UN Human Rights High Commissioner Mary Robinson to visit Finland

United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner Mary Robinson will pay a visit to Finland on November 27-29. This is her first visit to Finland. During the visit Mrs Robinson will meet President Tarja Halonen and Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen. They will discuss the current human rights issues and the present challenges faced by the United Nations.

In addition to the bilateral visit commissioner Robinson will open a conference “Children, torture and other forms of violence” arranged by the World Organisation against Torture (OMCT) and the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare in Tampere on Wednesday, November 28.

Support for work of the United Nations in promoting human rights is an important part of Finland´s policy on human rights. The Government supports the efforts by the Human Rights Commissioner for strengthening the United Nations Programme on Human Rights. This year Finland has donated 5,5 million Finnish marks to the Secretariat of the Human Rights Commissioner and the UN Human Rihts Programme.

A recording of Commissioner Robinson´s press conference on Wednesday, November 28 at 1pm will later be available on this web-site.

Additional information: Ambassador Pekka Huhtaniemi (Geneva), tel 990 41 79 301 3383, 1st Secretary Johan Schalin, tel 1341 5323