Item 10: General debate on technical assistance and capacity-building

51st Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council: Statement by Finland, Delivered by Ambassador Kirsti Kauppi, Permanent Representative of Finland, 6 October 2022.

Mr. President,

Finland aligns itself with the statement of the European Union.

Finland welcomes the cooperation of states and national stakeholders with the OCHCR and other UN human rights mechanisms to strengthen the promotion and protection of human rights. We encourage States to contribute to the Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation, which is vital in the support to build up national institutions, infrastructures and knowledge. Finland is committed to support the independent work of the OHCHR also in this regard.

Finland encourages the Philippines to continue and strengthen cooperation with the UN and the international community, including international organizations and their representatives, in the field of human rights. We stress the importance of the full and effective implementation of the mandate of the national-level UN joint programme on human rights. For this joint programme to be successful, it is crucial that civil society organizations from diverse backgrounds can participate in its work in a full, equal and meaningful way.

Despite some progress, ensuring accountability and bringing all perpetrators to justice in the case of enforced disappearances and killings in the campaign against illegal drugs continue to be a concern. We call for the Philippines to keep this issue as a priority.

We are deeply concerned about the ongoing severe humanitarian crisis in Yemen and the continued grave human rights violations, including arbitrary killing of civilians and sexual and gender-based violence. Finland calls on all parties to intensify their efforts under the auspices of the United Nations to agree on an expanded truce that could lead the way towards a durable ceasefire and a comprehensive political settlement in the country.

We join the request for a joint investigation undertaken independently by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the National Commission of Inquiry into the human rights violations and related crimes.

We fully support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia. We continue the non-recognition policy of Abkhazia and South-Ossetia where the humanitarian needs are pressing and multiple discrimination continues to prevail. We have serious concerns about prolonged restrictions on freedom of movement, right to health and the rights to education and property in these regions. Gender-based discrimination and violence as well as restrictions on civil society continue to require attention.

Finland calls on the so-called authorities in control of the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia to ensure unhindered access for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and international and regional human rights mechanisms to those regions.

We welcome the continued cooperation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo with the team of international experts, and encourage the government to implement the recommendations of the team in full. We stress the importance of preventing impunity for human rights violations and abuses, and encourage the government to take into consideration victims’ needs for protection, immediate and other assistance, and reparation at all stages of the transitional justice process.

Thank you.