“Human rights, and particularly women’s rights, will of course be on the agenda at the Latin American Summit. I therefore find it important to talk to representatives of civil society before the official summit and to learn first hand their assessment of the situation regarding human rights”, stated Foreign Minister and EU Council President Ursula Plassnik.
On 10 May, Plassnik will meet human rights defenders from Mexico, Guatemala and Columbia. The talks will revolve around women’s rights, women’s active role in peace processes and women’s role in public life.
“Support for human rights defenders has long been an important part of the EU’s human rights policy. Under the Austrian Council Presidency we, together with Finland, have focused attention on women human rights defenders. For women who actively support human rights, and especially women’s rights, are often exposed to great dangers. Their commitment questions the traditional role of women and, from previous experience, triggers stern opposition as a result. As Council Presidency, I have sent a clear signal in this area: local representatives of the Council Presidency are now set to meet human rights activists worldwide”, the Foreign Minister said.
During her talks with both human rights activists and government representatives, Plassnik will raise the subject of the series of brutal murders of women in Mexico and Guatemala. “In the 21st century, we can no longer accept that such crimes remain uninvestigated, or insufficiently investigated, and that hardly any perpetrators are incriminated. Complicity in murders of women and negligence in solving such cases, too, must be investigated and punished. We are committed to ending impunity for these crimes.”
“We acknowledge the efforts made by Mexico and Guatemala in working together with the special rapporteurs of the UN and the Council of Europe. This could well be a sound basis on which the human rights situation gradually changes for the better”, she stated.
“Women play a key role in organising the reconstruction and reshaping of society during or following conflicts. Therefore, they must be involved in the peace processes conducted around the negotiating table. We are committed to this cause at the UN, and have high expectations of the new UN Commission for Peace Consolidation. To this end, women (Foreign Ministers, including those from Latin America) have turned to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan”, Plassnik concluded.
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