NEW YORK, OCTOBER 7 – As the 75th General Assembly 3rd Committee started its works, Italy reaffirmed its commitment to the universal moratorium on the death penalty, women’s rights and gender equality, the protection of children, crime prevention and criminal justice, as well as the rights of LGBTQ people and persons with disabilities.
“The pandemic has proved the importance of an effective multilateralism and, by exacerbating pre-existing discriminations and inequalities, it has also confirmed the absolute necessity of a continued and staunch commitment in favor of human rights”, the Italian Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Stefano Stefanile, said in his address to the Committee.
“The protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms are at the heart of Italy’s agenda: it is a constitutional obligation, as well as a priority of our foreign policy and of our commitment as a member of the Human Rights Council”, said Stefanile, pointing out the key priorities of Italy’s work in the next two months.
This year – which marks the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Palermo Convention against Transnational Organized Crime – Italy will present a draft resolution on this important subject with the aim of seeking its consensual adoption. As highlighted at a side event held on the margins of the High Level Week, Italy is also on the frontline in the campaign for a universal moratorium on the death penalty: “We invite all member states to support the relevant draft resolution that will be tabled during this Third Committee session”.
Italy is also strongly committed to advancing the women’s rights agenda, as reaffirmed by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte at the high level event marking the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Plan of Action.
“Our efforts to recover better from the pandemic must include the fullest promotion and protection of women’s rights. There can be no societal growth, nor peace and stability, where women are not equal, protected from violence, given access to education, invited to the negotiating tables and included in the decision making process. We attach the utmost importance to the protection of children, girls in particular, often more fragile and exposed to multiple and intersecting forms of violence and harmful practices, including Female Genital Mutilation and Child Early and Forced Marriage. We will continue to support the advancement of the Children in Armed Conflict’s agenda and the full and meaningful participation of youth”, said the Ambassador. (@OnuItalia)
