Appendix VI: Statement Adopted by the Participants at the Conference on an “All-European System of Human Rights Protection”
| DOI | 10.1177/016934419000800417 |
| Published date | 01 December 1990 |
| Date | 01 December 1990 |
| Subject Matter | Part C: Appendices |
NQHR
4/1990
APPENDIX VI
STATEMENT ADOPTED BY THE PARTICIPANTS AT THE CON·
FERENCE ON AN "ALL·EUROPEAN SYSTEM OF HUMAN RIGHTS
PROTECTION"
held in Poznan from 8-11 October 1990
Recent months have witnessed immense progress in regard to respect for
human rights in Central and Eastern Europe. We recognize, however, that
much more still remains to be achieved.
One of the challenges to which these changes have given rise is the need
to ensure the development of a common, comprehensive and effective
system of human rights protection in the whole of Europe. In particular,
careful considerationneeds to be given to the most appropriate institutional
and other developments that are required in order to reflect the evolving
situation and to assist and promote further progress.
We recognize that future human rights activities in Europe must
embrace all dimensions of human rights and seek to ensure both their
promotion and protection. In that regard the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights should
always
be the starting point for human rights
standard-setting and other activities. Despite the fact that concern with
economic, social and cultural rights was often used in the past as a
smokescreen to divert attention from the failure of governments to respect
civiland political rights, we believe that those rights must not be neglected
or ignored in the development of new arrangements designed to ensure
comprehensive protection for the inherent dignity and human rights of
every man, woman and child in Europe.
In terms of specific measures for the future we believe first and
foremost that each and every European government ought to give priority
attention to ratifying and duly implementing all of the principal human
rights instruments, including those applicable to the status of refugees. At
a minimum, this should include the two International Human Rights
Covenants and the Optional Protocols, as well as to the 1951 Refugee
Convention and its 1957 Protocol. Every consideration ought also to be
given to ratification of the European Convention on Human Rights,
includingthe declarations under articles 25 and 46, and its Protocols and
472
To continue reading
Request your trial