Foreign minister defends Belgium's human rights record before UN
Foreign minister Maxime Prévot defended Belgium's human rights record in Geneva on Wednesday before the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council.
The UPR is conceived as a dialogue between equals, founded on the premise that no country has a flawless human rights record and that all can make progress. Wednesday's session lasted more than three hours. Prévot received a wide range of recommendations.
Many member states urged Belgium to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT). There was also a strong emphasis on combating prison overcrowding and racism, including ethnic profiling by the police, with repeated calls for an inter-federal action plan against racism and for the establishment of a national human rights institution with A-status.
Belgium also received praise, notably for its efforts to combat gender-based violence. South Africa and Palestine thanked Belgium for its support in the genocide case against Israel and for its conditional recognition of the Palestinian state.
"Transparency is not a weakness"
Prévot acknowledged that Belgium, like all countries, does not have a "perfect record." "But we take our responsibilities seriously and are honest about where further progress is needed. It is not a weakness to be transparent. It is precisely this attitude of openness that lends credibility to Belgium's voice on the international stage," he said.
The UPR working group will next week publish a report categorising recommendations into those supported by Belgium, those requiring further consideration, and those of which it takes note. The report is due to be adopted by the UN Human Rights Council in the autumn.
© BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK
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