PH Commits to Uphold Human Rights at Joint Asia Pacific Group Reception
Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva Evan P. Garcia (left photo) highlights the Philippine commitment to uphold and protect human rights.
GENEVA 01 October 2018 – Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva Evan P. Garcia highlighted the Philippine commitment to uphold and protect human rights in a reception with the Permanent Representatives from Bahrain, Bangladesh, Fiji, and India.
The event was in honor of the candidature of the five Asia Pacific Group candidates to the Human Rights Council (HRC) for the term 2019-2021.
“The Philippines is a party to eight of the nine core human rights instruments and views the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a landmark document of equal importance to the UN Charter in terms of significance and impact. The respect for human rights is a core value and principle of the Philippines and we will continue to abide by our commitments and champion human rights as we strive to serve in the council for the term 2019-2021,” Ambassador Garcia said.
He added that if the Philippines is given another opportunity to serve in the council, it would promote issues of importance to developing countries such as the relationship of human rights to the right to development, business, children, climate change, disability, discrimination, education, the environment, indigenous peoples, migration, racism, the rule of law, and women among others.
The Philippines was among the founding members of the HRC with the maiden session of the body in 2006. It is currently serving as a member for the term 2016 to 2018, with its current term to end on 31 December 2018.
Should it win a seat at the elections in New York in early October 2018, it will renew its term starting on 01 January 2019, which would conclude on 31 December 2021.
The HRC is made up of 47 member states selected from the 193 UN Member States. Its goal is to promote human rights through constructive engagement and dialogue among the member States, observer States, and civil society. END
For more information, visit www.genevapm.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinGenevaUN/.