UK Press release on International Human Rights Day/ On 10 December every year we mark the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Activities around the world remind us of the universality of human rights – the basic, fundamental rights every person is entitled to without discrimination. It is an opportunity to celebrate progress, thank those who work tirelessly to protect the most vulnerable, and to assess areas of concern. Today also marks the end of 16 days of Activism Against Gender Violence. I have been encouraged by the number of events taking place across Iraq to raise awareness of this sensitive yet serious issue. It is an issue which affects women in every country of the world including the UK. As an Embassy we have held a number of events including a PSVI Roundtable and a full day conference on women’s role in Iraqi society. Iraqi commitment to this agenda is clear from the fact that the Minister for Human Rights, Mehid Al Bayati and Minister for Women Affairs, Bayan Nouri Tawfeek, attended both events. Human rights are an important element of our policy and engagement with Iraq. Not just because the UK has a principled stance to promote human rights for all individuals, but because we genuinely believe human rights are essential to reduce conflict and build stable and prosperous states. The abhorrent human rights abuses currently being carried out by ISIL have appalled us all. They must not though be used as a reason for inaction in government controlled areas of Iraq. Democratic Iraq has come a long way since Saddam’s era and the numerous conflicts. This year’s election and the new inclusive government gives Iraq a real opportunity to ensure human rights are upheld for all. Iraq is making many of the right moves. Of particular note are the efforts towards implementing the National Strategy to Combat Violence against Women and that Iraq was the first Middle Eastern country to adopt a National Action Plan in relation to UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. But the legacy of Iraq’s violent past is still apparent. Violence against women and fulfilment of women’s rights, and the treatment of detainees, are among the most serious human rights concerns in Iraq today. These concerns are connected. Violence breeds violence, whether it is perpetrated within the home, by criminals, or by officials. It undermines human dignity. It is a dangerous and destructive downwards spiral. The role of governments is to protect its citizens from harm. Women need to feel confident that cases of abuse will be addressed. Citizens need to be confident that the judicial system is fair and that detainees will not be subjected to violence to coerce confessions. The road to achieving this is through the consistent application of the good intentions set out in Iraq’s legislation, the national human rights action plan, and international conventions such as the Convention on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the Convention against Torture. I know from my meetings with the Prime Minister and members of his cabinet that full implementation of the action plan and international conventions is a key aim of the new inclusive government. We recognise that Iraq is currently the victim of serious violence perpetrated by extremists which tears lives apart every day. The scale of the challenge is immense, and it is easy to understand why people retaliate and want revenge. Many argue that a human rights agenda can’t be pursued while security is so bad. But we believe that respect for human rights and institutions with human rights at their heart are a vital tool to build strong democracy and to combat terrorism and violence. The UK stands ready to support Iraq and offer assistance with these challenges. We already support a number of projects which aim to help change attitudes on violence against women; to train police who work on cases of domestic violence; and to strengthen Iraqi civil society’s ability to represent citizens and hold government accountable. We recognise that change takes time. It also requires courage and perseverance. With the new inclusive government there is no better time to start.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 13:13:53 +0000
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