The Helsinki Process seeks new solutions to ensure human rights and women’s security
28 September, 2004
According to Paula Lehtomäki, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, inadequate understanding among governments has prevented the United Nations Commission on Human Rights from addressing the issue of violence against women with the seriousness that the scope of the topic would merit. Lehtomäki called for citizens’ discussion of how international human rights administration can be strengthened and how a joint international front to combat violence against women can be built.
On Tuesday Lehtomäki opened the Human Security Seminar, the first national seminar of the Helsinki Process, where international challenges to human security were discussed. The seminar in Helsinki provided information for the Meeting of the Helsinki Process Track on Human Security to be held at the end of this week in Cairo, which in January will present its own report to the Helsinki Group led by the Finnish and Tanzanian foreign ministers. The “Human Security Now” seminar was organised by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs in cooperation with the Helsinki Process Secretariat and the Citizens’ Global Platform.
Alongside governments and citizens’ organisations, the business world plays a strong role in the Helsinki Process. “From the perspective of corporate social responsibility, it is important that we find concrete measures for promoting sustainable development and human security”, stated Martin Granholm, the Finnish member of the group for the human security track of the Helsinki Process who is Senior Strategic Advisor and Deputy CEO of UPM-Kymmene Corporation.
Lehtomäki: Women a resource for development based on human rights
According to the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, raising women’s status improves the quality of life throughout the surrounding society. In Lehtomäki’s opinion, women should be seen as change factors and as a significant development resource.
The Development Policy Programme approved by the Government early in the year and the Government’s Report on Human Rights Policy also approved this year emphasise human rights as the departure point for development.. “Poor realisation of economic, social and educational rights often affects women and girls in particular. For instance, inadequate provision of basic education often means that girls’ right to education remains unattained. This, in turn, has far-reaching effects on development potential within the entire society,” Minister Lehtomäki pointed out.
Lehtomäki called special attention to the work against human trafficking. “Finland is ready for broad cooperation with other governments, international organisations and civil society organisations in order to help the victims of human trafficking. Last week Finland arranged a conference on human trafficking, in cooperation with the OSCE. The Helsinki Process is one means of continuing efforts to this end,” the minister continued.
Amnesty: Implementation of human rights calls for political will and funds
Frank Johansson, Executive Director of Amnesty International in Finland, contends that a key challenge to promotion of human security, and at the same time the simple solution to the issue, is respect for human rights. “The world’s people need globalisation of human rights. Human rights should be understood in this context both as freedom from fear and freedom from want”, Frank Johansson said at the seminar on Tuesday.
According to Johansson, in tackling this challenge the Helsinki Process has, from the viewpoint of Amnesty International, identified the right problems and their links with one another. “Violence against women, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and the spread of small arms are all global problems, and their solution would be a great step towards alleviation of absolute poverty and reducing insecurity. In parts of the world, at their worst these issues are concentrated in one event: A young man carrying a submachine gun rapes a woman from the neighbouring village and infects her with the HI-virus”, Johansson stated.
Johansson also challenged political decision-making. “Information about how to control the arms trade, how to promote equality and how to provide health education and medication is available. The question is: Can the political will, and through it the necessary funds, be found?”
Additional information: Juha Mustonen, Helsinki Process Secretariat, tel. +358 40 583 0945, Frank Johansson, Amnesty International, tel. +358 50 367 6311, and Martin Granholm, UPM Kymmene, tel. +358 204 15111