National Human Rights Commission
10th Floor, 41 Mugyodong-gil (16 EULJIRO 1-GA), Jung-gu Seoul, KOREA 100-842
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7th International Conference for National Human Rights Institutions (ICNI) to be Held in Seoul
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Heads of National Human Rights Institutions throughout the World Converge in Seoul for Largest ICNI Held in History;
Conference to Adopt the “Seoul Declaration”
The National Human Rights Commission of the Republic of Korea (NHRC) will host the “7th International Conference for National Human Rights Institutions (7th ICNI)” in Seoul, Korea from 14-17 September 2004.
The “International Conference for National Human Rights Institutions” was organized to bring together National Human Rights Institutions (NIs) responsible for enhancing and promoting human rights from countries throughout the world to discuss the contemporary human rights issues of our time as well as strategies for human rights protection, and to strengthen cooperation among NIs.
Since the first international conference held in Paris, France in 1991, the heads of NIs from nations throughout the world, international organizations and NGO representatives have converged biennially to participate in this conference. △ Following ICNIs held in France, Tunisia (2nd ICNI), the Philippines (3rd ICNI), Mexico (4th ICNI), Morocco (5th ICNI) and Denmark and Sweden (joint hosts of the 6th ICNI), this 7th ICNI is hosted by the NHRC of the Republic of Korea, sponsored by the International Coordinating Committee (ICC) of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and supported by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Asia-Pacific National Human Rights Institutions Forum.
The theme for the 7th ICNI, to convene at the Lotte Hotel in Sogong-dong, Seoul, is “Upholding Human Rights during Conflict and while Countering Terrorism.” Approximately 150 delegates from NIs in 70 countries and International Organizations (IOs) will congregate in Seoul to participate. This event represents the first time that Seoul has hosted an international conference devoted wholly to the discussion of human rights on such a large-scale, with human rights authorities—including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and heads of national human rights organs—from throughout the world participating.
1. Record Level of Participation: Heads of NIs from Nations Worldwide, UN Experts on Human Rights, International Human Rights NGOs
As the largest scale ICNI ever with 150 heads of National Institutions concerned solely with the protection and promotion of human rights from 70 countries representing the continents of Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas attending, this ICNI carries great significance in that the outcomes of discussions among NIs—which have accountability and implementation capacity in their home countries—can directly shape the human rights situation in each nation.
Inasmuch as it is a large scale conference convening under the unitary theme of “human rights,” UN experts—including UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders Hina Jilani—and International human rights authorities such as Morten Kjærum of the National Human Rights Institutions ICC will be participating in force. Korean human rights experts active in the UN—including Heisoo SHIN, Vice-Chairperson of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Yanghee LEE, a member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, and Chin Sung CHUNG, a member of the UN Subcommission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights—are also expected to attend. In particular, this will be the first time that High Commissioner Louise Arbour, who was designated UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in July, has ever visited Korea.
In line with the assessment that cooperation between National Human Rights Institutions and NGOs is essential for the advancement of human rights, the NHRC has proactively invited international NGOs and expects representatives from Amnesty International (AI), the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), and the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT) to participate as panel discussants in each of the working groups.
Additionally, human rights authorities from East Asia who are involved in setting up National Human Rights Institutions in their home countries of Japan, China, Taiwan and Vietnam are also expected to foster cooperative ties with the international community through their participation in this 7th ICNI.
2. First International Conference to Tackle Head-On the Issue of Upholding Human Rights during Conflict and while Countering Terrorism
“Conflict, Terror, and Counter-Terrorism” have been hotly debated issues in every country throughout the world, and while the issue has come up in other international conferences, this is the first forum to put “human rights” in the limelight in a context where representatives of National Human Rights Institutions can comprehensively and systematically debate the issues and alternatives.
To foster focused and effective debate of the agenda, discussions will take place in 5 working groups: (WG1) Conflict and Countering Terrorism—Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; (WG2) Conflict and Countering Terrorism—Civil and Political Rights and the Rule of Law; (WG3) The Role of National Human Rights Institutions in Conflict Situations; (WG4) Migration in the Context of Conflict and Terrorism; and (WG5) Women’s Rights in the Context of Conflict.
In particular, countries directly affected by conflict, including Afghanistan, Palestine, Bolivia, Colombia, and Rwanda, are expected to send their National Human Rights Institution representatives, who can contribute a realistic and concrete perspective to discussions over strategies on realizing effective human rights protection.
3. Contributing to the Enhancement of International Human Rights: the Seoul Declaration
Through working group debates and after exploring concrete ways to address human rights violations arising out of conflict and counter-terrorism, the conference will adopt a “Seoul Declaration” delineating the role of National Human Rights Institutions in upholding human rights during these difficult times.
