Zubair Qureshi
Federal Minister for Planning & Special initiatives Asad Umar has emphasized human rights should be central pillar of Pakistan’s foreign relations.
Pakistan should strive towards using international forums more effectively with the help of this imperative. The federal minister was addressing as Chief Guest a panel discussion on “Human Rights Diplomacy.” Asad Umar said morality should be part of decision-making processes.
Federal Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari also spoke on the occasion and highlighted the need to move beyond a traditional approach to human rights diplomacy that focuses narrowly on inter-state relations.
Some countries have voluntarily eroded their sovereignty by becoming party to International conventions and agreements, she said.
According to her, changing human rights paradigm warranted accounting for non-state actors such as civil society, business community and corporations as important stakeholders in terms of human rights diplomacy.
She emphasized the work that the Ministry of Human Rights was doing in this regard in terms of drafting procedures for an action plan on business and human rights in Pakistan.
In lieu of the changing human rights paradigm, it may be beneficial to shift to a more thematic approach to Human Rights Diplomacy, one in which states identify specific human rights issues such as women and child rights and develop policies on these issues.
Such an approach may also be pivotal in addressing issues such as the ongoing siege in by Indian Occupation Forces in Held Kashmir.
Pakistan has ratified most of the major international human rights conventions including the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD); the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR); and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and it is becoming increasingly incumbent to account for various international organizations and forums in terms of human rights diplomacy.
Taking part in the panel discussion, Ambassador of Sweden, Ingrid Johnsoson spoke about feminist foreign Policy in Sweden which could serve as an example to promote and support gender equality.
Director General of Institute of Strategic Studies AizazAhmad Chaudhary said traditional ways of diplomacy are changing now.
The term human rights can be used in positive and negative manner. The selective use of term is used to appreciate or bash countries.
Secretary of Ministry of Human Rights Rabiya Javeri Agha while moderating the panel discussion said Human rights Diplomacy is the skill of dealing with people and managing international relations through the lens of a human rights perspective.
She said the aim of the panel discussion was to create awareness among people on the importance of modern ideas of diplomacy in human rights. The audience included representatives of the government, diplomatic community, academia and media.
