Myanmar the first country to vote for Human Rights Declaration: National Human Rights Commission

Myanmar the first country to vote for Human Rights Declaration: National Human Rights Commission

Published on Tuesday, 11 December 2012 10:35

Myanmar's National Human Rights Commission has issued a statement on December 10 that the Commission is proud to recall on this occasion that Myanmar was the first country to vote for the Declaration when it was adopted by a roll call vote at the United Nations General Assembly held in Paris in December 1948.

The statement described about how the Universal Declaration of Human Rights one of the most important declarations of humanity, was adopted on 10 December, 1948 and the day was designated as the International Human Rights Day.

The statement said the Commission was pleased that it was provided with an opportunity to uphold "the inherent value of human dignity" recognized in the Declaration.

It said that today was the most appropriate occasion for the Commission to take stock of what it has been able to do over the past year for the promotion and protection of human rights in the country and to lay out its plan for the future.

Regarding the protection of human rights, the Commission has examined most of the over 3,000 complaints received from September 2011 until the end of November 2012. Its initiatives with the letters of appeal to the President and statements for granting of amnesty to prisoners, including the "prisoners of conscience" have resulted in the release of thousands of prisoners and finally in a plan for transparent process to examine the cases of remaining prisoners, as announced by the Information Team of the President's Office. The Commission is gratified that some of those released are currently playing an important role in the country's democratization process. The experience of the Commission in protection work has vividly underscored the importance of the government's cooperation and that of other stakeholders, it stated.

On the promotion of human rights, several workshops have been successfully held in Yangon in cooperation with the United Nations Agencies and other institutions specialized in human rights education, and one significant result from these workshops is the commencement of a process to give more emphasis to human rights in the curricula of schools and institutions of higher learning, it added.

In September 2012 it became a member of the South East Asia National Human Rights Institutions Forum (SEANF) and an associate member of the Asia Pacific Forum of NHRIs (APF) in November 2012. As a result, the Commission can now work with these regional NHRIs for the promotion and protection of human rights in the region as well, it stated.

It also said that the future plan of the Commission, in particular for 2013, includes the holding of more workshops on such important subjects as Business and Human Rights, the two International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). These workshops are aimed at benefiting the individuals and entities doing business in Myanmar and the relevant ministries in their efforts related to human rights promotion and protection. Besides, the Commission said it will embark in 2013 on a long-term project to translate important human rights materials into Myanmar to enhance public awareness.

In conclusion, the Commission says it needs the cooperation of all concerned without which, a society where the inherent human dignity is respected will be far from being achieved, in the statement.

Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2012/12/11/myanmar-the-first-country-to-vote-for-human-rights-declaration-national-human-rights-commission/