Statement delivered by Ambassador Stefano Stefanile, Deputy Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations at the General Assembly – General Debate of the Third Committee —
Mr. Chair, Italy would like to align itself with the statement delivered on Monday by the European Union.
We would also like to congratulate the Chair and all the members of the Bureau on their appointment and express Italy’s best wishes and full support for a fruitful conduct of this Third Committee session.
The pandemic has proved the importance of an effective multilateralism and, by exacerbating pre-existing discriminations and inequalities, it has also confirmed the absolute necessity of a continued and staunch commitment in favour of human rights.
The protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms are at the heart of Italy’s agenda: it is for us a constitutional obligation, as well as a priority of our foreign policy and of our commitment as a member of the Human Rights Council. We pursue it through inclusive dialogue with our partners, fully respecting diversity while reaffirming the universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated character of human rights.
We deeply value the role of civil society, which is key in reporting human rights violations and urging all States to progress further. We encourage a full and meaningful participation of civil society actors and human rights defenders within the UN system and beyond, free from reprisals and from any restrictions on freedom of expression.
We attach the greatest importance to crime prevention and criminal justice: also this year – which marks the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Palermo Convention against Transnational Organized Crime – Italy will present a draft resolution on this important subject with the aim of seeking its consensual adoption.
As highlighted at a side event held on the margins of the High Level Week, Italy is on the frontline in the campaign for a universal moratorium on the death penalty and we invite all member states to support the relevant draft resolution that will be tabled during this Third Committee session.
Italy is also strongly committed to advancing the women’s rights agenda, as reaffirmed by our Prime Minister at the high level event marking the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Plan of Action. Our efforts to recover better from the pandemic must include the fullest promotion and protection of women’s rights. There can be no societal growth, nor peace and stability, where women are not equal, protected from violence, given access to education, invited to the negotiating tables and included in the decision making process. A lot still needs to be done, despite all the progress achieved so far and, as the Secretary General pointed out, we need to push back against the pushback on women’s rights, including on sexual and reproductive health and rights.
We attach the utmost importance to the protection of children, particularly girl children, often more fragile and exposed to multiple and intersecting forms of violence and harmful practices, including Female Genital Mutilation and Child Early and Forced Marriage. We will continue to support the advancement of the Children in Armed Conflict’s agenda and the full and meaningful participation of youth.
We advocate for the right of every person to freely express their sexual orientation and gender identity, and we stand ready to protect the rights of persons with disabilities, older persons, persons belonging to minorities, and all those in vulnerable situations.
Mr. Chair, Italy will continue to engage for human rights, in cooperation with the UN system, fully supporting the work and the mandate of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and her office, and that of the Special Procedure mandate-holders.
Thank you.
