HUMAN rights abuses, especially racism and xenophobia, are on the increase worldwide, says UN human rights chief Mary Robinson, who attacks Europe for becoming a “fortress”.
Globalisation has made the world smaller but discrimination has increased, Robinson said at a luncheon attended by senior government officials, including Sipho Pityana, South Africa’s director general of foreign affairs, and diplomats.
Robinson, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, arrived in the country this week to prepare for the UN World Conference on Racism to start in South Africa at the end of August.
In particular, Robinson criticised European countries for turning the continent into a “fortress” which kept out immigrants, despite the fact that they were badly needed to sustain growth.
“People have spoken about ‘fortress Europe’, closing up to those who have to flee because of the problems they get caught up in,” she said.
But for Europe to sustain its growth, about 70 million skilled and unskilled immigrants were needed.
Although Europe was not the only region in the world where racism and xenophobia was on the increase, the continent had a responsibility towards refugees who became caught up in conflicts, Robinson said.
Another pressing need was to educate children globally about the issues of discrimination, she said.
“We are a long way from fully recognising the equality of all human beings, fully ensuring that we have societies that are open and inclusive.
“In particular, we have to understand the importance of the way in which we influence the younger generations. In other words the importance of education, of having, not only in our schools system, but also in the informal system, a positive sense of the culture of human rights.”
She said the world conference against racism should produce measureable results in addressing these issues.
“The four scourges … which the conference would look at are racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and other related intolerances. We have every possibility to make a seminal difference,” she said.
Robinson is also scheduled to meet South African President Thabo Mbeki and also hold talks with Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on the forthcoming conference. – AFP
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