooperation is a complement to and not a substitute for North-South cooperation. In this connection, we reiterate that North-South cooperation is an important element of international cooperation for the sustainable development of the countries of the South, including through the transfer of technologies, on favorable, preferential and concessional terms, as mutually agreed.

 

 

We stress the important role of international cooperation for improving the living conditions of all in every country, including in particular in least developed and developing countries, recognizing the need to continue to mutually enrich South-South cooperation, based on the diverse experiences of and good practices from South-South cooperation, triangular cooperation and North-South cooperation, and to further explore complementarities and synergies between them with the aim of enhancing international cooperation in the field of human rights. In this vein, we reiterate the important role that genuine human rights dialogue can play in the enhancement of cooperation in the field of human rights at the bilateral, regional and international levels. We believe that human rights dialogue should be constructive and based on the principles of universality, indivisibility, objectivity, non-selectivity, non-politicization, mutual respect and equal treatment, with the aim of facilitating mutual understanding and strengthening constructive cooperation, including through capacity-building and technical cooperation between States. Against this backdrop, my delegation reaffirms that dialogue among and within cultures and civilizations facilitates the promotion of a culture of tolerance and respect for diversity, and in this regard we welcome the holding of conferences and meetings at the national, regional and international levels on dialogue among civilizations. In this vein we reiterate that the promotion, protection and full realization of all human rights and fundamental reedoms for all should be guided by the principles of universality, non-selectivity, objectivity and transparency and the enhancement of international cooperation, in a manner consistent with the purposes and principles set out in the Charter.

 

 

The VDPA also afforded a unique opportunity to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the international human rights system and of the machinery for the protection of human rights, in order to enhance and thus promote a fuller observance of those rights, in a just and balanced manner. Having said that and in line with the Article 5 of the VDPA, we maintain that, all human rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent and interrelated. Henceforth, we do anticipate that the international community must treat human rights globally in a fair and equal manner, on the same footing, and with the same emphasis. While we maintain that the significance of national and regional particularities and various historical, cultural and religious backgrounds must be borne in mind, it is the duty of States, regardless of their political, economic and cultural systems, to promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms. Against the backdrop, the 30^th anniversary of the second world conference on Human Rights which took place in Vienna, is among others, reminder for all of us, the crucial role of cooperation and the right to development, as a reality for everyone and furthermore, its paying particularly attention to the important issue of cultural diversity.

 

We believe that, cultural diversity and the promotion and protection of cultural rights are sources of mutual enrichment for the cultural life of humankind. Cultural diversity represents a source of unity rather than division and a vehicle for creativity, peace, social justice, and understanding. We express our deep concern over the adverse impacts of lack of respect for and recognition of cultural diversity on human rights, justice, friendship and the fundamental right to development. Regrettably, respect for cultural diversity has also been threatened in every part of the world by those who seek to impose monolithic and homogenization identities and ways of being, by those who advocate various forms of supremacy and discrimination, and by diverse populists and extremists. In this vein, we call upon states, international organizations, UN agencies and civil society to recognize and respect cultural diversity to advance peace, development and human rights. In addition, the continuation of the dangerous project of demonizing and otherization policy, and politicization approach against the independent states under guises of so called counter terrorism and freedom of expression and keep on the acts and tendencies of stigmatization, stereotyping, xenophobic manner against them is totally unacceptable and we reject it, due to these measures and acts jeopardies the peace and tranquility and it fuels the tension, spreads hatred, malice and antagonistic approach in world.

 

 

According to the Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States in accordance with the Charter and to the relevant principles and provisions contained in the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States, proclaimed by the General Assembly in its resolution 3281 of 12 December 1974, in particular Article 32 thereof, no State may use or encourage the use of economic, political or any other type of measure to coerce another State in order to obtain from it the subordination of the exercise of its sovereign rights and to secure from it advantages of any kind. Having said that, we express our grave concern at the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on human rights, including the right to development, international solidarity, international relations, trade, investment and cooperation. The economic sanctions have undermined Iran’s national efforts toward economic self-sufficiency as a response to the sanctions-induced socio-economic pressures, and have led to exacerbated socioeconomic inequalities, and insufficient resources aimed at guaranteeing the basic needs of low-income people and other vulnerable peoples, including people suffering from rare or severe diseases, persons with disabilities, older persons, women-led households and children. Despite disregarding multilateralism and challenging the rules-based international order by a few states through the imposition of economic sanctions, Islamic Republic of Iran has taken several effective measures to mitigate the negative impacts of the Unilateral Coercive Measures (hereinafter referred to as UCMs) while addressing the pandemic and post-pandemic situation, including the increased demand for health, education and social protection sections. Notwithstanding the different contexts and levels of development, the pandemic ignificantly challenged countries in their efforts to provide basic and quality services in the fields of health, education, employment, social protection, labour market, etc. However, its disproportionate impact on developing countries is evident and indisputable. Henceforth, we call on the United Nations not to allow the a few states to pursue their unilateral, arrogant, and selfish agenda indefinitely or to take advantage of any gaps in the norms and procedures of UN bodies, nor should the international community allow its Member States to yield to this kind of pressure. This will provide multilateralism and international law with essential support. In this context, we call on all UN Member States to adhere firmly to the principles and purposes of the Charter, including respecting the sovereign equality of states, not interfering in their internal affairs, settling disputes by political and diplomatic means, and rejecting the threat or use of force. We also are in view of that to overcome inequalities among and within countries to accelerate the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and meet the negative impacts of socioeconomic crises, we must strengthen global solidarity and multilateral cooperation in our search for shared progress.

 

 

We reaffirm that States should realize their rights and fulfil their duties in a balance and indiscriminate manner as to promote a new international economic order based on respect and recognize of sovereign equality, interdependence, mutual interest and cooperation among all States, and to encourage the observance and realization of human rights. The need to promote unity, solidarity and cooperation among States and pledged to strive to make a constructive contribution towards building a new pattern of international relations based on the principles of peaceful coexistence, cooperation among nations and the right to equality of all States.

 

The Group of 77 (G77) and China, as the largest international coalition of developing countries consisting about three-fourths of the members of the United Nations, is considered as the most influential political-international mechanism of developing countries today. It continues to play a vital role in leading many important processes and trends while positively impacting the decisions and contents of international documents and their implementation. The G77 has always been the most important international actor in the field of rejecting illegal UCMs and unlawful unilateral sanctions, emphasizing the right to development and financing developing countries. In this regard, developing countries need to promote cooperation among themselves now more than ever. All international and regional capacities and initiatives in this field should be properly utilized in order to strengthen the role of the G77 and China as the most important and efficient international actor.

 

 

* Mohsen Ghanei, Director, Human Rights Treaties and Development Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran.