Contributing to Global Human Rights Governance Geneva | World | Human Rights
During the 53rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council held in Geneva, Switzerland, civil society organizations such as the Chinese Society for Human Rights held a series of side meetings in Geneva to promote China's achievements in human rights development to the world. Centered around themes such as "China's Human Rights Concept and Practice" and "Thirty Years of Exploration and Experience in China under the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action", Chinese civil society organization leaders, experts and scholars, as well as foreign representatives and people from all walks of society attending the conference, conducted extensive and in-depth discussions and exchanges. Through dialogue, consensus was gathered to jointly promote the development and progress of human rights civilization and contribute to global human rights governance.
China actively implements the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action
At the sideline meeting on the theme of "Thirty Years of Exploration and Experience in China under the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action", Lu Guangjin, Vice President of the China Association for Human Rights Research and Professor at the Jilin University Institute of Human Rights Research, stated that the development and progress of China's human rights cause is not only an essential requirement for building socialism with Chinese characteristics, but also a direct reflection of practicing the basic spirit of the declaration. China adheres to the principle of universality of human rights and combines it with its own national conditions, striving to find a human rights development path that conforms to the trend of the times and is suitable for its own national conditions. Protecting human rights through security, promoting human rights through development, and promoting human rights through cooperation not only conforms to the spirit of the Declaration and Programme of Action, but also develops the spirit of the Declaration and Programme of Action under new historical conditions. It will inevitably promote global human rights governance towards a more fair, just, reasonable, and inclusive direction.
Wang Yanwen, Deputy Secretary General of the China Association for Human Rights, presided over the side meeting on the theme of "China's Human Rights Philosophy and Practice" and stated that in seeking consensus in a divided world, we must set aside prejudice and respect each other. Imposing one country's values on others can only increase unrest, and mechanically applying the human rights protection model of other countries can also be harmful. A true human rights civilization should be established on the basis of recognizing the universality of human rights and respecting the differences in human rights views and practices, seeking common ground while reserving differences, advocating for all countries and ethnic groups to inherit and develop their own civilization, and independently choose a human rights development path that is in line with their own national conditions.
Shen Tianjiao, a researcher at the Institute of Human Rights at Jilin University, said that China's global development initiative, global security initiative, and global civilization initiative are in line with the purpose of the declaration and action plan, and are closely related to the happy life of the people. Looking towards the future, as an international public good provided by China to the world, the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and Global Civilization Initiative will inject new impetus into the declaration and action plan.
The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action proposed the need to include human rights themes in educational programs and called on countries to adopt such an approach. Professor Zhang Wei from the Institute of Human Rights at China University of Political Science and Law stated that the Chinese government attaches great importance to human rights education. In the four National Human Rights Action Plans that have been formulated, there are dedicated chapters on human rights education and research, proposing specific measures to promote and promote the sustainable development of human rights education. So far, China has established human rights education and training bases in 14 universities. The Chinese government will support the establishment of national human rights research institutions in the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Party School system by 2025, and establish three new national human rights research bases.
Mikel Savia, the Permanent Representative of the International Democratic Lawyers Association to the United Nations in Geneva, congratulated Chinese non-governmental organizations on successfully hosting a themed side event in Geneva and appreciated China's achievements in establishing relevant majors in universities and human rights education. She pointed out that the Chinese Human Rights Research Association has made important contributions to the popularization of human rights education, which helps the outside world to better understand the development of human rights in China.
David Lopez, the head of the Swiss International Association for Human Rights and Social Development, recently visited China. He said that during the visit, he saw China's economic prosperity and development, comprehensive social progress, and people's happiness in life. China has embarked on a path of human rights development that is suitable for its own national conditions. I hope to further strengthen exchanges and dialogue with Chinese non-governmental organizations in the future, and jointly promote the improvement of global human rights governance.
Development is an effective way to address a range of issues, including human rights
The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action reaffirmed that the right to development is a universal and indivisible right, and an integral part of fundamental human rights, emphasizing that individuals are the central subject of development. For many years, China has adhered to the development concept of putting the people at the center, protected and promoted human rights in development, and worked hard to eliminate development obstacles with high-quality, inclusive, and inclusive development, and improve the level of human rights protection.
Xiao Wu, associate professor of the Human Rights Research Institute of Southwest University of Political Science and Law, said that China's human rights cause is an integral part of Chinese path to modernization. China adheres to the right to survival and development as the primary basic human rights, emphasizes the indivisibility of civil and political rights and economic, social, and cultural rights, upholds a "people-centered" human rights subject view rather than a narrow and one-sided human rights subject view, adheres to a three-dimensional human rights development path rather than a one-dimensional human rights path, upholds the concept of inclusive human rights rather than a "teacher style" human rights view, and advocates exploring a suitable human rights development path from the actual situation of the country and the needs of the people.
