Award Ceremony and Presentation of the 2002 Human Rights Prize to

Mary Robinson
High Commissioner for Human Rights

Statement by Renate Bloem
President of the Conference of NGOs
in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CONGO)

Ms. Robinson, ……….
colleagues and friends

This is a moment of deep emotion and I feel honored to address a few words to you and this distinguished audience on behalf of the Conference of NGOs (CONGO). I warmly thank Claude-Adrian Zoller and the International Service for Human Rights for providing this opportunity through their awarding the Human Rights Prize 2002 to whom else but to you, Ms Robinson. We are here to honor your outstanding personality and express our gratitude for the work you have been doing during the past five years as High Commissioner.

Your commitment to the victims of human rights abuses, - for many of whom you have become a true beacon of hope, - your readiness to listen to them and put them at the center of the concerns of the human rights community and your impartiality in delicate political issues have been recognized by a large variety of people. With many of our members we salute your courage and willingness to go places where violence and turmoil has erupted and to speak face to face to the protagonists. And we praise you for bringing to full light the long hidden and abusive forms of human rights violations such as trafficking and sexual exploitation (to name but a few)

In my capacity as President of CONGO, I particularly appreciated your support for open spaces for NGOs and civil society organizations in the human rights system. The streamlining of human rights throughout the UN work and the democratization of the UN system cannot be done without the active participation of NGOs. Non-Governmental Organizations are close to the grass-roots and know the suffering of the victims of human rights abuses; they are also the prime watchdogs of governments, constantly reminding them of the commitments they have taken and monitoring the implementation of human rights treaties; they advocate and raise awareness in public opinion of human rights violations and are hence indispensable partners in the work of the human rights community.

In this regard and in relation to the last, particularly difficult session of the Commission on Human Rights, I welcome your strong intervention you have recently given at ECOSOC where you said and I quote: "One of the most troubling aspects of the reduced meetings was that the burden of cuts in speaking times was felt most by NGOs and the mandate holders of the Commission. It is precisely these inputs which make the Commission so unique and valuable and which set it apart from most other intergovernmental forums…..It is essential that the role of the special mechanisms is restored and that the burden of any reduction in time be shared equitably between States and civil society representatives."

During your mandate the crucial issue of the promotion and protection of the rights of human rights defenders was also officially endorsed by the United Nations, first by the adoption in 1998 of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders by the General Assembly and then by the establishment of the mandate of the Special Representatives in 2000. We know the growing importance of this issue in the actual implementation of human rights law throughout the world and the crucial contribution NGOs are expected to play in supporting the work of the Special Rapporteur.

Further during your tenure the rights of minorities and indigenous peoples have also been particularly fostered. They are becoming an important part of human rights law, recognizing, once more, the commitment of civil society and the growing complexity of our modern world.

Another issue that lies at the heart of CONGO are women's rights. Again, I can only acknowledge the importance you gave both to the integration and mainstreaming of women's rights into the system to arrive at gender equality on the one hand and to highlight the special human rights abuses women are victims of, namely of violence against women, on the other. Personally, I would like to pay tribute to the way you gave support last year to our efforts to bring African women on a larger scale into the process of the Durban Conference.

You have also highlighted the rights based approach to the implementation of the Conventions of the Rights of the Child, as well as the linkage - for their well-being - to social rights and poverty eradication through the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, to which CONGO is now strongly committed.

We know your commitment to achieve the recognition and implementation of economic, social and cultural rights, especially in the current times of globalization and trade liberalization. I take the opportunity to thank you for strongly supporting the tenure of the first session of the Social Forum, whose issues of social justice and poverty reduction are vital to NGOs.

I want to stress the importance you have given to the challenge of defending human rights particularly in these times of threatened national security and fight against terrorism and your appeal to societies not to restrict or deny fundamental liberties.

Finally, Ms Robinson, you clearly raised the bars for all of the above. But beyond that you created a vision, much larger, for a society where human rights and human development go hand in hand, mutually reinforcing each other, bridging the gaps between North and South, rich and poor. For a society which is based on Tolerance and Diversity - and I refer to your vision statement, co-signed by Nelson Mandela to the World Conference against Racism - a society which nurtures a continued conversion of mind and heart towards a culture which ensures full recognition of the dignity and equality of all, and full respect for their human rights.

As CONGO we share this vision and we will carry this as your legacy forward.

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