Universal Periodic Review Sensitization Event for Editors and Journalists Hosted by the Attorney General’s Chamber of the United Republic of Tanzania

Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator

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Universal Periodic Review

Sensitization Event for Editors and Journalists

Hosted by the Attorney General’s Chamber of the United Republic of Tanzania

22 SEPTEMBER 2011

DOUBLE TREE HILTON, DAR ES SALAAM

United Nations Resident Coordinator Mr. Alberic Kacou

Talking Points

 Mr. Mathew Mwaimu, Director for Human Rights and Constitutional Affairs, Attorney General’s Chamber;

Mr. Absalom Kibanda, Chairperson of the Tanzania Editors’ Forum;

Mr. Neville Meena, of the Tanzania Editors’ Forum;

Government representatives;

Editors, journalists and other members of the Tanzanian media;

Dear UN colleagues;

 This event comes very timely.  In eleven days, the Tanzanian State representatives will initiate a dialogue with other governments on the human rights situation in this country. Together they will review achievements, progress and challenges.  Recommendations made will influence the national human rights agenda for years to come.  An informed media is critical for further increasing that impact.

The inter-governmental dialogue; the Universal Periodic Review; or UPR in short; prompts States to be accountable to each other for their domestic human rights records.  This is perhaps the most innovative mechanism for human rights, globally speaking.   The vision of reciprocal accountability for human rights was reflected in Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.   Therefore, in 2006, when the Human Rights Council was established and the UPR introduced, the international community took a significant step in realising the vision of the drafters of the Universal Declaration. 

The UPR also deserves its universal label.  All UN Member States, all human rights standards and all human rights stakeholders are involved.  With stakeholders, we relate not only to the governments but also National Human Rights Institutions – such as the Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance – as well as nongovernmental organisations. They  are  all granted a right to appear. 

Indeed, as part of the civil society, media associations often become interlocutors in the UPR process.  They tend to submit country-based opinions on the level of respect for freedom of media or the situation of human rights defenders. 

Most of all, media people are interlocutors because of the substantive reporting on the event itself.  Besides the key matter of the human rights situation, full transparency and the intergovernmental character would make the process attractive from any editor or journalist’s point of view.  

Ladies and gentlemen,

This workshop is hosted by the Attorney General’s Chamber.  It represents the last component of the national Roadmap in terms of preparations.  Let me congratulate Mr. Mwaimu and his team for reaching that point.  Let me also congratulate him for a broad-based and transparent drafting process.  The national report has come to fruition through several roundtables, including a session in Zanzibar. The breadth of interests represented during these occasions, gives a sense of legacy to the national report.  We should bear that in mind when we read it. 

As an organization, United Nations does not enter into the dialogue.  We are represented through the High Commissioner’s Office as a secretariat to the Human Rights Council, hosting the process.  That Office has compiled UN information on the human rights situation in Tanzania.  Together with the national report and the summary of other stakeholders’ submissions, this information forms part of the official documentation of the review. 

That said, the UN Country Team in Tanzania has outlined activities to promote and assist in the protection of human rights under our UN Development Assistance Plan.  I have introduced this plan, known as the UNDAP, at other occasions. Nonetheless, I would take this opportunity to make some additional reflections:

First, the environment in Tanzania is conducive for a rigorous follow-up to the dialogue in Geneva.  The national report makes mention of the desire to establish a national human rights action plan.  Such a plan would allow a broad public dialogue on all human rights at the national level.  This is therefore a commitment that the UN Country Team is supporting and a process that enables domestication of recommendations made in Geneva.  

Second, the national report lists some endemic challenges regarding human rights in Tanzania.  I assume this indicates a willingness, on behalf of the Government, to enter into a dialogue on viable and effective solutions.  Realistic and results-oriented recommendations from the Human Rights Council, ideally inspired by lessons from the East African region, would therefore be of outmost help.   

Members of the media, Ladies and gentlemen,

In conclusion, I would like to raise the issue of rights awareness among the population at large. With this workshop, the Government rightly passes on at least part of this concern for your careful consideration. 

As editors and journalists, you have a unique possibility to improve understanding and knowledge of human rights.  You possess channels through which information is disseminated to those outside decision-making processes and conference rooms.  Alternately, through media, human rights holders can make their views heard and inform authorities about the situation on the ground.

Therefore, this workshop is promising.  Although focus is the familiarisation with a process, a successful outcome will be a wider and more informed exposure of human rights issues in print, broadcast or social media.  I think the organizers deserve a special note of recognition to that effect.

I look forward to learning about the conclusions and consider UN support in their favor.  Grateful to the Regional Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights based in Addis Ababa, UNDP, UN Women and UNICEF for financing this event, I wish you a fruitful day.

Asanteni sana.