"Today, the Human Rights Ministry, along with the Foreign Ministry and Bappenas (National Planning Agency), is resolute with our determination to seize the presidency of UNHRC," Pigai stated in his Human Rights Day remarks in Jakarta on Wednesday evening.
According to the minister, Indonesia must become a global leader in human rights advocacy, and this effort can begin by ensuring Indonesian representation in the UNHRC presidency.
He envisioned that with Indonesia at the helm, the UN body would initiate new human rights guidelines, including on corruption, environment, elections, and development issues.
"If an Indonesian holds the UNHRC presidency, they will help Indonesia change the world. We must not wait until 2045 to lead the world; we must start now and help build a better civilization," Pigai said, referring to Indonesia's centenary year.
According to the minister, a more advanced civilization is one in which human rights become mainstream in public life, starting from ontology and epistemology to axiology.
Pigai said that Indonesia has initiated a national mission to make human rights a mainstream in public life in a bid to achieve the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision, and the process will take place in stages.
"We will then accelerate our development until 2034. For the next five years, we will influence the region, and the last five years, we will be the leader in the world," he stated.
Meanwhile, he revealed that in its effort to secure the UNHRC presidency, Indonesia has rallied support from several countries, including Cambodia and Laos, which he recently visited, as well as Australia, which Deputy Minister Mugiyanto visited.
"I told them that it is time for Indonesia to lead. We are a human rights community, and when we become the president of UNHRC, we can create many new conventions," he remarked.
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Translator: Fathur Rochman, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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