High Level Side Event: "The Rights of the Child - The Guiding Princi..
Datum: 15 september 2015
Inleiding van vicepremier en minister van Buitenlandse Zaken Didier Reynders op de toespraak van H.M. de Koningin op het High Level Side Event: "The Rights of the Child - The Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights - Focus on the ICT sector and the elimination of sexual violence" tijdens
de 30ste zitting van de VN-Mensenrechtenraad in Geneve, dinsdag 15 september
Your Majesty,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is an honor to be with you today on this important topic. I have had many opportunities to underline how important the role of companies and business leaders is for human rights.
There is no doubt that economic progress increase the opportunities for development and prosperity of mankind. They give us incredible new perspectives. They can improve our capacities to learn, to be cured, to connect to one another. As for many other fields, we also need to adapt our rules
and be cautious of the negative impact new technologies can have, particularly on the most vulnerable. Children are of particular importance in this regard as they need to be protected.
At the United Nations level, the role enterprises can play to protect and promote human rights has been increasingly highlighted. With the nomination of the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative on business & human rights, in 2005, this question was analysed carefully. The unanimous
adoption of the "Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights" by UN member States has demonstrated their willingness to give corporate responsibility the importance it deserves. It remains today our common reference to protect, respect and, when needed, remedy.
Since 2011, many progresses have been made. The Principles have been largely disseminated and have helped us shaped a common vision of the respective role of governments and enterprises in promoting human rights.
Un agencies have taken these principles a step further in their respective fields. UNICEF and Global Compact have for instance published "Children's Rights and Business Principles", to guide companies on the full range of actions they can take to respect and support specifically children's
rights. In parallel, "General Comment No. 16" addresses the state obligations regarding the impact of businesses on children's rights. These two guidance are complementary to ensure that each actor takes fully its responsibilities to protect children.
Your Majesty,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
We need to continue our efforts to turn these principles into reality. As a candidate country for a seat in the Human right council for 2016-2018, Belgium takes its responsibility in the human right field seriously.
We are currently finalising a National Action Plan on business and Human rights. We launched officially the "Children's Rights and Business Principles" in Brussel in 2012 and in New York in 2013. We will also sponsor a specific event in Geneva this week to recall the adoption of the General
Comment No. 16.
The Belgian government is fully aware that our efforts would be vain without the essential contribution of other stakeholders: the private sector, the civil society and each and every one of our citizens.
In this context, I want to underline a project that we developed recently to fight children exploitation. It is called "I say STOP!". The growing number of travelers, the development of new technologies, the global economic crisis are all factors that increase the risk of children being
sexually exploited. This tool was designed to combat the impunity of those who take advantage of their travel to sexually exploit children abroad and raise the awareness on this issue. It has been developed thanks to the collaboration of - among others - the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the
Police and the Tourist Industry Federation. It is a beautiful example of what cooperation between the private and public sector can bring.
This panel today is another example of the cooperation between private and public sector. Belgium's goal in bringing this panel together was to gather key actors in the field of children's rights and the internet. Let me thank you all for your presence today. It is a privilege to be able to
profit from your incredible expertise today.
Your Majesty, I thank you to have accepted to honor this event of your presence - which underlines your commitment for human rights. I give you the floor.