In facing the difficult global situation, we must always defend human rightsJakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, at a regional forum on Tuesday, drew attention to three key areas of focus for human rights protection amid the current spate of global crises.
Rising poverty and starvation, widespread inequality and discrimination and geopolitical dynamics, such as the war in Ukraine, have added to challenges to upholding human rights, she noted during the opening of the Regional Conversation on Human Rights (RCHR) that was followed online from Jakarta on Tuesday.
"In facing the difficult global situation, we must always defend human rights. Many governments are struggling to find a balance between upholding human rights and adopting temporary steps to cope with the crises," she remarked.
The first step is strengthening human rights institutions as a spearhead of the efforts to defend and protect human rights, she noted.
"Our national human rights institution must ensure the effective implementation of international human rights standards at home and nurture the community based on the respect for human rights," she remarked.
In the Southeast Asian region, Indonesia is working to strengthen the role of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) as part of the efforts to face regional human rights challenges, she remarked.
The second step is the need for every country to address the most urgent human rights issues, she noted.
"This does not mean that one human rights issue is more important than the others. However, we must focus our efforts on ensuring that this will have an impact," she noted.
To this end, Indonesia echoed its commitment and attention to the rights of women and daughters by, among other things, holding an international conference to raise support for Afghan women's rights to education.
In addition, the right to food is another urgent issue that should draw attention, particularly during the current global food crisis, the minister emphasized.
The third step is the need to intensify cooperation in protecting human rights in an effective and sustainable way and creating a conducive environment, she stated.
On a national scale, the government and civil community must stay at the forefront in the battle to protect human rights. Meanwhile, on an international scale, human rights politicization, double standards, accusations, and humiliation must be avoided, she stressed.
"Human rights function as a means to protect human dignity rather than to intensify geopolitical competition. Our collaboration must be based on good intention and will to learn from one another," she stressed.
"Indonesia will soon terminate its membership of the UN Human Rights Council. In the past three years, we have learned much and contributed to the promotion of human rights. We intend to continue our contribution by relying on your support to become a member of the Council for the 2024-2026 term," she affirmed.
The Foreign Ministry organized the RCHR to mark World Human Rights Day and terminate the Indonesian membership of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2020-2022 term.
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Translator: Yashinta Difa P, Suharto
Editor: Sri Haryati
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