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Human Rights and Gender Equality Aspects. Screening Iceland Chapter 31, Foreign, Security and Defence Policy – Bilateral Brussels, 20 May 2011. Human Rights (1).
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Human Rights and Gender Equality Aspects Screening Iceland Chapter 31, Foreign, Security and Defence Policy – Bilateral Brussels, 20 May 2011
Human Rights (1) • The promotion of fundamental human rights and freedoms, democracy, the rule of law, social justice and respect for international law is a key priority of the Icelandic government • Iceland and EU share values and cooperate through EEA Political Dialogue and other international fora
Human Rights (2) • All human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated • It is the responsibility of governments and the international community to ensure their citizens fundamental human rights and protection • Importance of responding to human rights violations • The importance of full implementation of all human rights commitments
Legal Instruments on Human Rights (1) • Regional • European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ratified in 1953) • European Court of Human Rights
Legal Instruments on Human Rights (2) • Iceland is a party to the following international human rights instruments • Universal Declaration of Human Rights • International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1967) • International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1979) • International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1979) and the 1966 (1979) and 1989 (1991) Optional Protocols • Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1985) and its 1999 Optional Protocol (2001). (cont.)
Legal Instruments on Human Rights (3) • Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading treatment or Punishment (1996) and the optional protocol from 2002 (signed) • Convention on the Rights of the Child (1992) and the two optional protocols from 2000 (2001) • International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (Signed) • Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the 2008 optional protocol (Signed) • International Humanitarian Law • Convention relating to the Status of Refugees (1955) and the 1967 Protocol (1968)
Tools • Through participation in multilateral organisations • UN, OSCE, Council of Europe • Bilateral • Meetings, letters, demarches. • Political dialogue • EEA, Nordic Countries, Nordic+Baltic, USA, Japan, Germany, Russia and more • Declarations • Development cooperation
Elimination of Discrimination • Iceland condemns all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance • Iceland stands firm against all forms of discrimination and is committed to fight discrimination in all its respects
Combating discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity • Iceland puts a special emphasis on its responsibility to fight discrimination based on sexual orientation and to protect the human rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender people
Gender Equality • Promoting gender equality a key priority • CEDAW • UN, Third committee, CSW, HRC, OSCE, NATO, Council of Europe, World Bank + bilaterally • UN Women • Cross-cutting theme in development cooperation • Women’s empowerment, participation in decision-making. • UNSCR 1325 – 2nd NAP expected soon • Climate Change
Combating Trafficking in Human Beings • National Action plan against Human Trafficking adopted by the Icelandic Parliament on 17 March 2009 • Among actions: Ratification of international agreements and participation in international cooperation • UN, OSCE, Council of Europe, CBSS key partners
The Middle East Peace Process • Iceland firmly supports a peaceful resolution of the ME conflict and the two-state solution • A sustainable and just peace will not be achieved in the Middle East without the realisation of the two-states solution, with Israel and Palestine living in security side by side • The Palestinian people should be enabled to exercise their sovereignty over their territory occupied since 1967 • Iceland condemns all acts of violence and terrorism • Iceland frequently aligns itself with EU Middle East statements and positions
Other Human Rights Priorities (1) • Rights of the child • Minority groups • Rights of persons with disabilities • Refugees • Strengthening the rule of law • Human rights, peace and security
Other Human Rights Priorities (2) • Protection of HR in the fight against terrorism • Abolition of the death penalty, fight against illegal execution, forced disappearance and torture • Human rights and development cooperation • Economic, social and cultural rights • Human rights, trade and the responsibility of enterprises
Universal Periodical Review • Iceland will go through the UPR process in October • Iceland’s report will be handed in on 4 July
Ministry for Foreign Affairshttp://www.mfa.is EU ApplicationWebsitehttp://europe.mfa.is/