The 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Speech delivered by Dr. Astrid N. Heiberg, president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, to the General Assembly of the United Nations, New York
10 December 1998



Mr. President,

As President of an organisation which was founded with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering, I am pleased to speak here today where the UN General Assembly commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Today this Declaration is so universally accepted that one can easily forget what an achievement it was, and its tremendous moral and legal impact. It has guided the work to promote, protect and improve human rights worldwide. It has inspired regional human rights mechanisms, and has to a large extent become international customary law. It is indeed a common ground of values, crossing boundaries and cultures.

I wish to congratulate the Assembly for not only commemorating the Universal Declaration, but for having taken a new, bold step in promoting and expanding the scope of human rights promotion. Yesterday's General Assembly declaration on "human rights defenders" is really in the spirit of those who adopted the Universal Declaration fifty years ago, and it breaks new ground for human rights promotion and protection. Not only does it reaffirm the commitment of the UN Member States to human rights as universal, indivisible and interdependent and interrelated, it also declares the rights of those individuals and groups that strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at both national and international levels.

For organisations such as Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, it is of high importance that all UN Member States approve the right of everyone to advocate human rights and their acceptance. The Fundamental Principles and International Humanitarian Law for us are not only law in books but law in action. It is first and foremost through our humanitarian activities that we as a Movement support - and practice - human rights: food aid, health service and shelter for the victims of disaster. These humanitarian activities can be seen as both human rights protection and human rights promotion. They protect human rights in providing services for health and well-being. And they promote human rights in that they restore human dignity. Where human dignity is threatened, the notion of and respect for human rights will inevitably erode.

However, in dealing with food aid, health care and shelter, and by that defending human rights, the Federation and other members of the humanitarian community are faced with problems which relate not only to scarce resources, logistics and security, but also to policies imposed by this world organisation. I refer here to UN sanctions.

Sanctions are a legitimate tool of diplomacy. As President Woodrow Wilson once put it, they provide a "peaceful, silent and deadly remedy." By that logic, sanctions are like unarmed warfare. As in International Humanitarian Law the end does not justify any means in warfare, so also, in the view of the Federation the end does not justify any means when sanctions are imposed. Equally, the principle of proportionality suggests that harm inflicted by sanctions to achieve change should not be out of proportion to the anticipated gains.

Let us be clear: Sanctions can kill. They also frequently impoverish most those who are already vulnerable whilst in the worst case actually creating the possibility of greater wealth for those who find ways to exploit the situation through crime and smuggling. In short, sanctions are a blunt instrument, damaging most those who are powerless to affect the political change the international community demands. For the UN Security Council, imposing sanctions exposes a potentially fundamental contradiction in implementing two of its core principles: promoting peace and promoting human rights. Sanctions are intended to deal with threats to the peace and with human rights violations. But they also risk undermining basic human rights during the course of their implementation.

At the very least - and as stated in Resolution 4 of the 26th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, held in Geneva in 1995 - there is a need for a formal mechanism to assess the possible negative impact of sanctions and monitor their effects. And there is a need to provide effective relief for the most vulnerable groups subject to economic sanctions.

One of the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is humanity. We strive - in all circumstances - to prevent and alleviate human suffering, to protect life and health, to promote co-operation and lasting peace between all peoples. In particular we focus special attention of the situation of the most vulnerable and victims. On the basis of our Fundamental Principles and International Humanitarian Law, and through our network of 175 member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Federation is both a national and international partner in the promotion and defense of human rights. In this context we look forward to working together with you and all interested parties in order to not only promote respect for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but also its actual enjoyment by all peoples of the world.

Thank you for your attention.