Ethiopia logs in human rights reporting

06 October, 2007

Human rights agencies and government institutions are holding a two-day discussion to prepare a framework that enables Ethiopia to prepare periodical reporting on human rights.

The conference, which drew participants from various offices, including the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UN office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and local NGOs, deliberated on the challenges facing Ethiopia in producing reports on human rights under the International Human Rights Instruments ratified by Ethiopia.

The Minister of Justice, Assefa Kesito, said on the occasion that although Ethiopia is a state party to the major international human rights instruments which have now become part and parcel of the Ethiopian legal system as stipulated in the constitution, there are still drawbacks in implementation and lack of capacity of implementing agencies.

"Our country has not been able to submit its implementation reports to the relevant treaty bodies, except to the few of them, including to the committee on the Rights of the Child. This is deeply regrettable," the minister said.

UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP representative Mr. Fidele Sarassoro, said that his office is keen to help Ethiopia promote human rights. To this effect, he pointed out, the UN country team is committed to strengthen six Ethiopia institutions with a financial assistance from the Development Assistant Group. These institutions targeted by the UN include the House of Peoples ' Representatives, the House of Federation, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, the Office of the Ombudsman, the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia and the Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Authority.

Mr. Sarassoro insisted that the issue of the late submission or the lack of submission of periodic reports as per international obligations is a major impediment to any effort of promotion and protection of human rights.

Some participants said that human rights in Ethiopia are rather appreciated than implemented, and that human rights are not only about legal tools but something that spans across the whole spectrum of life and must be addressed in a multi-faceted approach.

By Bruck Shewareged - Ethiopian Reporter