Ávarp í umræðu um Erítreu

Þorvarður Atli Þórsson, sendiráðunautur, flutti ávarp í mannréttindaráðinu 2. júlí 2019 í umræðum með sérstökum skýrslugjafa mannréttindaráðsins í málefnum Erítreu.

Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Eritrea

2 July 2018

Statement by Iceland

Mr. President,

Iceland thanks the Special Rapporteur for her report and for identifying benchmarks for improving the situation of human rights in Eritrea.

We welcome the continued progress made towards achieving a sustainable peace between Eritrea and Ethiopia, and Eritrean efforts to improve relations to neighbors in the region. We also welcome Eritrea’s engagement in the UPR earlier this year and efforts to ban harmful practices, such as female genital mutilation, and to end child marriage.

We regret that this positive momentum has not translated into much needed domestic reforms. For progress to be made, human rights must be front and center. Comprehensive reforms at the domestic level are urgently needed in order to move towards a free, just and democratic society.

We also regret that during the period under review, the Special Rapporteur was not given access to Eritrea to conduct in-country visits. While we welcome the meeting between the Special Rapporteur and the delegation of Eritrea, we urge the Government of Eritrea to fully cooperate with the Special Rapporteur and to grant her access to the country. We also encourage Eritrea to sign the pledge by which new members commit to strengthening the work of the Council through good practice and by promoting a safe and enabling environment for human rights.

In conclusion, we would like to ask the Special Rapporteur how women’s participation in the Government’s current initiatives to promote regional peace and security can be increased?

I thank you.