Past conference declarations that have paved the road to the enhancement of international human rights standards. In the 1991 declaration, the “Paris Principles” reshaped human rights perspectives by defining the “Principles relating to the Status of National Institutions for Protection and Promotion of Human Rights” (adopted at the 1st ICNI) and the 1993 Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action raised human rights understandings to a new level by recognizing the universality and indivisibility of rights, the Right to Development, and the importance of establishing a UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, International Criminal Court, and National Human Rights Institutions in each country.
As the “Seoul Declaration” will be adopted by the heads of National Human Rights Institutions, these NIs will play a crucial role after the conference in raising to a new level the world human rights situation through their concrete follow-up on the Seoul Declaration in their home country, and work to make the Seoul Declaration leave its mark on history.
4. Conference Program
The ICNI will open on September 14th with an opening ceremony and the proceedings will continue for four days ending on the 17th.
9/14 (Tuesday)
- Opening Ceremony
- Introductory Speeches (Keynote speeches)
Human Rights and Conflict - Mr. Vijin Dimitrijevic (Director, Belgrade Centre for Human RIghts)
Human Rights and Countering Terrorism - Dr. Hina Jilani (Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders)
9/15 (Wednesday)
- Working Group Presentations and Discussions
1) Conflict and Countering Terrorism: Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Mr. Volmar Antonio Pérez Ortiz (Defensor del Pueblo, Colombia)
Justice A.S. Anand (Chair, National Human Rights Commission of India)
2) Conflict and Countering Terrorism: Civil and Political Rights and the Rule of Law
Myeong-deuk Kang (Director General of Human Rights Policy Bureau, National Human Rights Commission of the Republic of Korea)
Mr. Sergio Fernando Morales alvarado (Procurador, Procuraduria de los Derechos Humanos, Guatemala)
Mr. John Von Doussa (Chairperson, Australian Human Rights & Equal Opportunity Commission)
3) The Role of National Human Rights Institutions in Conflict Situations
Mrs. Margaret Sekaggya (Chairperson, Uganda Human Rights Commission)
Prof. Brice Dickson (Chief Commissioner, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission)
4) Migration in the Context of Conflict and Terrorism
Mr. Manuel Aguilar Belda (Deputy Ombudsman, Defensor del Pueblo, Spain)
Ms. Purificacion Valera Quisumbing (Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines)
5) Women’s Rights in the Context of Conflict
Dr. Sima Samar (Chairperson, Afghan Independent Commission for Human Rights)
Mr. Déogratias Kayumba (Vice-Chairperson, Rwanda Human Rights Commission)
9/16 (Thursday)
- Working Group Reports to the Plenary and Overall Discussion
9/17 (Friday)
- Adoption of the Seoul Declaration
- Closing Ceremony
5. Preparations for the ICNI: Task Force and Advisory Committee
In planning the ICNI, the NHRC composed a Korea Advisory Committee and an ICNI Secretariat to undertake preparations such as selecting the conference theme and identifying speakers for the introductory speeches (keynote speeches) and for the presentations.
The NHRC Chairperson, Chang-Kuk KIM, has served as Chair of the Advisory Committee and NHRC Senior Commissioners Kyung-Seo PARK and Young-Ae CHOI, Seoul National University Professor Kyong-Whan AHN, former Chairperson of World Vision Korea Jae-Shik OH, “Minbyun”-Lawyers for a Democratic Society Chairperson Suk-tae LEE, Vice-Chairperson of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Heisoo SHIN, SungKongHoe University Center for Human Rights and Peace Researcher Francis Daehoon LEE, and Pax Romana ICMICA Secretary General Seonghoon Anselmo LEE.
Formed in January, the 7th ICNI Secretariat (led by NHRC Senior Commissioner Young-Ae CHOI) is composed of three teams, the Planning/Theme Team (led by Young-hee NA), the Ceremonies/General Affairs Team (led by Seok-kyu JIN), and the Publicity/Publications Team (led by Kyu-sun NAM), and has been responsible for working-level preparations.
The opening of the ICNI in Seoul will be an opportunity to recall the importance of cooperation among national institutions, international organizations, and NGOs in Korea and abroad to meet the challenge of protecting and promoting human rights on an international and not simply one-state level. By infusing extra energy into the discussion on human rights, the conference will also contribute to the protection and promotion of human rights in Korean society. Finally, this conference is also significant in that it represents a chance for Korea, which has received so much support from international human rights organizations, to contribute to the enhancement of human rights in other countries. This international conference will serve as a turning point for South Korea in terms of increasing Korea’s stature in discussing the human rights challenges faced by the international community as well as help National Human Rights Institutions from around the world build and develop vibrant cooperative ties. –End.
Press hoping to cover the event must file for a entry pass in advance.
The webpage for the 7th ICNI is: www.icni.org
Note: The surnames of Korean participants have been indicated by all-capital letters in this press release.