He Zhipeng, Executive Dean of the Institute of Human Rights and Dean of the School of Law at Jilin University, said that China has long attached great importance to the realization and protection of economic, social, and cultural rights. From China's experience, it can be seen that development is an effective way to solve a series of problems, including human rights.
Regarding the protection of the rights of people with disabilities, Wang Shuqi, an assistant researcher at the Human Rights Research Center of Northwest University of Political Science and Law, said that legislation on the construction of accessible environments is a vivid manifestation of China's legislation that adheres to people-oriented principles and solves the most concerning, direct, and practical interests of the people.
Zhao Jianzhou, a lecturer at the Law School of Nanjing Normal University, said that China's non politicized agenda in the field of human rights pursues equal and mutually respectful human rights exchanges. When global human rights governance faces severe challenges, non politicized human rights discourse will help the international community bridge differences.
The attending guests expressed that different countries have different social and political conditions, historical and cultural traditions, and they must and can only explore a human rights development path that is suitable for themselves based on their own actual situation and people's needs. Albert Balsegijan, the representative of the Sikh Organization for Human Rights in Geneva, stated that human rights concepts in the world are rich and diverse, and there is no universally applicable human rights standard. Every civilization has its unique human rights perspective, which requires careful consideration and research. It is not advisable to simply and dogmatically define boundaries based on ideology.
Balsegiyan visited China this year. "I understand how the CPC and the Chinese government have led people to lift themselves out of poverty and become rich, and have made great progress in realizing the right to development and the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals." He stressed that China's poverty alleviation of hundreds of millions of people is the biggest contribution to the sustainable development goals. "China's human rights practice should receive more attention in the international arena, and provide reference for other developing countries.".
The development of human rights for ethnic minorities in China is full of vitality
Several attending guests expressed that in recent years, the living standards of the Chinese people have continued to improve, and various rights have been more effectively protected. Policies and legal measures to protect the rights and interests of specific groups such as ethnic minorities and women and children have been improved, and the protection of human rights and the rule of law has been further strengthened.
Li Liang, a lecturer at the School of Politics and International Relations of Lanzhou University, stated at the meeting that after 2010, the modernization of Xinjiang, China, has accelerated again, and a series of comprehensive measures have been taken to promote the deep ideological liberation of women in Xinjiang, greatly revitalizing the vitality of the female community.
Zhang Dengke, Deputy Director of the Chinese Language Department at the School of Chinese Language and Literature, Xinjiang University, said in his speech that as a language researcher and local, he feels that the diversity of local languages and scripts in Xinjiang has been fully protected. At present, all ethnic groups in Xinjiang mainly use more than 10 languages and characters, and minority languages and characters are widely used in judicial, administrative, educational, press and publishing, radio and television, the Internet, social and public affairs and other fields.
Naserjiang Ibrahim, Associate Professor at the School of Law and Politics at Kashgar University, stated that the Chinese Constitution and laws have fundamentally established a legal barrier to prevent forced labor. People of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang have the freedom to choose their careers, and it is their own will to go anywhere and do any work. The rights and interests of workers of all ethnic groups, including labor remuneration, rest and vacation, labor safety and health protection, and access to social insurance and benefits, are all protected in accordance with the law.
Suolang Zhuoma, Assistant Researcher at the Institute of Religious Studies at the China Tibetan Studies Center, introduced that China has combined the development and changes of religion with the practical work of religion, drawn on domestic and foreign experiences, and embarked on a successful path of legally safeguarding religious freedom, promoting harmonious religious relations, and playing a positive role in the religious community. Over the years, the Central People's Government of China and the People's Government of the Xizang Autonomous Region have fully implemented the policy of freedom of religious belief. All religions and sects in Xizang have been respected and protected equally, normal religious activities have been protected according to law, citizens' right to freedom of religious belief has been effectively guaranteed, and the cause of human rights in Xizang is making continuous progress.
Bian Balam, a researcher of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, stressed in his speech that Xizang has been an inalienable part of China's territory since ancient times. In modern Chinese history, the central government has always exercised sovereignty in Xizang, and Xizang has always been under the unified jurisdiction of the central government.
Saviya said after the meeting that Chinese scholars, from their own research perspective, let us understand the real situation in Xinjiang and Xizang, and this kind of rational discussion is very necessary. The participation of Chinese non-governmental organizations in the Human Rights Council and their voice in the meeting not only allows the international community to have a better understanding of China's human rights development, but also helps to strengthen communication and exchange with other non-governmental organizations.
