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By Katrice R. Jalbuena, Reporter
The Philippines concluded the Universal Periodic
Review of its human-rights situation at the Eighth Session of the
United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council in Geneva on June 10, with
the country committing to take concrete steps to address the issue
of human rights.
“The Philippines had always attached the
highest priority to the protection and promotion of human rights,”
said Philippine Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva,
Ambassador Erlinda Basilio.
He recalled that the Philippines made
significant voluntary commitments during its human-rights review on
April, as follows: to develop a gender-responsive approach,
especially to protect children and women; to further develop
domestic legislation to better protect the rights of the child; to
continue to address the issue of extrajudicial killings; and to meet
the basic needs of the poor and other vulnerable sectors.
In addressing the UN rights body, the ambassador
said the Philippines welcomed the opportunity to undergo the review,
in order to present an objective assessment of the human-rights
situation in the country, and to strengthen the UN’s process as a
key instrument in advancing human rights on a global scale.
Basilio emphasized that the Philippines neither
engages in, nor encourages torture or extrajudicial killings of any
kind, and is taking strong measures to stop their occurrence.
Protection of migrants cited
The ambassador also cited the Philippines’
role in protecting the rights of migrants. The Philippines called on
more countries to join the International Convention on the Rights of
All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, and to attend the
Second Global Forum on Migration and Development in Manila.
The Philippine government will also continue to
welcome civil society as a partner in human rights, including in the
follow-up to the universal review and the Second Philippine Human
Rights Action Plan.
The Philippines’ constructive and transparent
engagement in the universal review was warmly welcomed by the UN
rights commission’s member-states present during the session.
Several states even commended the Philippines for having made
voluntary commitments, and for carefully considering recommendations
to improve its human-rights record.
Philippine action and leadership was even
recognized in areas such as the rights of women and children,
migrant workers, poverty alleviation, social amelioration and the
abolition of the death penalty. Several developing countries
recalled the importance and obligation of international cooperation
to assist the Philippines in realizing its human-rights objectives.
Civil society organizations, in accordance with
universal review procedures, also had the opportunity to provide
critical comments. They urged the Philippine government to fully
achieve its human-rights commitments and to follow recommendations
made by all states in the UN rights body.
In conclusion, Basilio said the Philippines will
keep in mind the results of the universal review as it continues to
strengthen its institutional and policy responses.
The Philippines was one of the countries deeply
involved in the establishment of the UN rights body, which succeeded
the former UN Commission on Human Rights.
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