While the challenges just mentioned are significant, they are not insurmountable – and there have been a number of positive developments in recent years. The Government and people of Iraq have shown their firm intention and commitment to finding solutions to the challenges the country faces – to build an Iraq that is democratic and founded on the rule of law and respect for human rights. In finding solutions, it is essential that those in authority hear and act on the voices of all Iraq’s people – in particular, the voices of the weak, the disempowered, and those whose voices we often do not hear.
The National Action Plan on Human Rights, which we celebrate today, exemplifies what can be achieved through consultation and consensus. In drafting the plan, the Ministry of Human Rights consulted with all sectors of Iraqi society: representatives of the Government, the Parliament, the Judiciary, and diverse members of civil society - to discuss the recommendations of the Human Rights Council and to decide on the key legislative, institutional and policy reforms that Iraq needed to undertake to implement those recommendations. As such it is a landmark achievement.
Therefore, I congratulate the Minister for Human Rights for the commitment and hard work that he and his Ministry have shown in tackling the serious human rights challenges facing Iraq – as exemplified by the adoption and implementation of the National Action Plan for Human Rights. Rest assured the United Nations stands by your side in assisting you reach your goals of ensuring that human rights is not just some distant dream, but that it becomes a reality for every Iraqi citizen.
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