A high-level delegation led by the Hon. Minister Douglas Devananda, Minister of Social Services and Social Welfare, which also included the Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services, H.E. Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka, Ambassador/ Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Office in Geneva, Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights, and Mr. Yasantha Kodagoda, Deputy Solicitor General, Attorney General's Department, represented Sri Lanka at the Durban Review Conference.
Mr. President,
Let me, first of all, thank Mr. Bustamante, Special Rapportuer on the human rights of migrants through you for his useful report and update.
Mr. President,
Migration and human rights are increasingly major issues of concern for the international community today. There is an estimated 200 million migrants world over, women accounting for half this number.
Mr. President,
On behalf of Sri Lanka delegation, let me thank through you to the United Nations Secretary General and the High Comissioner for Human Rights for launching a year-long celebration leading up to the 60th Aniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights from today, the International Human Rights Day. This is a historic opportunity for us to take stock of the concept and of the means of bringing it to as wide global audience as possible. My delegation highly values the theme of the commermrative year; ‘Dignity and Justice for al’.
Mr. President,
Preamble Paragraph 10 of the founding UNGA resolution 60/251 recognizes that the promotion and protection of human rights should be based on the principles of cooperation and genuine dialogue and aimed at strengthening the capacity of Member States to comply with their human rights obligations for the benefit of all human beings. Operative Paragraph 5(a) of the same resolution mandates the Council to promote human rights education and learning as well as advisory services, and to provide technical assistance and capacity-building in consultation with and with the consent of Member States concerned.
Statement by Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, exercising the right of reply on behalf of the Sri Lankan delegation, during the debate under Item 4 on Human Rights situations that require the attention of the Human Rights Council, 24th September 2007
The statement by the Sri Lanka delegation to the Sixth Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on 21st September 2007 at Palais des Nations in Geneva emphasized the strong commitment of the Government to eradicate the heinous practice of child recruitment.
Madam Moderator,
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Asian Group.
First of all let me express our thanks to the President of the Human Rights Council and members of the Bureau for providing a space for this discussion on gender perspective in the work of the Human Rights Council. We also take this opprtunity to thank to all those delegations who were instrumental for this initiative. This is a good opportunity for exchange of views on this important subject.
- Full text of the speech made by Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva at the 6th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council held at the Palais de Nations, Geneva, on 13-9-2007
- Statement of Sri Lanka under item 14 (e) of the General Segment of ECOSOC on 25 July 2007, Geneva
- Statement by Mr. O.L. Ameer Ajwad, Counsellor of the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka on the President’s revised text on Institution Building of the Human Rights Council at the informal meeting with the President of the HRC during the 5th session of the Co