Mr. President,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen
Italy aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union and wishes to add the following remarks in its national capacity.
First of all I wish to thank the President of the General Assembly for convening this high-level debate, an inspiring initiative and a litmus test for taking stock of progress achieved and of the remaining challenges ahead in promoting and protecting human rights worldwide, especially in the context of the 2030 Agenda’s implementation.
Today it is as important as ever to strengthen the role of the UN in promoting progress on all three pillars of the UN. Human rights, sustainable development and peace and security are intimately inter-connected and mutually beneficial.
At a time when the international community is confronted with multiple and multifaceted crises in many parts of the world, the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms must be all the more a priority without ifs, ands or buts. We should continue our work to find political solutions to ongoing conflicts and to build inclusive societies where human rights, tolerance and respect for all are fully guaranteed. We strongly believe that prevention is the pivotal word in the safeguard of human rights: this is why we have supported from the very beginning the creation of early warning mechanisms to detect their abuses or violations, such as the Framework of Analysis. Let us not forget, indeed, that HR are universal and indivisible and that, at once, their protection and promotion benefit the society as a whole, and for human rights to be fully safeguarded we need substantive progress in the political and socio-economic fields as well.
Italy remains fully committed to the work carried out by the UN General Assembly, the Human Rights Council and the High Commissioners for Human Rights, as well as by other UN specialised agencies. We hold that when we deal with human rights the method is crucial and that it is essential to work in a consensual and inclusive way for promoting, together, all human rights. We continue to work to ensure wide support for the resolutions on the universal moratorium of the death penalty, freedom of religion and belief, female genital mutilations and child early and forced marriages, which will be presented for the adoption by the UNGA this autumn. We believe that the human rights’ dimension is also an important element in one of the most challenging issues of our time, the large movements of populations. Traffickers, smugglers, criminal networks are thriving and exploiting those in need and the most vulnerable, such as women and children.
2016 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the adoption of the two International Covenants on civil and political rights and on economic, social and cultural rights and the tenth anniversary of the Human Rights Council. Celebrations are not just an opportunity to take stock of the achievements of the past. They also give us the chance to strengthen our efforts to ensure effective protection of all human rights for all.
The 2030 Agenda provides us with an integrated vision to build and consolidate peaceful, stable and prosperous societies and it is therefore crucial to ensure its full implementation. I want to reassure you, Mr. President, that Italy is determined to do so both domestically and in the international arena, chiefly in the human rights’ domain.
Thank you.
