Creating the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the 1993 World Conference / edited by Gudmundur Alfredsson, Gianni Magazzeni.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Magazzeni, Gianni, editor.

Gudmundur Alfredsson, editor.

Series:

UN Human Rights in Practice ; 1.

Human Rights and Humanitarian Law E-Books Online, Collection 2026.

UN Human Rights in Practice ; 1

Human Rights and Humanitarian Law E-Books Online, Collection 2026

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Human Rights and Humanitarian Law.

Human rights.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (473 pages) : illustrations.

Place of Publication:

Leiden ; Boston : BRILL, 2026.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This unique and timely collection describes the evolution of the human rights activities of the UN during the period 1987-97, with a focus on the 1993 World Conference of Human Rights and the subsequent creation and early years of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. All the authors were insiders - diplomats, NGO representatives, media personnel, independent human rights experts and UN staff members, including heads of the UN human rights programme – and all played active roles in the events concerned. The first UN High Commissioner, José Ayala Lasso of Ecuador, is among them. The volume draws on their experiences, perspectives and expertise. 'It is thus with great enthusiasm that I welcome the efforts to record for history, and for humanity, what transpired at the dawn of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, for it is in knowing our past that we can better confront our future. - José Ayala Lasso (From the Foreword) 'This book contains valuable insight into the evolution of the Office and the need to build on its achievements, emphasizing its value as a powerful vehicle for change, progress, dignity and justice for all.' - Volker Türk (From the Preface) See Less

Contents:

Foreword

Preface

List of Figures

Notes on Contributors

Introduction

 Gudmundur Alfredsson and Gianni Magazzeni

1 Responding to Gross Violations of Human Rights by the UN and the Call for a High Commissioner

The Evolving Roles of the Commission on Human Rights and the Division of Human Rights between 1946 and 1982

 Theo van Boven and Ingrid Westendorp

2 Acting to Protect People: Building the Foundations of United Nations Human Rights Action to Intervene and Protect

 Tom McCarthy

3 The World Public Information Campaign in 1988 and the Triangular Approach to Human Rights

 Gianni Magazzeni

4 Genesis of the 1993 Vienna Conference

 Liviu Bota

5 Drafting a Declaration

 Gudmundur Alfredsson

6 The Adoption of the Vienna Declaration: a Dialectical Approach to Human Rights

 Bhaswati Mukherjee

7 Success against All Odds: the World Conference on Human Rights, Its Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action and the Operationalisation of Human Rights Protection

A Personal Recollection and Appreciation

 Christian Strohal

8 The Principle of Universal, Indivisible, Interdependent and Interrelated Human Rights and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

 Janelle M. Diller

9 National Human Rights Institutions

 Brian Burdekin

1 The UN’s Evolving Commitment to Human Rights: Indigenous Rights and the World Conference

 Lee Swepston

11 Developments of the UN Human Rights System over the Last Decades

Achievements and Challenges

 Petter Fredrik Wille

12 The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: an Amorphous Mandate

 John P. Pace

13 Pushing on an Open Door: the US Government, the Vienna Conference and the UN High Commissioner

 Eric P. Schwartz

14 Negotiations at the 48th UNGA to Create a High Commissioner for Human Rights

 Peter Eicher

15 José Ayala Lasso and the Establishment of a United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

 José Rosemberg

16 Mission to Rwanda

 José Ayala Lasso

17 Media Coverage of UN Rights Boss Overshadowed by Rwandan Genocide

 Stephanie Nebehay

18 NGOs and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

 Felice Gaer

19 The Challenging Integration of the Old Centre for Human Rights with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

2 The Human Rights Diplomacy of José Ayala Lasso: Balancing the Ethic of Responsibility and the Ethic of Conviction

 Bertrand Ramcharan

21 José Ayala Lasso: a Legacy of Diplomacy and Human Rights

 José Valencia

Appendix: Snapshots from Some of Ayala Lasso's Missions and HCHR/CHR Information Materials

Index.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

978-90-04-72448-8

Publisher Number:

10.1163/9789004724488 DOI