UK Statement for Item 10 General Debate: Technical assistance and capacity-building. Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.
Thank you, Mr Vice-President.
The UK believes that technical cooperation plays a vital role in promoting and protecting human rights and welcomes the ongoing engagement by many States with the Office of the High Commissioner.
In Bangladesh, we are encouraged by the interim government’s commitment to accountability following student-led protests over the summer – and its invitation to Office of the High Commissioner to conduct a fact-finding mission. Bangladesh’s cooperation with Office of the High Commissioner is a welcome example.
We also welcome Transitional Justice legislation in Nepal. We hope that its implementation will ensure a victim-centred conclusion to the peace process.
However, we remain concerned by the human rights situation in Yemen, including the use of child recruitment, abuses against migrants, and the persecution of the Baha’i and other ethnic and religious minorities. We call on the government and Houthi authorities to enable humanitarian access and human rights monitoring, and to include women and minorities in decision-making and peace negotiations.
We continue to see human rights violations and abuses in Libya. Technical assistance has a vital role to play in addressing these concerns, including through ongoing support to the judiciary.
And in Tunisia, space for political participation has shrunk considerably. Legitimate political actors and civil society figures have been detained and charged in a manner that questions the independence of the judiciary and undermines freedom of expression.
Thank you.
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