Human Rights Council 36: Rule of Law
This joint statement for the core group, of which the UK is a part, was delivered by Minister Counsellor Yibza Aynekulu Tesfaye of Ethiopia at the 36th session of the Human Rights Council on 25 September 2017.
The Human Rights Council takes place at the Palais des Nations in Geneva
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of Ethiopia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Morocco and the United Kingdom – the core group on the Rule of Law. In our first statement, presented during the panel discussion on the tenth anniversary of the Human Rights Council in June 2016, we focussed on the interconnection between the Rule of Law and Human Rights; and the Rule of Law being at the intersection of the three pillars of the United Nations, as a tool to lead to peace and security, to complement development and to promote Human Rights.
We have been very pleased that these themes were supported by a large number of States in joint statements in June and September last year and March and June this year. Those statements had elements on how the Rule of Law, of which justice is a vital component, can be strengthened both domestically and internationally and how the Rule of Law within societies promotes human rights and vice versa. They also stressed that societies with a strong Rule of Law and respect for Human Rights are more likely to be peaceful, stable, just, equal, inclusive and resilient; as well as the importance of implementing Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals which includes providing access to justice for all and building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. The statements further emphasised that the Rule of Law is a cross-cutting issue across all activities at the international and national level and that the Rule of Law is not just about rules, but also implementation. Most recently we highlighted the role of the Rule of Law in preventing violence and human rights violations and abuses and stressed its importance in ensuring equality before the law.
Looking ahead, the group seeks to identify common ground in relation to how the Rule of Law contributes to peace and sustainable development at local and global levels.