PRST/15/1 Technical assistance and capacity-building in Haiti

GE.10-16905 (E) 141010 151010

Human Rights Council Fifteenth session Agenda item 10 Technical assistance and capacity-building

Statement by the President*

PRST 15/1 Technical assistance and capacity-building in Haiti

At the 31st meeting, held on 30 September 2010, the President of the Council read out the following statement:

“The Human Rights Council

1. Reaffirms its solidarity with the Haitian people in the wake of the devastating earthquake which struck Haiti on 12 January 2010, and underscores the particular circumstances created by this natural disaster, which resulted in nearly 300,000 casualties, the displacement of more than 2 million people and the destruction of a significant proportion of the country’s infrastructure, with serious consequences for the enjoyment by Haitians of their human rights;

2. Recalls the special session on Haiti convened on 27 January 2010 and resolution S/13-1, which it adopted on that occasion, and welcomes the report prepared pursuant to that resolution by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights1 and the recommendations contained therein;

3. Recognizes that the crisis caused by the earthquake has had a real impact on the health and security of Haitian women and men, and emphasizes that sufficient resources must be mobilized to facilitate access to basic services in order to improve the quality of life of the population;

4. Welcomes the mobilization and contributions of the international community in support of reconstruction, applauds the priorities defined by the Government in its national recovery and development action plan, which focuses on reviving economic, government and social activity, as well as on reducing the country’s vulnerability and placing it back on the path to development, and urges donors to honour their commitments without delay;

* This statement will appear in the report of the Human Rights Council on its 15th session (A/HRC/15/60), chap. III.

1 A/HRC/14/CRP.3.

United Nations A/HRC/PRST/15/1

General Assembly Distr.: General 11 October 2010 English Original: French

2 GE.10-16905

5. Also welcomes the strengthening of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, as requested by the Security Council in its resolution 1927 (2010) of 4 June 2010 with a view, in particular, to helping the Haitian Government to provide adequate protection to the population while devoting special attention to the needs of displaced persons and other vulnerable groups, especially women and children;

6. Stresses the need to tackle obstacles that are preventing the people from fully exercising their human rights, including access to food, decent housing, health care, drinking water, sanitation, education and employment, and that are jeopardizing the implementation of obligations related to drinking water and sanitation;

7. Stresses also the need to rapidly restore the system for the issuance of identity documents, property deeds and other essential documents, so that the people may fully exercise their rights;

8. Welcomes the latest political developments in Haiti in respect of preparations for the elections scheduled for November 2010, and stresses the importance of ensuring that these elections are carried out under the proper conditions;

9. Applauds the fact that the Haitian authorities have reaffirmed their commitment and determination to improve the quality of life of Haitian women and men by, in particular, ensuring greater respect for human rights and promoting cooperation between the Haitian National Police and the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti in curbing violence, including sexual violence against women, crime and banditry;

10. Is aware of the many obstacles to development in Haiti and the difficulties encountered by its leaders in daily governance, recognizes that the full enjoyment of civil and political, economic, social and cultural human rights is a factor of peace, stability and progress in Haiti, and encourages the Government to continue to reform the judicial and prison system and to strengthen the rule of law and efforts to combat impunity;

11. Strongly encourages the international community as a whole, and in particular international donors, the group of countries known as the Friends of Haiti, United Nations specialized agencies, and regional and international organizations, to step up their cooperation with the constituted authorities of Haiti for the full realization of human rights;

12. Invites the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission and other competent international bodies to take full account of the recommendations made by the High Commissioner1 concerning greater protection of the human rights of displaced persons, women, children, persons with disabilities and migrants;

13. Underscores the need for heightened awareness of human rights during the reconstruction process through, inter alia, the integration of a human rights-based approach in reconstruction projects, including private and bilateral projects and associated calls for tender;

14. Welcomes the request of the Haitian authorities to have the mission of the independent expert on the situation of human rights in Haiti extended until September 2011, and decides to approve that request;

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15. Emphasizes that the independent expert’s mandate falls within the framework of technical assistance and capacity-building and, in the light of that fact, encourages him to collaborate with international institutions, donors and the international community in bringing their expertise to bear and furnishing sufficient resources to support the authorities’ efforts to rebuild the country following the earthquake of 12 January 2010, and encourages him to continue the work begun in 2008 and to accomplish his mission by drawing upon his experience to further the cause of human rights in Haiti, with particular emphasis on economic, social and cultural rights, the rights of persons with disabilities, women’s and children’s rights, and access to justice;

16. Invites the independent expert to undertake a mission to Haiti in the near future and to report to it thereon at its seventeenth session, and encourages the Haitian authorities to cooperate fully with the expert.”