Pax Romana Working Group on Human Rights participating in the UN 58th Session ofthe Commission on Human Rights

The 58th Session of the UN Commission on Human Rights (CHR) completed its 4th week with several controversial decisions and consequent protest by some NGOs including Pax Romana.

On April 9, Pax Romana chose to use its speaking slot to express disappointments over the arbitrary ruling imposed by the Chair abruptly instead of reading the prepared statement under the agenda item 9. This action brought together over 40 NGOs under the leadership of CONGO (Conference of NGOs) to prepare a joint Open Letter to the Chairperson of the Bureau of the CHR. The Chairperson partially responded to it but in general, NGOs felt dissatisfied with his response. Therefore, the dialogue between NGOs and the Bureau of the CHR continues.

Like previous years, Pax Romana Working Group on Human Rights are participating with several interns, partners and collaborators. So far, four oral interventions have been made on the right to self-determination (item 5) and the situation of Dalits in South Asia (item 6), the human rights violation in Zimbabwe, Kenya and Burma (item 9) and Financing for Development with focus on right to education and food in the context of economic, social and cultural rights (item 10)

Pax Romana together with Friends World Committee for Consultation (Quakers), War Resisters’ International, International Fellowship of Reconciliation and Asian Legal Resource Center in Hong Kong organized a lunchen briefing meeting on Conscientious Objection on April 3, 2002, and sponsored several briefing meetings on Human Rights Education, Article 2 (Remedy) of Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Indonesia, Malaysia, etc. Pax Romana also facilitated the creation of Asia and Africa Caucus among NGOs during the session.

This year’s Pax Romana Workshop Group on Human Rights was composed of Anselmo Lee, Secretary General, Mr Joseph Rajkumar, Senior Advisor on Human Rights and Mr Onno Seroo from UNESCO Center in Barcelona, Mr Jerald Joseph, ICMICA Asian Coordinator based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Peter Jacob from the Justice and Peace Commission from Pakistan and several interns. Ms Diane Goessing, a member of ICMICA German Federation also participated for a day during her stay in Geneva.

The CHR continues till 26 April 2002. News and story about the Pax Romana Human Rights Internship program being conducted during the CHR 2002 will be shared with you on the next issue.

More information,

• For the Pax Romana interventions and Open Letter, www.paxromana.org
• For the CHR itself, www.unhchr.ch
• NGO Weekly Newspaper on the CHR- ww.hrdc.net/sahrdc/hrfchr58/index.htm

Attention! Please take note of new dates of the Lima Workshop and Council meeting

• July 6-7, Latin America Workshop
• July 8-9, Inter-Continental Workshop
• July 10, Exposure/Immersion Program
• July 11-12, The 89th Session of the ICMICA International Council