The Bureau of International Solidarity of Marist Brothers, in association with Franciscans International (FI), support a global petitioning campaign launched by a group of NGOs, in order to express its support to the United Nations? Special Procedures.

The United Nations Human Rights Council?s special rapporteurs and representatives, independent experts and working groups – collectively known as the ?Special Procedures? – are among the most innovative, flexible and responsive tools created by the UN to promote and protect human rights. They cover various human rights issues which are of great concern to Marist Institute, its members and collaborators, such as the rights to Education, the right to Health, the rights of Migrants and of Minorities, right to Freedom of Religion? and many other topics as Sale of Children, Human Trafficking, Violence Against Women, Contemporary Forms of Racism? to mention just a few examples. Some mandates also exercise scrutiny over the human rights situation in certain countries. They have helped thousands of individuals whose rights were violated or threatened.

With the establishment of the Human Rights Council, which replaced the Commission on Human Rights as of 19 June 2006, the Council has been called upon to assume, review and, where necessary, improve and rationalize all mandates, mechanisms, functions and responsibilities of the Commission on Human Rights in order to maintain a system of Special Procedures.

Despite the clear need for the Human Rights Council to strengthen the Special Procedures, several states are instead proposing changes that would cripple the ability of Special Procedures to promote and protect human rights effectively. Those states are disregarding the harm that such measures would do to the men, women and children whose human rights are violated every day in all parts of the world, and who look to the Special Procedures to intervene on their behalf and defend their rights.

We, as Marist, believe that it is crucial to show to these states and to the international community as a whole our strong support to these Procedures, and calls on its members and friends to take action for the protection of the UN Special Procedures by signing the petition, which can be found at:
www.actforspecialprocedures.org

We would greatly appreciate if you can also inform us if you decide to join this appeal by sending and e-mail to this address: [email protected] (SUBJECT: I signed!)

Thanks for your support.

Bros. César Henríquez and Manuel Mendoza
Bureau of International Solidarity
Marist Brothers ? Geneva

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More information about the Special Procedures can be founded on the following UN website: /www.ohchr.org

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