Philippines Takes Ownership of Human Rights Initiatives, Builds on Gains from Cooperation with the United Nations
GENEVA 05 April 2024 – Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva Carlos D. Sorreta reaffirmed the Philippine Government’s resolve to continue ongoing efforts to strengthen domestic human rights mechanisms, building on the gains of the UN Joint Program (UNJP) on human rights in the Philippines, at the 55th Session of the Human Rights Council’s General Debate on Technical Assistance and Capacity-Building, held on 3 April 2024, in Geneva.
“Technical assistance and capacity building have a high potential of catalyzing transformative change that advances the cause of human rights. It is so when done right, that is, when states are given the driver’s seat in capacity-building initiatives, and programs are responsive to national priorities and needs. We say this with the benefit of insights gained from our three-year joint program with the UN on human rights (or the UNJP)”, PR Sorreta said.
In 2021, the Philippines and the United Nations (UN) launched joint programme on human rights that facilitated technical cooperation and capacity-building in support of national initiatives and institutional frameworks in six areas: (a) domestic investigative and accountability mechanisms; (b) data gathering on alleged police violations; (c) National Mechanism for Monitoring and Follow-Up (NMRF); (d) civic space and engagement with civil society; (e) drug control; and (f) counter-terrorism.
The UNJP will conclude in July 2024 having successfully accomplished its objectives of bolstering domestic human rights policies, programs and institutions.
“As the UNJP draws to end, we take ownership, with re-invigorated domestic institutions to better address complex governance issues, we take ownership with human rights, justice and accountability principles well-embedded in programs and strategies and in the mindset of government frontliners. For this, we wish to express deep appreciation to our bilateral partners for their trust and confidence, the OHCHR, other UN agencies, and civil society organizations”, PR Sorreta emphasized.
The UNJP was managed through a multi-stakeholder Steering Committee, led by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the UN Resident Coordinator, bringing together various Philippine agencies, the Commission on Human Rights, UN agencies, civil society organizations, and representatives of donor countries.
The following countries provided funding to the UNJP Multi-Partner Trust Fund under the stewardship of the UN Country Team: Australia, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Republic of Korea, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the European Union. The Philippine Government provided 200,000 USD in addition to the budgetary resources allocated by relevant national agencies for specific projects under the UNJP.
Informed by its UNJP experience, the Philippines is convinced that effective technical cooperation should not create relations of dependency. Moving forward, PR Sorreta underscored that the Philippines will build on the gains of the UNJP and enhance the country’s capacity to move the reform process forward with full national ownership.
“We will establish a human rights coordinating council (HRCC) to sustain and broaden what we had achieved under the UNJP. As we forge ahead, we will continue to work with our international partners bilaterally, as we had done even before the UNJP, in order to maximize resources and ensure efficiency. We will continue to actively engage civil society, in line with the Filipino people’s established tradition of civic participation and activism”, PR Sorreta added. END
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