SI MONTHLY NEWS SEPTEMBER 2005 More UN
From SI Exco News
More UN, Get Involved
Birth of new United Nations Institution -- and a major UN Initiative
A new institution of the UN is being established:
1) a global Human Rights Council, likely to be announced at the end of the current General Assembly of the UN
2) a major initiative: "High-Level Commission on the Legal Empowerment of the Poor" to be announced 13 September, 2005.
The New Human Rights Council, to be centred in Geneva, is part of the UN Reform. It would strengthen the UN focus on Human Rights.
Unlike the Human Rights Commission, which now meets only 3 months annually, the Human Rights Council will be a 12-month per year UN activity. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour – is making rapid progress.
As an official ECOSOC non government organization (ngo), Servas can accredit observers, if there is interest.
This means organizing work, linking with other observers, meetings with interested Servas people and organizers, attending discussions -- including discussion of the founding documents of the Council -- reviewing its agenda, networking with other observers in Servas and others, such as those in CONGO and introducing Servas to them, etc. (Thank you, Angelika, for your notes!)
Because Servas is not specialized in Human Rights, our observers do not require the expertise indicated at the following web site. But some knowledgeable Servas people would certainly be helpful -- both in Geneva and Servas Human Rights "ambassadors" in other regions of the world.
http://www.ishr.ch/about%20ISHR/Training/AGTC/AGTCpresentation_2006.htm
Servas observers may focus on, say, a limited range of rights identified in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (which however leaves out some recentlyrecognized rights, such as "environmental rights"). For instance, we may be interested in the rights to travel and migrate, the rights of Youth, or in the Rights of the Poor. This could contribute to the new Commission on ... the Poor, below.)
Alternately, Servas Human Rights observers, might ask national secretaries across Servas to suggest priorities.
3) High Level Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor. Norway, with support from the governments of UK, Canada, Egypt, Guatemala and Tanzania proposed this to the UN. The Commission would continue for 2 years. It would be headed by former Secretary of State Madeline Albright, and centred in New York, and will be announced on September 13.
Many -- probably most -- in Servas are not poor. But there is some feeling that Servas is being blocked, particularly in Africa, because of its environment of poverty. Poverty puts people on the margins. It breeds violence, risk, and suffering and environmental damage.
Please let me know whether you are interested in assisting in the birth and nurturing of the Human Rights Council a new UN institution. Or give me the names of someone you think would be interested. Also let me know whether you would like to monitor and network and report to Servas on the Commission on ... the Poor.
Please send me your advice. Please also note: for youth and others qualified and interested in career advancement there may be some new positions and internships at the UN, as a result of these initiatives.
Gary Sealey, peacesecretary[at]servas.org
From the ed:
There is so much we can offer. Let us share with each other what we do offer in all spheres of life. And with this sharing so encourage others to offer and then share.
inserted by Amelia
