On March 23, 2007, Chairperson Ahn, Kyong-Whan of National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) was unanimously elected as Vice Chair of International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (ICC) at the 19th Session.
The ICC is a representative body of about 120 National Human Right Institutions (NHRIs) established for the purpose of internationally coordinating and supporting NHRIs which are in conformity with the Paris Principle as the standards relating to the status of NHRIs.
Especially during this session, issues regarding the status and participation of the NHRIs in the Human Rights Council(HRC) were actively discussed as those have not been fully addressed since the establishment of HRC last year. Until last year the Commission on Human Rights, the former body of Human Right Council, did not allow NHRIs to address the Council under all agenda items. However the international human rights community and NHRIs are highlighting the needs to improve NHRI’s status and right to speak in the Council since there was an international consensus calling for a more active role of NHRIs in order to guarantee the effective implementation of the international human rights laws at a national level.
Entering the period of innovation which calls for enhanced international efforts for the promotion of international human rights, the international human rights community is looking forward to the role of NHRCK as it has made many practical efforts and gained trust in the international society. Brian Burdekin, formal Special Adviser of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, who participated in the process of establishing NHRCK six years ago, complimented NHRCK as the most successful NI in terms of its compliance to the Paris Principle.
Currently ICC is recognized as an essential international entity related to human rights, receiving attentions from almost every corner of the world. 16 NIs participate as members in the ICC as four NIs are selected from four regions that are Africa, America, Asia Pacific and Europe. NHRCK is a representative of the Asia Pacific region along with Australia, India and New Zealand.
During this session of ICC, the agenda included the statement by Ms Louise Arbour, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and NHRIs’ discussions and responses on various human rights related issues such as current works and future orientation of NHRIs, the engagement of NHRIs with the Human Rights Council, the role of NHRIs in the UN treaty bodies, follow-ups to the Santa Cruz declaration on migration, and activities and measures undertaken by NHRIs with regard to the implementation of the Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Based on the regional rotating system, Canadian Human Rights Commission was elected to the Chairperson. NHRCK ran for the Vice Chairperson with the recommendation of 17 NHRIs in the Asia Pacific region and was elected unanimously. It will assume the position for two years until 2009.
By assuming the position, NHRCK will carry out substantial and general works for NHRIs participating in the ICC Bureau which is composed of the Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson, representatives of the four regional groups and the ICC Secretariat. As NHRCK is assuming important positions such as the ICC Vice Chairperson and Asia Pacific representative member to the ICC Sub-Committee on Accreditation, it can further contribute to the protection and promotion of human rights in the international arena. The new ICC Chairs are expected to greatly contribute to the protection and promotion of the national human rights through introduction and application of international human rights standards and to contribute to the international human rights issues including the recruitment of ICC Geneva Representative through close relationships with the international community.
NHRCK’s assumption of the Vice Chairperson has a significant meaning in a sense that Republic of Korea has produced another important figure in the international area along with the elections of Ban Ki-Moon, the UN Secretary General, and Kyung-wha Kang, the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, last year. This is also a good opportunity for the nation to play a bigger role in protecting and promoting human rights in the international human rights community.
During the 19th ICC Session, the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF) was also held on March 22 and Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission of Korea, Kyong-Whan Ahn was elected to the APF Chairperson unanimously. The former Chairperson of NHRC had served the same position for one year starting from September 2004. Current election was made by accepting the strong request of APF members to take the chairpersonship as the independence of Fiji’s Human Rights Commission, currently the Chairperson of APF, has been questioned since Fiji military took over the government in December last year. The new APF presidency will send a fact-finding mission to Fiji during June 2007 with the support of the APF Secretariat.
